First impressions Michelin Road 5's on my 2021

[the Ferret]

After reaching the wear bar at 7130 miles on the stock Metzler Tourance tires, I had a set of Michelin Road 5s, in stock sizes, installed on my 2021 750DCT

I was pretty happy with the stock Metzler's and would use them again, but was looking for a little better tire as far as mileage and have always been happy with Michelins after having used dozens of sets on my bikes going back at least to my 2004 Ymaha FZ-1. When Michelin quit making the PR3s in the sizes I needed for my CB 1100 I switched to Pirelli Angel GTs and found them equal to the PR3s in the dry, just a little less so in the wet, but mileage was another limiting factor at about 7,500 miles for the Pirellis VS 10,500 for the Michelins. I considered the Pirellis for the NC as well, but thought I'd give the new Road 5's a try.

After getting the new tires installed, I took it easy on them for the first 50 miles before increasing lean angle and speed. Now after a couple hundred miles I am riding as normal. The Road 5's tip in and transition side to side easier than the Metzler's did, and stick like glue through the turns. They hold a line as well. I have not had a chance to try them in the rain yet. So far super happy with my choice. I know it's early but I will try and keep this thread updated as they wear.

Some of my Michelins in the past have made a front tire hum as they wear, exacerbated usually by front fairing wells on my ST 1300 and FJR, so I will listen for that. It never bothered me, but was noticeable. Some people get cupping on their front Michelins but I have never had that issue. What they have done is stuck like glue, wet or dry and delivered great mileage, and that's what I am after. They are a premium tire and cost accordingly

They are not dual sport tires, but I only ride on the street, so if I am off-road, it's because I have missed a turn, and will probably need an ambulance lol.

 

[TNHoosier]

When my rich uncle gets out of the poor house I plan to try a set of PR5's.

 

[LanceK]

I’m new to the motorcycle thing, so bear with the dumb questions. I always wonder if I ride hard enough or if I am a good enough rider to appreciate good tires. How do you know if the tires are good enough or not? Do you just have to try some and see if they slip for you? If they do, is it just noticeable, or are we talking about a low side mid turn type of thing? I always buy Michelin tires for my cars/truck, but that is because I want a quiet tire, not because of performance. So without a lot of experience, how does one go about picking tires?

I appreciate the review and will be watching for updates as my tires wear and I have to buy new ones.

 

[the Ferret]

LOL ..wish I had a rich uncle. I don't have any uncles..or older brothers. I'm the oldest one left.

I don't mount my own tires so I have to also factor in mounting into the total cost of tire ownership. In 50,000 miles if I can get 7,500 out of a set that's 6 sets of tires and 6 mounting fees. At 10,500 a set I only have to buy 4 sets of tires and pay 4 mounting fees. So 2 less sets of tires and 2 less mounting fees. Important when you ride 20,000 miles a year.

Plus it's hard to factor in the confidence riding on a really good set of tires gives you.

 

[the Ferret]

I’m new to the motorcycle thing, so bear with the dumb questions. I always wonder if I ride hard enough or if I am a good enough rider to appreciate good tires. How do you know if the tires are good enough or not? Do you just have to try some and see if they slip for you? If they do, is it just noticeable, or are we talking about a low side mid turn type of thing? I always buy Michelin tires for my cars/truck, but that is because I want a quiet tire, not because of performance. So without a lot of experience, how does one go about picking tires?

I appreciate the review and will be watching for updates as my tires wear and I have to buy new ones.

Lance not a dumb question at all. If you have confidence in your tires, they don't scare you going thru turns, they turn easily, and they last long enough for you, then at the stage you are at in your riding carer, the tires are good enough for you. As your riding progresses and you become more confident in your riding, and you step up the pace, you may find that the tires no longer give you that confidence that they once did and you may want to try different tires. There are fans of all brands, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Metzler, Continental, Michelin, Pirellis, Shinkos etc and I can't say anybody makes a truly bad tire (although some of the oem tires mfgs put on bikes are not the best), but I do believe some are better than others for my particular needs, mileage and riding style. In the end you gather advice, make a decision based on multiple positive recommendations, and give a set a try. If you don't like those, you wear em out and try another brand or style.

I see you are in Amarillo, Texas and my experience from hunting and riding in Texas says your roads tend to be flatter and straighter than my SW Ohio roads so your tire needs may be different. Also if you ride off road you have to take that into consideration. 100% street tires are usually no good on dirt and 100% dirt tires are less than ideal on the road.

BTW I run Michelins on all my cars, truck too. I am a firm believer in Michelin products which have proven themselves to me over the years.

 

[DTMWAP]

I had Pilot Road 2s and Road 4s on my ST1300. Always 42-42 PSI with over 25,000 km on each set of PR2s. I sold the bike on the first set of Road 4s so I can't comment on their longevity bu it seemed to me as good as the 2s. As wearing occurs, (for 2s and 4s) I had some humming at the front. As Ferret said, it was probably exacerbated by front fairing well. Now I have Road 5s on my NC. I'm still a big fan of Michelin even if I can hear some humming with the front wearing out. It also have a slight cupping effect. Maybe the humming is related to this cupping. I question myself if the recommended 36 psi for the front is enough?

On pics below, the rear is at 13,000 km and the front 9,500 km. I feel the front is wearing out faster than the rear. Another reason of debating about the 36 psi front. What do you think?

 

[the Ferret]

I had Pilot Road 2s and Road 4s on my ST1300. Always 42-42 PSI with over 25,000 km on each set of PR2s. I sold the bike on the first set of Road 4s so I can't comment on their longevity bu it seemed to me as good as the 2s. As wearing occurs, (for 2s and 4s) I had some humming at the front. As Ferret said, it was probably exacerbated by front fairing well. Now I have Road 5s on my NC. I'm still a big fan of Michelin even if I can hear some humming with the front wearing out. It also have a slight cupping effect. Maybe the humming is related to this cupping. I question myself if the recommended 36 psi for the front is enough?

On pics below, the rear is at 13,000 km and the front 9,500 km. I feel the front is wearing out faster than the rear. Another reason of debating about the 36 psi front. What do you think?

View attachment 47375

From experience, I run my fronts 2# higher and my rears 2# lower than Honda's recommendation, so 38 front and 40 rear on my CB and the NC. Like you I found front wear slightly more than rear wear and the 2# boost in front seems to mitigate that somewhat and I also believe is the reason I don't experience the cupping others talk about.

Since the tires are harder in the center than on the sides, if you do a lot of riding on the sides like a lot of curves, I think you will probably see an "area of transition" on each side of the center of the tread, especially on the front, but that is not cupping which would appear in the center of the tread imo.

I always replace my tires and sets.

 

[670cc]

After reaching the wear bar at 7130 miles on the stock Metzler Tourance tires, I had a set of Michelin Road 5s, in stock sizes, installed on my 20201 750DCT

I was pretty happy with the stock Metzler's and would use them again, but was looking for a little better tire as far as mileage and have always been happy with Michelins after having used dozens of sets on my bikes going back at least to my 2004 Ymaha FZ-1. When Michelin quit making the PR3s in the sizes I needed for my CB 1100 I switched to Pirelli Angel GTs and found them equal to the PR3s in the dry, just a little less so in the wet, but mileage was another limiting factor at about 7,500 miles for the Pirellis VS 10,500 for the Michelins. I considered the Pirellis for the NC as well, but thought I'd give the new Road 5's a try.

After getting the new tires installed, I took it easy on them for the first 50 miles before increasing lean angle and speed. Now after a couple hundred miles I am riding as normal. The Road 5's tip in and transition side to side easier than the Metzler's did, and stick like glue through the turns. They hold a line as well. I have not had a chance to try them in the rain yet. So far super happy with my choice. I know it's early but I will try and keep this thread updated as they wear.

Some of my Michelins in the past have made a front tire hum as they wear, exacerbated usually by front fairing wells on my ST 1300 and FJR, so I will listen for that. It never bothered me, but was noticeable. Some people get cupping on their front Michelins but I have never had that issue. What they have done is stuck like glue, wet or dry and delivered great mileage, and that's what I am after. They are a premium tire and cost accordingly

They are not dual sport tires, but I only ride on the street, so if I am off-road, it's because I have missed a turn, and will probably need an ambulance lol.

You say the Road 5’s tip in and transition side to side easier than the Metzelers did. Are you able to remember exactly how the Metzelers handled when they were new? I’m guessing few people can remember how a previous tire performed 7000 miles ago, but since you put your miles on so quickly, I’d guess you can remember.

 

[TNHoosier]

I had Pilot Road 2s and Road 4s on my ST1300. Always 42-42 PSI with over 25,000 km on each set of PR2s. I sold the bike on the first set of Road 4s so I can't comment on their longevity bu it seemed to me as good as the 2s. As wearing occurs, (for 2s and 4s) I had some humming at the front. As Ferret said, it was probably exacerbated by front fairing well. Now I have Road 5s on my NC. I'm still a big fan of Michelin even if I can hear some humming with the front wearing out. It also have a slight cupping effect. Maybe the humming is related to this cupping. I question myself if the recommended 36 psi for the front is enough?

On pics below, the rear is at 13,000 km and the front 9,500 km. I feel the front is wearing out faster than the rear. Another reason of debating about the 36 psi front. What do you think?

View attachment 47375

I agree with Ferret about the bodywork amplifying road noise. When I notice cupping, I bump my front tire pressure up to 38 - 40. I usually wear out a front tire before the rear as I am a 'late braker' and often don't use the rear.

Some tires seem to be more prone to cupping than others. Factors include road crown, tread pattern, lay-up of the belts, etc.

 

[TNHoosier]

I’m new to the motorcycle thing, so bear with the dumb questions. I always wonder if I ride hard enough or if I am a good enough rider to appreciate good tires. How do you know if the tires are good enough or not? Do you just have to try some and see if they slip for you? If they do, is it just noticeable, or are we talking about a low side mid turn type of thing? I always buy Michelin tires for my cars/truck, but that is because I want a quiet tire, not because of performance. So without a lot of experience, how does one go about picking tires?

I appreciate the review and will be watching for updates as my tires wear and I have to buy new ones.

No dumb questions. Ferret hit it on the head for selecting the right tire for you. I lived in TX for 7+ years and the pavement on the non-highways has a coarse stone that is tough on tires. I would suggest 'sport touring' types of tires which have a tougher compound than the softer 'sport' tires. Sport touring tires are designed to give good wear along with good wet and dry traction.

I change my own tires so the cost of labor is not a factor for me. I track the cost of the tire and life along with personal notes about my observations. This helps me sort through the numerous options available.

 

[the Ferret]

You say the Road 5’s tip in and transition side to side easier than the Metzelers did. Are you able to remember exactly how the Metzelers handled when they were new? I’m guessing few people can remember how a previous tire performed 7000 miles ago, but since you put your miles on so quickly, I’d guess you can remember.

Yea think I do, it's only been 5 months lol. I was Happy with my Metzler's, I really was. They handled fine. Tipped in fine, transitioned fine, held a line fine. I'd say they deteriorated in handling in the last 750 miles where they wanted to stand up a little when letting off the gas, or resisting tip in a bit, but that is common with all worn tires. None handle as well when they are about worn out as they do when they are brand new, and the Michelins will be like that too (hopefully 9 or 10,000 miles down the road). But yea, it's really easy to tell the difference. Like a sharp knife and a not quite as sharp knife, but not like a sharp knife vs a dull knife.

I would gladly run Metzler's again.

 

[InfernoST]

I'm not a fan of the stock tires on my NC, tipping in takes a bit of effort and when you get on her in the corner the rear has a tendency to slide out.

 

[dduelin]

Cliff's notes - I like the Road 5s a lot. I've run three sets on my RT. I'm sure they complement the NCs handling.

For me the 5s brought me back into the Michelin camp which I left long ago over lumpy wear and squishy handling. The NC is still on a pair of Pilot Road 4s on the bike when I bought it. I'm going to a try a tire combo I liked on my prior NCs - a Michelin Pilot Power 2CT rear with a sport touring tire on the front, likely a Road 5. The current tires still have lots of wear left on them so this is something for the future.

 

[TNHoosier]

Cliff's notes - I like the Road 5s a lot. I've run three sets on my RT. I'm sure they complement the NCs handling.

For me the 5s brought me back into the Michelin camp which I left long ago over lumpy wear and squishy handling. The NC is still on a pair of Pilot Road 4s on the bike when I bought it. I'm going to a try a tire combo I liked on my prior NCs - a Michelin Pilot Power 2CT rear with a sport touring tire on the front, likely a Road 5. The current tires still have lots of wear left on them so this is something for the future.

I had to put a Michelin Pilot Power 2CT on the rear of my Bandit while on a trip due to a puncture. It ended up being a pretty good tire with better life than I expected. On the lighter, lower power NC it should do quite well.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I have used Road 5's on my Strom and on the front of the X-Adv. They are probably the best tyres I have ever used for grip wet or dry. On the X-Adv I have had to use a PR4 on the rear as 5's are not available in the 15" size. Perhaps its the backroads I travel or possibly the tyre but the PR4's I have used on that bike have been particularly prone to punctures.

 

[irish_pilot]

I had Pilot Road 2s and Road 4s on my ST1300. Always 42-42 PSI with over 25,000 km on each set of PR2s. I sold the bike on the first set of Road 4s so I can't comment on their longevity bu it seemed to me as good as the 2s. As wearing occurs, (for 2s and 4s) I had some humming at the front. As Ferret said, it was probably exacerbated by front fairing well. Now I have Road 5s on my NC. I'm still a big fan of Michelin even if I can hear some humming with the front wearing out. It also have a slight cupping effect. Maybe the humming is related to this cupping. I question myself if the recommended 36 psi for the front is enough?

On pics below, the rear is at 13,000 km and the front 9,500 km. I feel the front is wearing out faster than the rear. Another reason of debating about the 36 psi front. What do you think?

View attachment 47375

Are there any curves where you live? ;-)

 

[DTMWAP]

Are there any curves where you live? ;-)

Not much but I have a few local rides where I can play a bit in curves and feel super confident with the Road 5s.

 

[the Ferret]

nuthin' but curves where I live

500 miles on them now and still good lol

 

[Wedders]

Just had Road 5s fitted for £265 in the U.K. Not put the wheels back on yet so can’t give my opinion, but I have previously used 2s and 4s which I was happy with.

 

[the Ferret]

Got to test the Road 5s on damp roads today (but not in a steady rain) and they held their lines just fine. No slip detected. Was riding curves within 2 mph of my normal dry road speeds.