Pilot Road 2 installation question

[iowabeakster]

I'm going to be installing a PR2 on my bike (doing it myself) soon. I have no experience with Michelin tires. I just wanted to make sure I do it right.

Most tires are marked at their lightest spot (with a red dot), but I've heard that some manufacturers mark the heaviest spot.

Do Michelin tires have the heaviest or the lightest spot marked with the dot?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Installed twice.
iirc there is no dot on the pr2s because they are so perfectly balanced in their michelinness it is not necessary. I believe I called them or tried to look it up or something; I didn't imagine it.

And the inconsistency or the dot's meaning muddies the waters on other brands.

If you're going to balance them after install, other than some more/less weight, does it make a difference?

On one of my installs I forgot to balance the rear before I put it back on and noticed no difference in handling or wear. Being somewhat anal, on the second set I didn't forget.

Just an aside, PR2s are easier to replace than Z6s

[iowabeakster]

Thanks.

That'll make the installation quicker! And, I just realized how much I like the word "quicker".

[BeemerBen]

Are you happy with these tires? I ordered a pair of them (should be here Friday) and need to get them installed. The cycle shop near here charges $45 per wheel to put them on. I've never done it before and don't have the tools. How hard is it to remove the wheels. if I take in just the wheels it's $20 at another shop. Thanks

[iowabeakster]

I've probably only have got 500 miles on the rear PR2. The front is still a Metzler Z6, with plenty of tread left.

So far, I have no complaints. It's far better than the old squared Z6 that came off! But, that is all I can really say so far.

As many good things as I've read about these tires, I expect to be quite content with them.

Taking the wheels off is pretty simple. The owners manual gives better instructions. Here're some over-simplified instructions...

For the rear:

1. remove the brake caliper
2. remove the four lug nuts
3. remove the wheel (I ususally whack the tire with a rubber mallet to break it free if it's stuck)

For the front:

1. remove both brake calipers
2. remove the big nut on the axle
3. loosen the pinch bolts on the bottoms of the fork legs
4. pull the axle out (pay attention to the speedo drive parts)

[Dr. Strangelove]

I now have about 1k miles on the PR3s and like them a lot. I liked the PR2s, but these have a nicer ride. They may stick a little better? but the ride is more "comfortable."

It is physically strenuous to change any tires, and you need special stuff to do it. Look at youtube. There's at least one video of a guy changing a BMW tire. I modeled my setup after one of these.

45/tire is not bad and 20/tire is a steal if they do a good job and don't mark up your rims. Around here the charge is 1.5-2 hours labor.

[towerworker]

I've probably only have got 500 miles on the rear PR2. The front is still a Metzler Z6, with plenty of tread left.

So far, I have no complaints. It's far better than the old squared Z6 that came off! But, that is all I can really say so far.

As many good things as I've read about these tires, I expect to be quite content with them.

Taking the wheels off is pretty simple. The owners manual gives better instructions. Here're some over-simplified instructions...

For the rear:

1. remove the brake caliper
2. remove the four lug nuts
3. remove the wheel (I ususally whack the tire with a rubber mallet to break it free if it's stuck)

For the front:

1. remove both brake calipers
2. remove the big nut on the axle
3. loosen the pinch bolts on the bottoms of the fork legs
4. pull the axle out (pay attention to the speedo drive parts)

Let me add............put bike on centerstand--for safety in rear tire removal----attach strap or rope from from front wheel thru centerstand frame. The bike balances near perfectly (hard cases removed) and does not take much jerking it around to make the centerstand fold up!

[Biff's R]

I have run a lot of PR1, and currently have on a set of PR2. I like the PR1 a little better in the rain, but I am very happy with the PR2. They are wearing better than the PR1.

[BeemerBen]

What's the recommended PSI (front and rear) for The Pilot Road 2's on a r1150r? I'm getting ready for a road trip (solo) and will have two side cases and a top case, luggage-wise. Thanks!

[MoonBeemer]

The man that installs my tires says he has spoken with the Michelin rep at a rally last year. He asked the rep how to get the most mileage from the RP2s. He tells me the rep suggested that we R1150R pilots use 40 psi in the front and 42 in the rear. Thats what I have ran on the RP2s I have on my R and have 3000 miles on them and cannot tell they have any wear. However, wear sneaks up on a tire. The more wear the quicker it wears.

[TicTac50]

Just replaced my rear PR2 with the new one, also PR2.
After 14K tire was almost OK but I was too chicken to ride 3k trip on the old 14K tire.
The front tire has only 13K and still looks good. This is my last set of PR2's.
I do my own tire replacement with the Harbor Freight tire changer.
Rim savers are a MUST and a small leather patches when you lock the rim in the machine.
New valve stem and 2.5oz for the rear and 1.5oz of DynaBeads for the front and you good to go.
Michelin tires are very easy to mount with the little help from the tire lube.
You just need to know where to apply the lube.
I would like to hear more about PR3 and how much $$$ is for the set.
PR3 will be my next set of tires.
Good luck.

[angellr]

Just replaced my rear PR2 with the new one, also PR2.
After 14K tire was almost OK but I was too chicken to ride 3k trip on the old 14K tire.
The front tire has only 13K and still looks good. This is my last set of PR2's.
I do my own tire replacement with the Harbor Freight tire changer.
Rim savers are a MUST and a small leather patches when you lock the rim in the machine.
New valve stem and 2.5oz for the rear and 1.5oz of DynaBeads for the front and you good to go.
Michelin tires are very easy to mount with the little help from the tire lube.
You just need to know where to apply the lube.
I would like to hear more about PR3 and how much $$$ is for the set.
PR3 will be my next set of tires.
Good luck.

Just put a set of PR3 on my R12. So far, they are really nice and love them. Paid roughly $300 for the pair.

[CycleRob]

iowabeakster,
Most new tires are red or yellow color dot marked at the light spot, but to position it correctly, you'll need to check the imbalance of the naked wheel rim. With cast wheels and even spoked wheels the heaviest spot can be ANYWHERE.

You may remember me explaining that when I was working in my NJ shop we at first checked-n-marked the heavy spots on naked rims only on racebikes/trackbikes. That permitted minimal and sometimes NO lead weights to balance them. Then after realizing the balance check needed to be only once for our loyal customers, I decided to also take the 2 extra minutes to do the 1-time rim balance to locate and mark the heavy spot on both rims. Those anal SportBike riders soon became ecstatic about the absence (or smallness of) cosmetically ugly lead weights, especially during cleaning. The magic marker line and sometimes the words "heavy spot" hidden internally on the rim band valley ID'd it for all future lead weight saving tire changes. We did get one customer that mentioned he was derided at a cigarette stop about the dopes that put his tire on wrong (yellow dot NOT at the valvestem). After the explanation why, which he said is starting to get annoying, we may have gained a few new customers. After that, I recommended they just spray-n-scrape off the colored dot and be done with it if you don't want to educate them. In the long run, we did save on lead weight reorders and the customers being delighted at the hidden value enhanced our good reputation. The shop that scoffed at us taking the extra check-n-mark the heavy spot process did not realize the extra time sometimes saved NOT needing to install any weights and recheck the balance, besides the weight cost saving. Some of the big SportBikes wear out a rear tire in 3,500 miles, or less if they do burn-outs, so it turned out to be a great idea.

Three things about changing tires:
1--Be sure to use plenty of "rubber lube" (NOT liquid soap) on the Aluminum rim bead and the rubber tire bead mating areas. You can get the stuff at auto parts stores or the tire mounting concentrate (makes a gallon) from your M/C dealer.
2--Arrange the rim so you will end off at the valve stem (if it protrudes and takes up space, holding the bead away from the rim valley).
3--Use your free left knee and left hand palm (downstream) to keep the bead start portions buried in the rim band valley as you lever on the remaining bead. Only small diameter heavy tire sidewalled Harley wheels are really difficult to mount/dismount. I have had customers watch their tire mount process from the garage door as the first bead goes on tool-less by 2 hands only in under 2 seconds and the second bead levered on in under 10 seconds express quiet disbelief. That is on a Coats 220 hand operated tire changer, on which about 3,000 tires were changed in 10 years.
When you get the tire bead holding tensions, starting points, rim position, lubrication and mount lever actions right, it is fast, effortless and most importantly, damage free.

[Dr. Strangelove]

CycleRob said

I decided to also take the 2 extra minutes to do the 1-time rim balance to locate and mark the heavy spot on both rims.

That's a good idea, but it would only work if the tires had the dot--which would mean that the dot goes to the heavy spot on the rim, do I have that right?

Michelin PRs do not have a dot, but I certainly think they have a heavy spot.

Loving my PR3s btw.