Job wrote on 05/25/18 at 21:44:17: I do not know how you guys are getting the mileage you are getting. I have been riding bikes for 55 years and I admit I tend to ride it like I stole it. I ride in the San Juan mountains of Colorado and I love to ride the curves fast. I am hoping that I can finally get 2 years of riding out of a car tire. Jeff
That pretty much tells the story.......I am in the same situation and I only get 6,000 mile out of a tire.
I think I am only getting about 4,000 miles out of the
front Bridgestone BT-45s on both the Ninja and my Cafe' bike. (I won't buy them again as the little square tread blocks wear too quickly when you corner aggressively). The rear tires will likely last twice as long as the front!
The Michelin Commander is a hard "cruiser" tire, and what it gains in long mileage it loses in wet weather traction.
I have ridden with Badwolf, and he obtains his high mileage numbers by being kind to his tires. He does not punish them in the corners like I do, and he accelerates and brakes calmly - his tires and motorcycle appreciate his kindness and in return they will last a long time.
It has also been my experience that if you take a tire to the mountains that is nearing the end of it's tread life and is more than 5 years old and the afternoon temperatures are up around 90 - you can wear it out in 2 days! My wife and I went to Suches last year and I thought I could get the rest of the summer out of the tire.....but in two days the tread was gone and the back of the motorcycle was covered in black rubber shavings! (We did have a lot of fun wearing it out!).
I don't darkside - but I have been impressed by the performance and life they provide. Oldfeller and MMRanch made a believer out of me by proving they work just fine. It does look a bit odd when you are following them and see the bike lean over onto a somewhat squarish shoulder and half of the tread is up in the air = but in reality our rounded motorcycle tires are doing the same thing and most of the tread is not in contact with the pavement....the round profile just doesn't look as weird.