Michelin Pilot Powers

Originally Posted by Jamiebridges123

Only problem with putting a PR2 on the rear IMO is that I'd always be afraid the back will let go way before the front, but from a mileage point it makes sense! Besides, you'd have the two coolest tread patterns out there..

My rear PR2 has never let go or even felt any where near letting go! On the sides it does have the PP soft stuff and my bike is putting a fair bit more stomp through it.

Im getting a pair of roadsmarts... see how these go. I hope they are as good as people make out.

I'm still completely in a love affair with the Pilot Powers. Except when two up. They are a lot softer in the side wall and so squirm more when two up. Maybe need to up the pressures beyond 36/42 for two up riding?

But solo they are absolutely phenomenal. I had a little thrash with 4 hooligans on new Z1000's on Sunday and managed to leave them behind on a 2001 Hornet. The angles of lean and the amount of warning they give before they let go are the highest I've had from any other road tyre bar SC Pros (but the warning before letting go is much better with PP and cold and wet grip is far far better with the p powers ). The rear makes an appointment for next tuesday when it lets you know it's not happy, such is the warning. And when they do slide its in a nice controllable and relaxed way rather than Sh*ting a brick way. Its possible to slide out of corners and yet the rear is not showing much sign of wear at all, which is bemusing! I'm not sure if this would be the same with a dual compound rear 2CT though with its added grip. I'll find out on the next set. The front (2CT) just steadfastly refuses to let go but does let you know when its getting close to the limit and is rippling like its been on a track day on the road. Other tyres (Like the Pilot Race and SC Pro) will offer more dry grip but I honestly can't see a reason for it on the road and you'd have to keep them warmer and they'd be much poorer in the wet.

I can't say that I notice poor cold tyre performance either. From cold they grip extremely well (far better than they should) and when you (eventually) find the limits, you warm then up a bit and they grip more and so you warm them up and they grip more. Its not like chalk and cheese as I've found on other recent tyres. The harder you ride the more they grip. Its like they know what you're doing but still give 90% from the beginning

I can't measure the wear after 600 miles because there isn't any. except the writing at the very edge and the little Michelin man are virtually gone (no chicken strips)

I also got a chance to see how they perfomed in the wet too. I backed off to about 80% of dry riding and honestly couldn't tell the road was wet.

Loving them and still completely bemused that there's no rubber in them at all!

A Whole League above the Viper Sports but then so is the price..

C

I like my front, it is nice. Ive had it pushing quite hard before, it was sliding a little, or felt like it but was a VERY small amount

The PR2 back was great too. Not quite worn away all the writing off of the edge yet but I think thats down to the tyre being square when it came to the nice weather so it wasnt feeling great in the corners towards the end.

Hope the Roadsmart on the back feels ok with the PP on the front.

Will look forward to your review of the PP2ct!

Oh, I dont get the front shredding at all, well neither end, could that be down to me weighing nothing and having soft suspension? Not from lack of pushing it I dont think...

I'm on my 3rd set of these, and I really like them! The profile is a bit pointy, but you seem to get used to that quite quick. I'm not really pushing them anything like they're designed to be ridden to be honest, where can you do that on the road But they're great, even in near freezing conditions and the pishing rain/sleet. Front last around 7k rear around 5k ish, depending on track days etc. I'm going to have to get a new set soon though as the rear is squared off a bit after a lot of motorway, and the front is 'feathered' badly on the RHS (according to the tyre fitter that is, but I can see what he means, different parts of the tread on the same side have worn very differently. So it's nearly time for another set. There on special offer at the moment, £20 off or 20% or something. National Campaign so you should be able to get that offer anywhere

Did about 6 hours on them two up yesterday at "intersting" speeds and Whist they are superb on your own, they aren't the best tyres two up. The rear squirms a lot at higher lean angles and makes you reluctant to get on the power as early as you could on other tyres. Ironically, its this feature that makes them good one up. There's loads of grip, but you aren't confident on using it two up.

The tyre "squishes" a lot when you're leaning and on the standard pressures allow it to squish too much two up. I haven't tried increasing the pressures to see if it helps.

Still got over to the point where there were no chicken strips but it wasn't as stable doing so.

Desite a lot of motorway miles, The rear still hadn't shown any sign of squaring off which is excellent! really good wear from these so far.

If you do a lot of two up miles, Pilot powers may not be your first choice. If you scratch alone a lot. Buy some!

C

Nice review. To be fair though, if you were doing alot of two up who the heck would be a supersports tyre?? *confused*

"yes i like to get my knee down with a pillion".. no

Maybe going for PP2ct front and PR2ct rear but that's probably the most expensive tyre combination I can think of..

So the Pilot Powers are now relaxing in the shed after 1000 hard miles and showing riduiculously low levels of wear. They'll be back on again at the end of the summer when I need them again.

Still incredibly impressed with them but they've been replaced with Metzeler Racetec scrubs for the summer.

I discovered that one of the rear wheel bearings on the Hornet had collapsed so they were replaced this morning and tonight I'll have a play with the pressures (becasue info on Racetec pressures on the web is contradictory in the extreme!) and start a new thread on them. It'll be interesting to see how they compare the the Scorsa pro's.

C

Jamie id go for the Pilot power, not the PP2ct front. More than enough grip for a lot less cost, also my front is wearing all the way around pretty evenly.