Tires... Again... Michelin Pilot Road 2 - Thumbs Up !

Fuel, Oil, Brakes, and TIRES ! Important consumables for your VFR....

Arguably, two of the most important components you'll buy for your two-wheels-good machine are the tires. They are the only two components that connect you and your VFR to the earth - please don't skimp on them...

My 2000 VFR just clicked over 34,000 miles this spring, and it was time to spoon on a 5th set of replacement tires.

The "old" tires were pretty much done and totally worn through the traction compound down to the carcass.

OLD:


NEW:


I have been keeping pretty detailed maintenance records for the VFR since the beginning, so I reviewed the tires I have had on since then... Interesting datapoints...

Dunlop D204K (OEM) : 6250 miles [4/2000 - 6/2001] I rode the VFR a lot the first year !
Michelin Pilot Sport : 6500 miles [6/2001 - 2/2003]
Michelin Pilot Sport : 5550 miles [2/2003 - 2/2006]
Continental Road Attack : 6400 miles [2/2006 - 4/2009]
Michelin Pilot Road 2 : 9400 miles (!) [4/2009 - 4/2018]
Michelin Pilot Road 2 : TBD... 8^)

[ I ride a mix of local commuting (40%) and local touring rides (60%)... YMMV. ]

Based on the performance and mileage I was able to put on the Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires, I decided to put another set on... Although, the idea of converting my VFR to a HoverBike did cross my mind...


I picked up the new Michelin PR2's from Revzilla on Cyber Monday in preparation for the spring season... My favorite grass-roots local cycle shop closed since he put on the last set of PR2's, I also bought some decent spoons and UHMWPE wheel guards to get the job done. I also bought a decent static balancer and some 90 degree schrader valves so I can monitor/adjust air pressure more easily. Final result ? A straight forward mount and balance that resulted in an impressive transformation in handling. It is amazing how terrible tires are at the end of their life versus fresh tires. The comparison is striking. The VFR corners nearly telepathically now...


I really have enjoyed the PR2's on the VFR.... I think they strike a great balance of sport and touring for my riding style on the VFR... I know there are newer generations of the Pilot Road out there now (PR3, PR4 and PR5), but I really don't need the wet performance as I am predominantly a dry-weather rider, and I really liked these Pilot Road 2 tires !

If you have questions about the manual mounting and balancing process or the PR2 tires themselves, let me know !

 

The PR2's are the last decent ST tires Michelin made before changing to the mega-siped tires. The front PR2 is too rounded as are most front ST tires but a good rider can deal with it or put a more sporty tire up front. The PR2's give great feedback, grip plenty good for what they are and wear decently but not as good as newer ST tires. I hope they never drop the PR2. The feedback from the rear is very good.