Thanks to Michelin's
use of additive metal
manufacturing—a
unique form of 3D
printing—the all-new
Road 5 benefits from
progressive, water-
flushing sipes and
channels, which are
said to help the tire
maintain wet-weather
performance over
the duration of its
lifespan.
conclusion that Michelin got it right.
The Road 5 made an immediate im-
pression on us with its quick warmup
time and easy break-in process. Being
a brand-new tire on a rather brisk
morning, the confidence for "spirited"
riding off the bat wasn't quite there.
Thankfully, the Road 5 managed to
scrub in and build heat quickly, which
created grip and built our confidence
to chase after our Michelin only a few
miles into our ride.
On the twisty roads, the Road 5
showed its true potential. The Mi-
chelin is agile and begs to be rid-
den with aggression, making quick
backroads a blast on any size bike. It
possesses an ability to make a quick
turn in with ease, which is thanks
to a sharp front tire profile being
heavily based off of the company's
flagship sport tire—the Power RS.
Understeer was nearly nonex-
istent, and even if you get in to
a corner with a little too much
speed, the Road 5 has no prob-
lem carving back to the proper
line. Feel through the contact
patches of the tires to the asphalt
is also impressive for a sport-tour-
ing tire, and provides a good sense of
how much traction there is left to use.
As part of the Road 5's press
launch, Michelin was kind enough
to let us spin some laps aboard the
new tire on the racetrack, where it
is important to understand its limita-
tions at speed—but do remember, it is
a sport-touring tire. In general terms,
the Road 5 handles the racetrack well
at a moderate pace, but searching
for lap times isn't the tire's strong suit;
nor should it be. Under heavy braking,
the front tire's carcass will begin to
flex, creating a wallow that hinders the
ability to apply any more braking force.
The feel from the tires suffers slightly
Michelin uses its own ACT+ (Adaptive Casing Technology) to
further optimize both straight-line and cornering stability in the
all-new Road 5. The technology allows for cord plys to overlap
at close angles, boosting the rigidity in the sidewalls and
shoulders, without harming the flexibility of the crown.
MICHELIN ROAD 5
PRODUCT TEST
P102
