Michelin Pilot Power
 

I just bought a set of Pilots for my '05 Hawk. The front tire is labeled with the size 120/70 ZR 17 C, the tire dealer said is was made for Yamaha for the R1. Can anyone tell me more about this designation?

Can you ask your dealer to either:

1) Give you a specific "generic" 120/70-17 tire, or
2) Give you an R1 specific for that tire?? :D

I asked for a 120/70-17(generic), he said he had one but it was the last Pilot(front) that he had until Tuesday next week, but he said that he had to tell me about the designation. The reason was because of all the sue happy people out there. ???? He didn't know why it was different, he speculated that it was so that Yamaha could sell it as a OEM tire at their dealerships.

I know for my Integra, when I first bought it, it had Michelin MXX4 tires. At that time, they were "specific" for the Integra. Replacement tires with this specific designation were more expensive than their "generic" counterparts. And from what I had tested, there was no appreciable difference between the two. I suspect that the same applies in this case, except if they tried to charge you more.

Same price. Already on the bike and it still doesn't feel like a R1. I'm glad cause I really like my Hawkster.

Ahh...I see. So you have a Frankenhawk on your hands now... ;)

Have you ever tryed avons?
 

I feel like I have to brake the bike off the rim before I can brake the traction from the road. Only thing is they dont last long. especially when you corner hard.

Pilot Powers are awesome. I have them on the Duke, and I had them on the Ducati I owned before. Incredible cornering angles, and they warm up really fast. Well worth the slightly extra $$. When the nearly new Dunlop Qualifiers on my Hawk are done, the Michelin Man will be making an appearance.

Thumbs up on Pilot Powers. My Super Hawk has always had a tendency to "fall into" corners. Put them on and couldn't believe how much more neutral the handling was. It was almost like a different bike.

Hey, a comparison!! I've been running Pilot Powers, and love them. I have wondered about the Qualifiers, and would love to hear how they compare, especially on another SuperHawk. I assume you like the PPs better, as you plan to use them again.

Any reports about how Pilot Powers perform in the wet and cold?

Being in the UK, we don't enjoy so many lovely long hot sunny days as many others here do.

Being only recenlty back to biking after many years, I have zero confidence cornering in the wet, and a few slips and slides on a bad wet tyre would blow any confidence I do have.

Also would like a Qualifier vs Pilot Power comparison on the Hawk if someone gets around to it...

Rode in the rain this weekend, I didn't have any problems with traction. I rode through the moutains in Northern Arizona. It has been raining a lot up there.

The Duke (and the Ducati that preceded it) both came into my life with mismatched tires front and rear, and I had heard that PPs were the hot ticket and so I bought them and never looked back.

Now I'm hearing that Qualifiers are the current hot ticket so who knows.

I'm still just getting used to horsepower again. No chicken strips on the Duke, big chicken strips on the Superchicken. Gotta get some West Marin backroad miles under me to decide.

Both these tires are what you call "high silica content" compounds. They don't take very long to heat up and have excellent wet weather traction. I have run them both on the 1000RR and I think I like the DQ better than the PP. I had some issues with the front PP in that it wore really quick (~4500 miles) and the bike didn't want to turn in well. I've not yet put a lot of miles on the DQs, but they seem to be wearing quicker than the PPs.

Maybe it's just me,,,,, but uhhhh, what? 'm sure I'm just reading this wrong.. LOL.. But what tire are you suggesting? which one do you like better?

To clarify, the DQ REAR is wearing evenly, but a little more quickly than others I've seen. I have the DQ on both the RR and the VTR.

I've only run the PP on the 1000RR, and I got about 4000 usable miles from them. I replaced the rear first but should have replaced both at the same time.

Just been down to small local bike shop.

Very nice biker/manager runs the place.

Had a ZX12R for about 5 years and now an R1

He says the Pilot Powers are the best tyre he's ever used. Feel totally stuck to the ground.

I'm deff going with some of these when my current tyres wear out.

Another cool thing about the Qualifiers is that they are made with a "Dual Compound Rubber" which means they center of the tire is made with a harder compoud rubber, sort of like what the Dunlop 208 was made out of, and the sidewalls are made of a softer rubber. When you are riding in straight lines like on the highway you are on the harder rubber so it doesn't wear as fast as the tires that are all soft rubber, and when you lay it over around corners you get on the soft rubber that sticks good and heats up fast.

Just put the PP's on and now have about 600 miles on them, all I can say is WOW....talk about cornering like your on rails....sticky, sticky, and sticky...I thought I was going over the side of the mountain 2 weeks ago, and the tires whispered back, no sir not today....lol...They rock...

Buddy of mine got the PP C2, which like the Q's has the dual compound, the only neg thing he says is every now and then there is a bad feeling when going from center to side and back...he says it is a noticable difference...I say forget the dual compound unless you are stuck doing a lot of flat tracking...otherwise just get the regular ones....I doubt you will get that many more miles out of the dual comp....but then again, what do I know...LOL

the center of the dual compounds are the same as the whole tire on the standard powers. I'm running the standard powers now and they are as good as everyone claims. truly awe inspiring. with about 4000 miles on them the rear is just past halfway worn.

by standard??? do you have pilot powers, pilot roads, or pilot race? I assume you have the powers, and that the C2 is center powers, and outter is race??? curious....

4K, nice, that makes me happy....

I have the Pilot Powers. the PP 2CT is the 2 compound tread. and I believe the edges of the 2CTs are medium Power Race compound or 2 steps softer, thereabouts.

ahhhhh....I am still very excited to know that you have 4k on those, and still miles to go...heck the way they stick, I didn't think they would last much more than 3k....so score....

When you say "half worn" are you measuring with a tread depth gauge? I think I can feel it when these old Dunlops start to lose it and the tread depth measures 3/32.

I have heard good things about the PP and am leaning that way when the bird comes out of mothballs/rebuild later this spring.

ah, rebuild....so it is coming out of the ashes...nice...didn't know...been out for a bit...Mom passed away on march 3rd, so had to take care of family business....She died on my 15th Anniversary...Guess she thinks this way we can never forget her....lol...I grew up with a Jewish mother (not really)...

just eyeballing the tread in the center. I'm in FL and don't have much chance to wear the edges. what I find most interesting is that the shape of the rear tire doesn't chance much as it wears. if on my last ride I was able to do a bit of cornering the tire isn't 'worn square' and flat looking in the center. if I just came off a straight highway run it will look square. it still doesn't 'feel' square at any time.

Sorry Randy! I knew something was going on because you weren't around much. Yeah, she will breathe fire again! (my bike - not your Mom) But in that regard, if you forget your Anniversary you'll feel like you've been hot fired by both of them! :oops:

Not immediate family but we've hung the black wreath a couple times here as well this winter. I learned a long time ago that life is for the living and part of living is to keep the departed close to our hearts and in our thoughts.

Mom would want it that way!

My rear qualifier just finally wore out after about 4500 mi. I have been very happy with it. Just put on a new set of DQ's now to see how it goes. I don't know how anyone gets better than 5000 mi out of a sport tire.

I have the Pilot Powers on my GSX-R and really love them too...problem is the bikes corner so much differently in my opinion that I can't tell the difference between the two tires yet. I've been to the edge of the qualifiers finally, and haven't fell over (although my foot hitting the ground made me stand it up quickly), but have yet to go more than 1/4 inch stripe on the the GSX-R. Seems I can ride the gixxer faster without going as low on the tire. Maybe a rim difference??

Yeah the powers are very nice. very happy with these tires

you guys are driving me crazy. I've got a brand new set of PP 2CT's that my wife gave me for x-mas, sitting in my car right now waiting to be mounted. I cannot WAIT to try these out. up till now, I've had a a 207 on the rear, and a perelli dragon corse trackday takeoff on the front. (worked very well by the way) this is the first time I'll have new tires on my hawk since I got it. I have no idea what its gonna feel like. can't WAIT!!!

Running PPs also... only drawback. They are SLICK when they are cold. Let them heat up. Twice now (once ended in disaster) the tire has cut loose on me. May be my fault. I jumped on the Hawk after it'd been sitting for a hour or so at a local joint... lean the bike a little as I roll on power.. not hard, just enough to get it moving.. one time the bike left me laying, another it just shifted under me..

Take it easy on those new ones Swordfish... New tires have a residue on them, and they need scuffed up (riding) before they will hook up well. Too many times have I seen guys get new skins, take off hard, and lay a bike down...

From what I understand Michelin built specific OEM Pilot Powers for each manufacturer's bikes. The one you have may slightly differ from off-the-shelf Power Pilots, but it shouldn't be a huge difference. However I'd still prefer the "generics"...

I am aware. believe me I won't be doing anything abruptly until I get some miles on them. and even then, it will be a gradual increase. the upside,(if you want to call it that) is that here in IL, there are no corners per se, so I don't have to worry about leaning too hard. mostly straight lines in all directions. you really gotta look to find some curves on these roads. did I mention I want to move to NC? :)

I didnt mean watch the corners as much as I meant watch your take offs on a cold tire (though that could be indicative of all cycle tires, I wouldnt know). I litterally just started rolling the first time it slipped on me. I had about 1000 miles on it, too.

And NC is nice when its nice.. but I complain about winter here... Only place I know where it gets bone chilling cold, then rains. Rain, not snow. Snow you can brush off, rain soaks in. lol.. but I have been riding ALL winter.. So, I guess I'll just shut up. If you come here, go towards Raleigh or south to Charlotte:cool: . I'm in Greensboro, and we get this Apallacian Wedge thing.. clouds and rain rolls in, hits the mountains to the north and west of us, and just hang here for days! The suicide rate skyrockets...lol.

Where in IL?
 

Swordfish, where in IL do you live, I'm in Skokie?

I'm in North Aurora near the Farnesworth exit on I-88. the wife and I always planned on moving out to the Ashville area. and I grew up in upstate NY so any winter where it can still rain sounds like a good winter to me. better than the 2-5 feet of snow I grew up in. IL doesn't get as much snow, but the wind in the winter here is killer. I hate this state.

the power tires for the r1 have a different sidewall. it is a little stiffer than the generic tire. the 04-06 r1 had a little different weight bias to the bike. the spec sheets don't really show it, but the shop here weighs all their bikes on digital scales front and rear just for measurement. (anal i know). anyway, according to michelin, the brand specific tire has a different sidewall compound to handle the extra weight usually present under hard braking. as far as anybody other than nicky haden or spies being able to tell, i doubt it!!

How far from charlotte?? We should hook up and ride someday...
A bunch of us from the CSB board are going to the Gap April 12th-16th...
some of us are doing a mountain run this weekend Sat the 31st, probably hit Old 18 and up 181 etc...

I am in Winston-Salem..I'm on the MAP. Http://www.frappr.com/superhawkforum Hard hour from Charlotte. easy 1 1/2 hour.. I was thinkin bout hookin up w you guys for the Deals Gap thing.. Still am. No ridin for me this weekend, my weekend with the kids. Gotta have my priorities...