Tire Help!

[maximo]

Is it worth going with the GT tire when available since I do a ton of commuting? Seems I might get more mileage....best deal from Rocky mountain is on the battle-ax t31...is the road 5 or angel GT worth the extra bux?

I wouldn't go with a GT spec tire for the FJ, it's just too light. The GT spec, if I understand correctly, has a stiffer casing that requires the additional weight of the intended bikes to create the right contact patch and keep sidewall flex in the appropriate range when cornering, making the bigger bikes more stable.  On a light bike you may risk having less contact patch at any given PSI than with a regular spec tire (which impacts available traction/grip), and not enough flex on cornering.  
To compensate for this, you'd have to run at lower PSI, which of course is going to chew up your tire a little bit faster.  

[maximo]

Question:   Has anyone tried a mix & match of sport-touring rear with more of a super-sport front tire?   I'm thinking along the lines of a Michelin PR5 rear with a Power RS front.  I always replace tires in pairs, and I end up with a toasted rear and half-used front. 
 
My current set of PR4s is done at around 7,000 miles.  I was planning to go with new PR5s, but this thought crossed my mind and I figured I would ask before mounting up a new pair of tires.  
 

I rode an ST 1100 for many years and it was common to match up a rear ME880 with a front Z4 (Z6, etc). I did it many times with Metzler and Bridgestone, always with good results. 

[chitown]

Been running a Power front and Road (any gen) rear almost exclusively for years on several different bikes. Have also mixed most brands and profiles. The tires don't know or care what's at the other end.
 
As for GTs, no sense running them unless you've a pretty heavy bike or they're cheaper. Can't see using them on the FJ-09. Have run them on the FJR. The stiffer sidewall allows for a lower pressure without undo flex. On a lighter bike that stiffer sidewall can translate to slightly reduced feel and a harsher ride. But these are very fine points and not something most riders notice IME. If they're cheaper sure I'll run em and adjust pressure to suit.
 
If mileage was primary concern would be looking at Metzeler ME88 or ME888 or whatever it is now.
 
Usually buy from jakewilson/ridersdomain/Rocky Mountain atv mc (all the same company)e. Good prices and free ground is usually at my door in Cali in 2-3 days.

[leedavis]

If all you want is commuter tires I'd go for long lasting like a Metzeler Z8. I used them for long distance cross country because they last "forever". The trade off is if you also want sporty traction to challenge the twisties Z8's aren't the tires for that.

[2linby]

I just mounted a set of PR5's. Nice tires! Yes I've already rode in the rain. Loving them so far with only about 600 miles on them. I've rode on lots of Michelins with great success on many other bikes. They get my full endorsement!

[texscottyd]

Got out today and put a couple hundred spirited miles on my new Michelin PR5s. A huge thumbs up! Great feedback and steering characteristics, and holy sh@t they are sticky...
 
I was impressed with the PR4s, but these already seem like a significant improvement. As long as the wear rate is reasonable, the PR5s are a winner on the FJ.

[3way]

I've got road pilot 4's on my sportsbike, lasted ages and gripped brilliantly in wet and dry. Best tyre I've ever had period. It was almost like I'd upgraded suspension. Why not 5's ? Well, I found recent dated 4's on offer. Will be putting these on tracer(fj09) unless none left, then I'll put 5's on. Really surprised at how a very grippy tyre can last so long. 
 

[buz11]

I had PR4's for 10k miles and loved them dry and wet, but hated them on any kind of gravel or fireroad.  If you ride enough you're going to hit those, so I updated to Roadsmart III instead of PR5.  They went through a highway thunderstorm ok and I can confirm handle better on dirt, but aren't a real 80/20 tire.  The real difference I feel compared to PR4 is how they lean in and hold lines easier in turns.  That was disconcerting at first because you've got to keep light pressure with PR4's, but now I like them better in twisties.

Edited July 10, 2020 by buz11

[daboo]

I think the difference between the top tier tires is virtually nill...except in price.  When you factor in rebates, the price difference becomes even more of a consideration.  Unfortunately, probably because of the coronavirus, there aren't the normal rebates available. 

If you look at a Dunlop Roadsmart III in a rear tire, it is $172.  If you look at the price of a Michelin Road 5, it is $214.  That's a $42 difference on just one of the tires.  Add up the difference in cost for both front and rear, and there's over a $70 difference in cost.  Is there a $70 difference in performance?  Or is it more like the difference between Castrol and Pennzoil? 

I've tried the Metzeler Z8s, Metzeler Roadtec 01, Dunlop Roadsmart III and the Continental Roadattack III tires.  Like oil, it comes down to feel.  I like the Conti RA III tires, for the way they drop into a corner.  Not to fast, not to slow.  It just feels natural.  They use a different technology on their tires too.  Instead of a different compound for the center and sides of the rear tire, they use the same compound, but subject the different parts of the tire to different heat and pressure.  The result is a tire that wears naturally in the transition from hard to soft compounds.  More importantly to me, is they warm up really fast.

And as someone who rides year around in Seattle, one of my top considerations is wet weather performance...where they are excellent.

Also, I think when you compare prices, you'll find the price from one source to be the same as another source.  Then it just gets down to customer service.  I buy my tires from Cycle Gear.  Why?  Because I started changing my own in my garage.  If I get stuck and can't get it on...CG will change it for $25.  I can't take a tire in from somewhere else and have them mount it.  So I buy from CG just to have a contingency plan.

Chris

Edited July 11, 2020 by daboo

[1moreroad]

Dunlop Roadsmart 4s just came out. They're not even $10 cheaper than Mich Road 5s. 

That said, Revzilla has a pretty big discount on Roadsmart 2s and 3s right now. I just bought a front 3 for $107. The 2s are even cheaper at about $80 for a front, but I really don't like that tire.