Can I be your friend?

**clint640** · 15th April 2011, 08:22

Originally Posted by k14

Yeah thanks. I will talk to bike shop when I get wof this arvo and see what they say. I think I will reg it for 2 months and then put it on hold over winter so the scorpions will probably be sufficient till then. I think the tracks/roads in central otago would be ok for those tyres? Being predominately hard rocky and little water/mud.

Yep, MT21/D606 front, D606/T63/EO-9 rear is all good. If you want to do more road/gravel than dirt/mud & enjoy the twistys a bit more something a bit more roady like D605/TKC80 front & EO-7 rear may also suit. It's very rarely that all flavours & sizes of adv rubber are available in NZ at the same time so order well in advance. Welcome to the dark side.

Cheers
Clint

**k14** · 15th April 2011, 08:31

Originally Posted by clint640

Yep, MT21/D606 front, D606/T63/EO-9 rear is all good. If you want to do more road/gravel than dirt/mud & enjoy the twistys a bit more something a bit more roady like D605/TKC80 front & EO-7 rear may also suit. It's very rarely that all flavours & sizes of adv rubber are available in NZ at the same time so order well in advance. Welcome to the dark side.

Cheers
Clint

Will those tyres be sufficient for a back country trail ride too or will I need some mx type nobblies for that? I'm wondering if maybe I should have grabbed the spare set of rims the guy had with nobblies already on.

**NordieBoy** · 15th April 2011, 09:10

MT21 front, E07 rear would go almost anywhere and last well on that bike.

You need to have a go on a bike with Shinko 705's though. I used them all last winter on the DR650. Seal, gravel, dirt, rocks, shale. Haven't fallen off with them on

**Transalper** · 15th April 2011, 09:10

Having two sets of rims is fantastic in allowing you to do things at both ends of the riding spectrum using tyres that suit better than using the compromise all the time.
I love my second rims.

The Compromise is however usually ok until you strike mud and of course the knobs wear quick compared to the likes of the E07 or other less knobby ones that you might choose for a road rim vs mud rim.

Tanks - 14liters is still quite small in my opnion, they have a 17 litre one for the DRZ400 which would be more useful.
I have a 19 litre one on my 650 and it's about right for most trips. Still have to plan and carry fuel with that occasionally.
I also like the look of the 28 litre one but the bigger you go the more they cost to buy.

**Crim** · 15th April 2011, 09:23

Originally Posted by k14

maybe I should have grabbed the spare set of rims the guy had with nobblies already on.

If you have got the chance - go for it! As TA says it cuts down on your compromising, if you had the "nobblies" on you could trailer it and trail ride over the winter, have a good play off road and come next summer you'll be ready for the DB1k in 24 hours!

I'll be nana-ing along behind you - took me three days this year and still didn't do quite all of it - but had an awesome time - you are right, it is one great event to look forward to!

**ADVGD** · 15th April 2011, 09:29

Originally Posted by Transalper

Tanks - 14liters is still quite small in my opnion

+1

14 litres is just big enough to be a couple of litres short to make some of the longer trips

Welcome by the way, good choice on your new bike

**Buddha#81:Me** · 15th April 2011, 12:42

another option is to go to the other extream and get motard wheels with 17 adventure tyres (cheep cheep ex rental stuff on trademe).

**clint640** · 15th April 2011, 14:21

Originally Posted by k14

Will those tyres be sufficient for a back country trail ride too or will I need some mx type nobblies for that? I'm wondering if maybe I should have grabbed the spare set of rims the guy had with nobblies already on.

Full knobblys are bloody nice to have for proper trail rides & they're not too expensive. The rears will disappear real quick on the gravel or tar though so I only swap mine on for gnarly rides then take em off again. If you can get a 2nd set of rims for less than $500 it's probably a good deal.

Depends how many km's you are doing a bit, if you're only doing a few thou a year run something fairly aggressive, it'll last ok, but if you're commuting & buzzing up & down the island on a regular basis it's worth saving a set of good knobs for Sunday best & running something a bit more roady for everyday use. Gets you in practice at changing tyres too

Cheers
Clint

**k14** · 15th April 2011, 15:50

Originally Posted by clint640

Full knobblys are bloody nice to have for proper trail rides & they're not too expensive. The rears will disappear real quick on the gravel or tar though so I only swap mine on for gnarly rides then take em off again. If you can get a 2nd set of rims for less than $500 it's probably a good deal.

Depends how many km's you are doing a bit, if you're only doing a few thou a year run something fairly aggressive, it'll last ok, but if you're commuting & buzzing up & down the island on a regular basis it's worth saving a set of good knobs for Sunday best & running something a bit more roady for everyday use. Gets you in practice at changing tyres too

Cheers
Clint

Believe me, changing 2-3 sets of slicks on a gixxer 600 a weekend gets you plenty of practice at tyre changing, actually enough for me I think. Talking to the guy at the bike shop I think I'll give the spare rims a miss and just get a set of dot nobblies like you suggested earlier. Dunlop D606 rear and Pirelli M21 front or something like that.

I just got it wof'd and reg'd so ready for a blat. Had to crash start it after wof cause battery is a bit dodgy I think, not much use for last 18 months and it could be on it's last legs. I just found out I have a mint quarry about 1km from my house, I can ride there from the back of my section along a track down by the clutha river. I tried to ride up one hill of sand and rocks but couldn't make the last 5m and nearly dropped bike. Held it up though and managed to turn back around. One thing's for sure, these Scorpions aren't very good for loose river sand/sluicings! No problem though, I will get nobblies before I venture into that environment again. Front tucked a few times though but I'd say thats tyre too.

**Buddha#81:Me** · 15th April 2011, 15:58

Originally Posted by k14

Front tucked a few times though but I'd say thats tyre too.

Or your lack of skill?

**clint640** · 15th April 2011, 16:01

Originally Posted by k14

I tried to ride up one hill of sand and rocks but couldn't make the last 5m and nearly dropped bike. Held it up though and managed to turn back around. One thing's for sure, these Scorpions aren't very good for loose river sand/sluicings! No problem though, I will get nobblies before I venture into that environment again. Front tucked a few times though but I'd say thats tyre too.

There is definitely some great riding right out the back door at Alex ya lucky bugger. Any tyre will go heaps better in sand if you drop the pressures a bit, go to 18psi. With all the rocky terrain where you are a set of heavy duty tubes would be a good investment when you swap on new rubber.

Cheers
Clint

**warewolf** · 15th April 2011, 20:03

The other advantage of a second set of rims is that you can have rimlocks and a bigger sprocket to lower the gearing. Both are useful in gnarlier terrain along with the meatier tyres, but detract from the on-road experience. Not so much use for a typical adventure tour though, as you'll need a one-size-fits-all rig.

Don't worry about dropping the bike in sand... that's what they're there for.

If you plan to do anything more technical than a well-formed unsealed road, you WILL drop the bike on occasion.

**TOTO** · 15th April 2011, 20:35

no

_______________________

**Ocean1** · 15th April 2011, 21:13

Originally Posted by warewolf

you WILL drop the bike on occasion...

...and on gorse.

And riverbeds, and bottomless bogs, greasy clay, loose gravel, shale, slimey mud, sandy mud, the type of mud that forms a thin traction-free layer on the south sides of bush hills and the mud in low lying bits of farms which is invariably aproximately 87% shit.

Amongst other things.