Adventure tire comparison test

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
I've been trying to figure out the best tires for my bikes for a long time. Most online reviews either don't compare many or are rather biased. It seems that Chaparrall Motorsports has finally put together a video that has some genuinely useful information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=gjtgLz1LjnE&feature=emb_logo

What I find interesting is that in the 50/50 Performance category, the two in last place are the two sets of tires that I have on my bikes right now, the Metzler Karoo 3 (on the 790R) and the Heidenau K60 Scout (on the XR650L "street" wheels). At least the Heidenau wins in the mileage category and I have something better on my "dirt" wheels.

I'll post the numbers if anybody is interested.
 

augustiron

2fast 2live 2young 2die
Hardest part is getting buyers to be honest about %/% usage.

Most would buy a knobby for 90/10 riding because a)cool b)cool c) that 10%! Needs maximum traction on the hardpack dirt road!!!!
 
I've been trying to figure out the best tires for my bikes for a long time. Most online reviews either don't compare many or are rather biased. It seems that Chaparrall Motorsports has finally put together a video that has some genuinely useful information.


youtu.be/gjtgLz1LjnE

What I find interesting is that in the 50/50 Performance category, the two in last place are the two sets of tires that I have on my bikes right now, the Metzler Karoo 3 (on the 790R) and the Heidenau K60 Scout (on the XR650L "street" wheels). At least the Heidenau wins in the mileage category and I have something better on my "dirt" wheels.

I'll post the numbers if anybody is interested.

thanks for the link, they talk about a lot of tires that are not on my radar screen ... :thumbup

just buying a set of D605s for the first time, after running augustiron's 90/10% (10/90%?) D606s for years ... :laughing

had someone tell me once that tires don't make you "a better rider ..."

said maybe, but sure the right tire makes me a more successful rider, in the right conditions ... :p

riding from Lower Haight to fire roads, the desert or Baja, I spend hours on the slab, for sure.

reading you have to be careful with tire pressure with the D605's because they don't have the stiff sidewall construction of the 606s.

idk, we'll see ... hoping to get 4000 miles out of a rear D605 instead of 3000 with the D606 ... plus maybe they will be quieter on the highway for my tinnitus ... :ride
 
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buellistic

Well-known member
The thing I noticed about Heidenau is
There Heavy! Much heavier than all my other tires..
Which greatly slows turn in..
Causing handling issues..
 

dravnx

Well-known member
Yeah but heavier means more rubber which means either bigger lugs or a thicker carcass.
 

1962siia

Well-known member
I'm sure my 950 sees more pavement than dirt and I'm eating up my front tire pretty quick, but I'm loving my pirelli scorpion rally in the front with the motoz tractionator adventure rear combo. Its been solid everywhere. I just flipped the front tire around because the knobs were getting ramped from front braking.
 

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
just buying a set of D605s for the first time, after running augustiron's 90/10% (10/90%?) D606s for years ... :laughing
I hadn't heard of the D605 before. Probably a better choice than the Shinko 244 if you're going for cheap.

I'll be buying another set of D606 tires for my XR when I finish wearing out the current rear. I really like that tire on that bike.
 
I hadn't heard of the D605 before. Probably a better choice than the Shinko 244 if you're going for cheap.

I'll be buying another set of D606 tires for my XR when I finish wearing out the current rear. I really like that tire on that bike.

yes, I think it's only recently that they've begun to import the D605 here.

see if I wind up being sorry after using the D606 for so many years.

otoh, as has been pointed out, the way I ride probably any tire that holds the rim off of a nice packed dirt fire road is good enough for me ... :laughing
 
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buellistic

Well-known member
I'm sure my 950 sees more pavement than dirt and I'm eating up my front tire pretty quick, but I'm loving my pirelli scorpion rally in the front with the motoz tractionator adventure rear combo. Its been solid everywhere. I just flipped the front tire around because the knobs were getting ramped from front braking.

I have got one on the rear too..
Been working great on my 525 ...except on snow and mud.
 
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Cabrito

cabrón
I'm digging my current setup.

Front MotoZ GPS - fine on the hard packed dirt.



MotoZ Adventure on the rear. Feels good in everything so far.

5k miles right now. Mostly pavement (Sadly)



This sucker was meaty when it was new



SFMCJohn, you would hate this combo.. They howl on the highway...
 

Cabrito

cabrón
Who doesn't wear earplugs in this day and age? I gotta protect these sound catchers of mine ---

Most Knobby type tires howl especially when the get worn down. My rear is pretty squared off so at certain speeds it's more pronounced.

I feel like a Tie Fighter - skip to 39 seconds for full effect..

youtu.be/TDDDgpLW2Ms?t=39

I had some Pirelli MT21's where the howling was so loud at the end of it's life that even my earplugs couldn't block it out at certain speeds.
 

norcalkid

Well-known member
Hardest part is getting buyers to be honest about %/% usage.

Most would buy a knobby for 90/10 riding because a)cool b)cool c) that 10%! Needs maximum traction on the hardpack dirt road!!!!

I think that's also true for people buying bikes.

I switched to Shinko 705 in the front and plan to change the rear when Cyclegear reopens. Not a huge difference from the Metzger Tourance but I can tell. If price was the same I'd be running the Metzger without question.

I ride down dirt roads to campgrounds and lunch spots. I would say 99+% street. Though a VStrom can do dirt (sorta) it just isn't fun.


IMG20190819134358 by Norcalkid, on Flickr
 

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
Not a huge difference from the Metzger Tourance but I can tell. If price was the same I'd be running the Metzger without question.
FYI:

Metzger:
metz02th.jpg


Metzler:
If9d1jr.jpg
 

HadesOmega

Well-known member
Shinko 805 is my go to ADV tire. It'll handle everything I throw at it. Plus it's cheap because I'm cheap. I tried Shinko 805 Rear and TKC80 front and I was pretty impressed with that combo too. Since the TKC80 is kinda soft it'll probably wear out around the same time the 805 wears out too.
 

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
Shinko 805 is my go to ADV tire. It'll handle everything I throw at it. Plus it's cheap because I'm cheap. I tried Shinko 805 Rear and TKC80 front and I was pretty impressed with that combo too. Since the TKC80 is kinda soft it'll probably wear out around the same time the 805 wears out too.
When the rear TKC-80 wore out at 3200 miles on my 1090R, I put a Shinko 805 on there. I couldn't tell any difference in how it behaved than what was on there before, both on road and off. If I had kept the bike long enough to wear that one out I probably would have gone with something else, though.
 
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