I ride strictly on the road for commuting and both my old Vstrom and my DRZ400SM always flatspot the rear tires after 6,000-7,000 miles, fronts always get 13k or so. I'm very conscientious about maintaining tire pressure, and going above or below the factory specs for tire pressure, makes no difference. Plus the rear tires are twice as wide as the fronts so you would think they would at least wear out more evenly. It seems such a waste because the sides of the tires still have almost all the rubber left on them. Can anyone recommend a good tire designed to hold up better on the highway? Please, no comments on riding harder or being more aggressive these are commuter bikes ridden on straight highways Ron W.
+1 I have had great luck with the Metz 880. Long lasting 12k+ on big heavy bikes (R1150RT). Good stick, both wet and dry
PR2 or PR3 they go quite a while before they flat spot and handling doesn't seem to be affected much.
Sounds like your machines spend most of their time upright. Your tire wear is normal for those conditions. Best advice; do track days or find a longer lasting tire.
You just gave me a flashback to a garage guy who once told me I needed to "lean over more" while riding. That way I would have less of a "flat spot." :huh I think he forgot we live in UT.
This! My worst flat spot torture test of PR2s was: 1600 miles of slab to Denver at super-legal speeds, on a C14, no flat spot. Couple days of twisties, then another 1200 miles of slab to Ann Arbor. Was just able to feel the flat spot touching the tire with my hand in Ann Arbor. Another 500 miles of slab to Maryville, TN and the flat spot was just barely visible. I'm running PR3s exclusively now, and they wear pretty similarly. Unless you are dragging your front brakes all the time, the rear is going to wear out faster. You are always loading the rear any time you are maintaining speed or accelerating.
PR3's. Got almost 12k out of a set on my R1200R. By then the rear was pretty flat But the wear pattern didn't impact handling that much and came on so gradual you'll have plenty of time getting used to it :)
OP back here, decided to go with a 150/70x17 Pilot Road 3. Seemed like the consensus best in breed for highway touring. Ron W.
I know that if I ever end up with a bike that can fit one - while I'm still living in south Florida - I'm going to run a car tire on the rear in that same situation. Flat spotting that fast means a lot of straight-up commuting, and I sure don't need sportbike-handling capability out of a commuter. Last year, when I did over 20k miles of motorcycle commuting, I would have used a car tire if one fit the bike I was riding.
