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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