best tire for bmw r1200r

[Rapid Dog]

...for what it's worth, my vote also goes to the PR3's.
Mine had in excess of 8500 miles on them, could have gone another 1500 with ease.
But the did look like the pic above except no cupping.
The previous owner put 8K on them, and he admitted he was a slower rider.
I've never gotten more than 5-6K out of any road tire without swapping for a new set
Boy oh Boy does the R handle nice now with the new PR3s!...life is just too short to ride on worn skins.

[Catchina]

I am checking the PR3's at MAX BMW. Does anyone know what "reinforced" means on the 03020474 part number - I am not sure which tire to order.

03020474 180/55ZR-17(73W)B-SPEC (5.5X17 RIM SIZE, REINFORCED)
03020475 180/55ZR-17(73W) (5.5X17 RIM SIZE)

[David R]

Hey, Catchina,

The reinforced verion is for heavy loads.

I ordered a set today from the local honda dealer. He cut me a goo price. I mount and balance my self.

[scooterme]

I am checking the PR3's at MAX BMW. Does anyone know what "reinforced" means on the 03020474 part number - I am not sure which tire to order.

03020474 180/55ZR-17(73W)B-SPEC (5.5X17 RIM SIZE, REINFORCED)
03020475 180/55ZR-17(73W) (5.5X17 RIM SIZE)

I just replace the rear PR3 with another PR3. I went with the 'B' version of the PR3 this time. I chose to try that one this time as I had some semi-peculiar wear on my last PR3. I'm guessing the odd wear may have been due to the several thousand miles myself and Mrs Scooterme put on the bike fully laden in the height of summer last year, maybe the thinner sidewall didn't like the weight?? Don't know if I'm right about that, but time will tell I guess.

[Catchina]

Hey, Catchina,

The reinforced verion is for heavy loads.

I ordered a set today from the local honda dealer. He cut me a goo price. I mount and balance my self.

Hi Dave - Great minds think alike! Max price is $176.99 rear and $143.99 front plus $5 shipping for each tire...is your local Honda dealer cheaper?

[Catchina]

I am checking the PR3's at MAX BMW. Does anyone know what "reinforced" means on the 03020474 part number - I am not sure which tire to order.

03020474 180/55ZR-17(73W)B-SPEC (5.5X17 RIM SIZE, REINFORCED)
03020475 180/55ZR-17(73W) (5.5X17 RIM SIZE)

I just replace the rear PR3 with another PR3. I went with the 'B' version of the PR3 this time. I chose to try that one this time as I had some semi-peculiar wear on my last PR3. I'm guessing the odd wear may have been due to the several thousand miles myself and Mrs Scooterme put on the bike fully laden in the height of summer last year, maybe the thinner sidewall didn't like the weight?? Don't know if I'm right about that, but time will tell I guess.

Thanks for the info Scooterme, I guess since I don't do much 2-up I will try the regular tire and see how that works out. This will be my first set of PR3's, had Metzler before.

[David R]

Catchina,

The prices you quote match Motorcycle superstore. I paid just a few bucks more
Plus taxes.

The Z8 were good uneventful tires. They grip, didn't cup until the end of their 7,000 mile life.

I had PR3 on my RT. Loved em.

[Marcin]

I installed set of Metzeler Z8 in late fall and only put about 500 miles on them, so far I like them. Hopefully I can get more than 8K-9K out of them

[Karamazov]

I just scrubbed in my new set of Scorpion Trails, and thus far like them very much. The tread is more aggressive IRL than it looks on online, and the pattern doesn't repeat itself as frequently as most street tires. I suspect this will make it a very good tire for fire roads. And they don't seem to give up anything in street handling. I gave the set a good 100 mile scrub in on a widely varying route with a lot of technical bits and they performed just as well as both sets of Z8s I had on prior.

They'll get an introduction to Michigan's U.P. next weekend, and I'll report back on how they handle light off road duty, but since I'm only asking them to be marginally better than a street tire, I'm rather confident I won't be disappointed. Assuming I can get decent mileage out of them, this may be the tire for me and my R.

[red baron]

I really like the Dunlop roadsmart 2 tires. Very confidence inspiring both in dry and wet condition. In my case they last about 4,500 miles rear and about 8,000 miles front.
Peter

[Widetrack]

Hi all, has anyone tried Bridgestone 023's? I needed a rear Metzler Z8 at 8000mi and had cord showing on the left side of the front at10,000mi so I'm trying the 023's now.

[Patch]

Best tire is a new tire for me anyway.

To the dealer tomorrow morning bright and early for my 2nd set of PR3s. Have just shy of 11k on current set, and though theres still a (tiny) bit of wear left the rear is quite square and the riding through the last sets of deluges this past week left me feeling a bit unsettled. Its likely me, not the remaining grip - but I've got some longish weekends coming up and know that I'm near the end of the line.

I really like them, didn't think twice about replacing them with same. YMMV

[SDMAX]

Generally run PR3's at least two sets; and a set of PR2' before that; just completed 5500 miles on a set of Continental Trail Attack 2's

Note these are the 2's and I've seen original TA's side by side with TA 2's and there is a big difference. I looked at Scorpion and also TKC 80's as much of the 5500 miles was less than perfect Alaskan and Canadian roads including 200 miles of gravel and worse on the Taylor Top of the World Hwy between Tok Alaska and Dawson YT

The TA2's did the job. There were a lot of long straight pavement miles in there so the rear is pretty squared off but still has tread. Front is barely worn as this was a one month expedition from San Diego to Bellingham Washingon ferry to just below Anchorage; to Dawson YT; all of Yukon Territory south to BC all of British Columbia on the Cassiar HWY to Seattle where the bike now sleeps until I pick it up in Sept at which time I will get an oil change and a new rear TA2 for the trip back to San Diego.

Front barely worn bc I weight 220 and I had about 100 lbs of gear in a top case, givi side cases and a 65 liter dry bag across the seat behind me. Had to install and Ohlins rear shock in Salem Oregon as I really felt the original suspension at 25K miles or so was all in; and anyway factory suspension is only good for someone at about 185 lbs with no load. Handled way better after Ohlin. Pricey though.

TA2 is a great tire. Lots of grip, quiet....nice tire....After I wear out the new rear, the front should be done and I"ll go back to PR3's as I won't be doing much gravel or fire roads at home.

Just always been a Michelin man, but needed everything that TA2 had on some of the rough stuff in Alaska and Canada...for about 100 miles I could have used the TKC 80's but not for the rest of the trip.

R1200R's, mine is a 2007, are limited in tire availability by 17 inch rim front and rear; that said; bike can go anywhere you want to go; pumped em up to 40 front and 46 rear and no punctures on some really, really nasty surfaces.

YMMV

[Las]

Approaching 24,000 miles on my 2012 R1200r Classic. My bike came stock with Metzler z8's. Earlier in this thread an OP described the Z8's as "uneventful." With 12,000 miles of winter and spring riding on the Z'8's, in every weather ( except snow on the road) and agressive riding on slab, back roads, and some dirt, they gave me good performance; no surprises, consistent grip, in a word: " uneventful." Nevertheless, reading the reviews on this thread got me thinking about changing to PR3's. Just as i was about to make the switch, out came the tire shoot out reported in the MOA mag a few editions ago.Using our bikes, the Z8's came out on top in almost every category; even wet riding. The shoot out was conducted by folk who actually rode in test conditions all the tires in the shoot out. With this piece of info and the fact that , ultimately, I determined that what I want in my tires is for them to be "uneventful" wherever and whenever I ride them, I stayed with the Z8's. 12,000 miles later, with more life on these tires, I'm not sorry I did.

[angellr]

Putting new shoes on "gini" a week from Friday ... she will get her THIRD pair of PR3s. Great tire/performance. Snow, rain, hot, cold, etc. - perform like champs.

[David R]

Switched to PR2 on the rear, PR3 on the front.

It seemed to eat up the rear, so I switched.

Something about the HP of this bike or the way I drive it.

3,000 on the PR2 so far, looks good. Handles great. This is my 3rd rear.

Original Z8 lasted 6,000 miles.
Next was a set of PR3
I had to pull the rear PR3 off before making a 2,000 mile trip when it had 5,000 miles on it.

I now have a partial rear tire if I need one in an emergency like if I run over something. I have my own tire machine and balancer.
David

[Steve H.]

I got my red beauty with Bridgestones 021.6000mls so far on them. No exess of wears on them.I might bee a laysi driver.Truck driving from Toronto area to west coast of USA.Spending most of my life in US.I can bee a crasie driver on bike,but I prefer cruasing stile,if some Harley guys don't piss me off,thinking BMW is a grandpas bike.Well, I am a grandpa in reality,but my bike is not a grandpa!!!!!!Lot of Harley guys know that allready.Probably they are selling ther bikes, looking for R1200R.

Best regards,Steve H.

Rrrrrrrr.