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New Michelin Road 5 GT

18K views 72 replies 15 participants last post by  isomage 
#1 · (Edited)
I searched and read through a thread on these tires which started when these were first announced awhile back. If you go back and look at that thread it seems that the Road 5GT's were being used by some even though they were not recommended due to the side wall rating. Many here did not like the tire and many thought highly of the 4GT's. If I am wrong in anyway about what I read I am sure that will be pointed out here in a positive fashion. :)

The new 5GT's are now designed for the FJR and am wondering if anyone has gone with them and if so, what do you think so far? This seems to be a totally different tire than the one before.

I have a set of the 5GT's on my Kawi Z900 and love them! They have fantastic tread depth and balance between grip and wear. I wanted them when I purchased my FJR this past summer but the dealer said I should go with the 4GT's because of the side wall rating so I did. Worst motorcycle tire I have ever put on any of my bikes. I am primarily a mountain/twisties rider and the center of the tire wore down very quickly and it started looking more like a car tire than a motorcycle tire which affected handling. I always check my tire pressure and usually ran 41/42. The front tire wore as I expected it should.

I plan on mounting a set this week and will give a review after some miles. They have to be better than the 4's. If anyone has tried them I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

https://www.michelin.com/en/press-r...the-road-tire-for-fans-of-motorcycle-touring/
 
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#2 ·
I just ordered another set of PR4GTs. Has been about 3 years since.

Your dealer is a dumbdumb stating, "said I should go with the 4GT's because of the side wall rating". The "sidewall rating" is exactly the same. 58W front, 73W rear. Very easy for you to check online. Everyone selling online lists the rating with the tire size.

"GT" is a tuning preference, not one of safety or load rating.
 
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#9 ·
I just ordered another set of PR4GTs. Has been about 3 years since.

Your dealer is a dumbdumb stating, "said I should go with the 4GT's because of the side wall rating". The "sidewall rating" is exactly the same. 58W front, 73W rear. Very easy for you to check online. Everyone selling online lists the rating with the tire size.

"GT" is a tuning preference, not one of safety or load rating.
Hmmm Scratching my head here. If your right then why does the Michelin link above tout that the tire is finally rated for the FJR??
 
#3 · (Edited)
I prefer 4GT’s over anything else I’ve run. I now have a set of 5GT’s. They are fairly new but are fine so far.

On a separate note, my bike is so sensitive to a worn front that it almost fights me at low and moderate speed. The 4GT’s last longer than any other tire I’ve tried, but they aren’t immune to bad handling when they have a profile from wear.

The bike just handles terribly, falls into turns, and steering is very heavy. I need to start changing my front earlier. It’s just not worth fighting the bike until the tire looks worn out.
 
#4 ·
I prefer 4GT's over anything else I've run. I now have a set of 5GT's. They are fairly new but are fine so far.

On a separate note, my bike is so sensitive to a worn front that it almost fights me at low and moderate speed. The 4GT's last longer than any other tire I've tried, but they aren't immune to bad handling when they have a profile from wear.

The bike just handles terribly, falls into turns, and steering is very heavy. I need to start changing my front earlier. It's just not worth fighting the bike until the tire looks worn out.
I've owned most of the "real" Sport Touring bikes available the past 15 years. I agree with your comments. I've now had two FJRs, and they are the worst when the fron tire wears. All bikes handling is effected by worn tires, but the FJR is horrible.

A note on the Michelin 4 GT. I was forced to put one on the back of my Superduke GT (long story). I've run Pirelli Angels that came stock on it, and Avon Storms on the bike previously. They both has a tendency to slip a little in very fast curves (I should say very fast curves when ridden very fast...it's what I do). The 4 GT does not. It handles great.
 
#5 ·
Like Bill I love the 4 GTs. Ran them on my ST 1300 and as soon as the stock Bstones wore out I mounted up 4 GTs on the FJR. Now at 9800 miles on the 4 GTs the front is getting thin so in 2 days it goes in for a new set of 4 GTs. I ride all year round except for accumulated snow or ice.
 
#11 ·
I run 40 psi as well. I really should have changed the front out sooner, but the rear has been hanging in there, so I kept riding it. The front is getting pretty thin on tread now. I like to change them as a pair.
 
#12 ·
I'm also a fan of the PR4 GT's. I like hitting the fun roads but rarely get to because where I live. I only have 6k miles on this set and keep them at 42 psi front and back so I can't yet comment on how they behave with more miles.

I do like them now over the OEM tires with 6k miles.

My favorite thing about them is wet weather handling.
 
#14 ·
I'm also a fan of the PR4 GT's. I like hitting the fun roads but rarely get to because where I live. I only have 6k miles on this set and keep them at 42 psi front and back so I can't yet comment on how they behave with more miles.

I do like them now over the OEM tires with 6k miles.

My favorite thing about them is wet weather handling.
In my very humble opinion I do not think many of you realize the tread depth of the New 5GT's. Look at the 2 photos. The tire on my Z900 is the same as what they have now for the FJR. This is from their website:

Following in-house comparative tests, the new tyre came out on top in terms of grip and braking performance on wet roads**, even when as much as 50 percent worn***.

The 4GT pictured only has 6K on it. Just awful performance and this is 70% mountain twisty roads. I only take the flat roads to get to the better ones. Nowhere near the tread depth and the new 5GT's appears to be designed not to flatten out like the 4GT did on my bike. That has been my experience so far on the Z900. Granted it is a much lighter bike but they have been fantastic so far. I will be putting on a pair of them this week and hope to put some miles on them. Very exciting in my opinion as I am tired of loosing handling capabilities after a few thousand miles on these other tires.



 
#15 ·
The PR4 rear is my standard to judge other tires with, I don't usually use GT tires, but I found it helps to keep the rear aired up to 42. I usually ran a Metzeler Z6 front with it at 40 psi. The turn-in was easy, and the wear acceptable, good in the wet. Even easier turn-in when I went with 190/55 on the rear (slightly taller).
I'm not a fan of the PR4 front (tread pattern) but that's just me.
More recently I decided to try different brands of similar softness/grip/wet grip... RS3 two sets, not really tried in the wet, but some had negative comments about that. They will last longer, and are more neutral handling but that tells me the compounds are harder than PR4 so they are now off my list.
Waiting on reports of the 5's, but aren't they rather expensive?

If you want a stiffer sidewall, maybe try Bridgestones... T31 should be a good all around tire IMHO. BT020 was a good rear tire if you can find them. OEM BT023, I'll pass.
 
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#16 ·
Ray I will let you know soon what I think on the FJR but as you know, all tires feel great when you first put them on but its how they wear and affect handling like we discussed early on here that matters to me. I am looking for a tire that does not make my FJR handle like a tank after 5K. I have always been a you get what you pay for kind of guy for the most part. I am willing to pay more if it is better especially for the motorcycle. I paid $180 for the Z900 5GT in the photo. Honestly I do not know how that stacks up as I had my local dealer put it on. I love them on my other bike and hope they stack up on this one.
 
#17 ·
The only "handle like a tank" tires I've had are the OEM BT023's and BT-021 if anyone remembers those POS's. But again, I keep my pressures up probably more than most and usually have even wear all around.
 
#18 ·
I think "Tank" is a bit of an exaggeration:) We all know how any bike feels when you put new rubber on it. It leans so easy. Push the bars and over she goes. What I find with with the FJR more than any bike I have ever owned is it feels like you have to really push to get it to lean, almost like it fights you and just wants to go straight especially at slower speeds. Bill described the same sort of thing earlier in this thread and believes it is more a front tire issue. Given how quickly the back 4GT wore out I assumed it was that but it does feel like the front of the bike more than the rear. The faster you ride it through the curves the less I notice it, parking lot turns its pretty pronounced. Hey, I love my FJR and its no tank. I am just looking forward to trying a tire that might give me that new rubber feeling longer:smile2:
 
#21 ·
The right wrist is definitely a factor... I made a slight adjustment... usually get started in first, don't go into medium/hard acceleration until I'm in second (ensuring full engagement in second to avoid potential second gear dog wear issues), and do whatever in any gear from then on.
As for fronts, the various manufacturer's profiles affect handling. If you're not an aggressive twisty rider this will be less evident. RS3's are very neutral, the old BT-021 you had to muscle in to make the bike turn, the PR4 front looks neutral, the Z6 is more v-ish if you will and turns in easily.
Front rake and trail are factors too, a feature of the bike. Try a 190/55 rear and I think you'll like it. To simulate you could raise the forks in the triple tree say 10-15mm, but you'll lose a bit of ground clearance.

I have a bike that came with new Shinko Raven 009's, they have pleasantly surprised me with grip, handling and wear so far.
 
#29 ·
I have a bike that came with new Shinko Raven 009's, they have pleasantly surprised me with grip, handling and wear so far.
Many have good words for the 009 so I thought to give "the latest" a try, the 016. Was the only tire I couldn't wait to throw away.
 
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#23 ·
Man oh man I guess I need to back off the throttle some:surprise: I never realized that there could be such a variation and as I said, I am certainly not spinning my tires. I am just enjoying some spirited riding. Always try to stay within 10 mph or so of the limit but I guess I am leaving some rubber on the road getting there!
 
#35 ·
My PR4 GT were great but I did not care for the front tire after 2,000 miles it started to "cup" at 5,000 miles you could feel it, not enough to be scary but my Pirelli Angle GT A Spec front at 2,000 does not do this. Several other of my friends that run PR4 GT on BMW have the same issues as did my FJR1300 friend Dan, he warned me this would happen. I keep tire pressure 40/42 psi and check tire pressure several times a week.

Also my steering head bearings have been serviced and torqued correctly and forks rebuilt with new bushings seals etc.
 
#40 ·
As N4HHE described, it will really depend on the amount of twisty's you've done, AND the speed that you are doing them, in the past 2000 miles to truly compare. It has to do with that contact patch and the further you are in the turn at speed. As he described, something's got to scrub. Thanks again N4HHE for the description. It seems I forget these facts when I see scallops on the front and minor on the rear. I just see them and say "Man those were fun miles!"

I presently have PR4 GT's, coming off of Angel GT's, and, for me, my roads, and the excessive speeds I do, the scalloping is relatively the same. I ride her as she is a sports bike, she's great that way. I love both sets of tire brands, both have exceptional grip wet and dry.
 
#46 ·
On my RT, I used two fronts to one rear tire. On my FJR, it’s closer to two rears to one front.

This change is because of riding changes, not bike changes (I’m not saying that bikes don’t behave differently and wear tires differently at all).

On the RT, I had magic linked/servo’d brakes. One pull of the lever and the bike would slow down or stop like magic. The system was that good. Perfect balance between front and rear. So I developed the bad habit of going into twisties hot, because the suspension and brake system were so good, I could handle all that excess speed with ease in the turn. The bike would handle whatever you threw at it and make you look good doing it.

The RT had more low end torque than the FJR would, but it had nowhere near the overall power and explosive acceleration.

So between riding the FJR better by shaving speed before I’m in a turn, and the crack-like afterburner acceleration of the Yamaha, I don’t eat fronts as fast. But rears barely have a chance. :)
 
#48 ·
Regarding the PR4's... the sidewalls are not as stiff as some others, if you've ever mounted any, e.g. Bridgestones are stiffer sidewall. Others are medium sidewall with a touch harder/softer compounds (e.g harder is RS3). With the PR4 you should keep the pressures up, say rear 42 so you have good wear yet good grip. PR4 front, I'd imagine that tread pattern will scallop no matter what, but again, a softer sidewall.
Know nothing about the 5's. Tread depth might be more but how soft are the compounds by comparison with PR4... sidewalls I would think are similar.... waiting for your reviews.....

Bottom line, is your riding style determines wear and longevity, along with your air pressures. The only thing you can compare to is generalizations of others, but to be specific, the comparison must be done to the other tires you have run or tried. The only constant is you.
 
#53 · (Edited)
I found the 5GT’s to be priced only slightly above regular road 5’s. So I tried them. Love them so far.

I first ran PR4GT’s because I wanted the peace of mind when riding two up and fully loaded. I liked the way they felt on the bike so much that I stuck with them, for the most part. They felt like the tire the bike should have come with. I think the 5GT’s are likely to be similar, but only time will tell.

Michelin states, regarding their GT tires: “Increased stability for GT motorcycles...even when heavily loaded...”, and cites Michelin 2AT technology.

They explain their 2AT technology as a bias/radial hybrid designed as a result of the increased weight and power of modern touring bikes, with a radial base, bias middle, and radial outer ply allowing them to combine comfort and compliance loaded
in the twisties while allowing high speed stability.

All I know is they feel great, particularly when the wife is along.
 
#57 ·
I found the 5GT's to be priced only slightly above regular road 5's. So I tried them. Love them so far.

I first ran PR4GT's because I wanted the peace of mind when riding two up and fully loaded. I liked the way they felt on the bike so much that I stuck with them, for the most part. They felt like the tire the bike should have come with. I think the 5GT's are likely to be similar, but only time will tell.

Michelin states, regarding their GT tires: "Increased stability for GT motorcycles...even when heavily loaded...", and cites Michelin 2AT technology.

They explain their 2AT technology as a bias/radial hybrid designed as a result of the increased weight and power of modern touring bikes, with a radial base, bias middle, and radial outer ply allowing them to combine comfort and compliance loaded
in the twisties while allowing high speed stability.

All I know is they feel great, particularly when the wife is along.
I purchased the Angel GT A Spec for the same reason. If I rode one up all the time might have tried the Angel ST for a lot less money. Ride more worry less. :)
 
#54 ·
Bill, I’ll be interested in how long the “gt’s” last. The only michelin I’ve ever bought for a bike is the pr4 o the front of my fjr and it has impressed me with 13k miles and still some left in it.

Initially I wasn’t impressed because it made a lot of noise from I think the tread pattern but that went away after 100-150mi, the tire also felt very soft but I have become accustomed to the feel and it just works. So I am interested in the feedback and life you get on your pr5gt’s. Do you replace your tires in pairs or just as they wear out ?
 
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