All generic motorcycle tyres are designed to run at 42psi rear / 36psi front cold. However, some bikes definitely benefit from running lower pressures - especially at the rear - due to the heat they can generate in the tyres. E.g. my old SMT ran best at 32psi front and rear. If you are running non OEM tyres I would always start with the design pressure and work down from there. Obviously Michelin have done their research and confirmed lower pressures for the MTS - I wish all tyre manufacturers were as conscientious?
Interesting because 'falling of a cliff' is a bit how they feel to me. I will try Bradders recommendation at the weekend but i think they are currently 2.5bar front and rear.
Tried the recommendations and they are better but still not giving me the confidence the Angel Gt's did. The front seems such a square shape to me. I guess that's part of its water clearing properties.
Better still try 32psi front and 38psi rear, this is what the manufacturer of the PR4 recommends, but then what do they know. Having dropped from the previous owners nonsense setting of 36 front and 42 rear for a 10 stone ringing wet rider. My harder to kidnap body (nearly 20 stone in leather/helmet etc) seems to prefer the Road Pilot 4's manufacturers setting.
I will try the 32/38. I have tried 36/36 initially as that is what Ducati recommend IIRC. I desperately wanted these tyres to work for me but so far i am unimpressed. Even had a front slide in the wet on the B500 a couple of weeks ago. Not pleasant.
From memory I think, now while its warm, I am running 34/36, and in winter I'll go 36/38 or 40 depending.
I run my PR3s at 32/36psi solo and 32/40 two-up. 36/42, as others have noted, makes the bike feel like you're waltzing on ice. Intrigued about the 'square' feel on the PR4 front - not something I've experienced with the PR3s - have they changed the profile? Guess I'll find out once I finally manage to wear out the 3s! BTW, by far the best rain tyres I've ever used – living in the Highlands, I've had plenty of practice!
Technomad what weight is the bike running and which bike is it? Giving pressures without this information is not really helpful to others.
Sorry, it's a '10 MTS 1200S with the Ohlins SCU, running solo with 100kg of me and riding gear and two-up with self plus about 65kg of passenger in her gear. I take about 6psi out rear/2psi front on track.
Oh gawd I'm so confused with this tyre pressure issue. Just replaced my PR4's with another set of the same for my Italian trip this weekend. I'd always run them at Ducati recommended pressures of 36/36 but when I eventually found the Michelin recommended pressures they come out at 42/42 (2.9 bar). Sounds way to high to me but I don't want to wreck new tyres by running at the wrong pressures for the next 2500 miles. The pressure recommendations are not even close so I'm not sure what to do. I'm inclined to stick at 36/36 and maybe up the rear to 42 whilst I'm carrying luggage. I'll be riding solo and I'm 11.5 stone without kit. Any advice from anyone?
I've run mine (GTs) at 33/33 (32 to 34 depending on my eyesight and the tiny gauge!) from new for 4k miles - handling great, wear rate, or should I say, lack of it, impressive?
Mmmm.... another bigish guy here. I quite often ride 2 up with full luggage, I have my GT's set to R40psi F38psi, I never bother to change it and to be honest I've only ever had the back slip out on a roundabout mid winter salt or grit I think. But the big difference is I have an uprated rear spring so I my be the exception to the rule. Love the GT's though, they let you get away with loads of stupid things that I fear other tyres wouldn't.
