Michelin has been making motorcycle tires since 1892. For context, that’s 11 years longer than Harley-Davidson has been making motorcycles. Now, it is out with its latest tire range for sport-touring motorcycles: the Michelin Road 6.
The folks at Michelin explained that the Road 6, with 100% Silica Technology, continues to make incremental gains in both grip and durability – qualities that tend to oppose each other – while preserving performance and comfort. The resulting Road 6 offers the dry grip and handling of the previous-generation Road 5, but with improved wet grip, stability, and longevity.
For a seat-of-the-pants evaluation, Michelin supplied a set of Road 6s in the GT spec, which is reinforced for the added weight of heavier sport-tourers, to mount on my 2014 BMW R 1200 RT. When the tires arrived, I noticed they share the more rounded, less pointy profile I’ve come to expect from Michelin’s sport-touring tires. (I’ve run Pilot Roads, Pilot Road 2s, and Pilot Road 3s on my Honda ST1300, and Pilot Road 4 GTs on my RT.) The rounded profile means turn-in is linear, not abrupt, which helps deliver smooth, predictable transitions. That familiar characteristic inspires confidence in the bike’s handling and stability – especially on a big sport-tourer loaded with gear or a passenger – and it was immediately apparent with the new Road 6 GTs.
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Michelin invented dual-compound rubber for motorcycles. The latest evolution, called 2CT+ in Michelin-speak, is designed to enhance stability in strong acceleration, cornering, and heavy braking. The dual-compound construction has been standard on rear tires in the Road range, but with the Road 6, Michelin applies it to front tires too.
The Road 6 also features a new Michelin technology called Water Evergrip, a sipe design that allows the tires to evacuate water consistently, even as they wear. A cross-section shows each sipe starting narrow at the tread’s surface, then flaring inward. With normal wear, the sipe grows shallower but also wider. Michelin designed special 3-D, metal-printed molds to manufacture tires including these clever sipes. Combined with revised angles in their sister grooves, they help achieve a constant void ratio, so water evacuation capabilities remain constant regardless of lean angle.
To see for myself, I went riding in a downpour. On wet, curvy roads in my home region of western Massachusetts, my RT shod with Road 6 GTs felt planted across a wide range of speeds and during intentionally hard braking.
As the deluge continued, I stopped in a parking lot to get some photos. A man in an SUV pulled up.
“You OK?”
I’m fine, thanks.
“Why on earth are you out in this?”
I’m evaluating some new motorcycle tires that are designed to be better in wet conditions.
“That’s nuts. Go home!”
Thanks, I’m heading in that direction.
I was able to ride several hundred more miles on these tires before the publication deadline, though obviously it will take several thousand miles to report that they’re still as good in the wet as when new. That said, the new Water Evergrip technology is an innovative concept that takes some cool engineering to pull off.
As for tread life predictions, close to a quarter million miles in the saddle has taught me that tire life varies with the quality of road surfaces, how much weight a bike carries, how hard a rider accelerates, brakes, and turns, and no doubt other factors. Time and distance will tell.
The bottom line so far? I really like how these new Michelin Road 6 GT tires feel on my RT.
For more information, visit michelinman.com/motorcycle.
Very helpful — and well written — review.
Thanks,
Duane L.
Thanks for braving the elements to garner some good impressions for us. I’m running Road 4’s on my BMW K1600GT and I really noticed how the voids on the Road 5 and now Road 6 are so much larger/deeper than they are on the Road 4.
Appreciate the info!
I bought a set of Road 6 GTs to shod my Triumph Speed Triple RS…
Are you still laughing?!?
Sounds a bit nuts to put these on a 450 lb sport bike, but I’m setting up the bike for a 4,000 mile tour of the east coast this summer and the excellent all-weather handling combined with extra toughness for carrying camping gear appealed to me. Feel free to touch base in late July if you’d like a non-professionals perception of how they performed.
Nice. I have the same bike and I’m looking at this article as I’m about ready to buy a pair. You’ve helped to convince me. Good luck with the trip!
I just bought a full set for my 2020 R1250GS with Vario bags. Total weight I think is over 600 lbs plus my 250. Its my first set of Michelins and I am looking forward to trying them out. I’m shedding a set of Dunlop Road IV’s – the rear went bald in the center at around 6 thousand miles which disappointed me a little; I am not an aggressive driver and go easy on the throttle 95% of the time. Hope I’ll be bragging about the Road 6 tires next year !!
I run road 6’s on my fz09 and they handle great in the blue ridge mountains. I once got caught in a torrential downpour on the interstate and with 2″ of water rolling down the road I still felt incredibly planted.
my comment is NOT positive. Been running Pilot (Road Pilot on ST 1300 and GS1200. Bought new Road 6 around February of 2022. It’s now Septemberv2022. Front tire looks worn out. 2,000 miles on tire . Highly disappointed. Expected MUCH better from Michelin. I seriously have to think about coutinuing with Michelin. My life is way too important to for crappy tires
I have been using Pilot Road since 2012 on my GSXR-750 commuting over 100 miles a day all year long. They have been great in the rain and at various speeds. I have been using Pilot Road on all my bikes. I am good on my tires and rarely accelerate hard but corner hard to have even wear with the center. My current commuter bike is a f800GT with 106K miles and I’ve only replaced the tires 4 times since I bought the bike with 7k miles. They are amazing in the rain and awesome in corning, these will be my tire of choice on my commute bikes.
I too think these are great tires (on my r1200RT). My only complaint is that they are not near as quiet as the older Pilot 4’s, which are still my favorite all around touring tire.
Great review in my opinion. I know that Road 5 is also a premium touring summer tire from Michelin and they are much more suited to open roads and riding long distances.
Now, if Michelin will just start making them in more sizes. I have a vintage 1973 Kawasaki Z1 900 that takes 18″rear and 19″ front tires. Currently, the Road 6 is only available in 17″rear and the narrowest 19-in front tire they offer is a 110, which is probably too wide. Need a 120 18-in rear and a 100 19-in front. But, no one cares about the classics.
Road 5 is great tire. It’s worth noting that as this tire wears down, traction on wet surfaces isn’t compromised.
I’m sorry but I tried a set of the previous model on my ’19 Triumph Speed Triple & they were the worst tires I’ve used to date. I’m a moderately quick rider & like taking long rides in the Ozarks. Of the Dunlops, Pirellis, Metzlers & Bridgestones I’ve used the Michelins were, by far, the worst I’ve used! I have NOTHING against Michelin as they make my favorite car & truck tires (Miata/Focus ST) and truck (Ram 1500) tires, by far! This is what has perplexed me so! The bike tires wore poorly & handled poorly relative to all the others. I was shocked & Triple checked pressures, no apparent manufacturing defects – it’s a mystery to me.