I will start with the fact that I am a fan of the Michelin Pilot Road line of tires. I used the Pilot Road 1 tires on a Yamaha YZF1000 with great results. A couple of years later, I spooned on a pair of Pilot Road 2s on a Triumph Sprint 955. Again, I was more than happy with the predictable grip and longevity of the tires. With that history in mind, you can see why I am excited to hear of the release of the new Pilot Road 3 tires.
The Pilot Roads are street tires geared to the aggressive sport-touring crowd. I am part of that crowd, and thus am the target market for the new Pilot Road 3 which debuted in January. I was pleased to see that the Road 3 tread pattern is very reminiscent of that on the Road 2. That clean, well-designed pattern has taken me safely through thousands of miles of twisties.
However, as similar as it may look at first glance, a closer inspection reveals something new. While the wider grooves are much like the Road 2 pattern, there are new thinner groves that trace their way laterally on the front tires and diagonally on the rear.
Michelin calls these new groves “X-Sipe Technology.” At first, I figured these new grooves were intended to attract showroom attention, only to wear away quickly on the road. I was sorely mistaken. The new X-Sipes are full-tread-depth, so the benefit will be felt through the life of the tires. This is refreshing considering some of the new tread patterns on the market that are only superficial. These sipes are particularly beneficial for wet weather traction.
So it appears that the new Michelin Road 3 tires are going surpass the prior generation Pilot Roads in traction, but what about those long wearing attributes that I mentioned earlier? Michelin says that the new Pilot Roads will surpass the Road 2s in this area as well. The new tires incorporate Michelin’s latest dual compound technology so they are designed to last.
So there you have it. It seems that Michelin has made a great tire even better. The new Pilot Road 3 tires are sure to become a favorite with road riders, especially those of the sport-touring variety. The Pilot Road 3 is available in a wide range of sizes for fitment on virtually every popular, modern sport and sport-tourer. For more information, go to www.michelinmotorcycle.com.
