Michelin kept a lid on new tyre announcements during the latter months of 2021, but we can now officially confirm that the new Road 6 is on the market – we’ve even had our first delivery of selected sizes!
This brand new sport touring tyre will come in a wide range of sizes, with the usual GT version for heavyweight bikes too. One key change will be the absence of a separate ‘Trail’ version; adventure bikes like the BMW GS and Triumph Tiger will now fit the standard Road 6 in the appropriate sizes.
When the Road 5 was launched a few years ago, there were clear differences between it and the Pilot Road 4 which it superseded. However, the differences between the Road 5 and the Road 6 may not be so clear to the naked eye.
That being said, Michelin’s engineers have been working hard to improve on the market leader, and they make some impressive claims about the new Road 6!
- 10% longer treadlife
- 15% better wet grip
The tread pattern and 100% silica compound have both been re-worked to boost wet weather performance and mileage.
Michelin’s unique XST EVO technology first appeared on the Road 5, but they’ve made significant improvements and refinements since that tyre debuted in 2018. The technology sees the 3D tread sipes become wider as the tyre wears to help maintain optimum rates of water evacuation throughout the lifespan of the tyre.
The below image shows the two tread patterns side by side, with the Road 5 on the left and the brand new Road 6 on the right.
There’s also the addition of Michelin’s proven 2CT+ technology to the front tyre, which as a result boosts cornering stability.
The French firm’s 2CT+ is an evolution of dual compound technology, and it sees the softer shoulder compound supported by a layer of the harder centre compound which runs underneath. This improves the rigidity of the tyre at lean to give that improved stability, especially under strong braking or acceleration.
In total there will be 18 different sizes including the GT variants, all of which will be available at Cambrian by mid January.
To make way for the new Road 6 at the top of Michelin’s sport touring range the Road 5 and Pilot Road 4 have dropped in price, while the Pilot Road 3 and Pilot Road 2 are now discontinued.
