MY Next Car Tire

[Rio Wil]

I think I have found my next C/T, it is a Pirelli P4 205-65-16.  I like the tread pattern and it has a pretty stiff side wall.  Check out the pic's, has anyone had any experience with the tire.

Guess I should add some specific's......$116 including tax at Wheel Works in Fairfield, CA.

Treadwear 760, Traction A, Temp B, T rated (118 mph I think)

(The Pirelli P4 Four Seasons tires feature a computer-aided design (CAD) optimized tread profile with an internal structure that includes twin steel belts reinforced by spirally wrapped nylon to combine good wear with ride quality and durability. Polyester cord body plies combine strength with ride comfort.)

and blah blah blah and so on.....

[DFragn]

Nice tire.
Great tread, but the siping is specific to a left or right hand mount. It might pull or track a bit more then a CT normally would on a bike.
Personally I would avoid it.

Consider a GoodYear Assurance Triple Tread.
I love mine, but I'm biased 'cause it's the only CT I've used so far.
It's an 80k mile tire, on a car anyway. It'll be interesting to see how she lasts on the Valk. It sticks very well [36psi] dragging pegs at 80+ mph. I don't worry about it anymore. Tracking is so slight.

[Valkpilot]

I'd reconsider the non-symetrical tread (the tread is oriented in opposite directions on the sides.)  I believe that increases the tendency of the tire to track road imperfections and wander side to side.

[Rio Wil]

I had wondered about the non-symmetrical thread, there have been a few folks who have mount ed similar tires, hope some of them will join in. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

760 rated  is very hard compound ....Personally I run a rated 280 Cooper Zeon and a 320 rated Fuzion ZRi on my bikes both are high performance directional. I'd never trust that tire in the twisties or on a wet road thats just the way I roll  

[Rio Wil]

I was kinda put off with the tread wear but when I looked at the hydroedge (800) and the triple tread (740), it wasn't out of line with them. I haven't heard of any one complaining about ridability..  Your riding skills are way beyond mine so I can understand your need to a stickier tire than I would ride.  I have not seen tread wear numbers as high as these mentioned, has there been an incremental improvement in compounds in the past couple of years to produce such longevity?

[GJS]

Hi Rio Will,

My wife and I just got back from a three week trip to Southern Utah.
The same tire pictured above, the "GoodYear Assurance Triple Tread", just got 3700 miles on it. We were two up fully loaded. I ran the rear at 42lbs and the front at 36 (D3). The ride was great (although I don't like the D3). I did find the low speed tracking to be a little bit of a pain. There were a lot of not-so-level parking lots where we were. Once over 5MPH, this tire rides very predictably.


Like others, I'd be concerned with the tread variation, side to side. My experience is that a car tire always tries to get flat on the ground at low speeds. Past 5mph, I don't notice it anymore.

Cheers,

Glenn

[DFragn]

760 rated  is very hard compound ....Personally I run a rated 280 Cooper Zeon and a 320 rated Fuzion ZRi on my bikes both are high performance directional. I'd never trust that tire in the twisties or on a wet road thats just the way I roll  

Hey Joe,

We don't have many short continuous twisties 'round here, but the ones we do I once in awhile get to play with them and my 760 wear rating has been fine. No true wet riding as yet, although I did pass thru a sweeper @ 75 mph dragging only slightly the driver peg. Mid-way thru there was about 20 yards of at least .25" run-off flowing across the lane. There was no time to worry, I was in it before I saw it. Neither the GoodYear TT or the Kenda rear bias up front ever flinched.
I'm no physicist but I'm assuming there's a bit more force on the tires at higher speeds at the same lean angles and I did half expect one of my ends to break loose.
Oh, it's stuck well too at just under 90 [dry good quality surface] with peg slightly dragging.

Now If I had regular access to your neck of the woods I might just follow your path of a softer compound. And I would also be dragging more then pegs with regular [pilot] conditioning of roads we only dream of up here.

[Rio Wil]

Just thinking out loud about the grove facement....on uneven surface when the rear tire is contacting the surface with say only the left 1/3 of the tread, it will tend to pitch the bike to the right (slow speed or higher speed).  The same is true with contact on the right side but will pitch left.  I am not sure one could detect the difference it pitch "force" based on groove direction.  I have been on some Idaho roads that had  concave ruts from traffic and my Falken was a real pain in the azz swinging from one side of the rut to the other, finally wound up running on the crown between the ruts. That helped a bit, but the point being the Falken is a symmetrical thread and it wondered around like crazy.  My riding partner wasn't having anywhere near as much problem...he was on MC tires, so the wide flat tire was the issue.....how much due to the tread-would a non-symmetrical   thread made it even worse??

So.....still waiting on non-symmetrical input......

[DFragn]

Just thinking out loud about the grove facement....on uneven surface when the rear tire is contacting the surface with say only the left 1/3 of the tread, it will tend to pitch the bike to the right (slow speed or higher speed).  The same is true with contact on the right side but will pitch left.  I am not sure one could detect the difference it pitch "force" based on groove direction.  I have been on some Idaho roads that had  concave ruts from traffic and my Falken was a real pain in the azz swinging from one side of the rut to the other, finally wound up running on the crown between the ruts. That helped a bit, but the point being the Falken is a symmetrical thread and it wondered around like crazy.  My riding partner wasn't having anywhere near as much problem...he was on MC tires, so the wide flat tire was the issue.....how much due to the tread-would a non-symmetrical   thread made it even worse??

So.....still waiting on non-symmetrical input......

PSI is a big factor in how much it will track too!

[Ferris Leets]

I am running a nonsymetrical Falkien, don't remember the #.  I can not say that the tread patteren is effecting anything.  Handles good both left and right.  The only noticeable thing with the car tire is the tendency to follow the parallel lines in the road when traveling in a more or less straight line.  So I try to stay off of them.  In corners I do not notice the same pull.

[Jabba]

I have a falken 329 on my std.  treadwear is rated at 480.  I think I see now that it's not symetrical.  I'll have to look when I get home, but I literally could not tell the difference when I put it on from a MC tire.  Now I can a little, in VERY pronounced situations of uneven parking lots... but it's almost totally unoticeable.

I JUST put a General Altimax HP on my new-to-me IS.  Treadwear is rated at 440.  I don't have the PSI right yet as I only have about 35 mile son it so far with the new tire.  I tried to swap ends with it yesterday morning accelerating from a stop sign, in a curve at the same time... with un-noticed fresh grass clippings on the asphalt.  Those plus a damp morning, plus a brand new tire all came together to excite my morning.  All was good though, as I say... sometimes my ass is smarter than my brain.  I had it all corrected before my brain knew what was happening. 

I sort of WISH I had stickier tires.  Trouble is... they don't make them (or I can't FIND them) in profiles higher than 55.  I REALLY want to gain alittle "gear" as well.  But going to a 55 tire, is headed the wrong way for that.

Jabba

[MP]

Jabba:

My Altimax is at 34#.  Have not tried others yet.  But, I love the tire.  VERY hard to tell from a MC tire.  I love it!

MP

[Jabba]

Jabba:

My Altimax is at 34#.  Have not tried others yet.  But, I love the tire.  VERY hard to tell from a MC tire.  I love it!

MP

I put a little more in mine... for now.  i have been expecting the wife on a ride, and I find that the SO dictates additional tire pressure on the Falken.  I'll get her dialed in.

35 miles just ain't NEAR enough.

Jabba

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I have a falken 329 on my std.  treadwear is rated at 480.  I think I see now that it's not symetrical.  I'll have to look when I get home, but I literally could not tell the difference when I put it on from a MC tire.  Now I can a little, in VERY pronounced situations of uneven parking lots... but it's almost totally unoticeable.

I JUST put a General Altimax HP on my new-to-me IS.  Treadwear is rated at 440.  I don't have the PSI right yet as I only have about 35 mile son it so far with the new tire.  I tried to swap ends with it yesterday morning accelerating from a stop sign, in a curve at the same time... with un-noticed fresh grass clippings on the asphalt.  Those plus a damp morning, plus a brand new tire all came together to excite my morning.  All was good though, as I say... sometimes my ass is smarter than my brain.  I had it all corrected before my brain knew what was happening. 

I sort of WISH I had stickier tires.  Trouble is... they don't make them (or I can't FIND them) in profiles higher than 55.  I REALLY want to gain alittle "gear" as well.  But going to a 55 tire, is headed the wrong way for that.

Jabba

I much prefer to know my bike is going to hang in the next curve as to alittle " gear ". Personally I can't tell difference in rpm's between the P O S  Metzeler motorcycle tire that came on my Interstate and the Copper Zeon 2XS 205/55 it now has 

[Mildew]

I have a firestone firehawk. I don't know much about it but I came home in a rain storm Monday and I came upon a mudslide in a blind turn. I had to stop suddenly and I did. I doubt I would be in very good condition right now if it was a hard tire or a motorcycle tire. I remember the m/c  tire always slid when the roads were wet.

[Jabba]

Firestone Firehawk in 205/55/16 is a tire wear rating of 320.

Jabba

[Mildew]

Thanx  jabba. I'm no tire expert but 320 don't sound good but it rides good for now.

[Rio Wil]

Seems like I read some where that virtually all car/passenger tires were of a softer compound than almost any standard mc tire (excluding the ones that turn way sticky when warm).  So if you make a car tire with a "harder" compound and then give it many grooves/sipes, is that what earns it a traction number of 700-800 like the hydroedge or this P4 I am looking at.

Joe, how many miles do you get out of the 280-320 tread wear tires.  I ride in about any weather (excluding snow if I can help it) so I want reasonable all season traction and I also run a LOT of freeway miles at 80-85 mph so I want a 65 series tire to help manage rpm and the big tread wear number looks appealing on the P4. 

[brillo1542]

I currently have that tire on my Valk.  I've had it on for about 12,000 miles.  Excellent tire.  I found it to be smoother than the unidirectional tire I had on it before.  Plus, the 65 sidewall makes it easier on the bumps.  It did take a lot of lead to balance it out, not like the unidirectional tire, which took NOTHING! 

Paul

[Jabba]

Thanx  jabba. I'm no tire expert but 320 don't sound good but it rides good for now.

320 is pretty stick.  Joes tires are 280 and 320.  Mine are 440 and 480.  Less so.  The P4 they're talking about is like 700.  Even less.

Jabba

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I just mounted one of these and it is one of the best CTs I've ran. I too try and stay with the softer compound tires.    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+G+019+Grid

[Rio Wil]

Brillo....just to be clear, what tire are you running, a P4 or one of the others mentioned?

Thanks,

Wil

[F7daved]

I think your making a big mistake with that tire. I sat and read seems like a 1000 post on all information before I purchased the general altimax H rated & let me tell you I love it. Just got back from a 1500 mile ride this week and this tire is great in all conditions. rain, dirt roads, smooth rough roads i really cant tell no difference on my tourer. I set rear tire at 42 & the front metz @ 43. At $76.00 Just wished I would have done it earlier.   Just my 2 cents.

[valkmc]

Nice tire.
Great tread, but the siping is specific to a left or right hand mount. It might pull or track a bit more then a CT normally would on a bike.
Personally I would avoid it.

Consider a GoodYear Assurance Triple Tread.
I love mine, but I'm biased 'cause it's the only CT I've used so far.
It's an 80k mile tire, on a car anyway. It'll be interesting to see how she lasts on the Valk. It sticks very well [36psi] dragging pegs at 80+ mph. I don't worry about it anymore. Tracking is so slight.

[img width=800

I have a Good Year Triple Tread on now, it currently has 25,000+ miles on it. I keep thinking I should replace it but the tire still looks like new. When I do replace I will go with the same. If it wasn't for pulling the tire to inspect and lube every 8-10 thousand it would be really maintenance free.

[fudgie]

Hankook K-106

Ratings:
http://www.discounttirezone.com/HANKOOK-RADIAL-K106-20540R17-80H_p_488-4382.html

Few on here run it.

[bigdog99]

Hankook K-106

Ratings:
http://www.discounttirezone.com/HANKOOK-RADIAL-K106-20540R17-80H_p_488-4382.html

Few on here run it.

Fudgie,
I run it also, but i started a mad quest this morning and found i could not find  a 205-55-16 anywhere. even on the site above, they all show sold out.  :'(  did you buy them all?

[fudgie]

Hankook K-106

Ratings:
http://www.discounttirezone.com/HANKOOK-RADIAL-K106-20540R17-80H_p_488-4382.html

Few on here run it.

Fudgie,
I run it also, but i started a mad quest this morning and found i could not find  a 205-55-16 anywhere. even on the site above, they all show sold out.  :'(  did you buy them all?

Nope! Shouldnt need one for a few years.  I got mine locally.

[Farther]

If you are going with a 55 series tire then this one looks good:  www.yokohamatire.com/tires/advan_a048.aspx

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Hankook K-106

Ratings:
http://www.discounttirezone.com/HANKOOK-RADIAL-K106-20540R17-80H_p_488-4382.html

Few on here run it.

That's a tough looking tire. Almost wish I went with that before putting the Goodyear on. Not that I'm unhappy with it, but since they get so many miles on them, it'll be forever before I get to try another one. Hmmmmm, maybe a spare rim with another tire to change em out. 

[Rio Wil]

But....but...but....but....but.....I want to stay with a 65 series tire, going to a 55 will increase cruise rpm by a SWAG of 500 rpm from present.  That means at hwy speeds one is in the secondaries and slurping fuel..  3600 rpm is my sweet spot and gets me 75 (80 indicated) mph and 34-36 mpg.  Another 500 rpm will take 4-5 mpg off and make the lady work too hard (not really but just thought I would throw that in to support my argument)..

I really appreciate all the good comments, I am not sure which will be the final pick.  I really like the P4 but it is losing it's appeal, I found 3 in stock today but all 3 had a date code of 2707!!.....big frigging demand for these suckers, huh!

So....I am still looking......the Falken 512 has been a good tire for me, the 912 looks similar and might be a good choice.

 

[paul]

Went back to the mc tire,,liked the ct ,,,just felt to "loose" for me.......im just sayin......