OK, now that the Michelin Pilot Road 3's have come out and I heard some decent feedback on them. I decided to try them now that my Angels have 6K on them and I need to make a trip to the NE spring fling. It's no secret to older forum members, that I didn't have a good experience with the Michelin PR2 tires. But even though my PR2's were not very good IMO, I decided to try the newer version of the Pilot Road series tires.
The first thing I noticed about them is that like the PR2, they have a good looking tread pattern (IMO). Even though it was cold and raining (which killed my preheating in the sun ritual). The tires mounted fairly easy, with little difficulty. The "E" model rear Pirelli Angel that I was removing, was almost as hard to get off as it was to get on last year. So if I were to buy Angels, I'd stay with the lighter less expensive model, that mount much easier! Although the rear tire with the extra belt didn't get a flat. So who's to say whether the extra belt the "E" model actually prevented anything?
The PR3's like the PR2's do not come with a ballance mark. I do not know if this is good on Michelin's part or not. The Angel's I removed both took 1/2 once of weight to ballance. In my experience with Pirelli, they never seem to take much weight to ballance the tire. They also use the tire valve mark. About half the time, the Pirelli's didn't require any weight (which is nice) and I really like. But a little weight isn't a big deal.
The PR3's took quite a bit more weight to ballance the tires. The front coming in at 1 once. The rear tire took 1 1/2 once. Not drastic, but more than I normally would have had to use with Pirelli's.
Anyway with the new sneakers mounted on the bike and it already being dirty from Saturday's riding in the wet. I decided what better way to try out these new tires that are billed at being better in the wet than the PR2. The PR2 was a pretty good tire in the wet. In the same ball park with the Angel ST in the wet. Although I do not ride aggressive at all in the rain. So I will not comment on their peg dragging ability in the wet. This guy will not even attempt that!
So since it was a pretty heavy rain day. I decided the 10-20 miles would suffice for a test of these new tires to see if they are as good in the wet as billed. My opinion is this. Although I didn't ride that far. I felt I got a pretty good feel for these tires in the wet. And keep in mind, this is on totally brand new tires, with no break in time.
I think these PR3's are probably the best wet weather tires I have ridden on! They ride well on wet roads and feel like they have excellent wet weather grip. The PR2's and Angels were both excellent in the wet. I feel that these are better in the wet. Granted most oils have probably been washed off the road in the last 48 hours. But even still, the tires never slipped once. And I rode like I would have on tires that were not brand new. The PR3's never gave me the feeling of sliding at all in the wet. But like I said, I don't try to drag pegs in the wet either.
It's a good thing I put these tires on. Since this weekend in Wellsboro, PA always seems to rain on us! So I should be all set should the skies open up on us again. Now what I need is some nice dry weather to evaluate how they will be in the dry. This is the part where I am now really interested in. Since this is where my PR2's were less than stellar. I hoping than these PR3's will make amends for the PR2's and perform in the dry well enough to make these tires a really good all around package. I guess we'll see!
