Over 32,000 miles on a rear PR2!

[SAAVA]

In a couple posts I said I would post up what my final mileage was on the rear Michelin PR2 I had. Here are the stats:

The tire was purchased on 8/16/12 with 33,764 miles on the odo. Replaced this past Friday, 2/14/14, with 66,073 miles on the odo = 32,309.

I also did the chain and sprockets at the same time. They lasted 39,609 miles.

Ok, so why do I think the rear tire lasted this long. They call me smooth! Or at least the track instructors did at my one track day. Smooth on the accelerator, smooth on the brakes, turns and transitions. While that played a role, I think the biggest reason was probably the rear shock. In the past I've preferred riding with a stiff rear setup, but with over 60k on the bike, the rear shock has been really soft at the 7 setting and I think it has absorbed most of the road irregularities. I also put on a newer shock at the same time as the tire change.

I replaced the PR2 with a PR3. My first comments is that tire is noisy. Otherwise, the side to side transition isn't as abrupt.

Sorry no pictures, as I still don't have a camera, but it just looked like a worn out tire. Cords weren't showing yet though.

Anyone have higher miles on a rear tire?

 

[seacliff]

That's pretty amazing millage on rear tire.

Mind if I ask what kind of road you're driving mostly ? (highway, curvy, city, etc. )

For my part, I'm pretty far from that kind of millage. Had to change my front (pirrelli angel) @15k km. Side walls didn't had any treads left. Middle still had PLENTY of thread though.

 

[FIZZER6]

That's really amazing, especially in FL where I'm sure most of your miles were on flat, straight roads. I'd be happy to get 10K from a rear tire!

 

[yamihoe]

I thought I was doin good with 10k+ on a rear.....

 

[FinalImpact]

That's amazing miles on a single tire! :thumbup::thumbup:

For me:
Divide by 10 OR ->> 3,400 miles! Likely not smooth "ON" the gas! Blah Two different tires, BT-016 Pro and an S20...

 

[VEGASRIDER]

That is impressive. I have gotten over 16-17k miles on my Michellin's Pilot Power Pure's back in Vegas. However I noticed that the life of the tires, at least mileage went down about 40-50 percent from the surface condition. Down in Vegas, smooth asphalt or concrete. Up in Idaho, most of the surface is covered up with chip seal, a cheap way to cover the roads.

 

[SAAVA]

That's pretty amazing millage on rear tire.

Mind if I ask what kind of road you're driving mostly ? (highway, curvy, city, etc. )

Mostly, highway. My daily commute is 109 miles round trip a day.

 

[SAAVA]

That is impressive. I have gotten over 16-17k miles on my Michellin's Pilot Power Pure's back in Vegas. However I noticed that the life of the tires, at least mileage went down about 40-50 percent from the surface condition. Down in Vegas, smooth asphalt or concrete. Up in Idaho, most of the surface is covered up with chip seal, a cheap way to cover the roads.

Good point. When I lived in Michigan, where chip seal was more prevalent, I wasn't able to get the same amount of miles. This is probably the biggest factor.

 

[Recluse420]

Wow I did 19k out of my 3's, 32k is insane got a picture of what they looked like when you changed them? I will say one thing I learned from taking those to 19k is I won't do it again, I will change my tires before they look like azz this time. Was amazed at how much grip I lost when I got the new ones. I'm not going to buy the new PR4's next time I will stick with the 3's based off of Revzilla's review, Anthony mentioned that they have less water sipping and more dry grip than the 3's, for me I ride in wet as much as I do dry.

 

[Botch]

I replaced the PR2 with a PR3. My first comments is that tire is noisy.

That's caused by the tread. Blah

 

[SAAVA]

That's caused by the tread. Blah

How true! Didn't have much of that left or any of it in the middle when I changed my PR2. Still, from memory, I think the new PR3 is nosier.

 

[payneib]

the rear shock has been really soft at the 7 setting and I think it has absorbed most of the road irregularities. I also put on a newer shock at the same time as the tire change.

Same standard shock or something different? If so, what settings are you running now?

 

[SAAVA]

Same standard shock or something different? If so, what settings are you running now?

Yes.

I purchased a discarded shock from a fellow forum member who had upgraded. It only had about 6,000 miles on it.

I started at five clicks, but will likely go up to six. I weigh 167 without gear to give you an idea of weight. I also do quite a bit of two up riding.

I must say the bike almost feels like a new bike with the changes.

Honestly, I was close to selling it and putting the money into a new bike and even test rode a few bikes and worked numbers with a couple of dealers, but I decided to keep the Yamaha for a while longer.

 

[SweaterDude]

How true! Didn't have much of that left or any of it in the middle when I changed my PR2. Still, from memory, I think the new PR3 is nosier.

so the tire was in fact way past done. when a tire is spent there should still be tread left. if you are wearing down to bald on a bike, you need to change tires sooner. honestly i hope nobody comes anywhere near this record, because its just plane stupid to risk your safety and your whole bike over a tire mileage figure. im not trying to insult you for riding that tire for so long but, jeez dude.

 

[payneib]

I started at five clicks, but will likely go up to six. I weigh 167 without gear to give you an idea of weight. I also do quite a bit of two up riding.
.

We're talking lbs right? My native is stone, but it makes me 210 (15stone). Mine was on three, only recently changed it to 4, don't like it, might change back down. I'll be going up to 6/7 for 2up riding. Surely it must feel harsh? I'm not massively rapid on it and Yorkshires roads are................like Swiss cheese, so that could be why I like it softer. Hmmm. I'm still learning a lot of things.

 

[SAAVA]

so the tire was in fact way past done. when a tire is spent there should still be tread left. if you are wearing down to bald on a bike, you need to change tires sooner. honestly i hope nobody comes anywhere near this record, because its just plane stupid to risk your safety and your whole bike over a tire mileage figure. im not trying to insult you for riding that tire for so long but, jeez dude.

To a large extent, I believe the purpose of forums like these are to inform other owners of what has worked well and what hasn't. My purpose was to relate my experience with PR2 in a fun and effective manner to other forum users. I decided to purchase this exact tire because of other forum member's positive comments and was well served by their input.

Yes, the tire needed replacing and that is why it was replaced, but each person must make their own decision on risk vs rewards.

There is an old expression, "Don't judge a man until you've walked in his boots," and I think that applies here.

 

[FIZZER6]

My guess is the smooth Florida roads have a lot to do with tire life. I believe that most FL highways are still concrete instead of asphalt like they are further north.

Never thought that tar and chip covered roads might be more abrasive on tires than other surfaces and that is 75% of what I ride on so I guess the 6K I get out of rear tires isn't so bad after all.

 

[payneib]

there is an old expression, "don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes, cause then you're a mile away, and you have his shoes" and i think that applies here.

^^^ftfy^^^^

 

[VEGASRIDER]

This is what my rear tire looked liked after 17,616 miles for my Michellin's Pilot Pures back in Vegas, got the same out of the front but it wore down a bit more so this was the reason why it was removed. For some reason, I always wear out my front first. I really didn't baby these tires either, they were involved on a couple of spirited rides down in Southern Cal with other forum members such as Cali Rider, Wavex & Motorgiro to name a few.

 

[Nelly]

This is what my rear tire looked liked after 17,616 miles for my Michellin's Pilot Pures back in Vegas, got the same out of the front but it wore down a bit more so this was the reason why it was removed. For some reason, I always wear out my front first. I really didn't baby these tires either, they were involved on a couple of spirited rides down in Southern Cal with other forum members such as Cali Rider, Wavex & Motorgiro to name a few.

A great picture showing the wear bars. As a rule of thumb once you hit the wear bars its time to swap out.
On another note remember that the wear bars may not be set for your countries minimum tread depth.
I tend to get about 6-10K miles out of a set of tyres, I ride very gently in the winter and like I stole it in the summer. Regular pressure checks are important.

Nelly