As a sportbike rider, you always aim to maximize your motorcycle’s performance and understand the importance of high-quality tires. Those of us who don’t own a specialized track day or racebike often struggle to find a tire that can provide ample grip in real-world street riding conditions and the performance we need when pushing the limits on a race circuit. For that, Michelin offers the Power GP2, a tire designed for serious performance-oriented riders with a 50/50 road/track-day application ratio.
Michelin’s entire Power lineup, including the GP2, features dual compound technology called 2CT and 2CT+ by the marketing department. 2CT tires use two separate compounds vulcanized together—a harder compound at the center of the tire and a softer compound at the shoulders. The newer 2CT+ technology has a different approach. Softer shoulder compounds are layered over the harder compound, hence the “+” in the name. The front GP2 uses the established 2CT technology, and the latest 2CT+ in the rear tire.
According to Michelin, 2CT+ increases stability during braking, cornering, and acceleration. However, engineers determined that its 2CT tech is suitable for the front. The harder center compound uses 100 percent silica rubber to optimize longevity, and the shoulder compound uses carbon black rubber, the same formula used in its race tires, for increased cornering grip. Michelin’s tests claim a 20 percent increase in wet grip, a 10 percent increase in dry grip, and a 5 percent increase in tire longevity compared to the Power GP, the GP2’s predecessor.
Michelin uses its Aramid Shield Technology in the carcass to increase the stability of the tires. Aramid Shield Technology is claimed to make the tires more rigid and less likely to deform as much under hard braking or acceleration, which provides better feedback even at higher speeds and temperatures.
The latest generation of the Radial-X casing design, Radial-X EVO, includes a ply fold at the sidewalls to help deal with road deformations and provide a more comfortable ride without compromising stability. This furthers Michelin’s mission to create stiffer carcasses. Whether or not that speaks to you as a rider is a personal choice, though no one can deny the feedback the GP2 provides.
It was 61 degrees Fahrenheit when I began testing the GP2 at Circuito de Jerez—Ángel Nieto, a fan favorite on the MotoGP and World Superbike calendars. My test bed of choice was the BMW S 1000 RR. The suspension was left untouched, and we were not running tire warmers as Michelin wanted to showcase its claimed rapid warmup times. Cold tire pressures were set to 30.5 psi front and 27.5 psi rear—Michelin’s recommended track pressures. By the time my session began on the GP2, I had completed several sessions on the new Power 6, so I was eager to experience the difference.
Compared to the sport-touring Power 6, the GP2’s more aggressive front profile offers an appreciable turn-in response. The GP2 is so sport-inclined that I had to change my entry points at every turn because I was oversteering during the first lap. This left me impressed with the GP2’s responsiveness to steering inputs. Unless I’m on preheated racing slicks, I like to take at least a lap and a half before picking up the pace. However, even at my mellow pace, I felt the tires were ready for more.
A major advantage to choosing a high-performance road-legal tire like the GP2 is not having to fuss with tire warmers and still having the confidence that they will offer plenty of traction, even in cooler temperatures. While proper racing slicks or DOT race tires may provide higher grip outright, they also have narrower optimum operating windows.
Several laps in, I started to pick up the pace to the point that I had to come back in to lower the BMW’s almost excessive 14 levels of traction control. The standard setting was too intrusive and wouldn’t allow me to get a good feel of the rear tire. I could only get in a couple more laps before the session ended. Regardless, with the traction control settings dialed back, I could successfully ask more of the rear tire. It delivered plenty of edge grip at each corner entry, middle, and exit. The front tire offered the same impressive feedback it did from my first lap.
During the next session, I rode an Aprilia RSV4 Factory. It’s a bike I am more familiar with, and I know how to adjust its TC successfully. With my brain finally up to speed, I discovered the limits of the rear Michelin Power GP2. It moved around at several hard acceleration corners, though not an alarming amount. The rear GP2 was always predictable and is to be expected under a 215 horsepower superbike—the GP2 is not a race tire, after all.
Impressively, I could never find that point on the front tire. No matter how hard I was on the front brake or how quickly I steered the bike, the tire felt completely planted. No noticeable amount of deformation in the braking zones or on the bumps was there—stable, grippy, and responsive are the words I’d use here.
Mid-corner, both tires gave excellent feedback and had plenty of traction. As a result, the sound of footpegs scraping the asphalt became more frequent as the session progressed.
The Michelin Power GP2 tires are plenty grippy. If not for intentionally trying to break the tires loose, I wouldn’t have any feedback about how they reacted to my overly aggressive throttle inputs. Track-day riders of all levels will appreciate the edge grip, stability, and feedback these tires provide. At the end of our track sessions, I inspected the tires for excessive wear and saw nothing unusual.
The rear tire displayed more wear than the front, which is expected on any motorcycle, and especially on superbikes. I’d estimate that advanced-level track day riders could get a full day of track riding at a minimum out of the rear—the front will last much longer. Meanwhile, intermediate and novice-level riders will likely get two or more track days from a set. In all cases, riders can get street mileage out of them after the fact if the profiles are not worn excessively and compromise handling.
During the second portion of the test, I rode rural back roads with diverse conditions to gather feedback relevant to most buyers—how these tires do on the street?
The suspension on the street bikes was left unaltered before I began the ride, just as was done on the track. Middleweight naked bikes were lined up, and I selected the Aprilia Tuono 660.
As with my experience on the closed circuit, I was very impressed with the GP2’s responsiveness. The Aprilia Tuono 660 steered quickly, making the ride through the tighter, almost-single-lane twisties enjoyable and effortless. The ride was also stable and had as much traction as needed on the street.
The tires seemed more reactive to bumps on the road than when I was on the BMW or Aprilia during the track test. This could be due to the rigider carcass being better suited to heavier and more demanding machines, or not having the suspension tuned and running OEM-recommended tire pressures. The BMW S 1000 RR is roughly 30 pounds heavier, and the Aprilia RSV4 Factory is closer to 40 pounds heavier than the 403-pound Aprilia Tuono 660, so that may also be a factor. Nevertheless, it wasn’t unnerving, and I still had a pleasant ride. In addition, some riders may prefer this feel from their tires.
The only potential downside of the Michelin Power GP2 tires for street riders is that they may feel too firm on the road for some tastes, though, as previously mentioned, it could be due to the suspension setting or tire pressure.
The Michelin Power GP2 tires are excellent for both road and track use. They are perfect for riders who want maximum grip in various road conditions and enjoy occasional track days. Rear tire sizes cover middle- to heavy-weight bikes (160 to 200mm widths), and the only front tire option is 120/70—all are 17s, radials, and ZR-rated. My experience in Spain with the Power GP2 tires was positive overall, thanks to high edge grip, a stable ride with ample feedback, and an aggressive tire profile that made steering on every bike I rode feel remarkably easy. Although creating a tire equally suited for street and track riding is nearly impossible, Michelin has come exceptionally close with the new Power GP2.
Michelin Power GP2 Tire Sizes
Front
Rear
- 160/60 x 17
- 180/55 x 17
- 190/50 x 17
- 190/55 x 17
- 200/55 x 17
