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

[k14]

Went into the bike shop yesterday. The MT21 was a pretty easy choice and only $95 rrp which is a bargain (when you are used to paying $500 for a set of slicks that lasts 1 day!). The D606 was $220 and he wasn't sure on the Mitas E09. He said the E09 was a pretty decent tyre so I will just get what ever is cheaper out of the 606 and E09.

Better get onto fitting all the other goodies I have bought for the bike in the last few months!

[Pikey]

The Dunlop on the DR Sudman got is looking a bit sick Very unfriendly wear pattern

[CrazyFrog]

Torpedo 7 have just got in a shipment of Pirelli knobblies, great for those who prefer something with a bit of bite. The Scorpion XC Mid Hard is DOT rated, but only avail in 18" rears for $119.
Good for us KTM or DRZ riders

http://www.torpedo7.co.nz/content/pr...elli_xcmidhard

[cynna]

Torpedo 7 have just got in a shipment of Pirelli knobblies, great for those who prefer something with a bit of bite. The Scorpion XC Mid Hard is DOT rated, but only avail in 18" rears for $119.

what sort of mileage would you get out of these compared to a d606, c02 etc

[george formby]

Just a quickie, I'm sure the info is here somewhere but can't be arsed to look. What pressure should I run my Scorpion Mt 90 front & shinko 705 rear tires at? I had a nice run on the road on Monday & the front is shedding rubber off the side treads, nothing drastic but I ended up with fine boot laces of rubber on the edge of each block. They are currently 36 / 38 psi respectively.

I'm happy enough with the grip but got a little carried away over the Mangamukas & the rear gave me a little tut tut, naughty boy twitch. To be expected really.

[NordieBoy]

On the TDM?
24psi or so front and rear for gravel.
Go up or down from there to suit. Some tyres have different sweet spots.

On the DR650, the MT21 rear was bouncing off rocks until under 18psi, the 705 is quite happy at around 18psi rear, 20psi front.
On the TT350, I have to go down to about 14f/12r with the 705's as the bike is so much lighter.

[CrazyFrog]

what sort of mileage would you get out of these compared to a d606, c02 etc

Depends on how hard you're yanking the throttle, and what bike you're on, on trail bikes they're fine. They seem to last okay on the EXC, even with a bit of hard charging, but I do tend to cruise on the highway, not wanting to attract to much attention
Generally, the more you spin it up on gravel or rocky trails, the more they wear. If you ride smoothly, you should easily get around 2000km or more, and worn tread knobblies do ride better on seal anyway, less vibey. I would still rather get 2 of these for the price of a T63 or TKC80, because I prefer offroad/gravel grip rather than high mileage.
Incidently, i rode over 1400km last year on a 3 day trip with a Kings tyre rear, not DOT and it only wore about 2/3rds over the whole ride.

[george formby]

On the TDM?
24psi or so front and rear for gravel.
Go up or down from there to suit. Some tyres have different sweet spots.

On the DR650, the MT21 rear was bouncing off rocks until under 18psi, the 705 is quite happy at around 18psi rear, 20psi front.
On the TT350, I have to go down to about 14f/12r with the 705's as the bike is so much lighter.

Yup, on Tubby. Cheers.

[pete-blen]

dose anyone know of a tyre in the 120/80/18 size
or there abouts that has a squareish profile..
On the sidecar after only 500k the centre of the
tyre is wareing very quickly..
It yet may come down to useing cheap tyres with
a hard compound .. ie K270 kenda's $100 each..

[george formby]

dose anyone know of a tyre in the 120/80/18 size
or there abouts that has a squareish profile..
On the sidecar after only 500k the centre of the
tyre is wareing very quickly..
It yet may come down to useing cheap tyres with
a hard compound .. ie K270 kenda's $100 each..

That's the size of the rear on my new bike, will have a look for ya. Not going to be back on line til Tuesday, though.

[NordieBoy]

dose anyone know of a tyre in the 120/80/18 size
or there abouts that has a squareish profile..
On the sidecar after only 500k the centre of the
tyre is wareing very quickly..
It yet may come down to useing cheap tyres with
a hard compound .. ie K270 kenda's $100 each..

Go some 100 section Pirelli knobbliyish thingies.

[pete-blen]

spoted this on TM...
seems a good buy for someone..
2 big for my bike...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=418603504

[george formby]

That's the size of the rear on my new bike, will have a look for ya. Not going to be back on line til Tuesday, though.

I'm speaking tosh & balderdash. It's a 120/ 100- 18 Viper Moto X tire.

[CookMySock]

Can anyone suggest 17 inch tires (650cc vtwin normally takes 160/60/17 and 120/60/17) that will mostly be on-road touring, but will regularly be required to handle (well!) steep-ish gravel vehicle tracks (that you would put your shiny 4wd over - not serious off-road country) and the occasional damp grassy steep paddock (no mud.) I'd prefer they lasted a while as well, but I won't be cornering this bike hard on the road.

I'd just use road tires, but descending steep bits on grass with the dew around will be very amusing for everyone but me lol. Looking at a comet conversion hehe.

[george formby]

Can anyone suggest 17 inch tires (650cc vtwin normally takes 160/60/17 and 120/60/17) that will mostly be on-road touring, but will regularly be required to handle (well!) steep-ish gravel vehicle tracks (that you would put your shiny 4wd over - not serious off-road country) and the occasional damp grassy steep paddock (no mud.) I'd prefer they lasted a while as well, but I won't be cornering this bike hard on the road.

I'd just use road tires, but descending steep bits on grass with the dew around will be very amusing for everyone but me lol. Looking at a comet conversion hehe.

Anything other than a full knobbie will leave you in the same situation. I have a Pirelli Scorpion A/T on the front & wet clay or wet grass is still 100% pucker factor. On gravel the adventure tires give me a greater safety margin than sport touring tires but do not enable me to do more, if you get my drift.