Sport Touring Tires?

Having put a few miles on the OE Dunlop sportmax d222s which came on my 2014 VFR 800, I'd like to put it to the forum members.... What Sport Touring Tire best fits the VFR?

I think that the VFR is decidedly on the sportier side of sport touring, its also at least 150 pounds lighter than the larger, more common sport touring machines, and as such, a quicker steering tire with a more triangular profile would (at least in my opinion) better suit the VFR 800. This might just be my miles on the Dunlops talking, but even the new VFR 800 (when shod with the dunlop at least) takes some, not a lot, but some effort to steer. At higher entry speeds, it definitely feels like I'm stuffing the bike into the turn more than I would prefer. Now, some of the people I know who do trackdays with their sport tourers claim that this is definitely the result of a more gradual "U" shaped tire profile. If that is true, then a set of more triangular road tires would fix that handling characteristic. Question is, which tire fits that bill?

Pirelli has a new Angel GT which is supposed to be quite good in the dry and good, but not great in the wet.

Michelin has a new Pilot Road 4 which is also supposed to be quite good with an emphasis on wet weather performance at the expense of tire life.

Now, I'm not going to change out the sportmax d222s until I've used them up. However I've been told by these same gurus not to expect more than about 4500 miles out of them. Can't say that I'm pleased that OE tires would only last 4500 miles or so. but given that they really aren't great tires, I don't mind so much.

 

I only got about 3000 miles out of my OEM Dunlops. I now have PR4's and love them. They look like they should last more than twice as long. You could also try the Dunlop Roadsmart 2 (the OEM d222 are based on these, but don't have the dual compound of the RS2).

 

Compared with the OE tires, How is the handling / turn in and wet performance?

 

Handling and turn in are great. I scuffed the rear all the way to the edge within the first 100 miles. Haven't been in the rain yet, but my experience with the PR3 in the rain was great. The PR4 is said to be the best wet tire you can buy...period. And it is supposed to have around 20% longer life than the PR3 with no loss in dry traction (I got about 6k out of PR3's on my 6th gen). Keep in mind, all my riding is very fast canyon carving with zero commuting or interstate riding.

 

Thanks for the info. I do a bunch of errand running on my bike in the spring, summer, fall to try to offset fuel costs in my truck, which is a work vehicle. So I should see longer life than 6000 miles out of a set of PR4s. I was used to going through a set of Bridgestones every 4000 miles on my RC51 for the sheer amount of power it had. More often than that if I did a track day. So 6000 plus sounds fine to me.

 

I have PR3's on my R1 and they are the best tire I've ever ridden on. When I replace the tires on my VFR they will be PR3 or the newer PR4's, for certain.

 

I just installed PR4's on my '02 last weekend. I can't say enough about how much better they make my bike feel. Mind you I was coming off Metzler M3's which are mediocre any time and downright frightening in the wet, but I agree with others who say this IS the tire you want on a VFR, especially if you use it as an all-rounder. They are as versatile a tire as a VFR is a bike.

 

I have PR4s too, can't say I've noticed them wearing any quicker than the PR3s after a couple of thousand miles. Excellent, especially in the wet (default for UK October to April!).

 

Where I live on the western edge of New Jersey, we generally get about 20 inches of rain and another 3-5 feet of snowfall per year. So I've never been shy to ride in wet weather. Michelin has been touting the wet performance of the Pilot Road 4s as being able to stop 17% shorter in the wet and 24% shorter on wet road paint than the Angel GT or the Comparable Bridgestone. While I suspect that some of that is marketing and salesmanship, It would be fantastic to get that kind of wet performance out of them. Each time that I've nearly been hit by an inattentive car driver, the weather has also been poor. So the wet is where I need my traction the most.

That's one thing I'll give all you Euro-philes that you've really gotten right. By and large Europeans, especially the Finns and the Germans are pretty good drivers. I've been riding in Europe before. The people that I was riding with laughed at my "extremely dim view of other drivers." After spending a week riding where people actually saw me and either didn't pull out or moved over to make room. It was quite a shock to come back to the United States and go back to everyone around me trying to kill me.

 

+1 for the PR4's, I just got my Abba lift, so I can get the front wheel off this week and change to the PR4. Put the rear on last week and a very noticeable improvement.

 

There are at least a dozen extensive threads on this topic already.

 

Yes, but all those post are old, this one is new! :wink:

 

I haven't ridden the PR3 or PR4, but the Pirelli Angel GT has been a great tire. Compared to the Roadsmart 2s which it replaced, the difference was very, very noticeable. They not only turn in much faster, but they give better feedback as well. Great tires. My guess is with the PR 4 or the Angel GTs you just can't go wrong.

 

And you didn't link them??? Harrumph!

 

PR4's ...... can't complain. Good all around meats

 

I haven't tried anything other than the Angels (the older version) and I love them. Based on what you guys have stated, I think I'll be going for the PR4's when these need replacing.

 

Had the PR4s on my '04 all last season and they are for sure one of the best all around tires for the VFR - way better than previous Metzelers and Bridgestones. Sporty turn-in and a very nice ride. Like glue in the wet. Very minimal wear after 3,000 miles.

 

I'm running Micheline Pilot Road 2's on my right now - solid tires so far - can't speak to wear but everyone I talk to that has owned them had nothing but good things to say.

My buddies are running the Micheline PR4's on their C14's and rave about them.

 

This should tell you anything you want to know about the PR4 tires. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/80443-i-did-my-first-trackday/

 

Wow! Those are some seriously shagged PR4s. Good to know that the VFR works well at the track.