Michelins' behaviour

[JosepM]

Hello friends,

my PR4T have 9500 km,  and I have been thinking about my feelings about them and the various Anakee 2 I've been wearing these past few years.

I am not going to repeat here what's been said about how they handle in various situations, but focus on a couple of details about these two Michelins, rear kind. Details that I remember being more or less pointed out by others:

-I would say that they need higher pressures than other tyres, and certainly higher than recommended by Honda. Under 2.8 I feel them sort of deflated.
-I think they are very sensitive to being cold. After a few (not really many) km, they provide more confidence and seem to have achieved the right shape, and not let the rim "move sideways in corners".
-When new, they tend to "make the bike fall", that is, the bike leans very quickly as you think about it. When they are rather worn, you can get good grip and confidence in corners, but you have to "push the bike" (well, just like any other tyre, but to a higher extent).

I would like to read someone else's experiences with these. Specially if something of the above is just a figment of my imagination. 

Greetings,

Josep

[Blacksmith]

Hi Josep,

Although not on a Vara, I tried the new Anakee 3 on my Tenere before leaving for Maroc.
Result: a totally shaking bike at front and end!
Only solution: putting again the Continental trail attack 2 on the rims and problem solved.
I wanted to try the new TKC 70's but they are not available yet in the Netherlands
At my dealer this was already the second set of Michelin tyres which where not oke.
grtz,

[Two Plugs]

I have been using Michelin's before making the swap to the Conti Trail Attack (currently my 2nd TA2 on the rear, managed to sqeeuze 16.000 km out of it!) and it is well known that Michelin's need quit a bit more airpressure than according to the book. I always used 2,4 front / 2,7 rear on both the T66X (looooong time ago!) and on the Anakee.

So... underlined your experiences.

But: I'm not going to return to Michelin since I fell deeply in love with the qualities of Continental!

[varaquiero]

I have used Anakee3 on my Transalp and found them superb in all conditions.  At the moment have Metzeler Tourance on my Vara with little complaint but am thinking of PR4's next if anyone can offer an opinion i would be grateful.

[SilverD]

I'll just repeat what others have said.. I really really like my PR4s. In all measurements I find them better than the previous Anakee IIIs.

I have always run with max air pressure front and rear.

[djcat]

Hi there,

I loved the Anakee3 on mine, very progressive cornering, no bad surprises at all not even when nearly totally worn. I had a very bad moment with V shaped sports tyres on another bike, when it leaned suddenly into the oncoming lane - hence I do only go for "round" tyres. That alone would be reason enough for me not to try out the PR4s, plus a review in British "Ride" magazine pointed out that the trail version is softer then the sports touring version and hence is worn earlier.

I squeezed out 21thousand Km of my rear Anakee3, it had grip in all conditions and even didnīt bother about a nail cause it had enough rubber for it not to reach the carcass. Now that I sold the Varadero, I am thinking about getting another heavy enduro just because it can fit the Anakee3 , but I understand that different bikes can behave differently with the same type of tyre.

Just my 5 pence.

Cheerio!

[SilverD]

You got 21 THOUSAND Kms out of an Anakee III.

What kind if riding do you do and what tire pressure did you run?
This seems astronomical to me.

[varaquiero]

SilverD........I can only agree with you about 21k for 3's this does seem like supermarket shopper distances , although i must say that my Transalp when sold had done in the order of 11k [7k miles] and i had been thinking that they looked a little over halfway worn ,so maybe possible !!!!
I did do 2 trips to Spain in that distance also, with a few runs to the British Midlands from the south coast. Average motorway speeds are usually around 135 km with pressures of 2.4 front 2.7 rear.
As for the front tyre i would say that wear was around the same a little over 50% ........................

Anyone else got 5 pence / 2ct worth to throw in ?

[JosepM]

Now my rear PR4T has already 10600 km.

It doesn't look worn (looks like there's some thread left), but it does feel worn (very reluctant to leaning). Even if it's shown no grip problem whatsoever, I think I am replacing it soon, by an Anakee 2, probably (cheaper, longer lasting, and more adapted to my riding, specially in winter time).

Anyone who reads this experience of mine with this PR4T, please keep in mind that 6000 of its first km were done in July, on occasion of a trip to N England with my wife, and many of these 6000 km we did then were on motorways. The tyre was somewhat "squared" after that, and even if it got "rounder" later, it seems to have become "squared" again by the end of its life.

It must be psychological, but when my rear tyres are near their end, I always feel as if the bike were more "sunk" by the rear, and as if the same speed needed higher engine regime to achieve. 

Greetings,

Josep

[JosepM]

Two days ago I had my umpteenth rear Anakee 2 installed (I've tried half a dozen other kinds with less satisfaction).

I'd run 14000 with the last one, with a PR4T or Anakee3 as front companion (Anakee 3 by mistake, as I ordered a front Anakee, and nobody asked me which kind, but I finally agreed to give this one a try).

I was told that rear Anakees 2 have now reduced price, but the discount I have for it has reduced as well. In the end, it's the same price as always: ninety some € plus VAT and labour.

Greetings,

Josep

[Hooglander1]

-When new, they tend to "make the bike fall", that is, the bike leans very quickly as you think about it. When they are rather worn, you can get good grip and confidence in corners, but you have to "push the bike" (well, just like any other tyre, but to a higher extent).

I don't have my dero for that long (a week technically...), but I definitely recognize this point. It feels superweird when you're not used to it. First corner I did I thought I would crash it, but luckily it doesn't go that far. It's still very easy to handle the bike, the feeling is just very odd.


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[superfunkomatic]

The Michelins are actually a fairly rounded profile. If you ride a sport tire or some of the Bridgestone tires that have a more V-shape you can really feel the bike fall into turns - quicker response. I've found the Michelin Pilot 4 Trails have aged well and even after 10,000+ kilometres are easy to turn in with very little flat spot/cupping in the centre of the tire.

[mr_diver]

I've been through three sets of Anakee 2's on my old V-Strom and loved the tyre. Only every gave me concerns below 3 degrees C.
2 inches of snow on the roads and they still gave enough feedback to safely ride home from work.

Rode my mates V-Strom last week with Anakee 3's and couldn't get the thing to turn into a corner. I wouldn't get a set for the Vara.

for he last 2 years I've been on Heidenau K60, much more off road focused, but for an all year/weather rider I'd have nothing less than a 50/50 tyre now. (and the look the part)

I've mixed the K60 front with a Mitas E-07 rear and found this very good on and off road. The Mitas has a better profile for road work and a pair will be fitted before January.

the Mitas are around Ģ110 a set where an Anakee 3 rear alone costs more than that. I've got around 7k miles out of a K60 rear but not run the Mitas to the end of it's life as the DL650 expired before the tyre wore out. Anakee 2's did around the 10k mark on the Dl650.