Michelin Pilot Road 4
MICHELIN PILOT ROAD 4
IGNITION
NEWS
The secret is in the siping, compounds, construction
IMMEDIATELY, I NOTED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN STEERING LIGHTNESS AND NEUTRALITY.
Michelin has rolled out several new motorcycle radials over the past two years, revamping its entire product line. The latest addition is the Pilot Road 4, which promises performance and longevity beyond that of the Pilot Road 3.
Like its sport-touring predecessor, the Pilot Road 4 features Michelin’s patented X-Sipe Technology (XST) integrated into the tread pattern. Located between the large tread grooves, these thin sipes slice through surface water and channel the moisture into circular water reservoirs along each sipe resulting in more rubber in contact with the road. The Pilot 4 introduces XST+, adding a slight chamfer to the edge of the sipes, said to eliminate abnormal wear from braking during dry conditions.
Michelin touts the Pilot 4’s wet braking performance, citing independent tests that show the tire outperforms its closest rival by 17 percent in wet stopping. Furthermore, the Road 4 is said to achieve this degree of added safety while providing up to 20 percent longer wear life than its predecessor.
In addition to the standard version, the Road 4 also comes in Trail and GT variants. Tailored for adventure bikes, the Trail uses a medium center compound and soft shoulder 2CT (dual compound) front and rear. The standard and GT front use the same combination, buttherearhasahard center and a medium shoulder. The GT rear, designed for improved cornering stability with heavier sport-touring bikes, has a casing featuring Michelin 2AT (Dual Angle Technology) that employs a combination of bias and radial construction, resulting in a 15-percent increase in tire rigidity.
I joined Michelin for a press ride that originated in Los Angeles, headed over Angeles Crest Highway, and on to Big Bear Lake aboard our 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 longterm bike with a fresh set of standard Road 4s replacing the original-fitment tires.
Immediately, I noted a significant improvement in steering lightness and neutrality. Stability, both straight-line and while cornering, proved superb, and the level of dry cornering grip is very well suited to the Ninja’s sporty potential. It was a particularly windswept day with more than a few dirt-strewn corners, yet my confidence remained high.
Southern California hasn’t experienced a drop of rain since the Pilot Road 4s were mounted on our Ninja, and while I can’t attest to Michelin’s wet-performance claims, I can say there has been no discernible deterioration in handling or dry grip overthe 800 miles I’ve racked up thus far. -Don Canet
