Michelin tire novelties 2024 test - Power 6, GP2 & Anakee Road

In this report, we focus on the new Michelin Power GP2 tire. This tire is designed to perform well both on the track and on the road. Michelin's extensive experience in Moto GP has been instrumental in the development of this tire. It is ideal for riders who are passionate about riding on the road and for those who enjoy track days. The Michelin Power GP2 is perfect for riders who like to occasionally take their bikes to the track for fun, without the need to change tires, use tire warmers, or constantly monitor temperature and air pressure. This tire is tailored to meet the needs of such riders.

Thanks to the silica content, the tire of the Michelin Power GP2 reaches operating temperature quite quickly. The optimal temperature range is between 30 and 50 degrees, which I mostly stayed within during my test rides. To prevent the tire from overheating too quickly, it is crucial to have minimal negative tread, a feature that the GP2 excels at. This balance is important as more tread can lead to less contact area, increased abrasion at the tread edge, and reduced mileage. However, too little tread can compromise wet performance. The Michelin Power GP2 is a full silica tire, offering advantages such as improved performance at lower temperatures, but also making it prone to overheating. During our testing on both the road and the Moto GP track in Jerez, I was able to experience the tire's performance firsthand.

The GP2 is equipped with 2 CT+ technology, utilizing a harder rubber compound in the center of the tread for increased durability, while softer rubber is used on the sidewalls to support maximum lean angles. The front tire features a ratio of 48% harder compound on the tread to 2 x 26% softer compound on the sidewalls, while the rear tire has a ratio of 44% to 2 x 28%, enhancing cornering capabilities. A notable innovation is the redesigned carcass, which has been made rounder to enhance overall handling.

Let's move on to my riding impressions: We rode a wide variety of supersport and naked bikes on the racetrack in Spain at an outside temperature of 17 degrees. I first grabbed the BMW S1000R, front tire pressure 2.1 bar, rear 1.9 bar. No heating blankets, the tire was cold. From the first lap, the Power GP2 gave a familiar feeling and good steering behavior. Of course, I approached the whole thing with brains and gave the tires time to get into their temperature window. But that went very quickly and after two laps I and the GP2 warmed up, became quicker and I was able to increase my speed right from the start. The Michelin Power GP2 works noticeably. I personally like it when I can feel the tire and it gives feedback when it leaves the grip circle. The front wheel then becomes a bit spongy, but the grip doesn't suddenly drop off. At the rear, the TC becomes active when we keep the tire properly warmed up and open the throttle quickly, but here too to a relaxed degree. It's worth mentioning that we didn't adjust the suspension on any of the bikes, but were on the road ex works. During test laps with the Aprilia RSV4, the suspension pumped decently, but the GP2 was not impressed and the tire pattern remained okay, i.e. the tire did not tear up. The Michelin Power GP2 is definitely a road-legal racing tire. Absolutely suitable for fast laps, but also for ambitious road riders. Unfortunately, I was unable to test the wet performance, as it remained dry. But this is certainly not where the strengths of the Power GP2 lie, which brings us to the Michelin Power 6. The Power 6 has an 11% negative profile, whereas the GP2 only has 6.5%. Compared to the Power 6, the cornering radii can be held better and the steering behavior is more precise.

My conclusion: With the Michelin Power GP2, you can switch between road and track from a standing start without having to put in a lot of effort and still achieve good lap times.

The latest iteration of the Power 5, now known as the Power 6, is targeted towards sporty everyday riders. The new tread pattern deviates from the previous design, featuring longer, more jagged lines. Michelin continues to use a full silica compound in both treads, enhancing grip in wet conditions and providing better safety in cooler temperatures. The Power 6 tire utilizes 2 CT+ Compound Technology, with a harder rubber compound in the center for increased mileage and softer rubber on the flanks for improved lean angle performance. The front tire has a ratio of 68% harder compound on the tread to 2 x 16% softer compound on the sidewalls, while the rear tire has a ratio of 55% to 2 x 22.5%, ensuring safety during leaning. Visually, the Power 6 differs from the Road 6 touring tire. My riding impressions of the Power 6 highlight the improved steering behavior, thanks to a redesigned rounder carcass in the front tire.

In most cases, a large touring enduro is ridden almost 100% on asphalt, so Michelin has made a change here. What do I mean by that? While big enduro bikes are designed for off-road riding, in reality, not many riders take their expensive bikes into deep forests, through watercourses, or risk laying them down on granite. In my experience, there are a few who do, but the majority stick to asphalt or gravel roads. And for this, we now have the Anakee Road, a road tire with a more pronounced negative tread pattern. This completes the range of Anakee tires, with Michelin now offering the Wild, Adventure, and the new Road. The Anakee Road features a full silica compound and the well-known dual compound technology. From a technical standpoint, the Anakee Road is very similar to the Road 6, and this is reflected in its riding characteristics. While the Road 6 is not available in Enduro sizes, the Anakee Road is, even up to 21 inches. With these tires, big enduro bikes are almost as fun to ride as a supermoto.