Michelin Commander III - New Tire Review
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 351
From: Holly Springs, North Carolina
I decided to give the MC III a try. I'm an American Elite fan. I don't have an issue with the OEM Dunlops, just ludicrous pricing at the dealer. $450 for a rear tire installed? I tried the MC II's & liked them for smoothness, handling & mileage. Did not like them in the rain & I ride the twisties a lot in Western NC. Prefer AE's. But when the MC III was released, & Michelin really emphasized rain performance, I'm giving them a shot. My Indy installed it for (on rear) $300 bucks. He charges $285 for AE & MC II's, so MC III is not much of a price jump. Got about 1000 miles on it right now. Put 500 on it riding to the Back of the Dragon two weekend ago. Performed great.
Last edited by BigDawgQC; Apr 7, 2020 at 08:24 AM.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 582
Likes: 53
From: Greenville, SC
If you like Commander IIs, I think the IIIs are a natural progression. I ran the IIs on everything for several sets. I didn't like them on a Street Bob, but the Ultra and the Glide -OK. I have just a couple hundred on the IIIs and like em. Ran some twisties and some freeway and they seem like a good choice to me so far. Can't comment on either, never had any problems in the rain with the IIs. I can't imagine that any tire is going to make much difference on a tar snake though. Sliding on a tar snake is going to be a factor, I would think, of the heat, the consistency of the tar and its materials and not so much the tire. Go III.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 15,967
Likes: 7,068
From: Sandy Eggo's North County
I can not figure out, how you guys with baggers that ride "fast & hard" can get 15,000+ miles out of a rear tire, when I use the same brand/model tire.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,702
Likes: 94
From:
I can not figure out, how you guys with baggers that ride "fast & hard" can get 15,000+ miles out of a rear tire, when I use the same brand/model tire.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 503
Likes: 1,422
From: Tn.
I can not figure out, how you guys with baggers that ride "fast & hard" can get 15,000+ miles out of a rear tire, when I use the same brand/model tire.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 149
From: High in the Colorado Rockies
I can not figure out, how you guys with baggers that ride "fast & hard" can get 15,000+ miles out of a rear tire, when I use the same brand/model tire.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 553
Likes: 46
From: Canton, GA
I can not figure out, how you guys with baggers that ride "fast & hard" can get 15,000+ miles out of a rear tire, when I use the same brand/model tire.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
I'm on a bike that's 150 lbs lighter than a bagger, with no passenger, and I'm conscious of tire pressure (41PSI.) And yet, I'm almost on cords at 11,000 miles. And I don't ride "hard nor fast."
I don't do "jack rabbit" starts nor burn-outs. (Unless I enter a burn-out contest.) But that hasn't happened since 2002.
So, what is the secret, here?
(And no, I don't scale 400lbs, either.) I'm barely half that.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 3,511
From: At home.
I'm happy with my Commander II's, but I'm going to give the III's a shot next time, which is probably going to be in about 3,000 miles.
Thanks for the review.
Oh, and I hated tar snakes on the OE Dunlops….pretty squirrely.
Thanks for the review.
Oh, and I hated tar snakes on the OE Dunlops….pretty squirrely.