I was pleased to get 8500km out of Corsa III's and with the performance that they gave me. I am not an overly aggressive rider, but I found the Pirelli's stuck very well to the road...almost like riding on rails.
Before deciding on what to purchase, I went to the 1125R Superbike Board at Bad Weather Bikers and asked for suggestions. As expected, the feedback that I received was mixed and everyone had an opinion...that's the beauty of online forums. Since there did not seem to be consensus, I embarked further with my own research based on my riding style. As mentioned, I am not an overly aggressive rider and I do not ride the 1125R on the track...that's not to say that I don't enjoy the twisties and the opportunity to crank the throttle! Most of my riding is street/highway, so a dual compound tire is what I was looking for, something with decent grip and good wear. Two tires came to the forefront for me, the Michelin Pilot Road 2 and the Michelin Pilot Road 3. Reviews at Web Bike World and Visor Down swayed me in the direction of the Pilot Road 3.
I searched online and checked with local dealers and found the best price at the local Yamaha dealer, almost 30% lower than any other price I could find. The service manager at the Yamaha dealer happens to be my neighbor, so we worked out the final pricing and an installation time. He knows how fussy I am about my bikes, so I was confident that the dealership could handle the job with a little direction from me.
To assist the Yamaha dealer, I wrote a wheel removal/installation guide for a 2009 Buell 1125R. I consulted with the Bad Weather Bikers 1125R Superbike Board and my Twitter friend Jase at Hellcat Customs prior to putting the guide together. I also watched JDugger's YouTube videos on 1125R wheel removal...check out my 1125R Wheel Removal/Installation Guide. Upon arrival at the Yamaha dealer, I asked to speak to the technician who would be working on my 1125R. I provided the technician with the guide and went through it with him. Two hours later, my new tires were installed and the 1125R was good to go!
Pilot Road 3 Rear
Pilot Road 3 Front
Since the installation, I have put approximately 300km on the Pilot Road 3's. So far they feel good, but I have to put a few more miles on them before I am as confident on the bike as I was with the Corsa III's. Stay tuned for a follow up report! Until next time, ride safe!
