Michelin Road 5: Top technology for the tire that doesn't fear any season [LONG TEST]

The Michelin Road 5 needs no particular introduction: a multi-purpose tire designed by combining the most recent 2CT and 2CT+ technologies with latest generation compounds, combined in turn with active grooves called "evolutionary sipes". In fact, the To simplify everything, just keep in mind the shape of a drop of water (alveolus, in fact): the top of the drop - i.e. the narrowest part - is the one that is engraved in the surface in contact with the ground. Instead, drowned inside the compound is the largest area: as the rubber wears out, it uncovers these alveoli which create increasingly larger and more draining grooves in relation to the road travelled. This is the formula that allows Michelin Road 5 to maintain constant handling and grip characteristics on wet surfaces even with worn tread.

As we said previously, the 2CT+ compound is adopted at the rear: this involves the use of a firmer compound in the central part which is inserted under a softer compound used instead on the shoulders; to this is also added the ACT+ carcass - acronym for Active Casing Technology - which provides less stiffness in the center contrasted with greater stiffness in the sides. The adoption of these new technologies has allowed us to maintain an empty/full ratio similar to that of the Road 4 but changing its distribution, especially at the rear, which now boasts a central section without grooves, exactly like the shoulders.

It is in the range from 10 to 35° that we find the greatest number of grooves: this is, in fact, the part of the rubber most used during the lean phase in driving conditions on wet or slippery surfaces, testifying to the commitment carried out by Michelin in trying to make driving on two wheels increasingly safer.

According to internal tests carried out by the French giant on the Ladoux circuit in dry and wet asphalt conditions, the Road 5 with 5000 km under its belt is able to stop the bike in the same distance needed for a brand new Road 4. The same tire was then always considered superior to the main competitors (Metzeler Roadtec 01, Dunlop Road Smart 3, Continental Road Attack 3, Pirelli Angel GT and Bridgestone T30 EVO) in terms of handling, stability and grip on dry surfaces. A tire like the new Road 5 mounted on modern motorcycles can do nothing but improve the riding sensations and the rider's perceptions but, what would happen if we installed this tire on an "older" vehicle? Our test starts from here, or rather, from Moro Gomme in via Roggia Scagna in Milan, where an always fascinating '748 Ducati 98 Biposto was fitted with a set of Michelin Road 5 tires in sizes 120/60 at the front and 180 /55 at the rear.

With a chassis from times gone by, 125 dimensions and a shock absorber compartment as hard as marble, the Bolognese "oldie" is a perfect test bench to test the qualities of this incredible tire designed for use in the most disparate conditions. The cold and the weather conditions typical of this period of the year will make the test even more interesting... that's all for now, we'll be back as soon as possible with our "immediate" impressions!