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

**Buddha#81:Me** · 24th January 2012, 18:33

Originally Posted by Buddha#81

hey Chch Guys, these guys http://www.dirtzone.co.nz/ have been going for a month or so and stock MotoZ tyres http://www.motoz.co.nz/tyre-range.html . I dont know if they have been covered in here but I got a set of desert hard compond enduro tyres, Dot Rated. They are probally a bit more agressive than i'd like but for $180 for the set its worth the punt! Good crew in there too!

Right, the Dusty butts been and gone, the MotoZ's did a few hundred km befor the dusty, I did 1010km on the dusty itself and am VERY impressed

Road - noisy but seem to hang on ok.
Rock - performed well no chunking at all
Gravel - great when new
Mud - fantasic

the tyre is 3/4 worn so in extreme conditions on a XR650R the best you can expect is 2000 km out of the rear, the front is still in great nick but for what I payed for them they were purchased for the Dusty only and they did that perfectly!

**cynna** · 25th January 2012, 13:30

Originally Posted by Buddha#81

Right, the Dusty butts been and gone, the MotoZ's did a few hundred km befor the dusty, I did 1010km on the dusty itself and am VERY impressed

Road - noisy but seem to hang on ok.
Rock - performed well no chunking at all
Gravel - great when new
Mud - fantasic

the tyre is 3/4 worn so in extreme conditions on a XR650R the best you can expect is 2000 km out of the rear, the front is still in great nick but for what I payed for them they were purchased for the Dusty only and they did that perfectly!

i did 1700k on mine which included matts ride down and about 200k on the seal on the way home. mine is about 3/4 worn as well since im more of a nana. not bad for a cheap tyre - and no punctures. i rode with 30psi since i forgot to drop the pressure and i think Buddha was running about 20ish

**NordieBoy** · 25th January 2012, 14:03

The Shinko 705's didi well on the Dusty. Slipped and slid a bit in the slush and snow but who didn't. Didn't fall over once though which I put down to the tyres.

20psi front, 18psi rear.

The front was new and has now done 2,400km and has some whiskers still there.
The rear is now about 6,000km old and running fine.

The odo is sitting on 99,978km today...

**george formby** · 25th January 2012, 14:24

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

The Shinko 705's didi well on the Dusty. Slipped and slid a bit in the slush and snow but who didn't. Didn't fall over once though which I put down to the tyres.

20psi front, 18psi rear.snow

The front was new and has now done 2,400km and has some whiskers still there.
The rear is now about 6,000km old and running fine.

The odo is sitting on 99,978km today...

I was impressed with the 705 on a wet clay & gravel track a while back, well the MT 90 front & Shinko rear. The wet clay had a huge pucker factor but even at 32 psi the 705 could be nursed through quite happily. Excerrent value.

**pete-blen** · 25th January 2012, 18:01

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

The Shinko 705's didi well on the Dusty. Slipped and slid a bit in the slush and snow but who didn't. Didn't fall over once though which I put down to the tyres.

20psi front, 18psi rear.

The front was new and has now done 2,400km and has some whiskers still there.
The rear is now about 6,000km old and running fine.

The odo is sitting on 99,978km today...

the XT had a 705 on the rear when I got it "half worn"
I can't see a reasion to change it..grips well...
even at 40psi on gravel

..way better at 20psi though...
just put one on the front...
Well a Fullbore... same dam tyre...

**NordieBoy** · 25th January 2012, 18:22

Originally Posted by pete-blen

even at 40psi on gravel

..

And how much pressure was in the front?

**pete-blen** · 25th January 2012, 18:47

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

And how much pressure was in the front?

dam..Can't remember.. It was a life time ago...

**NordieBoy** · 25th January 2012, 20:39

Originally Posted by pete-blen

dam..Can't remember.. It was a life time ago...

Something like 13psi or so wasn't it?

Matched to the 40psi rear nicely...

**pete-blen** · 25th January 2012, 20:52

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Something like 13psi or so wasn't it?

Matched to the 40psi rear nicely...

**Fluffy Cat** · 26th January 2012, 08:52

More air = more float.
That's what I say.

**Oscar** · 26th January 2012, 10:02

Originally Posted by Fluffy Cat

More air = more float.
That's what I say.

More air - less heat.

**george formby** · 26th January 2012, 10:43

Originally Posted by Oscar

More air - less heat.

Speaking of which.....

I'm loathe to lower the pressure of the rear 705 on the TDM, 150 70 - 17 for fear of it overheating on the tar seal. 2 up & loaded the bike will be 300kg + Any thoughts other than carry a pump?

**pete-blen** · 26th January 2012, 14:03

Originally Posted by george formby

Speaking of which.....

I'm loathe to lower the pressure of the rear 705 on the TDM, 150 70 - 17 for fear of it overheating on the tar seal. 2 up & loaded the bike will be 300kg + Any thoughts other than carry a pump?

Run Co2 in it... the tyre will soften as the temp drops on dirt/gravel/mud
compaired to seal..

**vegeman** · 29th January 2012, 12:48

I've recently returned from the Yamaha Safari ride, and have managed to put 3000K's on the tyre. This is what I can tell you.

Road - excellent, smooth at speed, no noise tracks straight, corners real well, wet weather excellet..
gRavel - hard pack, all good and same again...

Mud and Wet grass etc....hmmm - not as good - why?, sidewalls too bloody stiff. When I rode the Mitas E07 (similar design really) the thing it could do, was run soft and then it would deform and grip on all sorts of shit. I was truly amazed at where the bike could go with that on the softest setting. These heidi's...sheesh unbelievably tuff walls! Its the only tyre I couldn't fit with levers and had to get the shop to use the machine, and even then, they still pinched the tube against the rim

So what does this mean - I got myself cocked up on one grassy hill and struggled to get grip (everyone was - yeah right)) so after letting the tyre down to 'easily' get myself out of the situation ie <8psi...the stupid tyre still wouldn't grip or bend - I was f'n annoyed. I eventually got up and left the tyre on that setting, I rode all roads etc on that soft setting...and the tyre still didn't bend. hmmm...this does make the tyre excellent for true long offroad travelleing as I think you could get a puncture, and you wouldn't even know!! for trail ride when you just can't also get momentum and you need grip...I'm gonna be a bit more concerned than I used to be....I'll now have to rethink my strategies for trail rides and tyres.

V