Pilot Road II and 400 miles of 35 MPH cross wind

[dlbushey]

I just put a new set of Pilot Road II's on my GT. For the first 3000 miles they were GREAT! But over the last two days, I battled a 30-40 MPH cross wind while riding from Miles City Montana to Billings and then from Bozeman to Missoula. Check out the tires.

I have about 4.5 K on the tires now, and I'm only 2,200 miles into an 8,700 mile trip. I guess I'll have to replace the tires sooner than I thought.

But on a bright note, I rode US 12 across Idaho today...in the rain, and the tires (even with the flat spots) gripped the wet curves like glue.

[bowlesj]

This isn't thrown at you directly Dave, just seems like a good time to ask the question, what do people mean by "the tires stuck like glue in the wet" Or X handles so much better than Y in the rain?"


Are these comments based on dragging hard parts in the wet at 60+ mph, or whacking the throttle wide open exiting a parking lot across a painted line, or chopping the throttle midturn when one realizes, "oh sh*t, it's raining"?

Or is stuck like glue meant to occur when riding at or below the speed limit in the wet with even, steady throttle and brake control, yet one tire will slide to the point of needing to make a super human save.

I'm just having a hard time believing that many of us are really pushing a tire in the wet to the point that we are making all these miraculous saves.

I'm not being facetious. I really want to know what the riding environment is in which one tire is considered so measurably better than another. I feel wiggles and squiggles all the time in the wet, so what?

Sorry for the potential hijack, but the topic was brought up here.

[dlbushey]

John,
To answer your question: I too usually feel wriggles and squiggles in the wet. Compared to other tires I've ridden on, the Pilot Roads were significantly better in that regard.

I didn't push the limits at all. If anyone has ridden US 12 across Idaho, it's a 50 MPH road with most curves posted at 40 MPH. A skilled rider could take these curves much faster. I would feel comfortable taking them on the GT or LT (on dry roads) at the posted limit and even a little faster.

On one or two occasions, as I got into a curve, I had to change lines. I did drag the outside of my right foot once at 45-50 MPH, and the bike stayed true to its line.