My Michelin Pilot Activ Rear/Front Tire Opinions

[jackt]

I have seen posts that say it doesn't matter which way its mounted.
This tire must be run backwards, because of the way the belts are on this tire and of course the front tire does a lot of the braking.
Running this tire the correct way can???? peel the rubber right off.

 

[Konrad]

I have seen posts that say it doesn't matter which way its mounted.
This tire must be run backwards, because of the way the belts are on this tire and of course the front tire does a lot of the braking.
Running this tire the correct way can???? peel the rubber right off.

I just ordered the MPA and the subject of forward or reverse mounting is quite interesting. I understand it has to do with the way the belts are lapped, at least that was the original theory which, I believe, has changed.


So my question is: are we dealing with personal opinion here or substantiated fact? And if fact, where does it come from? Are there any bona fide studies or statements from Michelin?

Inquiring minds wish to know.

 

[drumdoctor]

:Shrug:

Just thinkin here... The tread on a tire was designed to provide traction and displace water when it rains.

When you reverse a tire,what happens when you ride in the rain?

Just curious...

:wave4:

 

[skuuter]

Mine is mounted "Straight Up", and have ridden another 4 Trikes with Them mounted in reverse. I finally got to ride one in HEAVY rain about 2 months ago, and these are my "PERSONAL" opinions:

(A) They seem noisier than straight up

(B) The one in the rain did not clean the water out from under it as well, and I could hydroplane it much easier/the siping grooves are backwards this way

I am going to mount my next one backwards just for the sake of a Long Term Comparison for my Personal References. I'm on my second one now mounted straight up.....ThumbUp

 

[trucker]

I just ordered the MPA and the subject of forward or reverse mounting is quite interesting. I understand it has to do with the way the belts are lapped, at least that was the original theory which, I believe, has changed.


So my question is: are we dealing with personal opinion here or substantiated fact? And if fact, where does it come from? Are there any bona fide studies or statements from Michelin?

Inquiring minds wish to know.

Konrad

Look at your email.

 

[trucker]

I am having a Roadsmith installed on my 2009 GW.:Excited:
I wrote to Roadsmith and asked what tire to run on the front and what direction and here is what I got:

Michelin Pilot Activ
130/70/18 Rear
Centramatic Wheel Balancers
40psi (Roadsmith)

Did you say to put the front tire on in reverse direction? (me)

Yes, mount the tire in reverse direction. (Roadsmith)

So there you have it right from Roadsmith what they recommend.ThumbUp

I told you people what I got from Roadsmith themselves. :Shrug:

 

[jtilmon]

I mounted my MPA "straight up" a GW / Roadsmith and it handles great. I did not mount in reverse because the installer and I saw where Shuuter said it was noisier than straight up. I have approx. 800 miles on it now and the trike handles much better than before, could not believe the difference. Road the mountains in East TN. and Norht Carolina recently and was great in the curves and downhill braking. Been in rain once and I was impressed with the way it handled there. As to stopping - no problem.

jtilmon

 

[jfingalls]

I had mine installed straight up by choice but the installer said he would refuse to install it reverse rotation if I requested it. That is because he said the manufacturer would not be responsible if something drastic occurs. Guess why, because they recommended it be mounted as directed on the tire (rear or front). Makes sense to me. Check out the survey on this Forum that asked if anyone has ever heard of a tire failing at the bonded edge when mounted straight up and so far nobody had knowledge of a failure. So as some people have stated, it is a personal opinion. Being an engineer all my life, I relay on facts and empirical data so I'm sticking with the straight up mounting theory.

 

[Cycleguy]

From two other sites.

"A quick call to Michelin Customer Relations Cycle Group (1-800-346-4098) confirmed that this “Rear tire” is used best when mounted in reverse direction on a trike."

"Why do we run the Michelin Pilot Activ (MPA) in reverse direction/rotation on a trike? Simple answer. Michelin Customer Relations Cycle Group (1-800-346-4098) recommends it."

"At the Honda Hoot 2006, needing a new front tire, I stopped in the Michelin Tire booth and asked if they had a good tire for the front of a trike. There were 3 factory representatives in the booth and they told me they did not have a specific trike tire but recommended their Pilot Activ mounted in reverse rotation - which made very little sense to me.

They stood an MPA next to a normal front tire for a GoldWing and showed me the direction of tire tread pattern and explained that for the tread to be in the proper direction, the tire should be mounted in reverse rotation. Then they turned the tire around and I could see what they were telling me.

Then, as George P. explained above, they talked about the construction of the tire and how a rear tire was made for acceleration and a front for deceleration."

I got a similar answer from Bridgestone.

I remember in the past a tire with opposing arrows for direction, one labeled front, one rear.

That said, people seem to run them both ways, and I've never heard of one coming apart.

 

[trucker]

I called Michelin Customer Relations Cycle Group (1-800-346-4098) and spoke to a Greg.
I asked them about putting a MPA rear tire on the front of my trike and what direction is recommended.
He then told me that Michelin does not promote or discourage people from using this tire for this application since it was not designed for that application.
He then said Michelin realizes that people are using this tire and having great results.
He then explained with having this tire in the rear it was designed for accelleration but putting this tire in the front it increases braking power when put in reverse direction. ThumbUp
So mount your tire in reverse direction and let's RIDE! :GL1800:

 

[drumdoctor]

:Shrug:

How does a tire react in the rain when you mount it backwards?

When it is mounted in the standard position, the grooves move the water out and away from the tire--so what does it do in the rain?

Does mounting it backwards make it more dangerous, even though you are getting great mileage out of it.

Just curious...

 

[chaz_36]

:Shrug:

How does a tire react in the rain when you mount it backwards?

When it is mounted in the standard position, the grooves move the water out and away from the tire--so what does it do in the rain?

Does mounting it backwards make it more dangerous, even though you are getting great mileage out of it.

Just curious...

I'm certainly not a tire engineer and logically it would seem that tire grooves should point the same way on both front and rear. George P. posted pictures of the Pilot tire & tread several months ago.....and it appears from those pictures (and my observation) that if you do not reverse the tire on the front the grooves will acutually be in the wrong direction for correct water dispersal. He also posted a picture of another motorcycle tire that had rotation arrows pointed in both directions, one marked for front tire use and the other for rear so this is not an unusual practice.
Anyway, this is just FWIW - certainly draw your own conclusions.
I currently have a MPA mounted in reverse with 19,000 miles, no cupping, no buzz, lots of tread left, never a problem riding in the wet...
Charlie

 

[Cycleguy]

:Shrug:

How does a tire react in the rain when you mount it backwards?

When it is mounted in the standard position, the grooves move the water out and away from the tire--so what does it do in the rain?

Does mounting it backwards make it more dangerous, even though you are getting great mileage out of it.

Just curious...

If you are curious, why not call Michelin customer service and ask? You'll get a far more reliable answer than here.

It appears to me that running it in reverse is recommended by the tire companies, I have direct experience with Bridgestone, a BT-45, and a GL1800 trike. Everyone I've seen who posted about consulting a tire company, said the recommendation was reverse. Here's another:

"In case a rear tyre is fitted on a front wheel, the tyre has to be fitted reverse to the rotating direction indicated on the sidewall."

http://www.metzelermoto.com/web/products/technology/readingasidewall/default.page

Here's a picture of a tire someone posted, designed for both front and rear.

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo265/kj5ix/Tech Tips/triearrows.jpg

Good enough for me. Others may disagree.

 

[trucker]

This Post is getting just like if you talk Politics or Religion....it never ends and usually someone gets _issed off.
What more do people want ......We called tire companies & trike manufacturers and tell you want they have said! :Shrug:
Please call these places yourself and ask these questions so they suit you.
Let's RIDE! :GL1800:
This post is like beating a dead horse...................you get nowhere with some people! :LordHelp:

 

[Stephen]

This Post is getting just like if you talk Politics or Religion....it never ends and usually someone gets _issed off.
What more do people want ......We called tire companies & trike manufacturers and tell you want they have said! :Shrug:
Please call these places yourself and ask these questions so they suit you.
Let's RIDE! :GL1800:
This post is like beating a dead horse...................you get nowhere with some people! :LordHelp:

I just deleted myself from a goldwing forum for this very reason... The preachin and the prayin, the whining and crying. Lotta good info there just got to look it up and not bother with the rest. :Trike1:

 

[Texas Jac]

I'm new to Trike riding, just purchased a '93 Goldwing SE 1500 with a Motor Trike conversion & 5 degree rake. I need a new tire on the front and found your information very helpful. However I was also wondering about the size of the tire. The current tire is a Dulop E3 130X70X18 tubeless. I was told by a dealer that increasing the size to 130X80 would make steering even easier.

Any comments?

 

[Gorilla]

Welcome aboard TEXAS JAC. He is probably right, but it will also throw off your speedo. If I remember correctly the speedo is driven off the front wheel on a 1500. I might be wrong because it's been awhile since I've had one.

 

[Lucky]

You are correct Gorilla.I run a mpa reversed and am completely satisfied with it.RIDE SAFE

 

[skuuter]

No need to have ANY bickering about ANY of this..."AND"...Actual "Hands On" useage is ALWAYS the Best Personal Tests of Anything. As stated, I'm on my 2nd MPA mounted straight up, and with different air pressures (slightly higher) this time around for comparisons. My next one, as stated, will be mounted in reverse (...although I've been perfectly content with straight up) just to be able to post some actual Personal Opinions and Comparisons here on TRIKE TALK.com...ThumbUp...For instance, my 2010 Gold Wing Motor Trike IRS has had 3 Brands of aftermarket Fork Springs in it, before I settled totally on the Progressive Brand. They work Best for ME...!!! I read all of the Tech Info I can get, plus make Manufacturer Inquiries, but still I prefer using the Actual Products before making my decisions on Equipment. I also ride as many "Other Trikes" as the Owners will allow...Future Reverse Mounted Michelin Pilot Activ Long Term Test coming as soon as I wear this second one out.....ThumbUp

 

[cjmitch]

Last Feb I went to the dealer show in Indy.
I had a talk with the Michelin reps about the MPA and trikes issue.
Saying without saying, he told me that it is impeative thet you REVERS Ethe direction of thtis tire.
The tire is designed in its standard mounting to be a rear tire, and push water out from under the tire using different physics, this can be noted by the direction of the tread as opposed to a FRONT tire.
It is possible in certain condition to actually have the tire (WORES THAN DOING NOTHING) actually pump WATER UNDER the tire.

Again he said this without saying this, in a " Weell if I were doing this then....."

There IS another tire manufacturer working on a complete trike tire "SET" 2-rear / 1-front". However I am not at liberty to say who that manufacturer was/is. Perhaps it will be at this years dealer show.

Do what ever you wish but...
Bottome line...be safe....
Run it backwards

 

[Tri-3]

I purchased the Michelin Pilot Activ rear tire and had it mounted on the front of my 08 GW1800 Roadsmith Conv. The Honda dealer would not mount it spinning backward because of liability. I keep the tire pressure between 38-40PSI. I have a high frequency vibration at speeds from 25-30mph since it was mounted over 15K miles ago. wear has been good, 2x more than typical front tires, but I have the vibration. You can see the cause of the vibration in the tire, it looks like there are recessed areas designed for traction on the rear. They have been there since mile one. I will need a new tire for next season, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. :Shrug:

 

[Badon3]

Hi i have run a mich rear tire on all my trikes 2002 1800 wing and 99 valk interstate --always get between 34,000 and 40,000 miles on the tire never had a problem --run 35 lbs cold tire lasts along time --friend has 47,000 miles on his front tire and still looks ok alittle thin but no cupin i think its the only way to go

 

[skuuter]

Hi i have run a mich rear tire on all my trikes 2002 1800 wing and 99 valk interstate --always get between 34,000 and 40,000 miles on the tire never had a problem --run 35 lbs cold tire lasts along time --friend has 47,000 miles on his front tire and still looks ok alittle thin but no cupin i think its the only way to go

WOW...!!!...34,000 to 40,000 miles on one Tire....mine has gotten no cupping yet at 8500 on the second Pilot Activ after going to 42lbs of air, but no way I'll ever be able to even get 20,000 out of one. I got about 15,000 out of my first one using around 39lbs of air...shooting for 18,000 this time...!!!!!

 

[sgmdudley]

I ran the Michelin M50 on my 1989 GL1500 CSC Trike. Rear Tire mounted backwards for the front. 130/70-18. Bias.
Now have the Pilot Activ Rear Bias (130/70-18) mounted backwards on the front on my 2009 GL18. I have 16K now and still lots of rubber left. Run 40 psi.
.
One thing to remember about the tires that used to be run on motorcycles long ago. They had the same size front and rear. The tires had TWO Directional arrows. One direction if mounted in front, the other direction if mounted in the rear. I think the same thing should be true for the tires we run today.
.
Last Saturday I took a ride where I ended up going uphill in ice/packed snow and sand. I run a Kumho Run-Flat car tire in the rear and it only slipped once for a micro second. The front tire never slipped. I was in 1st and holding speed low as I went down the hill (temp was 26 degrees). By the time I reached the dealer, I had mud built up on the front behind the front tire and snow under the Tow-Pac fenders. Traction was not a problem.

 

[glmarker]

THe one thing I have been wondering about and havent seen addressed is mixing radial tires on the back of the trike with the bias ply in front. Thoughts?

 

[Badon3]

I have run 30,000 and replaced it because it was 4 years old my buddy has 43,000 miles and still going !!!!!!

 

[skuuter]

THe one thing I have been wondering about and havent seen addressed is mixing radial tires on the back of the trike with the bias ply in front. Thoughts?

Since there are "3", it seems to make no difference, especially since the Rears are Car tires and not really matched to the Front Motorcycle Tire in Construction, Tread Hardness, etc. .....I've gained two more "Test Bed Trikes" with the Pilot Activ mounted in my area. My Local Honda dealer mounted one straight up (like mine), and one reversed. Reversed One is on a 2008 GL1800 Motor Trike, the Other on a 2009 GL1800 California Side Car. Haven't been able to get em' to ride with me or join TRIKE TALK "yet", but workin' on it.....They tend to ride with each Other, but came and talked to me before doin' the Tire Swap.....ThumbUp:Trike1:

 

[skuuter]

Just starting to cup my second one "ever so slightly".....

 

[skuuter]

Just starting to cup my second one "ever so slightly".....

OK.....here is a "quick cure" for the above...do not do this on tight, twisty roads (it wouldn't help anyway on those roads), where You need good grip and side bite. I inflated my front tire (always thought about trying this, but never did) to 55 lbs and ran the Interstate for about 70 miles, got off,let it back down to my usual 42 lbs......smoothed it right out. Guess I'll see if this is a fairly long term quick cure, or a very short lived fluke. It has remained cured for 111 miles right now.....time will tell..... ThumbUp

 

[heliv8r]

I am on my 2nd MPA on my 2010 GW with Motor Trike. The 1st one had 15000 when I changed it but could have gone 5K more. The cupping can be fixed on 1800 GW. by adding Centramatic balancers. These are rings with floating beads in them. The are about $200.00 but are the best thing I have ever put on my GW. There is not vibration at all from the front wheel. No need to even balance a new tire.