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Tire mileage replacement thread

27K views 154 replies 82 participants last post by  SmoothRoad 
#1 · (Edited)
Post your achieved mileage and impressions with tires here when you replace them.
 
#32 ·
14,000 km on the rear PR2 still in good nick

11,000 km on the front PR2 still in good nick

Replaced in April with Angel GT's only because I didn't wan't to change tyres while on my 8,000 km trip in May. The Angels are very good however I prefer the feel of the PR2's.
What air pressures are you running, Maverick, and what is your approximate riding weight including gear and what you normally carry on the bike? That is very good mileage on the rear tire.
 
#39 ·
Don't be like Mike! :eek:
You've gotten all the good out of a tire way before that, all there is here is bad riding and regrets. And we don't even know how many miles got him to this sad state. :stickpoke:
Maybe it doesn't matter though, other than being anecdotally interesting. This thread isolates 2 variable in the tire-life equation: Versys on tire X. As pointed out above, twice, the unknowns are: Rider, Roads, and how that rider rides those roads.
Hi, I'm Rob, and I'm a Hard user. I generally ride with fast guys on bikes that have twice the horsepower or more. Corner speed is my friend. Chains are a wear item for me, and I get bad mileage.
I'm on my 11th set of tires with my '09 at 50k miles. I eventually settled on a Bridgestone S20 Front and an 023 rear. I found that they were generally ready to be swapped at about the same time, meaning the rear was at the wear bars in the middle and the front was getting faceted (angled off at my default lean). I generally get about 5k miles out of them. They've been averaging about $220 a pair, delivered. It costs me $80 to get them mounted and balanced with the disposal fee for the old tires (this comes to $.06 per mile). Then they stopped making the 023.
I just mounted up a set of S20's, I have a set of T30's in the garage ready to go. I buy tires when they are on sale. These last two I bought as a set because Bridgestone was offering a $40 rebate on sets. The best mileage I ever got was 8k on an S20 front, and the worst was 2.5k from an S20 rear. This was the same set, when they were first introduced. My theory is they switched the rubber formulas front to rear. I have no proof, but I never got that kind of mileage from a front again, and I hear the rears got a lot better. This is the first one I've run since that first one. Feels Good!
News Flash: New tires feel better than old tires. Switching back to OEM after wearing out a set of PR4's and you'd swear that the OEM tires were miles better. New tires feel better than old tires. :)
After OEM (5.5k) Unpredictable, I went to Roadsmart II (5.5k) Uninspired, then Conti Motion Super Moto- Awesome! but (3.5k) too Short-lived. I then tried the Scorpion Trail for a couple sets with a 4.5k average. All loose surface traction was gone pretty quick though, so kinda gimmicky. I next tried the PR2 and got about 3k from them Disappointing! but in fairness I took a trip to Eastern Oregon where the chip-sealed roads eat motorcycle tires. Then I bought that first pair of S20's and a Metzeler Z8 Meh to finish what the S20 rear started. After that it was an S20/023 cocktail all the way. I found that if I aired down the tires for gravel and dirt roads they worked every bit as good as the Scorpion Trails. I carry a mini compressor so getting back to street pressure is easy.
I'm curious to see how the T30's do. They have a new formula for the S20 as well. Pirelli has a new Scorpion Trail with a comically bad press release. Anybody put on some tires lately?
 
#40 ·
Battlax T30

Just replaced my rear Battlax T30.

I got just about 9000 miles out of it. The front is still fine. About the same as the PR3's/4's I've had before. I've got almost 27,000 miles and have gone through 3 rear tires. My riding these days is mostly city and freeway. Man I miss those backroads...

The tire went from, "Oh. Look at that. Are those really the wear bars showing? I better replace that tire soon." to "I need to do this ASAP, but when do I have time in the next 2 weeks to make it happen?" to "I better do this today." in about 4 days, under 100 miles. It's amazing how fast tires wear, once they get to that critical point...
 
#41 ·
$.02 from a new Versys owner...
I've run the gamut on past bikes, from Dunlop Roadsmarts, to Michelin PR2s, PR3s, and PR4s and Anakees, Bridgestone Battleax, Shinko, Metzeler, others... I'll keep the D222 Roadsmart II stockers on the new Versys because they deserve a shot, but far and away, my favorites have been the PR4s. They wear like iron (I'm hard on my tires), and while there are others that I have squeezed equivalent mileage out of, they haven't stood up to the PR4s behavior in the wet, and in the corners... These things are glue, and they inspire confidence. That's worth the premium to me... (which boils down to pennies if you amortize the cost over the life of the tire). My only recommendation would be to stick to the Road version (I'm new to the Versys, so haven't researched if the Trail and/or GT versions are even available in the stock sizes). Reason is the durometer factor for the slab (middle) portion of the tire... The Road version has a higher durometer (hardness) in the middle, and simply lasts longer. The outer tracks are softer, which accounts for the stickiness in corners... The tread pattern is what gives you that remarkable grip in the wet...
FYI:

 
#42 ·
I can't believe the mileage people are getting out of their tires. My stock Dunflops were toast after 2800 miles. OK, the front had a little left but the rear was at the wear bars.

I replaced them with Bridgestone T30s.
After 3900 miles the rear looked like it was good for another 1000 or a little more so I replaced it since I'm going on a trip. I left on the front and hope it will last another 3500 miles or so to complete this trip. It has plenty of tread in the center but I have worn down the edges some.

I have been running 36-38 PSI in the rear and 32-34 front.
 
#43 ·
I can't believe the mileage people are getting out of their tires.
I have been running 36-38 PSI in the rear and 32-34 front.
I run at about the same (recommended by K.) pressures and I don't get huge life from my tires either. Higher pressure, say 38 front and 46 rear, will no doubt increase tire life, but I don't value tire life over handling and find that the V grips and feels good at 32 front and 36 rear on PR-2s and Avons as well. I also used the same for the crappy Dunlops.

Gross vehicle weight (bike, rider, gear) and hot weather also play significant parts in the equation. If both of those factors increase (summer tour, loaded with gear) I increase aprox. 4-6 psi front and rear. I always check /adjust when tires are cold.

Handling is king, all tires wear out. :thumb:
 
#47 ·
My third set of tires were Shinko 009s. I got 6500 out of the rear tire and I just changed the front tire after 13174 miles. I was tired of the front tire since I had purchased a pair of PR2s some time ago. I decided to replace the front tire before the rear PR2 was completely worn.

My commute (and view of life, perhaps) changed a few years ago. I am not wearing tires like I used to. Then again, I am not putting the same number of miles on my Versys that I used to.

Still, I love riding the Versys.
 
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#49 ·
9500 miles out of a set of Shinko 009's.

The left side of the front tire was down to the wear bars, the center tread measured 4/32" and the right side was 2/32".

Rear tire was down to the wear bars in the center and squared off.

I run 34 PSI in the front and 38 PSI in the rear.

New tires installed are also Shinko 009's.
 
#51 ·
PR2/20kkm

Michelin PR2 changed after 20000km of pavement commuting (50% city -50% motorway/out of the city) with +100kg of rider and gear.
Rather aggressive riding (always late ;), engine braking)
After 20k the the tread in the middle of the rear tire was barely visible . (the wear marks suggested to change the set about 3k km before i've done it). Front was still OK
 
#52 ·
16 000 km on roadsmart 2.

replaced when half a mm above wear indicators. Rather liked the handling in the dryer weather. No problems with the rear, but not sold on the front. In the last 5-6 thousand km felt a bit sketchy lent over when cold and wet. reasonably pleased overall - good on the value side of things.

usage was 60% commute, 40% sport-tour.

Just found out the roadsmart 3 has just been released, promising ~40% better mileage and a page of acronyms in the press release.

Next up: Ravens (shinko 009).
 
#56 ·
Both my Pilot 2's have been changed at different intervals, but the rear just got swapped for a pilot 3 with much deeper tread pattern at 5k miles....mainly because it was squared off, but not because l don't do plenty of twisties, the tyre fitter said because it was underinflated for my weight & load at 36psi?!?!?!?!
 
#59 ·
Changed the rear Kenda BIG BLOCK 150/70 back to the Tourance 150/70 I'd run previously on the bike. Here's a pic of it after 9,750 miles, partly dirt but MOSTLY paved. Still about 1/8" tread left...!





One observation - the Tourance is 'shorter' so the seat has lowered about 1", w/ the stand MORE vertical now.
 
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