Michelin Pilot Road 4 - A Riders Review 

Heard the Angel GT's are highly recommended. Might be worth having a look at some peoples revues on them.

It was gasket sealant and it seems to be doing fine. The cut was caused by a sharp bit of flint. It created a small 5-6mm cut hole that went deep. It wasn't a recommendation to use sealant, I wouldn't like people to do the same. I'm changing them very soon, so I'll probably give the Metzeler Roadtec 01's a try. Thanks for watching and your comment.

The Bridgestones wore well, with no funny wear patterns. The only problem with the Bridgestones is that they took longer to warm up, otherwise they are a great tyre.

Thanks. Should be getting some Christian vlogs out soon. I'm going to change things up a bit.

Thanks for watching. :)

no bother i like these kind of reviews

Cheers mate! :) I think my PR4's are as good as done, so I'm looking to replace them soon. The sipes have worn a bit strange on the Sprint, like wedged. They have raised edges on side of each sipe creating ridges. I think they call it scalloping, which I never got on the Bridgestone Battalax that was on the rear. I'm going to give the Metzeler Roadtec 01's a go this time, see how they fair. The PR4's are brilliant in the wet and cold weather. They warm up really easy, much better than the Bridgestone, but you then compensate in the summer with heavy tyre wear. For all weather, all year riding then the PR4's are a good buy. Thanks for watching.

Michelin BAD control. ... my zx12r Ninja eat fast the tyre. ... metzeler or 3d Avon ? Would you recomendate?

Your bike is quite large and powerful. It's most likely the reason a PR4 would get eaten up quick. Not tried the Avon tyes. The Metzeler Roadtec tyres are better but may still suffer the same issue. I've ridden on Bridgestone Battlax and they were a great tyre, no wear issues. Only needed to change them because of a large nail.

I think tyre wear for some people can vary greatly, just depends on the way you ride (because of the confidence a tyre would give) and how heavy the bike is. The PR4's are a good tyre, but they've just created this strange raised lip area due to the siping grooves, which I didn't get with the Battlax tyre that was on the rear.

Yes I think I know what you mean, I've got an almost saw-toothing of the tyre as you go from one section to the next, between the sipes.

To follow up on this; I am now on a second set of PR4s where the last set rolled right into 10,000 miles front and rear as I dropped into Russ' for another set. Full width of the tyre was used, with riding throughout the year.

They are a very good all-round tyre, especially for cold wet roads. Loved them through winter. They gave me lots of confidence on cold frosty days. Warm up really quickly. I'm going to try the new Pilot 5's next. My Metzeler Roadtec 01's have been great in the dry, but not as good as the PR4's in the wet.

Rodney Alan . I'm currently on Metzelers Roadtec 01's and they're amazing. Been scraping feet lots! Heard about the GT version of the PR4's, but they didn't seem to recommend them for my bike. I'll see how the Roadtecs perform over this year and I might give the GTs a go. Thanks for watching and commenting.

Yup. PR4's are certainly great in the wet and cold winter months. Normal riding, and normal British weather the PR4's are fine. I have noticed some cupping on the tread. I've been very fussy about ensuring I have the right tyre pressures and I check them every other time I set off on the bike. I think the tread pattern and the rubber compound allows the tyre to move, and it's this movement of the tyre tread that causes the cupping. When I was on my Safe Rider with the Suffolk Police they pointed this out to me. :/

***** I'm not sure what cupping is, but I can look it up and see if mine has any.

+Bex88 the edges of the tread start to roll over. pr4 does this quite badly.

bikerboi1983 Do you reckon the Metzeler Roadtec 01's would be better? They seem a good tyre to try next.

+RevvedUpBiker I'm very impressed with the 01s. instantly more confidence from the front end over the Michelin. when leant over doing silly speeds they just grip and grip. definitely give them a try when buying new tyres 👍

They do excel in the wet, it is really the hot dry weather that takes it out of them. They seem to pick up a lot more nicks and cuts than my previous tyre. 46 psi is high for a front tyre, what is usually the standard for your Kawi? I run mine at 36 front and 42 rear.

The manual calls for 43 psi front and rear. All I can tell you is that I have tried a lot of different pressure and that is what feels best to me.

And at the end of the day that's what matters, it's what bests works for you as the rider. Tyre pressure vary so much during a ride worrying about a pound of pressure either way for normal road use is a bit OCD. Thanks for commenting. :)

You'll be fine with them. The are a very good tyre, just don't use the for a track day. Normal UK weather the tyre is great, in the wet they give tonnes of confidence. On a cold frosty winters day and they warm up very quickly. If you ride all year then you've got a good tyre. I've had Metzeler Roadtec 01's on my Triumph Sprint and they great in the summer, but theyre not as good in the wet as the PR4's. On wet days I'd rather have the PR4's.

Mines starting to show cupping due to the tread pattern and general wear. For normal riding conditions the PR4's are brilliant. I wouldn't trust them on track or riding hard in very hot weather, they do seem to hit their limit. They just feel different.

I've only ridden in 90F heat with them about 7 or 8 times and they do get a bit sticky and almost feel greasy, but I figured that happened to most tires. I couldn't be happier with the tread life with as hard as I push it sometimes.

Victor Hugo Road surface could play a lot in tire life and condition. Around where I live they "surface dress" the roads with wet tar then throw pea sized stone chippings down. This creates a really bad surface, that can be very dangerous for bikers. Baron von Grumble recently put a video just recently having a moan about chippings.

They do that here sometimes as well...I hate that!

PR4 GT, I have had these on my BMW R1150RT and FJR1300 for 3+ years. No probs. 14R also stated by Michelin is PR4 GT (not PR4!!!!)

I think they should use the heavier carcass version of the PR4 the PR4 GT. Its probably the tyre my bike should of had, weighing 250kg. In cold wet weather the PR4's are superb. Hope you enjoy them and get plenty of miles from them.

Thanks for watching and your kind comments.

Thanks for watching. :)

15,000!!! WOW, that's a lot. I guess you've done some serious touring? 8,000 is more than I used to do in my car per year. I don't need to travel that much as I work from home doing 3d stuff. I've seen the Avon tyres. They're a British company. I think I might take another look. Thanks for watching! :)

I haven't personally used these tyres on a track day. I guess if you are not out too long on them they should be fine. As with all tyres constant checking and monitoring of the tyres is advisable. If you're riding mostly in the dry and warmer weather the Power 3's would be a great tyre. The more rubber that can be in contact with the roads surface the better. The Power 3's will take longer to warm up than the PR4's so will certainly suit dry weather riding, just don't go too mad out of the blocks until the tyres have warmed up.

Thank you for the reply. Now, I am considering Metzeler Sportec M7 RR, Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 and Michelin Pilot Power 3.

They're both good tyres. It just depends how heavy your bike is and how hard you ride. I believe the PR5 have an improved tread and compound for longevity. If you plan to ride in the wet and over winter the PR4 is an ideal tyre to have for all season riding, I only just found it was a bit too soft when the weather was really hot.

@@RevvedUpBiker thank you for getting back to me..

Yup, it's one design issue the PR4's seem to have "scalloping" on the tread pattern, quite dangerous when it get's bad. Some people may not get it, all depends on the bike, riding style and road conditions. Bit unlucky with those punctures! I'm preferring Roadtec 01 for my next tyre, they look a good design and Metzeler are a high quality brand with a good reputation and history. I'm sure Michelin will sort out the Pilot Road tyres, they may move back to the PR3 design but with a different compound material.

is it unlucky or are the metzeler's setting a trend here. lets face it 3 rear tyres and all now had a puncture. getting a bit wary, but not a lot of choice for the gs with the 19in front

I think any tyre will pick up nails, screws and all sorts of sharp metal off the road. Usually you'll find that it's some lazy building who's got bits falling out of his van. Was following a white transit one day and I could see a nice new brass wood screw bouncing around on his rear step plate of his van just waiting to fall off on to the road. Could be someone who's been working along your route. I would just get the tyre professionally taken off plugged and patched, you'll be fine without replacing the tyre as long as it's not through the side wall of the tyre.

it went through the edge of the tread and stuck out the side wall, but because it was a new tyre 600 mile it didn't puncture. may just get a patch put on the inside as an extra measure. thanks for the replies

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

The majority of tyre heat would come from the way you ride. The Michelin Pilot Road 4 tyres warm up very quickly and are very good for wet and cold weather riding. It's a pay-off between great in the cold and wet and great in the heat of summer, getting the right mix is what the tyre companies have to battle with. What are the conditions their customers ride in? It really depends on so many factors if you're planning on using PR4's, like the type and weight of the bike, road conditions, weather conditions you ride in.... If most of your riding is during dry weather where the roads get seriously hot I would go for a compound tyre that takes a little longer to heat up and slightly less intricate tread patterns. I certainly wouldn't use PR4's on track if you like to race hard on hot dry tracks. Remember the groves are not there to provide grip, they are only designed for water displacement so that your tyre can gain grip instead of aquaplaning. If you've got a similar sized bike to my Sprint ST I might suggest something like the Bridgestone Battlax T30's. If you ride during winter, how cold does temperature you ride in drop to? 5 deg C or less PR4's are king.

***** CBR500R, the degrees during winter here vary, it jumps around from 9-23 during regular days no matter if its raining or not and at night it drops to 4-8 (I do happen to ride at night a lot), I do ride to places which are so cold sometimes it snows there (Which is a big deal here) but I don't do it too much so I'm not sure on the exact degrees there. I don't race too often (Maybe once or twice during two months) and my main concern is grip during winter, I have a car currently but I am going to sell it soon and will only use my bike for transportation and I always heard people here tell me not to ride during winter but I have to so I am looking into tires. On the street I ride normally, I have no delusions I'm on a race track or something but I do go relatively fast so I'm not sure. I think I might use the PR4s just for the winter and come summer I'll replace them... will probably be a waste as around March it heats up and barely ever rains but what ever...

WarDogTheAwesome Well it you want good cold weather grip I would recommend the PR4's. See if you get spare rims, then it's just a quick swap over. You can pop the tyres off and swap them back in winter. Usually they should give you around 8000 miles.

It's a good tyre, especially in the old and wet, but for me it has shown a weird scalloping effect due to the tread pattern design that I didn't get from my previous Bridgestone Battlax tyres. I'm sure a good track day would be dangerous with the PR4's. When tyres that heat up quick are put under huge stress they will deteriorate much quicker. One of the main reasons for crashes on a track day is down to the tyres being either too cold or too hot and beginning to shred. I think buying tyres are a trade off, you have to buy a tyre that is right for the conditions you ride in and the size and weight of your bike. Thanks for watching! :)

If that happens again there is something badly wrong with the tire and should be replaced under warranty no way they where made right

Definitely a concern. It was only a small hole made by a tiny piece of flint, so I've plugged it at the moment with silicone rubber and it seems to be ok. Will be looking at changing the tyres very soon. Thanks for watching.

Be careful mate!..

The PR3's are a good tyre. Some people have stayed with the PR3's because that's what they been used to. I don't think there's that much between them. Depends on your budget, if your can stretch it to the latest PR4's then give them a try. I've been thinking of trying the Metzeler Roadtec 01's, but it will come down to can I warrant the extra cost to the PR4's. Overall the PR4's are brilliant and worth having if you do ride in the wet and cold weather.

RevvedUpBiker As you say, it always comes down to budget!! I've got the PR3'S and have to say I'm impressed with them in both wet and dry conditions. Thanks also for sharing your faith on your channel- great witness! Yours The Scouse Bandit.

They are PR4's. They must have been ridden really hard and have got extremely hot. These tyres got sticky on a cold winters day, in the wet!... In summer how much more softer can they get before they deteriorate.

Check the website

I certainly wouldn't advice them for the track, far too soft and not the right type of tyre. I do know people with Sports bikes using the PR4's, and they don't seem to have any issue. For everyday riding and riding all seasons the PR4's are excellent and that's where they are targeted. Thanks for watching.

I've got them scrubbed to about 1cm off the edge, not too bad for a hefty Sprint ST. It was just in the summer, when it was really hot that tyres felt softer and that they moved about. Some weird cupping occurred within the tread pattern, but has slowly gone while riding over the colder winter period. Every bike might be different with the PR4's and the majority of their use has been fine.

RR7's are basically slicks, would be great on dry roads or the track for everyday and wet roads they might be a bit dangerous if you didn't get along with the PR3's. Most people seem to like the PR3's. Metzeler do make some good tyres. All the best with what tyre you feel is best for you and the bike.

Did in the end. Moved to the Metzeler Roadtec 01's, but I'm now back on the PR4's. A much better tyre in the wet.

Tyres are a trade off somewhere. They're either good in the cold and wet and rubbish in summer heat, or they're bad in cold wet weather but great in the summer. Ideally you need to be able to swap tyres to the riding conditions. I think I might give the new Metzler Roadtec 01's a go next.

***** lol no such thing as a perfect tyre......we just pick what are the more important aspects to a tyre and live with the down side of it lol I've been playing with the idea of the Roadtec's but sure you never know what might get released lol

Need to drop your tyre pressures is all.

+RevvedUpBiker I'm now using roadtec 01 and they are better than the Michelin. look like you are running intermediate race tyres though.

I know you can get the PR4 GT tyre which has a stiffer carcass, but Michelin doesn't suggest them for the Sprint ST. I'm thinking of going over to Metzeler's Roadtec 01's too.

38psi in the front, 42psi in the rear. I have recently upped the psi to 39 & 43psi.

+RevvedUpBiker there's your problem. I run pr3 at 32f 36r and am knee down on them all summer. the pr4 don't have groves to the edge luke the pr3 do either. my friend has run two sets of pr4 on his S1000R and again no problems. a triumph sprint 1050 doing 8k to a rear isn't even pushing to 50 % of what the tyre is capable of.

bikerboi1983 You think the pressure is too high? I usually go by my handbook which states 38 front 42 rear. Thought that was fairly standard?

+RevvedUpBiker that's crazy high mate. the old gsxr 1000 states the same pressures and the bikes horrible to ride. you get better tyre mileage from the higher pressures and If doing a theoretical sustained 180 mph the high psi would help. but nobody does that in the UK for more than a few seconds ;) I'd suggest trying 36f 36r to start with , go for a ride get them up to temp and see how you get on. you'll notice quickly how much more comfortable the tyre will feel ☺

Cheers. Will give it a go.

What, and put myself at risk of walking it a busy fast flowing road. I think not. There's a reason why highways people do these jobs with their large vehicles acting as a shield.