First ride 2023

[NotDeadYet]

I’ve been getting 12,500 kms plus or minus out of the last 3 or 4 sets of Road 5’s. The fronts always have life left but I change the fronts and rears at the same time anyway. I expect the same mileage (maybe a bit better) out of the Road 6. I put the 6 on a friend’s 14 for him but he hasn’t put many miles on them yet. I’ve ridden his bike since we put them on and I like the way they feel. They transformed his bike from the worn / squared off Metzlers he had on there.

[Moise]

I was looking at my rear tire and checked my maintenance logs. I was surprised to see I've got just over 10,000 kms on the current Michelin Road 5's I have on. They don't look bad, I think I can get another 2500 kms out of the rear but that will be it. I was online yesterday pricing out the Michelin Road 6. They are my choice for my next new shoes.

There is still some sand and gravel at the intersections and on the corners here too. Caution is definitely in order when riding early in the season in our neck of the woods.

I replaced the Road 5's on the R1 at 14,000 km. That's about twice the mileage I used to get from sports tyres, and I'd say the Road 5 has at least as much grip as the Metzeler M7RR. The front might have lasted another 2,000 km but better to replace both tyres at the same time.

One change that has been made to the Road 6 is the use of "100% Michelin silica technology" tyre compounds to improve wet grip. That means the end of the grippy carbon black shoulder compounds, and, from what I've heard, less edge grip on dry roads. I bought another set of Road 5's...

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[BillDownUnder]

Road 6 on the front of the ZZR - feels fine.
Road 5 on the rear.

[CrazyTrain]

I rode the 14R from Houston to Dallas on backroads through East Texas Friday - 325 miles. Cloudy and dry with perfect temps. Dallas rush hour that I hoped to avoid by taking a country route around the East side was to no avail - the traffic sucked.

Spent Saturday with my cousins near Frisco, North of town.

Sunday I met Leo off this site and his 2002 ZZR and my buddy James and his C14 on the South side of Ft Worth. Rode a lotta backroads SW of town - our old haunts before I moved to Houston - and had lunch at Hard 8 BBQ in Stephenville. Together we rode some great sweeper roads for another hour afterwards, then split to go our separate ways.

I took backroads all the way back to Houston, never getting on an interstate. Perfect weather and a gorgeous afternoon. Green fields the entire day and wildflowers in full bloom. Avoided getting anywhere close to Austin. I always avoid Austin. Got started at 730 that morning; put the bike away at 7 pm that evening. 495 miles. I was glad to get off the bike. My cruising speed was 70-80 mph with blasts above to pass or when riding the fun stuff with James & Leo. 40.0 MPG for the whole trip. My back tire - a Bridgestone T32GT that had already done a weekend in Arkansas - still looks pretty good.

001 244 Northbound ZX14R.jpg
1238 Southbound
Outbound on Friday
002 244 Northbound ZX14R.jpg

009 Hard 8_Leo James.jpg
Leo & James @ Hard 8 BBQ

010 219_1238_James Leo.jpg
James & Leo @ intersection of 219 & 1238

011 219_1238 Chris ZX14R.jpg
Me

012 1238 Southwards ZX14R.jpg
Curvy 1238 Southbound

013 Crawford TX Bluebonnets.jpg
Bluebonnets near Crawford TX

[Sirpolex]

A couple of weeks ago I took the chance of the national juvenile swim race of my daughter in Riccione, for a motorcycle trip.

IMG_20230402_095619.jpg

I started the trip from Fucino,:
Screenshot_2023-03-30-21-31-16-47_3d9111e2d3171bf4882369f490c087b4.jpg

passing nearby L'Aquila:

IMG_20230330_180346.jpg

toward the adriatic coast. I slept in Porto Recanati.
IMG_20230330_203933.jpg
I crossed Conero (Ancona):
IMG_20230331_090805.jpg

I visited San Marino:

IMG_20230331_184151.jpg

... and then, on the way back, I crossed Appenino nearby Gubbio.
I started with the sun...
EFFECTS.jpg
But I got some rain in Umbria.

[oldgreykaw]

A couple of weeks ago I took the chance of the national juvenile swim race of my daughter in Riccione, for a motorcycle trip.

IMG_20230402_095619.jpg

I started the trip from Fucino,:
Screenshot_2023-03-30-21-31-16-47_3d9111e2d3171bf4882369f490c087b4.jpg

passing nearby L'Aquila:

IMG_20230330_180346.jpg

toward the adriatic coast. I slept in Porto Recanati.
IMG_20230330_203933.jpg
I crossed Conero (Ancona):
IMG_20230331_090805.jpg

I visited San Marino:

IMG_20230331_184151.jpg

... and then, on the way back, I crossed Appenino nearby Gubbio.
I started with the sun...
EFFECTS.jpg
But I got some rain in Umbria.

I'd be cool with some rain in Umbria...Just saying

[gregness]

FINALLY! Today I got my first ride of 2023 in. At least the roads were pretty clean, and it was a gorgeous spring day for a 110 mile jaunt. Last ride for this rear tire... I have had the new one sitting here for a year, wanted to be sure I got my money's worth out of the old one. As you can see, mission accomplished. Hard to believe it has been 6.5 months since my last ride, so glad to be back in the saddle. Took my normal route over to Plummer Idaho, did one sprint up to 155, cruised at 80 most of the time. The ususal.

First Ride 2023.jpg Need Tire -2023.jpg

[CrazyTrain]

I think you could probably still get another 5-10 miles out of that back tire, Greg

[NotDeadYet]

Good job Greg. I’m trying out the same program on my current tires. I have new ones in the garage and ready to go on but as long as I’m riding local I’m going to get every last mile out of the ones currently on the bike.

[gregness]

I was just updating my maintenance log and realized that rear tire only has 2500 miles on it. I got to quit doing 0-160 mph pulls!
And I am switching to ST tires next time for sure.

[Moise]

I was just updating my maintenance log and realized that rear tire only has 2500 miles on it. I got to quit doing 0-160 mph pulls!
And I am switching to ST tires next time for sure.

Modern ST tyres are great. I had a bad experience with the Dunlop Roadsmart on the ZZR1200 about 10 years ago, but am very happy with the Road 5 on the R1.

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[CHARLIE]

I ran Road5's then Power5's but I tried some Conti sport attack 4's right now. So far, great tire. Took a while to get used to them after a couple of sets of the Michelins
but they work really good. I don't travel anywhere so an ST tire would be better if I did, but for Sunday afternoon wild hairs, these work well. I've got about 1200-1500
miles on them so far. If I get 4500 or so, I'll be fine.