I could do with a bunch of fives.

[Huzo]

I have read interminable statements here about the incalculably good value that cheap tyres are.
The tyres in the shot are Pilot 5’s that I put on at 161,000 k’s.
The odometer now has 180,000 k’s and they clearly are not shagged. They did all of the Europe trip and virtually no rain.
Point is, why would you NOT put these things on in preference to cheap crap. I reckon they’ll do 21,000 k.

[beetle]

I'm running a Road 5 on my Griso rear. Very happy with it so far. It has a different profile to the PR4 it replaced. It's wider. Interestingly, it quickened up the steering. The PR4 on the front will get the flick shortly, in favour of an R5.

[wyno]

I got 19,000km out of the last lot of PR 5s, but I'm riding harder than I used to, so I'm happy.

[Huzo]

I'm running a Road 5 on my Griso rear. Very happy with it so far. It has a different profile to the PR4 it replaced. It's wider. Interestingly, it quickened up the steering. The PR4 on the front will get the flick shortly, in favour of an R5.

Yeah.
I thought the 4’s scalloped up a bit more readily on the front but not bad by any means.

[Huzo]

I got 19,000km out of the last lot of PR 5s, but I'm riding harder than I used to, so I'm happy.

Considering the extra power production of the Griso, that’s more impressive than my story..

[Ncdan]

I would gladly pay twice the price for a particular tire if it preformed twice as good as my chosen tires that I have been running for years and turned out twice the mileage.
Also what one considers a “cheap” tire because it cost half the price does not by no means mean the less expensive tire is not just as good of a tire. I think I remember this conversation on “cheap tires” before, my friend from down under:)
That being said I’d be willing to try one on the recommendation of you and Mark👍

[s1120]

Hard to beat 20k miles on a motorcycle tire!  That being said, I rode a few thousand miles last year, and odds are I will maybe do a grand or two more then that this coming year.. Maybe in the coming years, I might get some long runs in..  maybe not. That being said, odds are the tires on my bike will get old, hard, and cracked before I will get enough miles on them to wear them out. I hope I am wrong, and I prove this logic to be a folly..  but my bike will be getting a nice fresh pair of Shinko's this winter.. For me its a matter of not getting the value out of a tire 3 times the cost..  If im wrong, Ill readjust my thinking at the next tire change.

[Ncdan]

Hard to beat 20k miles on a motorcycle tire!  That being said, I rode a few thousand miles last year, and odds are I will maybe do a grand or two more then that this coming year.. Maybe in the coming years, I might get some long runs in..  maybe not. That being said, odds are the tires on my bike will get old, hard, and cracked before I will get enough miles on them to wear them out. I hope I am wrong, and I prove this logic to be a folly..  but my bike will be getting a nice fresh pair of Shinko's this winter.. For me its a matter of not getting the value out of a tire 3 times the cost..  If im wrong, Ill readjust my thinking at the next tire change.

For the sake of not upsetting my buddy, Hugo, I didn’t admit it but  I also use the Shinko tire and have for years and thousands of trouble free miles. However I would consider another higher dollar brand but not twice as much. If will be a while those as I recently put new Shinkos on both my bikes:)

[travelingbyguzzi]

 I am getting good service from the Pilot 5. Have 9k miles on my current with a lot left. I have a 4-5 k trip coming next month so I have to replace it a bit prematurely. The replacement ($197!) showed up on my side porch Friday.
If you ride a couple K a year they may not make sense, but if you take long trips it might be the right choice.
One thing I cannot testify to is how they handle very hot roadways. Huzo, has a lot of your riding been in extreme heat?
I got on a couple trips with other tires where I had to stop and buy replacements. I blamed it on Arizona in August

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Hard to beat 20k miles on a motorcycle tire! 

19,000 kilometers = 11,780 miles.

[LowRyter]

My Sport ate up a set of PR4 in no time.  I used several series of PR on my Bandit and they wore OK.  I'm not paying for them on my Sport again.  I can get the same mileage and better handling with Dunlop Qualifier Roadsmart. 

If you want a grippy tire that will last longer than full-on sport tires, try Pirelli Rosso III.  Touring Sport tires.

[s1120]

19,000 kilometers = 11,780 miles.

OK, so I missed that...  You know.. miles on the brain.. :) 

I always figured anything over 10K miles are bonus.. In my case im mostly looking to get the nasty old Lazertecs off the bike!!  The Sinkos will be a baseline for me.  Ive heard good things about the Pilot activ though...  and they are not THAT pricy... 

[Tusayan]

I rarely run tires until the tread is gone. At some point the worn shape of the tires on most bike and tire combinations starts to interfere with my enjoyment of the ride, and at that point I change them.  Usually for me and my bikes that point comes before 4000 miles, often half that depending on the bike, and more expensive tires are often worse than less expensive tires. For my use, I’ve found no correlation between cost and value with motorcycle tires.

Newer bikes with smaller wheels and wider tires are worse in this respect and it’s taken me two years to find tires that work for more than 2000 miles on my ST4: Dunlop Qs good, Pirellis of all types I tried awful after only 1000 miles.  Cheap Conti Motions have proven pretty good on several bikes.  The best bike I have for maintaining good steering feel for high mileage on one set of tires is my old R100GS - on that one Metzeler Tourance Nexts work very well, which surprised me as I’ve never had much luck with Metzelers.

[Huzo]

Hard to beat 20k miles on a motorcycle tire!  That being said, I rode a few thousand miles last year, and odds are I will maybe do a grand or two more then that this coming year.. Maybe in the coming years, I might get some long runs in..  maybe not. That being said, odds are the tires on my bike will get old, hard, and cracked before I will get enough miles on them to wear them out. I hope I am wrong, and I prove this logic to be a folly..  but my bike will be getting a nice fresh pair of Shinko's this winter.. For me its a matter of not getting the value out of a tire 3 times the cost..  If im wrong, Ill readjust my thinking at the next tire change.

I should clarify also.
My figures are kilometres, not miles.
That puts things into perspective a bit more. Your point regarding the time taken to do the miles is well made, that is an aspect I hadn’t factored in.

[Huzo]

I am getting good service from the Pilot 5. Have 9k miles on my current with a lot left. I have a 4-5 k trip coming next month so I have to replace it a bit prematurely. The replacement ($197!) showed up on my side porch Friday.
If you ride a couple K a year they may not make sense, but if you take long trips it might be the right choice.
One thing I cannot testify to is how they handle very hot roadways. Huzo, has a lot of your riding been in extreme heat?
I got on a couple trips with other tires where I had to stop and buy replacements. I blamed it on Arizona in August

Admittedly, Europe’s tend to be milder on average , mid 20’s typically.
The 15,000 k Australia lap was up to mid 30’s half the time, but most of my distance stuff is in Northern Europe where conditions are more benign.

[Huzo]

At some point the worn shape of the tires on most bike and tire combinations starts to interfere with my enjoyment of the ride, and at that point I change them.

I fully concur with your point here Tusayan.
The effect you describe is usually the driver that convinces me to replace mine as well. At it’s worst, my Norge starts to feel like a poorly maintained early 80’s Japanese sports tourer with buggered wheel bearings, swing arm bushes and under inflated tyres.
The set you see in the shot are starting to exhibit those traits now and to perfectly honest, it’s (as you say) affecting my confidence and enjoyment.
By the time I get back from Pete’s in Bungendore, they’ll be coming off.
There’s the perennial conundrum though..
If I replace them now, they’ll only be (at best), half gone by the end of the year when I’ll be preparing the bike for Mandello 2021.
I’m Reluctant to remove 40% worn tyres then put them back on, but I won’t ship my bike to Italy with anything other than brand new tyres.
I don’t expect to see off a full set on the Norge between now and then, because I’ll be doing a lot on the V85..
A first world problem I guess...

[antmanbee]

I helped my friend Tim on his 15 Griso change out his rear tire a couple of weekends ago.
He was running a Shinko 009 Raven rear tire and got 10K miles out of it and it was not yet treadless.
He replace it with the same, $95 shipped to his door. The Griso is his only vehicle and he rides it every day under all conditions (FL).
I run the same on my Griso, partly due to Tim's recommendation, but have only put 3.5K miles on so far. I'm not going to spring for more than double the price for the Michelin.
I also have Shinkos on a few of my other bikes.

[malik]

A couple of points, Huzo.

We, in the antipodes, don't appear to have access to the range of tyres & prices to be found in larger markets. We do, however, appear to have access to a healthy range of decent ones. And diligent searching can produce savings of around 25%, whatever the brand & model (not immense, but not to be sneezed at, either).

It seems to me that different bikes are likely to get different handling & wear results on any particular tyre. (Let's ignore riding habits for the moment). Don't be surprised if the tyre preference developed over your Norge experience doesn't transfer directly to the V85. It's a different animal, mate, and you'll likely have start the tyre-testing process all over again. There's a lot of fun right there.

[Huzo]

A couple of points, Huzo.

We, in the antipodes, don't appear to have access to the range of tyres & prices to be found in larger markets. We do, however, appear to have access to a healthy range of decent ones. And diligent searching can produce savings of around 25%, whatever the brand & model (not immense, but not to be sneezed at, either).

It seems to me that different bikes are likely to get different handling & wear results on any particular tyre. (Let's ignore riding habits for the moment). Don't be surprised if the tyre preference developed over your Norge experience doesn't transfer directly to the V85. It's a different animal, mate, and you'll likely have start the tyre-testing process all over again. There's a lot of fun right there.

Hmmm..
Yours and everyone else’s comments are well received Malik. Most of the difference is probably in my head, but that’s one of the only 2 things I make my decisions with...
The facts tend to bear you guys out it needs to be said, but I am now too old to tip into a corner a bit faster than I should and think...”Ahhh Shinko’s, now I feel better...”
Michelin just “sounds” sticky and I don’t go through as many sets of underwear.
I even like the look of the name on the side...(I’m bloody hopeless).

[antmanbee]

Most of the difference is probably in my head, but that’s one of the only 2 things I make my decisions with...

I'm sure you are referring to either your gut or your heart.
I just can't figure out which?

[Lannis]

I rarely run tires until the tread is gone. At some point the worn shape of the tires on most bike and tire combinations starts to interfere with my enjoyment of the ride, and at that point I change them.  Usually for me and my bikes that point comes before 4000 miles, often half that depending on the bike, and more expensive tires are often worse than less expensive tires. For my use, I’ve found no correlation between cost and value with motorcycle tires.

Add to that ... the very few punctures I've had have generally come on tires in their last 30% of life, when I'm already noticing the degraded handling.   

Thinner tread, easier to puncture, not as good in the rain, and degraded handling - it's just not worth it to me in order to delay spending (Guzzi Content) money on a new tire that I have to get anyway ....

Lannis

[Huzo]

I'm sure you are referring to either your gut or your heart.
I just can't figure out which?

I reckon it’s my heart..
Easiest place to find a pulse.

[Kiwi_Roy]

When I read the title I thought you were asking for a smack in the teeth lol

[Huzo]

When I read the title I thought you were asking for a smack in the teeth lol

Jeez KR...
It never occurred to me...!

[wyno]

I thought the same thing Pete. I was willing to help you out  lol.

[Huzo]

I believe the term is “self deprecating”.