PR3 tyres wearing out very quickly

[TomL]

Thanks to everyone for your posts on my predicament. It seems most likely that Costas's Michelin dealer has hit the nail on the head in thinking that the rapid wear is down to poor storage of the tyres which is down to the supplier, Tyreleader. It would be interesting to know if poor storage is something that could be identified in a faulty tyre.


I am waiting for a responce from Tyreleader but I won't hold my breath after checking out some of the less than satisfied reviews especially where problems have arisen. Unfortunately I did pay for them with a debit card.

 

[chriscanning]

Tom

The problem you have is returning tyres and claiming they are faulty is big business,when I returned a mates RoadSmart and was informed there was nothing wrong with it and if it wasn't collected asap it was going in the skip but their are so many chancers trying their arm on the basis they might get lucky and get a freebie it's frustrating.

I went in person here in the UK they normally have vans out on the road collecting returns I actually saw racks and racks of them,the quote I had 'after the tyre is cooked it's impossible to tell if it's flawed!!!',it goes down hill from there the criteria for getting a credit is pure pot luck.

The RS I took back hadn't done 800 miles and they were saying no I saw a rear that was bald and the owner got 100% there's absolutely no science to it what so ever,so if your prepared to gamble on the cost of postage give it ago send them back with a covering letter,just bare in mind that TL's profit on that pairs of Michs is peanuts and so customer service is on par with such but hey you never know

[TomL]

Went to the motorcycle show in London this weekend and got to speak to an expert on the Michelin stand. I asked him why I always wear out the front tyre before the rear tyre and told him about the poor wear that I got out of the front PR3 tyre that I used for the Picos.

Had quite a long chat and it was clear that he knew his stuff.

He stated that the PR3 was not a suitable tyre for the K1300S. The tyre was not designed to be used on the K1300S especially when ridden hard.

[black-k1]

Thanks for the update Tom.

I love salesman speak! It’s strange that the PR3 was not designed for the K1300S yet, for some time, was one of the recommended tyres for the K1300S on the Michelin web site! And to think Michelin did not include one of the top sport touring bikes when producing their (then) top sport touring tyre!
Possibly a better description was that, post production, Michelin found that a number of owners were reporting high wear issues on the front of the K1300S and then decided to drop the K1300S off the list of bikes the tyre was recommended for!

[gibbo]

So, what did he recommend then Tom?
I stuck a pair of Pilot Power 3's on the Zed which is roughly the same type of bike as the S and am impressed with them so far. Can't comment on long term mileage as yet though.

[TomL]

He pointed out a track/sports tyre and I asked if it would be as good as the PR3 in the wet to which he answered no. I switched off at that point and can't remember what the tyre was.

He suggested that some riders get away with the PR3/4 because they really don't ride that hard.

[black-k1]

He pointed out a track/sports tyre and I asked if it would be as good as the PR3 in the wet to which he answered no. I switched off at that point and can't remember what the tyre was.

He suggested that some riders get away with the PR3/4 because they really don't ride that hard.

I think it depends on your definition of "riding that hard"! Track-hard: I doubt many K1300Ss will be ridden like that. Road hard: I expect there are not many bikes ridden significantly harder than a number of K1300Ss I've seen (riders from here, the Old Gits, and others on the road).

I've never used the PR3 but had no issues with the PR2 taken to peg scrapping angles and had no issues with the PR4 (once the extra PSIs were added) or the PR4GT taken to similar angles of lean.

As you say, it's the wet weather grip and feel, combined with the reasonable wear rates that make the PR 2/3/4 tyres attractive.
 

[Phmode]

Nicely put David; I'll go with that!

Tom, I though you were wearing out your Pirelli(?) front in Wales last time we went out. Was I just confused about your tyre or are you just front heavy 

[Costas]

Thanks for the update Tom.

I love salesman speak! It’s strange that the PR3 was not designed for the K1300S yet, for some time, was one of the recommended tyres for the K1300S on the Michelin web site! And to think Michelin did not include one of the top sport touring bikes when producing their (then) top sport touring tyre!
Possibly a better description was that, post production, Michelin found that a number of owners were reporting high wear issues on the front of the K1300S and then decided to drop the K1300S off the list of bikes the tyre was recommended for!

That was the answer here last year , there is my post somewhere about it.

[fjtwelve]

My last PR3 front did 9338 miles with a weird wear pattern that was probably down to me bending the wheel in a pothole, previous one 10980 but they were well past their sell by date. A PR4 did 11338, but again was well past its time. The current PR3 has done 1500 miles and looks little more than scrubbed in. And I do all my braking with the front brake, hardly touch the rear pedal.
Is there that much difference between the loading of the front in a K12 and a K13?
As for scraping the pegs, at the moment in the current conditions the only way that's going to happen is when they are shortly followed by everything else.

[richtea]

And I do all my braking with the front brake, hardly touch the rear pedal.

Just sneaking in ahead of Brian to say - 'your brakes are linked'.

Front on = rear on too (at some reduced rate - not sure of the ratio).

[fjtwelve]

yep know that hence they are telling me my discs are border line (and being ignored - 0.0something mm under I think i'll pass just now)and just had pads done

[richtea]

> yep know that

Ah, Grandma sucking eggs - sorry!

[Costas]

My last PR3 front did 9338 miles with a weird wear pattern that was probably down to me bending the wheel in a pothole, previous one 10980 but they were well past their sell by date. A PR4 did 11338, but again was well past its time. The current PR3 has done 1500 miles and looks little more than scrubbed in. And I do all my braking with the front brake, hardly touch the rear pedal.
Is there that much difference between the loading of the front in a K12 and a K13?
As for scraping the pegs, at the moment in the current conditions the only way that's going to happen is when they are shortly followed by everything else.

The ratio between 12 and 13 is completely diferent.

[fjtwelve]

Can you elaborate?