Pilot Road 3s

JamesL · Post by **JamesL** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:35 pm

Slight hesitation at yet another tyre post, but I fitted PR3s to the Beast over the winter and although wet handling seems to live well up to expectations, the bike seems reluctant to turn. For a while I've thought it was me, but I've seen a few other remarks that PR3s are not necessarily that great at steering round corners. The previous PR2s were fine.

Thoughts anyone? Cheers, James

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:52 pm

Hi James
I recently considered pr3's in place of my old pr2's and was advised by Nick at njw tyres that although out for a while it was too soon to get any decent feedback on handling. Reading different forums gave the impression of being waaay too sticky to turn correctly and your experience seems to back that up.

(I stayed with pr2's).

Ta

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:14 pm

"too sticky" .....???? sorry that just doesn't compute

dorsetboy · Post by **dorsetboy** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:41 pm

I cant fault the PR3's on my ST.
Fitted specifically for a Gerardmer tour.
Good on the hairy pin bends.
Handled great at speed in heavy rain.
All moments of fear were self inflicted.
No Worries.

Money well spent.

Mike

f800s · Post by **f800s** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:16 pm

I fitted PR3s before my recent trip and had no problems round the twisties. I have previously used the original PRs and PR2s. The PR3s definitely give more confidence in the wet but too early yet to see what mileage I get out of them.

JamesL · Post by **JamesL** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:19 pm

Well I'll certainly try harder, and maybe they're sensitive to the bike too. I'll run on and feed back in a few months.

Great confidence in the wet though.

J

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:02 pm

what pressures are you running them at?

dave the german · Post by **dave the german** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:33 am

just going to mention pressures - worth experimenting

one_bad_mofo · Post by **one_bad_mofo** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:39 am

On my previous bike, A V-Strom 650, I went from PR2 to PR3 and the handling improved imensely. I had much greater confidence going into the corners. Strangely they even felt good as soon as I rode out of the tyre fitter's place.
No idea what they'll be like on a R11S though, as I'm currently running Maxxis on that as they were fitted new when I picked the bike up.

JamesL · Post by **JamesL** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:58 am

I'm running them at 2.2 front 2.5 rear as per the book. Too unimaginative to try anything else. The Beast is an R1150RS btw, but shouldn't handle too differently to an S?

Merecat · Post by **Merecat** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:23 pm

JamesL wrote:I'm running them at 2.2 front 2.5 rear as per the book. Too unimaginative to try anything else. The Beast is an R1150RS btw, but shouldn't handle too differently to an S?

Try 36psi front and 42psi rear and see how they handle then.
Thats 2.5bar and 2.9bar in new money.

Mick

timbox2 · Post by **timbox2** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:13 pm

I have to say that my experience with PR3's is as the OP mentioned, fantastic in the wet but made the bike a bit more reluctant to turn in comparison to other tyres, also I got a horrible droning sound on some road surfaces, this was on a K1300GT.

Ive just been and had Dunlop Roadsmarts fitted and the fitter showed me the difference in the carcass stiffness between these and the PR3's, the Dunlops have a noticeably stiffer carcass, what that says I dont really know and it was p...ing down on the way home but I can already tell that I only have to think turn, and the bikes over, which may not suit everybody, they are all good tyres, just different.

timbox2 · Post by **timbox2** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:16 pm

JamesL wrote:I'm running them at 2.2 front 2.5 rear as per the book. Too unimaginative to try anything else. The Beast is an R1150RS btw, but shouldn't handle too differently to an S?

You need to go on what the tyre manufacturer recommends these days rather than the riders manual, which as has been said is normally 36/42 for the vast majority of bikes, but not all.

el-nicko · Post by **el-nicko** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:33 pm

timbox2 wrote:I have to say that my experience with PR3's is as the OP mentioned, fantastic in the wet but made the bike a bit more reluctant to turn in comparison to other tyres, also I got a horrible droning sound on some road surfaces, this was on a K1300GT.

Ive just been and had Dunlop Roadsmarts fitted and the fitter showed me the difference in the carcass stiffness between these and the PR3's, the Dunlops have a noticeably stiffer carcass, what that says I dont really know and it was p...ing down on the way home but I can already tell that I only have to think turn, and the bikes over, which may not suit everybody, they are all good tyres, just different.

Riding home in the rain on new tyres

.

And did'nt I read somewhere that Dunlop say you can significantly reduce Roadsmart pressures for track daze? Might relate to the stiffer carcass (wall?) you mention.

JamesL · Post by **JamesL** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:30 pm

FWIW I've just found this on BMWSportTouring: http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/u ... 506&page=1.

I'll up the pressures and see how it goes - cheers all!

J