I know, I know, next thing I will talk about is Oil...

I've owned my 08 Conny for 6 years, 45,000 mi and overall I can't find a better ride when you consider power, range, comfort, luggage capacity and reliability.

The issue I have is with the handling, I believe it isn't what it was or could be. I have re-torqued the head bearing which helped with the high speed wobble but I still don't get the confidence I use to or should in the corners and I believe the problem is with tires.

My tire experience is such:

The PR2's were great, lasted a long time and only near the end of their tread life (really worn on the sides) did I notice handling quirks as you rotate over the edge that is created from the different compounds.

I found the PR3's never handled as well as the PR2's and didn't hold up as long either. They may have been better in the rain but I was disappointed otherwise.

The PR4's handle better than the 3's but not as good as the 2's and so far haven't held up as well as the 2's either.

Recently I purchased a Bandit 1250 and it came with a set of PR2's. I realize it is a different bike etc but the confidence in the corners is unbelievable compared to the Conny and this got me thinking again about tires. I'm am curious if others have had similar results with the PR series? I'm not sure if i can still purchase PR2's and if so I may just may do that but I'm also open to any other suggestions.

Pirelli Angels 

Silly question, but do you keep a top box on the bike?

I know, I know, next thing I will talk about is Oil...

Yay!  Tire thread!!!!

I know, I know, next thing I will talk about is Oil...

I've owned my 08 Conny for 6 years, 45,000 mi and overall I can't find a better ride when you consider power, range, comfort, luggage capacity and reliability.

The issue I have is with the handling, I believe it isn't what it was or could be. I have re-torqued the head bearing which helped with the high speed wobble but I still don't get the confidence I use to or should in the corners and I believe the problem is with tires.

My tire experience is such:

The PR2's were great, lasted a long time and only near the end of their tread life (really worn on the sides) did I notice handling quirks as you rotate over the edge that is created from the different compounds.

I found the PR3's never handled as well as the PR2's and didn't hold up as long either. They may have been better in the rain but I was disappointed otherwise.

The PR4's handle better than the 3's but not as good as the 2's and so far haven't held up as well as the 2's either.

Recently I purchased a Bandit 1250 and it came with a set of PR2's. I realize it is a different bike etc but the confidence in the corners is unbelievable compared to the Conny and this got me thinking again about tires. I'm am curious if others have had similar results with the PR series? I'm not sure if i can still purchase PR2's and if so I may just may do that but I'm also open to any other suggestions.

I will agree that the PR2's with the 55 rear tire were my favorites also. But the non-GT PR4's are close in handling and durability. Any tire is better than the O.E.M. Crapstone 021 that gave me a high speed sphincter spasm.

What is the 'handling problem'? 

How many miles on these tires?

What is the pressure when cold?

I have been running Pirelli Angel GTs for at least the last 25k miles and they are awesome but they square off when older and get wobbly when run hard in fast corners when you're on that edge between the flat spot down the middle and farther over.  New tires = "magic is back!"

I have run PR2's, have friends that run PR3 and PR4, no complaints. 

I used to own a Bandit 1200, replaced it with an FZ1.  I did ride a 1250, torque monster and did everything else well also.  I think you'll like your C14 if you put Pirellis on it.  A friend just bought some and said they are cheaper now than they have been. Not sure if it's a winter thing or they are just dropping in price.   There are cheaper tires out there, I have not found better tires.  Make sure you get the A Spec for the rear, it has stiffer sidewalls.

+3 on the Pirelli Angel GTs

Interesting: I found PR3's to be softer (Boys!) and handle better than -2s do but basically last nearly as long. ??

I have used a pair of Angel STs and GTs and found the STs to be outstanding when they are new but pretty awful by the time they are 1/2 worn. Pirellis maintain most of their performance and manners all teh way down to the wear bars IME. So my personal choice has been PR3's (chewed through a fair number of sets). Have not yet tried PR4's.

Tires are like ice cream- everybody has their own favorite it seems.

Brian

I know, I know, next thing I will talk about is Oil...

I've owned my 08 Conny for 6 years, 45,000 mi and overall I can't find a better ride when you consider power, range, comfort, luggage capacity and reliability.

The issue I have is with the handling, I believe it isn't what it was or could be. I have re-torqued the head bearing which helped with the high speed wobble but I still don't get the confidence I use to or should in the corners and I believe the problem is with tires.

My tire experience is such:

The PR2's were great, lasted a long time and only near the end of their tread life (really worn on the sides) did I notice handling quirks as you rotate over the edge that is created from the different compounds.

I found the PR3's never handled as well as the PR2's and didn't hold up as long either. They may have been better in the rain but I was disappointed otherwise.

The PR4's handle better than the 3's but not as good as the 2's and so far haven't held up as well as the 2's either.

Recently I purchased a Bandit 1250 and it came with a set of PR2's. I realize it is a different bike etc but the confidence in the corners is unbelievable compared to the Conny and this got me thinking again about tires. I'm am curious if others have had similar results with the PR series? I'm not sure if i can still purchase PR2's and if so I may just may do that but I'm also open to any other suggestions.

Did you repack the steering head bearings or just tighten them?

What about fork service?

You could always go with the Metzeler Roadtec 01 or the new Dunlop Roadsmart III just released........rave reviews from magazine testers calling it far superior to the PR4 in every way
We'll see, I stock ordered 40 of them, so by mid summer some useable results should be in.

One final option we PR2 lovers still have is going with a PR2 rear 180/55/ZR17.

I am running one now. I see little difference compared to the 190/55ZR17 that's no longer available.

Only 4 differences- 1) It only corrects the speedo error 1-2 mph, instead of 2-3 mph.
                            2) It costs LESS.
                            3) It took a bit more muscle to mount it on the rim. But works fine.
                            4) Overall circumference diameter difference of a 180/55 is between stock size and             .                               a 190/55 size.

You can still buy a PR2 front in the correct size. Buying from Jake Wilson's, I saved $100 compared to a previous set of 190/55ZR17 PR4GT's. I average 12,000 miles/set on 2's. Got 8000 miles on a set of 4GT's.

Haven't tried Angel GT's A spec yet. Every thread I read, folks rave about them, but mileage seems to fall short of 12,000 miles on average. While cheaper than 4GT's, they're pricier than PR2's. But, I hear they handle great.

Bob

You can still buy a PR2 front in the correct size. Buying from Jake Wilson's, I saved $100 compared to a previous set of 190/55ZR17 PR4GT's. I average 12,000 miles/set on 2's. Got 8000 miles on a set of 4GT's.

Haven't tried Angel GT's A spec yet. Every thread I read, folks rave about them, but mileage seems to fall short of 12,000 miles on average. While cheaper than 4GT's, they're pricier than PR2's. But, I hear they handle great

Have never used the PR2/3's, but my PR4GT's are nearly worn out now (especially the rear), I am at about 15,000 miles and they still handle great.  So "your mileage may vary"   I will be replacing them with 4GT again.

I always cringe when I see another post concerning tyres (tires)....but I do relate to what the O.P is saying

I had Pr2s on my first GTR back in 2008, they were a massive improvement over the OEM Bridgestones of the time, I recall picking up the carcass of the OEM Bridgestone  in one hand and having the PR2 in the other hand, the difference in weight was noticeable, the compound was also sooo much softer and pliable by comparison, so it was no surprise that the bike felt massively better after fitting the PR2s

I installed PR3s on my 2010 GTR and whilst they felt a lot better than the OEM tyres and made the bike handle much better in wet and dry conditions they seemed to wear quickly AND I had my first puncture in about 15 years or so, I reckoned that was just a coincidence and 'one of those things'

I have installed PR4 GT tyres to my current 2016 GTR (Connie) and they are great, they warm up quickly perform excellently in both wet and dry conditions, plus the bike just feels much more compliant. BUT I've recently had another rear puncture, which has led to lots and lots of comments on the U.K forum about the susceptibility of these tyres to being puncture prone.

Now..... I still find it hard to believe that a certain type of tyre is more prone to nail/screw punctures than another, BUT it is strange that this seems to be the case with the PR range of tyres

Would I fit PR4s again ?    ........the jury is out...probably NOT

Any thoughts ?

Any thoughts

It sounds like you love everything about the PR4GT, except that you got a puncture.  I am not sure how a tire's construction can attract or repel punctures, or do a much better job at not allowing nails/screws/etc to enter them (after all, most street tires have very similar construction and materials).  I haven't noticed a trend on the threads on zggtr.org indicating they are more or less prone to punctures.

It sounds like you love everything about the PR4GT, except that you got a puncture.  I am not sure how a tire's construction can attract or repel punctures, or do a much better job at not allowing nails/screws/etc to enter them (after all, most street tires have very similar construction and materials).  I haven't noticed a trend on the threads on zggtr.org indicating they are more or less prone to punctures.

Agreed maxtog....however others on the U.K forum have had similar puncture experiences with the PR4 (and PR3s)

I too cannot see how any one tyre is more prone to punctures than another, surely a nail/screw would penetrate any tyre given the same circumstances

It's fair to say that some members of the U.K forum report the PR3 and PR4 to be a superb tyre and have not experienced any punctures. It's all a bit strange, and has been a topic of considerable debate .........maybe there's more nails and screws on our roads   

Have never used the PR2/3's, but my PR4GT's are nearly worn out now (especially the rear), I am at about 15,000 miles and they still handle great.  So "your mileage may vary"   I will be replacing them with 4GT again.

Wow, Max! I'm jealous! Lol... 

I dunno why my set of 4 GT's cratered so soon. I was all set to finally see 15k out of them.
I figured if their extra life claims worked for me in the real world, they'd be worth the extra bucks...

I kept the air pressures at 42 psi cold...
I rode NO twisties.
I rode NO 2 up.
I carried no trunk, or heavy gear in the bags.
I babied the throttle their entire life, like a senior citizen headed to Sunday church...
... things I've never done with any set of PR2's. I consistantly average 12k out of 2's.
End result for all my "disciplined, uber-conservative" behaviour...(ie; no fun...) 8k miles. 

Beats me? IIRC, that set of 4GT's cost me around $425.
This last set of 2's cost me $310.

This set's the first 180/55 rear I've tried. So far, no complaints. It works fine, saves some bucks.
I gave them a shot based on a few others' positive experiences, and I agree.

I called Michelin a while back and spoke to a nice lady, asked her why they recommend the GT over the standard 4 because the standard 4 has 2 ply sidewalls, 4GT's have one...etc.
She couldn't answer ANY of my questions, and no one ever called me back.
I was disappointed in their longevity and high price. Liked everything else about them, though.
Maybe just bad luck with this particular set...?

I may give the Angel GT A specs a try this summer when I wear this set of 2's out.

So... What's the secret to your success, Max? Do anything special that I didn't do to get 15k??
Bob

Wow, Max! I'm jealous! Lol...  [...]
So... What's the secret to your success, Max? Do anything special that I didn't do to get 15k??

Probably not.  I think the two biggest factors in typical tire wear (assuming they are treated right and inflated properly) are probably total weight and road type.  I only weigh 145 pounds and only ride 1-up.  As for roads, well, it just depends on where you live.  Generally the roads here are in good condition- smooth.  Rough roads probably do more to chew through tires than anything else.  But we are all kinda stuck with what we have where we live... luck of the draw.

I wish I had data points for the PR2/3 to share, since comparison between the 2/3/4 is interesting and only really possible when done on the same bike.  But this is just my second set of tires.... the OEM wore a long time too, but boy they didn't wear in a good pattern and didn't handle well when worn.  These PR4GT's are amazingly good even with a flat spot and nearly worn out.  I live a few blocks from work and the C14 is just a pleasure vehicle for once or twice a week.  My rides/trips are typically 60 to 200 miles each.

Probably not.  I think the two biggest factors in typical tire wear (assuming they are treated right and inflated properly) are probably total weight and road type.  I only weigh 145 pounds and only ride 1-up.  As for roads, well, it just depends on where you live.  Generally the roads here are in good condition- smooth.  Rough roads probably do more to chew through tires than anything else.  But we are all kinda stuck with what we have where we live... luck of the draw.

I wish I had data points for the PR2/3 to share, since comparison between the 2/3/4 is interesting and only really possible when done on the same bike.  But this is just my second set of tires.... the OEM wore a long time too, but boy they didn't wear in a good pattern and didn't handle well when worn.  These PR4GT's are amazingly good even with a flat spot and nearly worn out.  I live a few blocks from work and the C14 is just a pleasure vehicle for once or twice a week.  My rides/trips are typically 60 to 200 miles each.

+1. The roads in N.E. Oklahoma are a smooth top surface, but poor in condition.
Arkansas twisties w/ their chip & seal rough surfaces are usually hard on them, but my 2's still go 12k even doing 2-3 trips / set. But this set of 4GT's never saw Arkansas.

I can vaguely remember the days when I weighed 145 #'s too... ( now I'm REALLY jealous! Lol!)
These days, I'm 6' 210#'s............(ahem...) yeah...
'Course, now that I'm 54 and not 24 anymore, the gradual dimensia helps me forget that... ha!
(What were we saying? Oh yeah...) 

One thing I've consistantly noticed about PR2 front tires- once they get around 8000 miles on them, they start chopping strangely on the sides...plenty of tread in center, just a narrow flat section down the center about 1/2" wide. Between 8000-12,000 miles, they begin to make a roaring noise when leaned or turned in corners. First set, first time they did this, it sounded just like a bad wheel bearing. Wasn't...just from the chop on the sides. Strange. PR4GT front did not do this, but was down to the wear bars by 8000 miles.
Bob

Thank you to all who replied.

I run 42psi.

The bike has 45,000 miles and the forks have never been serviced.

When I re-torqued the head bearing I didn't repack the bearing.

I find the bike just doesn't give the confidence like your on rails when going through sweepers. My buds aren't passing me or anything but I find I'm having to push through and into an uncomfortable zone.

Do you think this may be more of a fork service issue? Not sure what is involved in servicing the forks.

Coomers, I went back to the first post and maybe my reading comp isn't what it used to be or you failed to mention what tires are on it now and how many miles are on them. Also, can you pinpoint about when the handling started to degrade?

I'm presently running PR4's and they have about 6000 miles on them.

I find the handling is obviously better when the tires are new but still not as good as I think it can / should be.

even if i disregard my lighter bandit, my 850lbs cruiser gives me more confidence in to corners, just not at as high of speed naturally.