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

[Peril]

K760's ... if thats the trackmaster ... use em' me self ... ticks all the boxes for me

How many Km's have you got out of yours before they're throw away?
I'm in two minds for the Dusty Butt to get another one of these,or put an E-07 on my spare road rim and use that for it.
The Trakmaster that came with the bike is getting a bit 2nd hand now with the middle knobs getting quite rounded and some of the outer ones being ripped apart,but still has around 3-4 mm of tread.I would guestimate it's done around 2-2500kms to be like that.

[XF650]

I have used EO7, Kenda TrackMaster & EO9 on the Freewind.
EO7 was the better for mostly road work & hard pack gravel, but clogged easy with mud plus lower pressures best for thick gravel.
Trackmaster was the other extreme - excellent traction in rough going incl mud, but fast wear on seal. Scarey on wet seal - basically a road legal knobbly. An alternative to the Trackmaster is the BFGoodrich Crossengo, which is what I use on the DT230.
EO9's seem a great compromise, offering surprisingly good grip on seal & yet still wearing well. Excellent tyre on gravel plus copes well enough with mud. They are very similair to TKC80 but way cheaper.

I did this years DB on EO7's but discovered I have "special needs" i.e. I ride like a nana on steep descents.
So for the next DB I will use EO9's.

[Peril]

I have used EO7, Kenda TrackMaster & EO9 on the Freewind.
EO7 was the better for mostly road work & hard pack gravel, but clogged easy with mud plus lower pressures best for thick gravel.
Trackmaster was the other extreme - excellent traction in rough going incl mud, but fast wear on seal. Scarey on wet seal - basically a road legal knobbly. An alternative to the Trackmaster is the BFGoodrich Crossengo, which is what I use on the DT230.
EO9's seem a great compromise, offering surprisingly good grip on seal & yet still wearing well. Excellent tyre on gravel plus copes well enough with mud. They are very similair to TKC80 but way cheaper.

I did this years DB on EO7's but discovered I have "special needs" i.e. I ride like a nana on steep descents.
So for the next DB I will use EO9's.

Thats what I'm a bit concerned about.
I have an E-09 and a Trakmaster,but since the TM came with the bike,I don't know how long they really last.
The E-09 has been on for about 5000kms and is a good compromise,but I can be quite aggressive on the throttle and like my grip offroad,which the E-09 can lack in few situations.
On the other side,I'd hate to ride up there on a newish TrakMaster,do the DB1K,then find I've killed the rear tyre and try to get home again.

I could always get wifey to bring the spare rim up with her in the car & swap over the night before the ride etc etc.....Hmm.

[cooneyr]

....On the other side,I'd hate to ride up there on a newish TrakMaster,do the DB1K,then find I've killed the rear tyre and try to get home again.

I could always get wifey to bring the spare rim up with her in the car & swap over the night before the ride etc etc.....Hmm.

I almost killed a D606 which isn't that diff from an E09 on the last DB. The tyres don't get a chance to cool down on the DB so they seem to melt unless the pressures are high. You really don't need that much traction for the DB1k, a couple of fellas last year did the DB on "slicks" (90/10) tyre. It is pretty good gravel most of the time with all of about 50kms of dirt tracks that are not too hard to ride. An E09 would be about the most aggressive tyre you need.

Cheers R

[Transalper]

Was thinking freshish E07s would be fine, Mangatapu and Porika (the return run) would be my only concern and more really only if it'd been raining enough to make them muddy.
Done the Mangatapu on a balding E07 and it was generally fine, of course i didn't stop and try starting again on any steep bits.
Still I got knobs so I imagine I'll be using them again.
Suppose this post almost fits the DB thread better.

[Motu]

Wear rate is directly related to wheelspin - the Trackmaster lasted 4,000km on the XT400,which didn't wheelspin at all.Halve that for the XT600 and DT230 which are spinning all the time in gravel.I found them pretty good on seal,you can get some good lean angles,but you just have to be smooth and gentle while you are down there...otherwise you will end up a lot closer to the road.I run fairly low pressures - they will flex and bend,walk out or slide in corners,but all pretty predictable all the same.

[NordieBoy]

I think I'll be using the MT21 on the front with either an E-07 or even Shinko SR244 on the rear for the Dusty.

E-07's would be sweet unless like TA says - recent heavy rain.

I'd like to try another cheap SR244 to compare with the MT21 rear now the rear suspension is doing more what it's supposed to.
1/2 the price and better mileage.

[JATZ]

Got a Trackmaster rear on at the moment, I was gunna keep it for the DB but I couldn't help myself.
I don't like it on the seal at all, mind you I scare easily
I wouldn't bother with another one, seems like a bit of over kill for the ridding I do

[Kevnz]

[QUOTE=talbertnz;1791005]Hi all,
I'm currently running pure street tires pirelli mt75 front and sport demon rear on my DR 650.
Being in auckland the only gravel riding i do would be over xmas in coromandel etc. and the odd weekend outing...
Have you had a look at the Mitas E08? Look same as a Michilin Sirac which I had on my DR250 and found them excellent for road and dry gravel roads. I have just ordered some E08's for my DR650, will be here end of the month so will let you know what they are like.

[Woodman]

[QUOTE=Kevnz;1804770]

Hi all,
I'm currently running pure street tires pirelli mt75 front and sport demon rear on my DR 650.
Being in auckland the only gravel riding i do would be over xmas in coromandel etc. and the odd weekend outing...
Have you had a look at the Mitas E08? Look same as a Michilin Sirac which I had on my DR250 and found them excellent for road and dry gravel roads. I have just ordered some E08's for my DR650, will be here end of the month so will let you know what they are like.

Me KLR had Anikee front and rear, and I tell you what I was surprised how well they grip off road and of course they were superb onroad. Got a tw301 on rear now but already half worn at about 1000ks.

[XF650]

EO8's were first tyres I had on the Freewind - very similair to Metzler Tourance. Great road tyre & OK on dry, hard pack gravel.
Horrible on deep / loose gravel & usless on wet gravel.
But it comes down to the rider skill - some of the guns on here prefer tyre compond over tread depth & cleat shape anyway.

[talbertnz]

[QUOTE=Kevnz;1804770]

Hi all,
I'm currently running pure street tires pirelli mt75 front and sport demon rear on my DR 650.
Being in auckland the only gravel riding i do would be over xmas in coromandel etc. and the odd weekend outing...
Have you had a look at the Mitas E08? Look same as a Michilin Sirac which I had on my DR250 and found them excellent for road and dry gravel roads. I have just ordered some E08's for my DR650, will be here end of the month so will let you know what they are like.

Thanks for the reply, yes let us know how you find the E08's,
I'm pretty sure I'll be trying the E07's next tho,
Do they make any noise on the seal ala knoblie???

[Kevnz]

[QUOTE=talbertnz;1805271]

Thanks for the reply, yes let us know how you find the E08's,
I'm pretty sure I'll be trying the E07's next tho,
Do they make any noise on the seal ala knoblie???

The Siracs were not noisy at all so I imagine the E08s will be the same. Have read that they wear really well on this site and others and as most of my riding is on road and just the odd bit of gravel should suit me just fine. Hope to have them arrive and on by the end of November

[Kevnz]

[QUOTE=Woodman;1805016]

Me KLR had Anikee front and rear, and I tell you what I was surprised how well they grip off road and of course they were superb onroad. Got a tw301 on rear now but already half worn at about 1000ks.

I have the Trail Wing 42, standard tire on DR when new, and it is looking half worn after 1600kms. It likes to let go every now and then when it fells like it so time for a change. Just need to check out what pressures to run on the road as this makes a huge difference to wear, so I found out. Brought myself a decent foot pump and check the pressure every Sunday morning without fail, better than going to church,Amen

[NordieBoy]

A new version of the E-09...

Mitas E-09 Dakar.
Reinforced Bead and Carcass.
Compound Upgraded for Tough Dakar Rally Conditions.
Specifically designed for Competition Rally Conditions.