Unless you are a riding god I doubt you would notice on the road. PR3 seem bloody good to me but I'm just an average road rider.
Sipes are what the slits in the tyre tread are called, they are there to pump water away from the contact patch. Michelin state that despite having more/bigger sipes in the PR4 than the PR3, it handles/performs better in the wet and dry.
The sipes allow the tyre to key into the road when wet by drawing water 'into' the tyre. It's the same as boat shoes which have sipes to grip the wet deck of a boat. But the negatives are that when the tyre heats up, sipes allow the tread block to move around an squirm. This squirming sensation is noticeable through the handlebars and spoils the handling. Michelin acknowledged this with the PR4 and have inserted fewer sipes than the PR3 to increase tyre block rigidity and incur less squirming. The Metzeler Z8 (and the new AngelGT) have a compound that is gripper than the PR3 in the wet, and does not require sipes to generate grip, and also has a more stable cross carcass block design that does not squirm around when the tread heats up. And no, you don't need to be a riding god to notice it at road speeds. I run the Z8s on my other road bike (K1300S), and it's superlative compared to the PR3. Don't know about the PR4 and have no direct experience of it yet, but I don't like the idea of front tyre tread blocks that physically move laterally under heat and load.
I may be wrong about more sipes, but Michelin definitely said PR4 better wet or dry, I was working off a poor memory of an ad read months ago.
I hate post like this because it means I'm tempted to try yet another tyre. Still like PR3s but it makes me wonder if Z8 will be better. I put the new Angel GT on my FJR1300 after a club recommendation and they have transformed the handling of the bike. One thing I like about Michelins are how easy they are to fit. Learnt a few years ago now how to fit tyres got pissed off with being over charged and sarcastic comments. Fare comment not having to be a riding god but I do sometimes wonder if we all over think biking.
I have to say I agree with Bradders. Most of the improvement felt when changing tyre types/brand is down to the fact that old, worn out tyres are off and new, fresh, grippy tyres are on? Saying that, there were some proper shockers back in the '90's in the form of Michelin MX89's - may as well have been made of soap, there was so little feedback in the wet as my poor old GSXR750WC found out, being written off in the B'ham tunnels at 6 weeks old
And that must be a good thing! The PR3 was an excellent tyre when it was released years ago, and it was significantly better than the competition available at the time. And since the PR3s release, the others have simply caught up and passed Michelin, improving on all its weaknesses AND strengths. I tend to change tyres at least once a year on all my bikes, so it's also a good excuse to find out what is 'best' out there and try the new technology the manufacturers give us. My next road tyre for road/touring will be the new AngelGTs which were rated even better than the Z8 M/Os just a few months ago. The Dec 2013 Motorrad test results were: 1. Pirelli Angel GT 2. Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact 2. Bridgestone T30 4. Continental Road Attack 2 4. Dunlop Roadsmart 2 4. Michelin Pilot Road 3 The Dec 2012 Motorrad test results were: 1. Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact 2. Pirelli Angel ST 3. Dunlop Roadsmart 2 4. Continental Road Attack 2 5. Bridgestone BT 023 6. Michelin Pilot Road 3
I have just put a pair of Angel GT on my mates MTS1200. Off to Germany late May with him and another mate for a week should do 2000 - 2500 miles. Will be interesting to compare how my PR3 are to his Angel GT. He was considering PR4 or Z8 until I raved about how good the Angel GT were on my heavy old FJR1300. Looks like I my not have given him a bum steer. Will read the test. Cheers.
I think my next full set will be the angel GT, but for now only needed a rear so instead of a like for like PR3 have gone for a PR4 GT
Contacted a tyre dealer the other day for prices for PR3's, PR4's, Angel GT's and Z8's. He told me that Michelin have discontinued the PR3's in 190/55 fitment now because they've been superseded by the PR4's. No reason to doubt him so if you want PR3's it could be existing stock only.
Thing is with PR3's and I have no doubts better with Pr4's is tyre wear so for the sake of a few slits, which I never noticed any handling difference on my K1300R I will go for 4's
Item Quantity Price per unit 131630414 Michelin Pilot Road 4 190/55 ZR17 75W TL, Rear 1 98.41 £ 131640414 Michelin Pilot Road 4 120/70 ZR17 58W TL, Front 1 72.83 £ Price excluding VAT : 171.23 £ VAT20.00 % : 34.25 £ Full price including VAT : 205.48 £ Ordered 5th April, delivered on the 9th....seperately...front from France and the rear from Germany. www.tyreleader.co.uk
