I am getting ready to order tires for my 07 GT. I have tried most tires available for the bike except the dunlop roadsmarts. Currently I am running the pilot road 2's The rear PR2 rear costs 213 bucks at SW Moto and the roadsmart goes for 140 bucks. I plan on buying a couple sets for the upcoming season. So, 73 bucks more per tire adds up. Are the PR2's worth the price over the Roadsmarts? Is there another tire to consider? Thanks
tire advice needed
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I love the PR2's and have a set of Road Smarts awaiting the gearage. From what I've read, I'd stick to those two. The Road Smarts are cheaper.
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Brian,
I am going through the same decisions at the moment, but I don't see where SW Moto's price is $213.
It looks like $166 to me or are you looking at something else. Sw Moto PR2
I am going through the same decisions at the moment, but I don't see where SW Moto's price is $213.
It looks like $166 to me or are you looking at something else. Sw Moto PR2
Grif,blouw said:
I guess I'm on the right track if I am thinking like you.
Brian, The GT neds a "B" rated tire like this http://arizonamoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SWMT&Category_Code=Closeout
Brian,
Each tire manufacturer has their own specs for tires and which bikes they fit. Michelin has the "B" for our GT's load rating, and continental road attacks have to have a "C" after the size. Bt020's have another letter and so on. I went to Dunlops website and they do not list any special letter for the GT. But according to them their tire is okay for our bike. I do not believe they have earned the right to claim the roadsmart as a OEM replacement though. I am not sure what is involved with that though. Probably testing and approval from BMW and some cash.... I was shipped a set of the PR2's and I seem to have some very bad handling characteristics when the tires warm up after a few hours riding. (weaving and not tracking right at all, Plus highly unstable above 80mph or so) I stop for a half hour or so and the bike rides normal for awhile again. I then checked my tires and they are not the B rated PR2's. Its entirely possible its the bike and not the tires, I will change tires to make sure. Prooving to BMW that my bike has a problem that only shows up after a few hours riding in hot weather is about impossible.
Each tire manufacturer has their own specs for tires and which bikes they fit. Michelin has the "B" for our GT's load rating, and continental road attacks have to have a "C" after the size. Bt020's have another letter and so on. I went to Dunlops website and they do not list any special letter for the GT. But according to them their tire is okay for our bike. I do not believe they have earned the right to claim the roadsmart as a OEM replacement though. I am not sure what is involved with that though. Probably testing and approval from BMW and some cash.... I was shipped a set of the PR2's and I seem to have some very bad handling characteristics when the tires warm up after a few hours riding. (weaving and not tracking right at all, Plus highly unstable above 80mph or so) I stop for a half hour or so and the bike rides normal for awhile again. I then checked my tires and they are not the B rated PR2's. Its entirely possible its the bike and not the tires, I will change tires to make sure. Prooving to BMW that my bike has a problem that only shows up after a few hours riding in hot weather is about impossible.
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I'm a big fan of the PR2s; I'm on my second set. If my bike would ever get out of the shop I would go wear them out!
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Yeah, there are so many factors involved with tires including type of riding. I sent Michelin an email asking them what the difference is with the 'B' rated tire and what they recommend. I'll post it when/if I get a reply. Their tire fitment guide on their web site and the pdf file you can download doesn't include our bike.
The guys I ride with here in Fresno ride mainly RT's and they don't seem to get more than 3000 miles out of the Roadsmarts. I don't ride that aggressively, so should get more, but I think you are right about OEM replacement approval from BMW. BMW of Fresno have a special on both the Roadsmarts and PR2's - need to find out this week whether it is the 'B' rated.
Grif, did you get the 'B' rated?
There is a smell of burning rubber, maybe this thread belongs in the tire section?
The guys I ride with here in Fresno ride mainly RT's and they don't seem to get more than 3000 miles out of the Roadsmarts. I don't ride that aggressively, so should get more, but I think you are right about OEM replacement approval from BMW. BMW of Fresno have a special on both the Roadsmarts and PR2's - need to find out this week whether it is the 'B' rated.
Grif, did you get the 'B' rated?
There is a smell of burning rubber, maybe this thread belongs in the tire section?
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I have the Roadsmarts on my K1200S and currently have over 6000 miles on them and they look like they'll last another 3000. I do a lot of commuting along with several 1000+ mile weekends, and I do not ride slowly, so I don't know how those guys on the RT's are using them up so fast. I'm going to buy them again when I need new tires I like them that much.blouw said:
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Yeah, but you let a girl beat you.eljeffe said:
Uh, never mind. She beat me, too.
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I guess I get to be the contrary one, again. 
Here are my Roadsmart's after 3,288 miles:
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Those are my second set. The first rear developed a puncture at 1,300 miles, so I didn't get to ride it out. That front was changed out at 2,300 miles. It still had some life left, but I was heading out on a 10K-in-2-weeks trip and didn't want to mess with tires so I changed them for ME880's. The ME880's sucked, by the way, but I did get 12,700 miles out of them so they served their purpose.
The Roadsmarts have dual-compound technology like the PR2's, which is the latest in tire technology. However, like the PR2's, the front didn't wear evenly between the harder center section and the softer sides. That gave a noticeable flat spot/cutoff transition that you could feel when falling into corners. I'd thought it was just that I do a lot of freeway miles, but this last set was run 1,000 miles on the twistiest roads in SoCal with minimal freeway time. All that did was wear the sides out well past the wear bars, but I still had that horrible transition into corners. The PR2's gave the same life as other tires I've tried, but the Roadsmarts gave less than half that. And both of those started to go off well before they were worn through. So neither of those was cost effective for me.
I've had the best luck with the Avon Storms. They stick like glue wet or dry and feel good all the way to the end of their life. If I absolutely had to have the mileage I'd go with a Storm front and ME880 Radial rear, otherwise it'll be Storms front and back for me.
Here are my Roadsmart's after 3,288 miles:
Those are my second set. The first rear developed a puncture at 1,300 miles, so I didn't get to ride it out. That front was changed out at 2,300 miles. It still had some life left, but I was heading out on a 10K-in-2-weeks trip and didn't want to mess with tires so I changed them for ME880's. The ME880's sucked, by the way, but I did get 12,700 miles out of them so they served their purpose.
The Roadsmarts have dual-compound technology like the PR2's, which is the latest in tire technology. However, like the PR2's, the front didn't wear evenly between the harder center section and the softer sides. That gave a noticeable flat spot/cutoff transition that you could feel when falling into corners. I'd thought it was just that I do a lot of freeway miles, but this last set was run 1,000 miles on the twistiest roads in SoCal with minimal freeway time. All that did was wear the sides out well past the wear bars, but I still had that horrible transition into corners. The PR2's gave the same life as other tires I've tried, but the Roadsmarts gave less than half that. And both of those started to go off well before they were worn through. So neither of those was cost effective for me.
I've had the best luck with the Avon Storms. They stick like glue wet or dry and feel good all the way to the end of their life. If I absolutely had to have the mileage I'd go with a Storm front and ME880 Radial rear, otherwise it'll be Storms front and back for me.
Thanks to everyone but Ken for the info and advice. Ken, You are an hour late. I just ordered two rear and one front roadsmarts. So, When I burn thru my PR2's and my last set of BT020's I will tell you how I like the roadsmarts. All I need now is for the snow,ice, and flooding to go away. P.S. Ken, Those tires look like crap.
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