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

[Howie]

How do you find the GP110 when leaned over a bit?

I find it fine when leaned over on the road, (wet and dry) Makes an interesting noise though as you turn in. I did the WGTN wed night ride last week and the Paekakariki hill rd was wet although the rain had stopped, and seemed to have no more problems than others, I think my nearly worn out TKC on the front was limiting me more than the GP-110. I haven't really pushed then on the gravel yet, as I seem to have been picking a few of the freshly graded gravel roads since I put them on. I did the Mangahoe dams up behind Shannon last week, and even came across a grader working up there.

[Motu]

I can't let a mention of the GP110 go by without heaping on my scorn....even on seal it would slip,kinda fun....but a full knob was just as secure on seal,and a whole lot better everywhere else.

I fitted a 130-80 TW42 on the XT600 saturday - this is a big sucker meant for the Triumph Scrambler,and on the skinny 2.75 Yamaha rim the profile is a bit round.So it was a bit loose on the loose bits,and hooked up well on the hard pack.But bejeezers,these things hang on to the seal real good - and matched to the K180 flattrack front I was in 7th heaven.NO chicken strips on the wide 130 on my first ride....lean angle a sprotsbike rider would be proud of.The TW42 was the only tyre that could cope with the XLV750 on seal,everything else would step out on entry,but the TW42 was sticky enough to cope with the massive engine braking.I was looking forward to this combination,and it's going to be good.....for my riding anyway.

I've come to the conclusion that a totally worn rear tyre....that is worn to a flat or square profile has more grip on gravel than a new tyre.I've noticed that everytime I fit a new rear tyre I find it doesn't hook up as well as the worn tyre I just took off.More rubber on the ground means more traction than a new tyre with a rounder profile.

[NordieBoy]

The last TW42 I had on the back was an ex-rental 130-80-17 and it went fine. I just kept thinking that if the compound was a bit softer and it had a more compliant carcass it'd be sweet.

[Motu]

I like the TW42 because of the soft compound,and the tread pattern is about as street as I like to go.I put the carcase as a medium flex - it was pretty easy to fit,not like the rock hard T63.I like a flexable tyre too,and run pretty low pressure compared to what is considered appropriate.I don't take this bike off road on purpose,and as a back road tyre the TW42 is one of the best I've used.

[Underground]

I've tried lots of combinations including the infamous GP110 (coudnt wait to get rid of the buggers) I now use TKC80 front TW42 rear and that suits everything I do ,great on the gravel and you can really hammer them on the seal ,wet or dry. I too have just suffered the dissapointment of a new rear , seem to get a bit more control on the gravel with the baldy and you can slide it around more , new ones much better on the grass and clay tho ,also better for getting WOF's

[Mountie]

The TW42 is an excellent rear tyre have had two on the back and even worn hang on like they were new both gravel and hard seal riding. Put an anakee on recently softer copound see how that goes

[NordieBoy]

I too have just suffered the dissapointment of a new rear , seem to get a bit more control on the gravel with the baldy and you can slide it around more , new ones much better on the grass and clay tho ,also better for getting WOF's

Lucky there's no grass or clay around your place then.

[warewolf]

I like the TW42 because of the soft compound,and the tread pattern is about as street as I like to go.I put the carcase as a medium flex - it was pretty easy to fit,not like the rock hard T63.

Had a look around the Bridgestone site and the only Trail Wing to suit the 640A is the "new" TW301/2, which seems similar to the TW42. It's actually a homologated tyre for the bike; I might have to give them a run next time I want a fairly road-oriented tyre.

I've just changed the T63 that was fitted by the shop, the carcass I'd only rate as about a medium-ish. Probably softer than the MT21, BUT and it is a big but (as opposed to a big butt, sister) I was using a mate's flash KTM tyre levers that make the task utterly effortless. I blagged them so that I would have minimal grief given your warning, so they may have masked the tough carcass. I'll use my normal levers when I swap the T63 back on to see what it is really like.

I'd sell my first-born for a set of those KTM levers, they are just the perfect shape. Really do make light work of it.

[Motu]

I used a tyre machine to fit my T63,and it was a tough fit.Definatly the stiffest carcase I've ever seen.Maybe it had sat under a roof in summer and hardened up.I was looking at the TW301,and if there was one in my size I might have gone for it.

[NordieBoy]

I'd sell my first-born for a set of those KTM levers, they are just the perfect shape. Really do make light work of it.

Keeping you up at night is he?

[CrazyFrog]

Had a look around the Bridgestone site and the only Trail Wing to suit the 640A is the "new" TW301/2, which seems similar to the TW42. It's actually a homologated tyre for the bike; I might have to give them a run next time I want a fairly road-oriented tyre.

I ran the 301/302 combo on my ex XT600E, appeared to be a good knobbly/road compromise, and found them great in the dry and gravel, but hideous on wet seal. The XT ain't no powerhorse, but I found when I cracked on the gas in the wet, the rear was forever squirming around and getting far too twitchy to feel comfortable. It wore very quickly as well, but they are bloody cheap compared with Pirelli's, and Michelins.
Also rode TW42's, wore well, gripped like poos on a blanket, and was surprisingly good on gravel. I don't think they make them for 18" rears tho.

[homer]

Have you looked at the Mitas E07, it looks like a good tyre that may suit what you want to do with it?

deffinately a good combination .

[warewolf]

but hideous on wet seal.

Hence the nickname, "Death Wings"

Thanks for the info.

[NordieBoy]

Hence the nickname, "Death Wings"

Thanks for the info.

But the TW42 gets that nickname from hamfisted yanks abusing it offroad.
It's not a knobbly, it's a general purpose tyre. Treat it as such and it'll work fine.

Mrs Jatz has the 302(?) on the back of the Tenere and it looks quite nice.

[JATZ]

Trail wing 302 front and rear on the Tenere seem to work pretty good although Mrs Jatz rides like a nana. Guy we got the bike off said they were the best he'd found for grip vs. mileage.
Trailwing TW42 front and rear on the F650 she had. Absolutly no problems with it at all, she prefered it to the TKC 80 on the seal and it went o.k. on gravel too.It did every thing she wanted it to.(horses for courses I guess)