Tyre choice for adventure riding? (Mixing road and off-road)

[Woodman]

Just took off my E07 with a honorable 18,000km on it. Was good value for $170 that is forsure.

I have put on a Kenda K784 (140/80 18) it will be interesting to see how many km's I get.
It looks quite knobbly to my eye, more agressive than a TKC80 maybe similar to a T63/E09, will be nice to have some traction in wet grass/mud for a change.

Do you have a right wrist at all? 18000kms

[vegeman]

Do you have a right wrist at all? 18000kms

sheesh, I'm surprised as well. I took my E07 off at around 8000k's (it wasn't completely worn tho)...but 18,000 thats some crazy shit...and you're on the 690 as well - how does that happen, surely it was worn to the cords, and had bits flapping off it

[.chris]

Do you have a right wrist at all? 18000kms

Yes woodman, I have a right wrist, but bring from AK, it is quite limp

sheesh, I'm surprised as well. I took my E07 off at around 8000k's (it wasn't completely worn tho)...but 18,000 thats some crazy shit...and you're on the 690 as well - how does that happen, surely it was worn to the cords, and had bits flapping off it

I am quite gentle on the tires, I don't feel the need to leave huge lack-of-traction marks where ever I go.
I like to think of my riding as being pretty smooth, not quite defined as slow, but smooth.
I have also had

• 11,000km out of a Sahara 3
• 8,000km out of a TCK80 (that was very very very well worn out, almost to the threads kind of worn).
• 3,000km out of a half worn (tradme special) Karoo 2
• 2,00km out of a MT61 full DOT legal knobbly.

I do like the fact I can buy a tire and I am able to get amost 2x the mileage that most people are able to get.
Not that I am in particulary trying to get good milage, but just seems to be how I ride.

But having this fresh tire will be good as for the KCAR, so I can prove to Mark (MXNUT) that I do actually run some tires with tread sometimes.

[_Shrek_]

I was running both EO7 & EO9
EO7 is a good all round tyre in the wet & dry not flash on wet clay I got 22748 k's out of my last EO7 80% of that would have been HW (went a bit square) as i was commuting from 12 to 15 hundred K's a week (CHCH to Central) then there was riding for fun

Just took off my E07 with a honorable 18,000km on it. Was good value for $170 that is forsure.

I've just got the right size for my bike & tubeless so it will be interesting to see if I can get the same k's or more

Do you have a right wrist at all? 18000kms

found any puddles of late

[.chris]

The Kenda fitted. Not a particularly wide 140/80, seems (to the eye) skinny compared to the E07.

[Woodman]

The Kenda fitted. Not a particularly wide 140/80, seems (to the eye) skinny compared to the E07.

Those kendas look ok, I almost got one. was thinkin today whilst riding the molesworth that its a waste of time comparing wear rates on tyres cos we all have different bikes and riding styles etc.

What i do now know after today is that having smooth tyres takes a hell of a lot more concentration than knobblies.
Was battling the trailwing(it was in the shed when i needed a new tyre) front all bloody day.It does not handle being leaned over in gravel very well at all, just slides sideways, and under even moderate braking it is a bit scary. Maybe on a bike with a decent front end it may be ok but not on a KLR.

Fullbore rear was ok, only issue is on the odd occaision when i felt like spinning it up coming out of a corner it just keeps on going sideways even after throttling off whereas a knobbly will generally be controllable.

These are probly more bike/rider issues rather than tyre issues. They arte both good on tar.

[JATZ]

What i do now know after today is that having smooth tyres takes a hell of a lot more concentration than knobblies.
Was battling the trailwing(it was in the shed when i needed a new tyre) front all bloody day.It does not handle being leaned over in gravel very well at all, just slides sideways, and under even moderate braking it is a bit scary. Maybe on a bike with a decent front end it may be ok but not on a KLR.

They're also shithouse on a DR

What pressure did you have ? I found about 24/26 to be alright. I tried less but it didn't end well

[Woodman]

They're also shithouse on a DR

What pressure did you have ? I found about 24/26 to be alright. I tried less but it didn't end well

Don't ask me about pressures.

Was watching Gordon Ramsay a while ago and he can tell how a steak is cooked by pushing on it with his finger, so i have adopted that method for checking tyre pressures.


MMMMM steak.

[GMcC]

Hi - recently purchased Transalp 650 has a Golden Boy front hoop ( 3.00 x 21 ) - Korean ?
has a weird tapered knob pattern on the top - but this could be due to its past life etc............
Almost Tourance like but with raised centre knobs !

I will replace this anyhow

Fairly new Mitas E 09 on the rear ( 130 80 17 ) - seems to be a stable ride so far though aint been in the wet much

What to put on the front ?
I would like to see more gravel and perhaps the odd farm / forestry ride so do I go with a Mitas matchup or something else............

The `Alp isnt a lightweight either !
Had Tourances on the Tiger 800 and they were ok on the tar , so so on the gravel , crap on anything else
Gaz

[NordieBoy]

Hi - recently purchased Transalp 650 has a Golden Boy front hoop ( 3.00 x 21 ) - Korean ?
has a weird tapered knob pattern on the top - but this could be due to its past life etc............
Almost Tourance like but with raised centre knobs !

I will replace this anyhow

Fairly new Mitas E 09 on the rear ( 130 80 17 ) - seems to be a stable ride so far though aint been in the wet much

What to put on the front ?
I would like to see more gravel and perhaps the odd farm / forestry ride so do I go with a Mitas matchup or something else............

The `Alp isnt a lightweight either !
Had Tourances on the Tiger 800 and they were ok on the tar , so so on the gravel , crap on anything else
Gaz

Pirelli MT21 on the front.

Your front would be a Shinko (Golden Boy) SR244.

[GMcC]

Pirelli MT21 on the front.

Your front would be a Shinko (Golden Boy) SR244.

NordieBoy
Yep - SR244 - just had a look - they are listed on c`treads site
I will try my local tomorrow for the MT -
Cheers

[NordieBoy]

NordieBoy
Yep - SR244 - just had a look - they are listed on c`treads site
I will try my local tomorrow for the MT -
Cheers

The SR244 is good value, especially the back, but the rubber is a bit soft for a heavier bike like the TA.

With the non-directional tyres, once the front starts cupping from braking, you can reverse the tyre. You can get 3-4 reversals quite easily and keep the handling nice and neutral for a lot longer.

[GMcC]

The SR244 is good value, especially the back, but the rubber is a bit soft for a heavier bike like the TA.

With the non-directional tyres, once the front starts cupping from braking, you can reverse the tyre. You can get 3-4 reversals quite easily and keep the handling nice and neutral for a lot longer.

Thanks - I had thought about switching it round but it may have gone too far on its 1st cycle........

Also noticed the E09 on the back is facing the wrong way according to the arrow !!!!
Its non-directional by the looks - question is will it do any damage ?
Are the cords / internals biased for one way only ?
If not I`ll leave it ......................................
$90 for the MT21 - shud be here tomorrow

[_Shrek_]

Also noticed the E09 on the back is facing the wrong way according to the arrow !!!!
Its non-directional by the looks - question is will it do any damage ?
Are the cords / internals biased for one way only ?

the direction is for the join in the tyre, I run them one way then the other (front & rear) as NB said it helps the handling + you get a bit more life out of them

[GMcC]

Right - thought I`d better check before heading too far
Thanks