Tire life

[R4R&R]

I finally got around to adding up all of my costs for my R and made a spreadsheet to track the service. It's kind of scary to see the costs for parts and labor broken down. In this spreadsheet I have it calculating mileage for each tire change and here's what it came up with:

I didn't realize that I got so many miles out of the rears. I had two rear flats, hence the early replacement.

Front tire changes
model miles
D208 12925
Z6 11101
Z6 10787
AV45 Current

Rear tire changes
model miles
D208 (flat) 846
D220 7385
Z4 9920
Z6 (flat) 7699
Z6 9602
AV46 Current

Take into consideration that I replace my tires when they are WORN OUT! I'm talking close to the point of threads showing (been there, done that). Now that I have my own equipment/tools for changing them I may do it a little earlier since the handling does get noticeably bad. Speaking of which, I have a nice new pair of Pirelli's sitting in the garage but I just put the AVONS on!

[Airman]

You're the guy people need to talk to when they start asking questions about which tire to buy.

I've got the original Metzer ME Z4's with 12,500 miles. No flats. Still have a little life in the rear and more then a little in the front.

There's a pair of Pirelli Stradas in my garage too.

[wncbmw]

How in the world you guys are getting that kind of miles out of tires, I'll never know. My Z6 front just got replaced at 7K and I was happy to do that well. My Avons did even less. The Z4's about the same.

And John, I know you don't just cruise around!

I put the new Pirelli on the front and after a run through Deal's Gap Friday have to say, they are good. I chicken out before the tires!

[philr]

Hi yawl,

Its interesting to hear the varying mileages (or K's) riders get out of their tyres and, as I have stated on this site before, astonished at the high mileages some riders get.

I have been riding various bikes for 37 years and rarely get anywhere near ten thousand ks out of a set before they become dangerous for wet riding. Most of my riding friends get similar mileages and some bikes certainly have more power to shred tyres quickly.

On the R1150R I got about 8 to 9 thou. out of my last tyres (battleaxes)which were good for the first 5 thou and then the pattern made turning in a bit unpredictable. I have currently done about 3 thou on a set of Michelin Pilot Roads and am very happy with them. The bike feels very planted. I don't consider myself to be a hard rider but I don't muck about either, just fast enough to thrill but not scare.

Now before anyone claims it is all down to pressures - Yes pressures are critical and it depends on what sort of riding you are doing - but I am starting to think that the abrasiveness of particular road surfaces used in different states in different countries may have a lot more to do with it.

Happy days,
Phil in metric down under.

[jm1515]

I just turned 9700mi yesterday on my 04. The OE Pilot Roads look like they have another thousand miles in them, easily...then I get to try a new set of Pirellis
I don't do wheelie or burn outs, but I don't baby the thing either.
Road condition, tire pressure & ride style all contribute to tire life IMO...& I'll be happy with 11000mi on my first set.

[Croc]

I have the original Mez 4's and am riding in England. Roads are possibly shorter and more villages and towns make for different riding style to what I imagine you have in the states and down under. I have done about 7500 miles and the back is squaring off but not quite down to the wear bars yet. I hope to get another thou out of them before I swap for the Mez 6 just prior to a tour of Europe with my son mid June.

I have noticed that the front has very little wear but the wear that it does have seems to be more on the sides. Does this mean that they may be dual compound with a harder rubber on the centre? Any ideas?

Croc

[Wass]

My Harley buddy tells me that the single biggest factor is loading on the bike. He and another buddy both have Road Kings and bud #1 uses half the tires of bud #2. The difference is that my friend rides solo and the other guy and his wife ride 2 up (and they are both 300# or so).
Which Road King needs new shoes first?
2nd biggest factor gotta be road abrasiveness.

[priapismic]

How anyone gets that kind of mileage from a rear tire is beyond me. I have yet to get more than 6,000 miles from any rear, of any brand - Metzeler Z6, Pirelli Diablo, Michelin Pilot Road, Bridgestone BT56R's and BT020 ... Current tire is a Metzeler ME880, I'll be watching it closely to see if I can get better mileage. Fronts I get about 9k miles.

I don't run with heavy loads - I weight about 175 lbs., always ride solo, am religious about keeping my inflation pressures up. I just don't get the mileage that others get.

[Acpantera]

8000 miles on pilot roads, worn down past the wear bars(oops).I just spooned on a new set of Conti road attacks. I'll be happy if I get at least 6000 miles out of them..thats about one season for me.

[Airman]

How anyone gets that kind of mileage from a rear tire is beyond me. I have yet to get more than 6,000 miles from any rear, of any brand - Metzeler Z6, Pirelli Diablo, Michelin Pilot Road, Bridgestone BT56R's and BT020 ... Current tire is a Metzeler ME880, I'll be watching it closely to see if I can get better mileage. Fronts I get about 9k miles.

I don't run with heavy loads - I weight about 175 lbs., always ride solo, am religious about keeping my inflation pressures up. I just don't get the mileage that others get.

Ok, I've heard a lot of theories and here's mine. I live in a cool rainy climate. Most of my riding has been short commutes to work. I took one of those 800 mile weekends one time and the tire wear was noticable. So I think it has to do with the temp of the tire. This can be elevated by a number of factors. Load, tire pressure, length of trip, and ambient temp.
I think if it's 100 degrees F, and you take long trips on a regular basis, I think your tire wear will reflect it.
Based on the tires you have already worn out, I'm thinking the ME880 will fare no better.

[priapismic]

[quote="Airman]Ok, I've heard a lot of theories and here's mine. I live in a cool rainy climate. Most of my riding has been short commutes to work. I took one of those 800 mile weekends one time and the tire wear was noticable. So I think it has to do with the temp of the tire. This can be elevated by a number of factors. Load, tire pressure, length of trip, and ambient temp.
I think if it's 100 degrees F, and you take long trips on a regular basis, I think your tire wear will reflect it.
Based on the tires you have already worn out, I'm thinking the ME880 will fare no better.[/quote]

FWIW, I live in a hot, humid climate (Texas), most of my trips are at least 25-30 minutes on 2-lane back roads (my commute) or up to several hours (day trips, sport riding). Plus, most of the roads in this area are that grainy, abrasive chip seal stuff, what they often call "bituminous surface treatment". I'm convinced that poop is a tire killer. Yet my car tires are lasting 35,000 or so miles, nothing unusual there.