Mixing tyres.

[veracocha]

My bike came new with Michelin Pilot 4's and I now have slight squaring off on the rear but the front is fine. Is it ok to replace the rear with let's say a pilot 6, will it upset the handling?

[RideWithStyles]

 you could as they are the same make, model, similar profile, not 100 miles difference in compounds etc but personally i wouldn't. 

you might aswell put a pr4 or even a pr5 on the rear especially since it will be cheaper than the 6 anyway.

[Gerontious]

If you can justify the price of the latest and greatest then go for it. it will not upset the handling at all. in general as tyres progress its in baby steps

[veracocha]

I was going to go full hog and replace both with Metzeler roadtech Se but it seems such a waste to chuck away a really good front. Thanks gents. 

[husoi]

The guy from the garage I usually go for tyres told me that continental have some cracking bike tyres.

They are the ones he uses on his races

[Bender]

6 minutes ago, husoi said:

The guy from the garage I usually go for tyres told me that continental have some cracking bike tyres.

They are the ones he uses on his races

Shirley cracking on tyres is a bad thing.

 

Would have no issues replacing rear only, it's not like your mixing cross-ply and radials on a car. 

[S-Westerly]

30 minutes ago, husoi said:

The guy from the garage I usually go for tyres told me that continental have some cracking bike tyres.

They are the ones he uses on his races

When I replace the Pirellis my bike came with I'm planning on trying Continentals Road Attack 4. They are at least made in Germany whereas just about everything else is made in Asia.

[RideWithStyles]

as a general rule michelin set them up (design) so they were generally very evenly so they last a long time but replace at the same time but sometimes ive read with trials or road versions of those the fronts can wear quicker than the rear.

if your killing rears really faster that fronts its either rider habit or bike set up.

 

contis aint a bad tyre, its more of what you want out/need them to do differently to what your old tyre couldn't...where the michs too soft carcass so its vague and bouncing even with high pressures, drops into a corner suddenly, wears weirdly? if so then pir/metz/avon/contis reasonably if same typr/models,selected in that order.

 

[veracocha]

7 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

as a general rule michelin set them up (design) so they were generally very evenly so they last a long time but replace at the same time but sometimes ive read with trials or road versions of those the fronts can wear quicker than the rear.

if your killing rears really faster that fronts its either rider habit or bike set up.

 

contis aint a bad tyre, its more of what you want out/need them to do differently to what your old tyre couldn't...where the michs too soft carcass so its vague and bouncing even with high pressures, drops into a corner suddenly, wears weirdly? if so then pir/metz/avon/contis reasonably if same typr/models,selected in that order.

 

I only use the bike (Tracer 7GT) for the occasional tour. Getting to Scotland and then touring all around it twice this year with a heavily laden bike might be the reason for the rear wearing. I often get overtaken by the 125 rider when on anything other than a motorway. 

[S-Westerly]

I've found that all my rear tyres wear faster than fronts and on a variety of different bikes.

[husoi]

Rear tyres have all the traction, heat from the engine and little cooling.

Plus most the weight is on the back.

Rear tyres can reach 2 or 3 times the temperature of the front.

[Nick the wanderer]

I roughly go through 2 rears to one front. I also go for grip over longevity as I don't do a million miles and as dry as possible.  Currently using Pirellis which I'm happy with.

[bonio]

2 rears to a front is normal for me, too.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

17 hours ago, veracocha said:

My bike came new with Michelin Pilot 4's and I now have slight squaring off on the rear but the front is fine. Is it ok to replace the rear with let's say a pilot 6, will it upset the handling?

I have PR4's on the CBF and I find them good. Personally for the difference in price vs the difference in performance I'd stick with another PR4 on the back. I've found them resistant to squaring off as I do a lot of motorway miles on that bike so it's a bit prone to it. But if you are squaring them then it suggests you wouldn't get any benefit from PR6s anyway. And it's cheaper to replace PR4s than PR6s.

 

But I see no reason not to use a PR6 simply in terms of will it upset the bike? No - it won't. I doubt you'd find any difference either beneficial or detrimental.

[Phil1]

Been struggling with confidence on mine for a year or two, I had a Dunlop on the front and a Michelin on the back for some strange reason. 

 

Got them both swapped out for Michelin road 6s and the difference is astonishing. Bit of an extreme example however!

[RideWithStyles]

13 hours ago, veracocha said:

I only use the bike (Tracer 7GT) for the occasional tour. Getting to Scotland and then touring all around it twice this year with a heavily laden bike might be the reason for the rear wearing. I often get overtaken by the 125 rider when on anything other than a motorway. 

.

if the suspension set up (depending on bike/setting) and tyre pressures not changed (if necessary) to accommodate the weight and its biase balance.  this will give the rear tyre and shock alot of unnecessary stress, higher wear and worse handling. 

[RideWithStyles]

8 hours ago, Phil1 said:

Been struggling with confidence on mine for a year or two, I had a Dunlop on the front and a Michelin on the back for some strange reason. 

 

Got them both swapped out for Michelin road 6s and the difference is astonishing. Bit of an extreme example however!

first the thought it was done on a budget and they dont do much riding other than just to go to work on it, the other train of theory is the rear of the mich for the miles and wet weather prowess with the high support of the firm carcass (corner and brakes) and rounder profile (almost needs muscling) of the dunlop (less drop in) but id doubt thats the reason why.