Honda Adventure Riders Forum
Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer - Honda's biggest Adventure Tourer => Crosstourer tyre centre => Topic started by: steve razor on April 09, 2017, 23:36:06
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Anyone recommend , or used these these on the crosstourer. Tried them on the vara 1000 and rear squared off after 4000 miles. The miles were done on norway and sweden A roads.....As the crosstourer is heavier i would expect less mileage again...i found them a very good tyre, very confident,....hardly do any off road/ gravel tracks, etc..
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I used them on my CT as the tyre of choice. Really liked them. Got around 8000 km from the rear with reasonably assertive riding. They wear quickly if tyre pressure is not maintained
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They even manage a little bit of gravel, sort of ;D
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-gdGRFPf/0/XL/i-gdGRFPf-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-hBFRPH9/1/XL/i-hBFRPH9-XL.jpg)
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I loved them on CT as well, maybe too much :)
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Ok. Will order a set next week and fit them..thanks for the feedback.
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I had them on my Varadero. Terrific touring tires and were surprisingly okay in gravel. Not good in muck/mud - scary.
I'm surprised by the lower lifespans of the previous members - I only had one set at they went over 12,000 kilometres before being square and unusable front and back - mixed temps from desert to zero both highway and twisties and about 15% gravel.
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Didn't use the PR4 on trails, I had the roadster version on a MT-09, but still though absolutely great Under rainy weather, although I'll say that the grip on very hot or cold dry asphalt is not crazy and doesn't give anough feedback for my taste.
After 2 seasons and 12'000 Km they weren't dead, but felt like wooden blocks terrible to ride, so be carefull I still prefer Dunlop Roadsmart III compared to PR4, they behave much better in the heat.
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Didn't use the PR4 on trails, I had the roadster version on a MT-09, but still though absolutely great Under rainy weather, although I'll say that the grip on very hot or cold dry asphalt is not crazy and doesn't give anough feedback for my taste.
After 2 seasons and 12'000 Km they weren't dead, but felt like wooden blocks terrible to ride, so be carefull I still prefer Dunlop Roadsmart III compared to PR4, they behave much better in the heat.
I've never experienced any problems with PR4s in the heat or cold (except for ice :o [size=78%])[/size]
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Didn't use the PR4 on trails, I had the roadster version on a MT-09, but still though absolutely great Under rainy weather, although I'll say that the grip on very hot or cold dry asphalt is not crazy and doesn't give anough feedback for my taste.
After 2 seasons and 12'000 Km they weren't dead, but felt like wooden blocks terrible to ride, so be carefull I still prefer Dunlop Roadsmart III compared to PR4, they behave much better in the heat.
I've never experienced any problems with PR4s in the heat or cold (except for ice :o [size=78%])[/size]
Where did you found ice? in the glass? :o
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I bought my AT in late april, it was still pretty cold in switzerland and riding the highway around 8°C on the MT-09, the PR4 scared the shit out of me, they were very twitchy not holding a straight line and grip was not so great.
I know it's the tires, as then I rode the AT in the same conditions on the OEM Dunlops and they went straight with more grip, heck even caught a small hailstorm, while riding home for the first time with no problem !
So those Michelins are more sensitive to heat cycles and aging I guess, also note that I don't have a garage, so the bike spends winter outside, maybe also impacting the rubber who knows.
But then I never experienced this with bridgestones or Dunlops, when riding in cold weather after the winter outside as well. That's all I can say.
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I bought my AT in late april, it was still pretty cold in switzerland and riding the highway around 8°C on the MT-09, the PR4 scared the shit out of me, they were very twitchy not holding a straight line and grip was not so great.
I know it's the tires, as then I rode the AT in the same conditions on the OEM Dunlops and they went straight with more grip, heck even caught a small hailstorm, while riding home for the first time with no problem !
So those Michelins are more sensitive to heat cycles and aging I guess, also note that I don't have a garage, so the bike spends winter outside, maybe also impacting the rubber who knows.
But then I never experienced this with bridgestones or Dunlops, when riding in cold weather after the winter outside as well. That's all I can say.
Do I detect a bit of anti Michelin crusade here ;D
As a matter of experience my most worst experiences have been with Dunlop tires. Consequently I am biased against any Dunlop tire, it will take a help of persuasion to get me back on them. no matter what Dunlop tire I ride they all have the same issue, a lack of grip in the wet. I choose tires for their grip in the wet for more confident riding downhill. Like you, my country has lots of hilly terrain.
Apart from that I am prepared to ride most other tires. Looking forward to your experience on the Devons.
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I bought my AT in late april, it was still pretty cold in switzerland and riding the highway around 8°C on the MT-09, the PR4 scared the shit out of me, they were very twitchy not holding a straight line and grip was not so great.
I know it's the tires, as then I rode the AT in the same conditions on the OEM Dunlops and they went straight with more grip, heck even caught a small hailstorm, while riding home for the first time with no problem !
So those Michelins are more sensitive to heat cycles and aging I guess, also note that I don't have a garage, so the bike spends winter outside, maybe also impacting the rubber who knows.
But then I never experienced this with bridgestones or Dunlops, when riding in cold weather after the winter outside as well. That's all I can say.
Do I detect a bit of anti Michelin crusade here ;D
As a matter of experience my most worst experiences have been with Dunlop tires. Consequently I am biased against any Dunlop tire, it take a help of persuasion to get me back on them. no matter what Dunlop tire I ride they all have the same issue, a lack of grip in the wet. I chose tires for their grip in the wet for more confident riding downhill. Like you, my country has lots of hilly terrain.
Apart from that I am prepared to ride most other tires. Looking forward to your experience on the Devons.
Not anti Michelin, more anti fairy dust or this is the best period phrases, everyone has a different feeling.
I'm surprised, because on the roads I tend to find the Roadsmart III better on wet than PR4, I can't comment offroad but I've never had a oh shit moment with wet grip on these.
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That's good then, not having an oh shit moment
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I'm in agreement with MrKiwi -- I'm biased against Metzeler as I've never had a good experience with them either on Varaderos
or in years past on a ZZR1100 -- generally I try to remain open minded about tyres until they upset me . The Dunlops on the AT
are spot on in the dry but get a bit of damp on the road and they become the Dunlop Ditchfinders we all love to hate , if the PR4s
came in AT sizes they would be on like a shot , however as they don't we'll try something else probably settle on the Conti Trail Attacks. We make judgements on past experiences until we learn otherwise. :)
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I'm a recent convert to TKC70's, and don't yet have too many kms under my belt on them at around 8,000kms between my two bikes.
I will get a feel for them in my Xl600V as that is what I will be riding in a month's time when I come up to Europe. And the two trips I have planned will see around 10,000 to 12,000kms in total put on them. I'll probably need a new set before I am finished. I've put nearly 6,000km on the TCK's on my AT and they have been the best adventure tire I have ridden on yet, other than that strange cracking on the front tire. I'm putting that down to too low a pressure on sustained hot tarmac roads. I should be running them at a slightly higher pressure than 2.1 bar.
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Finally fitted my Michelin pilot 4 trail tyres to my crosstourer...really pleased with them.only road riding so far. Doubt if I,ll do off road much , if at all. Bike is a bit heavy to hold upright if it slips...tyres easy to fit. No balancing required. Left existing weights on wheel and checked after tyre fitted, with a wheel balancer, and perfect..so now, only time will tell of its durability..
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I tried PR3s on my Mighty Varadero a few years ago thinking they would last a bit longer maybe than my Anakee IIs on mostly road riding but I was bitterly disappointed. Always at the correct pressure they started squaring off at 4K and I got a puncture with a "STONE" . That was the last straw, back to Anakee IIs.
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Mileage of my PR4 are less than Anakee and the price is to an advantage of Anakees so will also head back
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That's interesting that you are getting more distance from the Anakee 2s. I'd love to try them as they look like a better gravel tire than the Anakee 3s but they are no longer available in North America.
Mileage of my PR4 are less than Anakee and the price is to an advantage of Anakees so will also head back
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I have hade PR4 Trial for two seasons now and have done aprox 10 000 km om them and i have at least 3000 km left on them.
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The Anakee II s I have on the bike at the moment have covered 5500 miles and have not started squaring. I am heading off to France and Germany in 2 weeks time and that will be another 2000 miles on them by the time I get home. What I've done differently with these tyres is 46 PSI in the rear and 40 PSI in the front.
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2000 miles .... 46 PSI ... 40 PSI ....
:-\ :o VCIF_a_008
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2000 miles .... 46 PSI ... 40 PSI ....
:-\ :o VCIF_a_008
Yeah but at least I understood it without having to google it :o ;D
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Next set I will stay with PR4 in front, but change it back to Anakees/Tourance in rear. Its the same mileage, whatever rear tyre I choose but Anakees are cheeper.
Front tyre though. Don't like the heels the Anakees give when in middle of worness
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2000 miles .... 46 PSI ... 40 PSI ....
:-\ :o VCIF_a_008
Donīt worry, at least we are an international forum ;) ;) ;).
Greetings from the South of Germany (only a few miles from France)
Rainer aka meine dicke
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I don't understand PSI, and I have to convert miles into km to get the picture.
Anyway. I tried the PR4 on my CT and I was happy with their behaviour. Just like I was with Anakee's. Yet, I could get more km for a lesser price with an Anakee, let alone better performance in the *very* occasional ride on dirt. So I went back to Anakee, as I always ended by doing with my Varadero, to be honest. :) Apparently, Anakee was the perfect tyre for the rides around my place and my riding style.
To be honest, I never found much a difference among the front tyres I tried, either Anakees, PR4, BW or whatever. So I am talking about REAR tyres.
Josep
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I had Anakee III after PR4 and I lost grip once on tarmac causing me to crash.