michelin rear tire

[olderman]

Hello all-- I now have about 5200 miles on my 14 R S and need a new rear tire. I am thinking about a Michelin Defender 215 /60 R /15 for the replacement.
Any thoughts --good / bad about this brand and model ? Any help would be a help, as I have ordered it and will be picking it up (?maybe ) this coming week.
Thanks for your help !

[R FUN]

I installed the Michelin Hydroedge which is the one the defender replaced. I love the tire. I have 10,000 miles on it with 2/32nd wear off the 10/32nd when new.
The defender should do just as good as I think all they did was change the tread design.
Roger

[billybovine]

Several people have reported that size of tire does not fit on a RS because it hits the fender. Depending on the variables on your specific Spyder maybe you will have enough room.

You have been listening to those RT people haven't you.

[tigerdr]

Check the Michelin Primacy instead of the Defender. The thread is the difference. It's a very good tire. I have an HydroEdge in 215-60/R15 and it is like new after 15,000 miles.

[Gary]

try a vee rubber arachnid I have 3600 on mine and it still looks new. Don't beleve the bull that people on this web try to feed. I got good tires and they are for the spyder not a car... cheeper than the stock and so far they're running better.

[olderman]

As my EX wife used to say-- " Boy that was quick "
Thanks for the info and I will tell one and all how the Defender worked for me.

[olderman]

I installed the Michelin Hydroedge which is the one the defender replaced. I love the tire. I have 10,000 miles on it with 2/32nd wear off the 10/32nd when new.
The defender should do just as good as I think all they did was change the tread design.
Roger

Thanks for the quick reply--- BUT my ?? is " Do you ever loss the Spyder in the snow ( all white ? )"

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Several people have reported that size of tire does not fit on a RS because it hits the fender. Depending on the variables on your specific Spyder maybe you will have enough room.

You have been listening to those RT people haven't you.

......Even a 205/60 -15 is going to scrape the fender..........I had one and had to put small spacers on the fender ......Not a big deal, I had some 1/4 inch plastic ( the gray stuff ) plumbing tubing and made spacers from that......worked great........Mike

[olderman]

Several people have reported that size of tire does not fit on a RS because it hits the fender. Depending on the variables on your specific Spyder maybe you will have enough room.

You have been listening to those RT people haven't you.

I'm kind of new to Spyders ( not to motorcycles ) but I was hoping for a little more miles from the back tire. The Defender was $145.00 out the door. Seven months and a new tire--a little pricey, I think. I know I could have gone with a less pricey tire-- but --why. Maybe the Defender will last longer than 5200 miles. I can only pray. If I would take a trip back to Wisconsin, round trip would be about 5000 miles and I would be in the market for another tire.

[Highwayman2013]

I've got 11,000+ on a Michelin Primacy and it isn't half worn yet.

[robmorg]

Be aware that both the Defender and the Primacy have an asymmetric tread pattern. (Look at the pictures on tirerack.com.) Don't know if that's a concern for the Spyder or not - haven't seen that point discussed much here. But I think I would be looking for a symmetrical tread on a rear tire for the Spyder, since we are only mounting one at a time.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Be aware that both the Defender and the Primacy have an asymmetric tread pattern. (Look at the pictures on tirerack.com.) Don't know if that's a concern for the Spyder or not - haven't seen that point discussed much here. But I think I would be looking for a symmetrical tread on a rear tire for the Spyder, since we are only mounting one at a time.

I highly doubt an " ASYMMETRICAL " tread pattern is going to generate any force on the Spyder's handling.....if the tire blocks were as large as as say on a tractor and only going in one direction I would say MAYBE YES.......But those on on a Defender or Primacy NO !!!!!.....But there are some here ( not robmorg ) who will tell you if your front tires are off by as much as 1/4 lb. your Spyder will handle like CRAP ............Mike

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I installed the Michelin Hydroedge which is the one the defender replaced. I love the tire. I have 10,000 miles on it with 2/32nd wear off the 10/32nd when new.
The defender should do just as good as I think all they did was change the tread design.
Roger

I have one on my RT also. I can't give solid objective evidence but it seems to me like it likes to break loose on wet roads when starting out, more so than the Kenda did. So far that's been my only concern with the Hydroedge. Don't have any idea if the traction of the Defender and Primacy are stickier or not.

[Pampurrs]

Hello all-- I now have about 5200 miles on my 14 R S and need a new rear tire.

Yikes! 5200 miles?!? is that all I can expect out of my OEM rear tire?


Pam

[ARtraveler]

Yikes! 5200 miles?!? is that all I can expect out of my OEM rear tire?


Pam

RE: Rear tires.

2014 RT owners found a new rear tire set up. The came up with a stickier compound that did not last as long as previous versions. Many replaced their tires at about 5,000 miles. I got 8,900 out of mine.

Previous versions got me 15,000 miles plus. They now have a supposedly better compound for 2014 and up RT's. I have 6,000 on my new version of the tire and it still looks new.

Still have good tread on the fronts at 15,000 miles. Usually get 20K to 25K on those.

[robmorg]

Yikes! 5200 miles?!? is that all I can expect out of my OEM rear tire?


Pam

For about a year or so BRP was distributing "soft composite" tires to maximize road gripping ability. I have one on my 2013 RT that needs replaced now at 7200 miles. They went back to the harder composite sometime in 2014, so your 2015 RT should get more mileage out of your OEM tire. Still, the Kendra tire is not known for it's long life, which is why there are so many threads here about mounting automotive tires.

Opps... I see akspyderman and I answered at the same time.

[olderman]

Yikes! 5200 miles?!? is that all I can expect out of my OEM rear tire?


Pam

I got the 14 r s in Nov. 2014 and have 5214 miles on the bike. I'm 72 years old and don't do any " hole shots " at the stop lights. I ride quite slow, but ride the canyons up above Ventura Ca. on highway 33 a lot. But not fast. I was kind of upset that I only got 5k miles out of the rear tire. Now I will be having a new tire put on this week and will keep track of the tread and miles , and give Spyderlovers a report every now and then.
Love the bike but the cost to keep up on the maintain is quite $$.
Remember " It's only money and a lot of fun." Enjoy the ride.

[BlueLghtning]

Several people have reported that size of tire does not fit on a RS because it hits the fender. Depending on the variables on your specific Spyder maybe you will have enough room.

You have been listening to those RT people haven't you.

......Even a 205/60 -15 is going to scrape the fender..........I had one and had to put small spacers on the fender ......Not a big deal, I had some 1/4 inch plastic ( the gray stuff ) plumbing tubing and made spacers from that......worked great........Mike

I'm sure not all tires are created equal in diameter, even in the same size range, but I'm running a 215/60-15 on the RS Sypder I'm borrowing and the tire isn't hitting the fender. So some will fit.

[lyonsden]

I have one on my RT also. I can't give solid objective evidence but it seems to me like it likes to break loose on wet roads when starting out, more so than the Kenda did. So far that's been my only concern with the Hydroedge. Don't have any idea if the traction of the Defender and Primacy are stickier or not.

I have the Michelin Hydroedge also and I will say it wears like iron. But it hydroplanes REALLY BAD!! If I had it to do over again I would leave the stock tire on it. When I do decide to trade up I'm pretty sure I will stay with the stock tire. JMO.

[Peter Aawen]

I have the Michelin Hydroedge also and I will say it wears like iron. But it hydroplanes REALLY BAD!!.....

Have you tried dropping the tyre pressure a little??

One of the warning signs that your tyre pressure might be a touch too high is if it hydroplanes easily; so dropping a couple of psi might fix that!!

[lyonsden]

Have you tried dropping the tyre pressure a little??

One of the warning signs that your tyre pressure might be a touch too high is if it hydroplanes easily; so dropping a couple of psi might fix that!!

I only run 25lbs now. Scared to go much lower. I think it is the harder compound that gives better tread life but also doesn't grip the road as well with the light weight of the spyder. You live and learn. In a heavy downpour I can't drive but 45 or it will hydroplane. Before I go on another long trip I will be replacing the tire. With the stock tire I never had that problem until if was almost bald.

[Peter Aawen]

25lbs isn't necessarily all that low, especially if you aren't getting any ride or handling issues normally associated with low tyre pressure; but, it is your call.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

25lbs isn't necessarily all that low, especially if you aren't getting any ride or handling issues normally associated with low tyre pressure; but, it is your call.

.....Remember, if you using a car tire that has the load capability for a 5000 lb car, the sidewalls are made far stiffer than the OEM kenda.....I have run my Michelin Hydro-edge as low as 12 lbs with no ill effects. ( this was for Drag Racing only ).....Lower your tire pressure to say 15 lbs. just to see what the sidewall looks like......I think it might surprise you........Mike

[Roadster Renovations]

I installed the Michelin Hydroedge which is the one the defender replaced. I love the tire. I have 10,000 miles on it with 2/32nd wear off the 10/32nd when new.
The defender should do just as good as I think all they did was change the tread design.
Roger

I also put the Hydroedge on about 11,000 miles ago and the tire is hardly worn. Never had a slipping issue in the rain. Very good traction! I expect to get 30k out of this tire and I will go to the defender class when I switch.

[tigerdr]

I have a Michelin HydroEdge on my rear wheel. In the last 15,250 miles, I never experience hydroplanning with this tire. The tire look like new.

In heavy rain, don't go to fast or (with any tire brand) you will feel hydroplanning.