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

[chasio]

I got 23k out of my last one, (140/70 x17) but it was all tarseal & straight running from Canterbury to Roxburgh return weekly, just waiting for a front so I can fit them both together, & they will be the right size for the Rena, ie 150/70x17 & 110/80x19 tubless so it will be interesting to see how these last with the softer compound

Could be a while before we see tyres made that recently (i.e. 'softer' tyres made within last 6 months) in NZ, depending on stock and shipments... I have an E-07 rear that was fitted early last year but was manufactured in 2008, for example.

[_Shrek_]

Could be a while before we see tyres made that recently (i.e. 'softer' tyres made within last 6 months) in NZ, depending on stock and shipments... I have an E-07 rear that was fitted early last year but was manufactured in 2008, for example.

have the new rear came in Dec 2011 made in april & front on the way down came in this month new batch

[Padmei]

What are the E07 fronts like. I always use the rear but with a 606 front. Would the fronts be worth it?

[NordieBoy]

What are the E07 fronts like. I always use the rear but with a 606 front. Would the fronts be worth it?

The fronts are fine. Nothing to write home about.

Got a spare one here in

[warewolf]

I see that Cycletreads have added the Metzler Enduro3 (Sahara) tires to their catalog. Pretty limited sizes listed as available tho. I have enquired about a 140/80 -18. As at $219 that would be pretty good buying IMO.

They're baaaaack! Price seems pretty sharp now. These seemed to drop off the radar a few years ago because they skyrocketed in price, IIRC. I know I never bought new replacements for the OEMs on the 640A due to price.

I remember Warewolf saying once that Sahara's were de rigour RTW tyres at one point in time.

Even in the very late '90s Haldanes were fitting them by firm request to RTWers that wouldn't use anything else. Some of those we hosted acknowledged they were 'the best' even if they couldn't afford them. Quite possibly they were knocked off their perch by the TKC80, but that's pure speculation on my part.

I got about 12,000km out of the rear Sahara3, ...
I do remember the Sahara3 being great in the sand.

Faaark! 4400km for me, and only 6400km from the front... quite a dfference. Apparently they run a sticky sports compound in the front to get the thing to grip tarseal like a road tyre. Second most expensive tyre I've run, slightly more expensive than the MT21s but the TKC80 was another 25% again (I was led to believe the extended life over the Sahara would justify their high price, but it was not to be). Don't remember how they were in sand, but the TKC80 delivered heaps more grip on gravel/rocky roads, a very noticeable improvement. Road manners on the TKC80 left a lot to be desired, esp. compared to the Sahara.

[Woodman]

The mt21 rear I put on for the dusty is now toast. Just under 3000kms. About normal, same as t63 and e09, but has worn better e.g. less chunking and cracking, in fact almost none compared with the others.

Whats a good ghey tyre?, bit over knobblies but don't want anakee/705 type, something in between.

[pete-blen]

The mt21 rear I put on for the dusty is now toast. Just under 3000kms. About normal, same as t63 and e09, but has worn better e.g. less chunking and cracking, in fact almost none compared with the others.

Whats a good ghey tyre?, bit over knobblies but don't want anakee/705 type, something in between.

These
http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...uro_onoff.aspx

[warewolf]

The mt21 rear I put on for the dusty is now toast. Just under 3000kms. About normal, same as t63 and e09, but has worn better e.g. less chunking and cracking, in fact almost none compared with the others.

Unusual, most ppl including myself find the T63 chunks a lot less than the MT21.worse than the others. Correction: chunks worse than the T63.

Whats a good ghey tyre?, bit over knobblies but don't want anakee/705 type, something in between.

Shinko SR244, or Mitas E-07.

[NordieBoy]

Got half an E07 rear here you can try...

[Padmei]

Got half an E07 rear here you can try...

They only get run in at half worn

[NordieBoy]

They only get run in at half worn

More rubber = more grip

Unless it's wet grass and a really bald MT21 front.

Got E07 and 705 fronts for you to try if needededded.

[Padmei]

Unless it's wet grass and a really bald MT21 front.

Never had any problems before with that setup

[fridayflash]

local suzuki shop is getting me in a vee rubber vrm147 rear for the dr
needing something knobby for the coming weekend
$110 sounds good to me..aparantly k760 and mt21 were outa stock
and mitas e-09 was $179 so will give this cheapy a run
i understand it copy of the pirelli...be intermeresting to see how long it lasts

[Taz]

I used to get 5000kms out of a VRM147 on my XT600.

[Eddieb]

local suzuki shop is getting me in a vee rubber vrm147 rear for the dr
needing something knobby for the coming weekend
$110 sounds good to me..aparantly k760 and mt21 were outa stock
and mitas e-09 was $179 so will give this cheapy a run
i understand it copy of the pirelli...be intermeresting to see how long it lasts

I've run a couple of VRM147's on the front of GS's and they went fine, though I think the R100GS PD was a bit heavy for them at ~250kg. They showed cracking around the base of the knobs which I wasn't seeing on the lighter R80G/S which weighed in around ~200kg.