Michelin Pilot Road 4

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Yesterday, I spooned a new PR4 onto the rear of the FA.  Took it out for a 100 mile test ride and was impressed by the handling and stability of it.  I have a partially worn (2500 miles) Bridgestone Battlax T30F on the front, and the pair seem very compatible.

I'm hoping to get good long life out of the PR4.  I've seen mixed reviews on this tire, with some saying they were toast after 5000 miles, and others saying they last a long long time.

We'll see.  I'll post my results here...

That's funny.  What were you thinking?  I've got 20 years on you and I'm not ready for a Harley yet.  I must say one was on the "long list" when I was having a bit of a look.  

Glad I ended up with the Bandit.  Honestly, it's possibly the best road bike I've owned.  Does everything acceptably, some things VERY well.  After 2 years, I'm very satisfied with the bike and the Tyres - RP3.  They are better tyres than I am rider. I look like getting somewhere around but probably almost certainly upwards of 12k out of the rear.  I don't see much wear on the front at all.  

Good in the wet.  The only thing that looked like a whoopsie once was a fresh hot mix patch bleeding kero in a heavy rain. (one of those fix the whole lane for a section of road)  No tyre will hang on to that. I'm just glad it was on the straight.  I would have been in the weeds for sure otherwise. comparing them to some tyres I've used in the past, they are possibly as good in the wet as some of they were on a dry road.   

As the roads here are mostly straight, where I ride most of the time, I don't get many demos of what they will do in corners, and the rear will square off in wearing out, when it does, and I'll toss them with "chicken strips" intact. Goes with the territory. Can't do much about that. I mean there are really very few places to go for a bit a a scrape in my normal realm of travelling.  Cornering adhesion seems fine, from what I've seen, but then, I don't go hard, much, and would have to admit I have nowhere near the familiarity with the "end of the grip" I have had on previous bikes.  Either I haven't ridden the bike long enough, or am just getting old and am over the fang factor.  

Harley? maybe one day, when I get too old to swing a leg over the Bandit. I've got ducks disease, while it's not progressive, the stiffness in the hips is.  Maybe one day, in a long time.

you chose wisely mr jstava.hey do you mind if I give some advice.il take that as a yes.do not believe everything you read about the 1250 improvements.do not change any characteristics of the engine without proper consultation,i know a little bit about these things.ignition timing and valve timing fueling and compression plug temps ect are about right from factory.remove the engine if your going to do some improvements and adjust frame and suspension first.then seek out "the lad".hes in Adelaide,youl know you've got the right man when you ask the right question...seriously "the lad"is factory Suzuki trained through and through.kicks dale walkers ass in the performance stakes for a bloody lot less money too! im an opinionated prick arnt I! but the results from patience spoke for themselves.now for my next project...a nice clean 1200 waiting in my garage for a rebuild it probrably doesn't need,but these things get the better of me and I wont be selling this one.enjoy youyr riding jstava,I hope I get to meet you and some of the others one day.you never know!

That may happen, however most of my face-to-face getting together with others who ride is either with a few older "Sunny Sunday" types who did used to ride regularly back in the day, or a mad mob (a bit like this one) but with no marque orientation at all, who come from far and wide to get together a small number of times a year at some different location, most times.  No, they are not the official old farts social club, but I do see just a few of them too, maybe once or twice a year if and when it suits.  

I'll not be chasing engine performance, as in another 20% in Hp, which is easily achievable.  It's good enough for me to have keep the  throttle bodies nicely synched, and the fuelling sorted. The Bandit is pretty good as it comes, any irritation I've had I think I can put down to fuel quality.  As it is, 100 Hp (give or take) is plenty. No need for more.  I particularly like the way the engine develops its power.  I hadn't really an appreciation for this until I rode it a bit.  Excellent torque from surprisingly low revs, and very linear in its delivery.  Dial it on at any revs from 3k onwards and you get (nearly) the same amount of urge.  No real "kick" in the rev range. There is no steroid like rage to fuel the charge, its just about the right amount of muscle.  There isn't any rowing through the gears to find it, when you want what is available, If you want more, yeah sure, go down a cog, or two.  But honestly, there is little point, unless one is trying to show off, and that is not really me.  Some people would call it bland.  I don't care.  Works for me. 

I'd have to say that when the revs rise to the point where you get the rush, as on other bikes I've ridden, it can be quite gratifying, but truth is, I appreciate not having to look for it, wait for it, or think about it when conditions are not really conducive to that sort of thing, or when I need it.  THAT is the really nice thing about my Bandit.  

It amounts to a smoother, possibly safer ride, which is a lot more satisfying in the long run.  My riding is a a mixture of just getting around the place, or travel to do business ( a few hundred kays at a time), maybe a pass through the hills on a long way home, or a few times a year getting across the country a bit to do a bit of "visiting".  The Bandit does this particularly well (set up as a tourer, it does shopping too).  I don't know If I have ever regarded myself as a recreational rider. Motorbikes have mostly been just transport, since 1966.  We've come a long way. 

Tyres?  I just LOOOVE modern tyres.  Compared to what we rode on in the 70's, no comparison.  Even bad tyres are better than the good ones were back in the day,  in so many ways.

My new . Well nearly 4000ks now, PR4 rear has started to scallop on the outside edges. The bottom of the outside rain groove. Was running them at 40psi. Have been advised to go to 42. Not sure if that will make a significant difference. Also advised to firm up the rear rebound a little.  Who Knows ???

I've played around with it a bit.  I Like 42 for the rear- just a little harder give a smoother transition into turns, though the front benefits from being a little softer. 42 makes it just a little skittish on one of the turns (rough sweeper) near here when pushed.  38 seems just about right, seems to conform to the road a little better, and seems just that little bit stickier.  Maybe I'm starting to see the limitations of my damping - my front end is unmodified.

I was putting mine up to 38/42 for 2up/loaded riding, Rayman was talking to a bloke the other day that said they are about the pressures he prefers all of the time

I've gone with 38/42 PSI for the trip to Parkes, I will have a part time pillion. For the trip home, I may look at dropping the rear just a tad, as I won't have the pillion. I have also wound up the rear preload to max for the trip south

This may be of interest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cNYBukFo1g&index=27&list=PL7237A8E870AD8C13

Ok, so the rear PR4 was burnt toast after about 6000 miles (~9600 km).  I'm not impressed.  After 4000+ miles on the trip the last two weeks, which involved a LOT of high-speed (80mph+ (130km)), hot-weather (90F+ (32C+))  riding,  the front PR4 looks really good yet, but the rear is gone.   True, the hot weather and high speeds will bring a (cough cough) speedy end to tires, so maybe I shouldn't be so hard on them.

Leaving again on Thursday for another 2 week romp.  This time though,  I'll be riding a lot more mountains and a lot less flat high-speed terrain, so I may see a more even wearing of my new Roadsmarts.  I took off the pair of Michelins and will be saving the front to be paired at a later date.

Hmmm,  my garage is filling up with used tires...

SVDon wrote:Ok, so the rear PR4 was burnt toast after about 6000 miles (~9600 km).  I'm not impressed.  After 4000+ miles on the trip the last two weeks, which involved a LOT of high-speed (80mph+ (130km)), hot-weather (90F+ (32C+))  riding,  the front PR4 looks really good yet, but the rear is gone.   True, the hot weather and high speeds will bring a (cough cough) speedy end to tires, so maybe I shouldn't be so hard on them.

Leaving again on Thursday for another 2 week romp.  This time though,  I'll be riding a lot more mountains and a lot less flat high-speed terrain, so I may see a more even wearing of my new Roadsmarts.  I took off the pair of Michelins and will be saving the front to be paired at a later date.

Hmmm,  my garage is filling up with used tires...

 I bet it was nice and flat across the center