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

[cooneyr]

Will a 150 wide TKC80 fit?
What's the rim width (inside bead)?

Rim bead width is 3.0. TKC rears are kinda pricey - not sure I want to go there.

Why not the EO9?

Nothing, but 10k kms from a Desert (Jezza recond he got this on his XTZ) for about $30 more seems like a pretty good value for money. Will give the E09 a spin next time if I don't like the Desert or cant get one.

O.K. so standard DR 650 tyre is 120/90-17 but you can run a 130/80-17. This is a smaller profile so the circumference is smaller meaning more revolutions to cover the same distance.....

The metric tyre sizes (like those you quoted) are width/percentage of width in profile(side wall height) and rim size in inches (kinda weird having inches in the metric tyre sizes). So with the 120/90 there is 90% of 120mm in profile i.e. 108mm and with the 130/80 there is 80% of 130mm in profile i.e. 104mm. So over all the rolling circumference is very similar between these two tyre sizes and the 130 is 10mm wider. Your revs will be almost exactly the same speed and gear with either tyre.

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

Rim bead width is 3.0. TKC rears are kinda pricey - not sure I want to go there.

Got a cheap one here.
Probably won't fit on the DR

[Kevnz]

Thanks for your explaination on that cooneyr, I'm looking at the Mitas E09 as I do a lot of riding on the tarmac and only the odd bit of gravel at present. Seems to be good mileage in them from what I've read. Had some Michilin Siracs on my DR250 and found them excellent for what I needed and the Mitas look pretty close to these but better wear I imagine, cheers

[NordieBoy]

Thanks for your explaination on that cooneyr, I'm looking at the Mitas E09 as I do a lot of riding on the tarmac and only the odd bit of gravel at present. Seems to be good mileage in them from what I've read. Had some Michilin Siracs on my DR250 and found them excellent for what I needed and the Mitas look pretty close to these but better wear I imagine, cheers

If it's only the odd bit of gravel then Shinko 244's or Mitas E-07's may be more appropriate than E-09's.

[JATZ]

I thought the E-08 looked pretty similar to the Siracs I had on the BMW, I'll take a photo if you want, seemed to grip pretty good too and should get pretty good mileage

[Kevnz]

If it's only the odd bit of gravel then Shinko 244's or Mitas E-07's may be more appropriate than E-09's.

The E-08s are supposed to be a 70% road 30% off road so should be ideal for my needs, the E-07s are 50/50. As for the Shinko 244's ? The price is right but is it the old you get what you pay for ... www.motorcycletyres.net.au have some great photos ,thanks

[Phreaky Phil]

I fitted an eo9 on my r80gs for last weekends ttttt. After getting some miles on it it feels ok, had no problems with grip although i was taking easy on the wet tarmac. The only down side is it must be a slightly lower profile than the tkc80 as my speed at 100kmh was 5kmh lower ie; speedo reading 100, gps saying 95. This is a pain as the r80 is already geared low. Ok for adv riding, no good for long distance

[hobbes]

Hi Phreaky.
.. Following my abismal sideways performance at the AWESOME TTTTTT... what'd ye suggest for the Dakar? What were you running on in Alaska?

[NordieBoy]

As for the Shinko 244's ? The price is right but is it the old you get what you pay for ...

Same pattern as the IRC GP1 and Kenda 270.
Worked well on the Dusty Butt and I got 8000 odd km out of a rear and 18000km so far out of a front.

I paid bugger all and have had bugger all problems.
You get what you pay for.

[_Shrek_]

I fitted an eo9 on my r80gs for last weekends ttttt. After getting some miles on it it feels ok, had no problems with grip although i was taking easy on the wet tarmac. The only down side is it must be a slightly lower profile than the tkc80 as my speed at 100kmh was 5kmh lower ie; speedo reading 100, gps saying 95. This is a pain as the r80 is already geared low. Ok for adv riding, no good for long distance

have just put an Eo7 back on after running Eo9's
i found the Eo9's great off road & on the tar seal just went a bit slower on the corners in the wet
this one has done 13877ks & the front had done 14979ks )no pic) it had worn a bit off as i run it at 25psi a bit low for tar seasl running but owesome on the metal etc..

will run the E07's for the summer then go back to the Eo9's

[cooneyr]

.....this one has done 13877ks ....

That's damn good Kms for an E09 on a Big Monster Whale Better than expected for the Desert on the XTZ. Definatly have to try one next time.

Get the feeling that twins are much easier on tyres/sprockets/chains than singles? I'm guess it is because you don't need to thrash them quite so much?

Cheers R

[warewolf]

Get the feeling that twins are much easier on tyres/sprockets/chains than singles? I'm guess it is because you don't need to thrash them quite so much?

Generally it is put down to the smoothness of a twin.

Twins are usually heavier so require more power, not less. That weight also means more contact pressure so less tyre-destroying wheelspin. Even if you are not doing smoky burnouts, the tyre still has some amount of slip against the road surface.

[talbertnz]

you peoples looked at this link??? made by KLR peoples.....

http://www.standoutnet.com/extras/mi...ires/#contents

[NordieBoy]

Generally it is put down to the smoothness of a twin.

Twins are usually heavier so require more power, not less. That weight also means more contact pressure so less tyre-destroying wheelspin. Even if you are not doing smoky burnouts, the tyre still has some amount of slip against the road surface.

More tractoring - less wheelspin.

[Phreaky Phil]

Hi Phreaky.
.. Following my abismal sideways performance at the AWESOME TTTTTT... what'd ye suggest for the Dakar? What were you running on in Alaska?

In Alaska we ran Continental TKC 80 rears and Metzler Karoo fronts.
This combo worked well. the karoo front is a bit more open than the TKC 80.
Both tyres wear out at about the same time so you can replace them as pairs.