I've just whacked a set of Michie's brand new PR4s onto my bike. The PR3s were excellent in all ways; high mileage, even tread wear, road feel, handling in the wet, and they took minimal balance weights all round. The proverbial sticks like glue, wears like iron, all-rounder. The 4's tread pattern is only slightly different from the 3, with deeper alternating rain sipes in the front and the familiar thinly sliced lines in the pattern. The first thing I noticed upon mounting them to the wheels was that it took five 1/4 ounce (35 grams) weights on the front tyre. The back something was similar. The PR3s took hardly a sliver of weight. I'll see how they feel on the road this morning on the way to work. It's close to freezing with a shroud of ghostly fog hanging low. A full report to follow.

Eagerly awaiting ride report.

I am very surprised with the amount of weight you added.

My experience w/Michelins has always been they almost always have need for less weight than any other tires that  have bought - bike or cage...

Great timing TWB.   

It's winter here, so I've put off new tires for a few months more. Was planning on PR3's (100 front and 140 rear on my new 3-spoke rims), so this report comes at a perfect time.

How much more do the holes charge. Iknow it is cynical but if I have learned one thing in life it is that I have not been anywhere cynical enough.

G'day AJ , I'm pretty sure PR3's are not available in the sizes you mentioned ( 100 front & 140 rear )

Front 110/70 ZR 17 (54W) TL 110/80 ZR 18 (58W) TL 120/60 ZR 17 (55W) TL 120/70 ZR 17 (58W) TL 120/70 ZR 18 (59W) TL	Rear 150/70 ZR 17 (69W) TL 160/60 ZR 17 (69W) TL 160/60 ZR 18 (70W) TL 170/60 ZR 17 (72W) TL 180/55 ZR 17 (73W) TL 190/50 ZR 17 (73W) TL 190/55 ZR 17 (75W) TL

this is from the Michelin site , you could fit a 110/80/18 ok with the 2.5 inch rim but I don't think the 150/70/17 will work too good with your 3.0 inch rear , this is the main reason I did the 4.5 x 18 rear mod so I could fit up a 160/60/18 ( available )

JR

I only did a 75 mile run yesterday, up and back on the cold bitumen and concrete surface of the I-5 corridor in commuter traffic, 80 mph, tops. One thing that I'd noticed about the PR3s was that they tended to walk a bit, and follow the rain grooves cut into the road surface. The new PR4s didn't do that as much, but that could just be because they're new and the contact patch is better. Overall, they're smooth, nimble, and after allowing a gentle, leaning and turning, fifty mile scrub in, they felt good on the ramps and roundabouts. Now I just need some good ol' Pacific North Wet rain to see how they go. It's been up to 50F degrees round here lately. I briefly saw the sun yesterday too! I'd forgotten what she looked like.
 

No fear, for the damp'll soon be back.
 

I'm not liking the look of those five 7 grams weights so I reckon this weekend I'll pop the front wheel off again and break the bead, spin the tyre round a 180 degrees to see if I am able to use less balance weights. These tyres do not have a heavy spot marked like other brands. In my experience, as well, Michelins tend to use less weight than some other tyres.

JR wrote: ". . .you could fit a 110/80/18 ok with the 2.5 inch rim but I don't think the 150/70/17 will work too good with your 3.0 inch rear. . ."

Rats.  

Ya, I've had 110s up front. Still, I'm very much trying to go with recommended tire sizes. The search continues . . .

After about 200 miles I can say that they turn in well, feel planted and stable yet the steering remains light, definitely don't follow road grooves or imperfections in the road surface as much as the PR3s, and even though no rain's fallen in several days, I reckon they'll go alright in the wet as well. Michelins have been good at that bit for a while now. By some accounts, on wet surfaces the new tyre’s braking distance is shorter than that of its main competitors. Nothin' wrong with that round these here parts.

I understand the new waterboxer R1200RT will be fitted with these tyres in the GT version from the factory. I chose the GT version due to the Telelever front end of my daily rider - a heavy forward weight bias means tyres take a pounding. The GT has a slightly heavier carcass and higher load range than the standard tyre. Most traditionally suspended Beemers (forks) would do well with the standard tyre, and you might save a bit of dosh on each tyre.

There's a guy in San Jose who runs a 150/70/17 PR3 on the 3 inch rear of his K1100LT and says it works fine.

duck wrote:There's a guy in San Jose who runs a 150/70/17 PR3 on the 3 inch rear of his K1100LT and says it works fine.

Thanks. I've found a solution and will be posting those results in a future thread.  :bball: