Репост с европейского форума.
Just want to share email correspondence with Michelin UK about the pilot road 4 tyres which somebody else may find useful.
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Hi, I have a 2012 bmw k1300s and would like to know which version of the pilot road 4 tyres are recommended for my bike: the standard or the gt.
I ride often with a pillion passenger and have a fairly fast riding style, I ride mostly on twisty roads and seldom on motorways. Many thanks.
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Hello Pierpaolo,
Thanks for the interest in our Pilot Road 4 tyres for your bike.
The GT version of the Pilot Road 4 is designed for a short and specific list of larger sports touring bikes such as the BMW K1600GT and Honda Pan European, and features a redesigned carcass aimed at stiffening the rear end somewhat, as some of the larger more powerful sport tourers can sometimes feel a little soft and unstable at the rear when loaded and used enthusiastically.
We actually recommend sports tyres for the K1300s, our Pilot Power and Power Supersport tyres work very well with the bike and compliment the handling and performance better than a sports touring tyre like the Pilot Road 4.
I hope that this helps,
Best regards,
Tony
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Hi Tony,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
I use my k1300s in all weather (and that means often in the wet in UK unfortunately!) and for long mileage touring and therefore would like a tyre which works well in wet and slippery conditions and lasts a little longer and therefore I prefer a more touring oriented tyre, trading a little in performance on dry roads; therefore I am looking at the PR4; would you recommend the standard or the GT for a k1300s (250 kg dry weight)?
Best regards,
Pierpaolo
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Hello Pierpaolo,
Thanks for that, your use of the bike and requirements for the tyres are in line with a sports touring tyre, given that you accept that there is some trade off in performance. If we were to recommend the Pilot Road 4 for your bike I suspect the extra stability at speed and loaded of the GT version would be the best option.
I do have to re-iterate that we recommend the Pilot Power range for your bike, in particular the Pilot Power 3 which gives the best wet weather performance of the range, and is also our best sports tyre in terms of longevity.
I hope that this helps,
Best regards,
Tony
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Hi Tony,
just to have a complete picture to make the right choice between the two pr4 versions, I would like to know more in details the difference in performance between them.
Specifically, I understand that the construction of the gt offers extra stability, but would like to understand if there are any downsides in using the gt version compared to the standard, ie if it compromises on any other characteristics.
Also I would like to know what are the disadvantages (if any) of using the gt version on a lighter bike whose weight suits more the standard pr4.
Best regards,
Pierpaolo
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Hello Pierpaolo,
We can't say what differences you will feel on your bike, as after concluding that your bike is better suited to sports tyres we then have no need to test the bike with GT versus standard Pilot Road 4 tyres.
On the bikes that the GT tyre is designed for there are no disadvantages to using the GT version, however if they were to be fitted to a bike that had the standard Pilot Road 4 as its recommended fitment there could be the possibility of slightly slower warm up, possibly slightly less comfortable and harsher ride quality and perhaps slightly too much feedback from the tyres. The GT version is not recommended based on a bikes weight or expected load, but on each individual bikes characteristics. Bikes that when pushed hard can exhibit some weaving would expect the occurence of weaving to be pushed further back with GT tyres fitted.
I hope that this helps,
Best regards,
Tony