Dualsport Tire Combination for more Dirt

mikem9 · 02-01-2013, 12:36 PM

Looking for discussion on the best combination of dualsport/offroad tires for more dirt oriented dual sporting on smaller thumpers. Ones that will last longer, but still give good competitive grip.

Depending on the areas, I live between 15 - 40 miles from my closest local trails. Ride an EXC 400. I like to explore the backroads asphalt looking for new trails. Our trails here in georgia can be rocky, sometimes full of roots, very slick with mud or dry with dust. When dual-sporting we normally run intermediate offroad racing type tires like Pirelli XCMS, Dunlop 756, or Geomax 51, or Michelin S-12/M-12 combo. These seem to be some the best options for optimal grip around here. Regular dual sport tires don't give very good grip for the kind of riding we normally do, especially on the front.

Has anyone tried a dual-sport tire on the rear and offroad tire on the front combination? Like maybe an MT-21 on the back and a Pirelli XCMS on the front? Or some kind of longer lasting dual sport tires that give decent grip in the serious dirt that I don't know about?

CJBDRdude · 02-01-2013, 12:45 PM

Pirelli MT 16 (at least for the rear) Great in all types of terrain and DOT legal as well! They wear really well including extended pavement use. I use them on my KTM 350 rfs coupled with a Bridgestone M59 up front. My rfs KTM sees a lot of tough, rocky offroad stuff mixed with occasional pavement. Give them a try.

Yooper_Bob · 02-01-2013, 01:13 PM

I have been using Kings tires on my KTM 640 Adventure, and I love 'em!

They last a really long time, provide excellent traction, and are low priced (I should be riding a KLR). They are also DOT approved.

http://www.kingstire.com/KT-963Rear.htm

Laura0107 · 02-01-2013, 03:19 PM

Rear: Kenda Trakmaster II
Front: Pirelli Scorpion Pro

Love that combo for SE trail riding on my DR350SE, which is probably about 270 lbs (dry weight) + fluids + 140 lb rider + gear.

Kommando · 02-01-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikem9

Looking for discussion on the best combination of dualsport/offroad tires for more dirt oriented dual sporting on smaller thumpers. Ones that will last longer, but still give good competitive grip.

Depending on the areas, I live between 15 - 40 miles from my closest local trails. Ride an EXC 400. I like to explore the backroads asphalt looking for new trails. Our trails here in georgia can be rocky, sometimes full of roots, very slick with mud or dry with dust. When dual-sporting we normally run intermediate offroad racing type tires like Pirelli XCMS, Dunlop 756, or Geomax 51, or Michelin S-12/M-12 combo. These seem to be some the best options for optimal grip around here. Regular dual sport tires don't give very good grip for the kind of riding we normally do, especially on the front.

Has anyone tried a dual-sport tire on the rear and offroad tire on the front combination? Like maybe an MT-21 on the back and a Pirelli XCMS on the front? Or some kind of longer lasting dual sport tires that give decent grip in the serious dirt that I don't know about?

I often run a $22 AMS Sand Snake knobby up front, and a custom-grooved $60 Kenda K761 on the rear. This combo works fine in the Florida sand, but this knobby is definitely not a street tire. The K761 lasts at least 6K miles for me on a DR650SE, and I don't run them smooth. I'm considering the Kings rear tire posted above, as well as a Kenda K270 rear. I'm looking for something I don't have to groove, that lasts a long time, handles decently on both sand and pavement, and doesn't cost a fortune. Some people are getting 10K miles or more out of the 2 Kenda tires I've mentioned. I currently use a Shinko 244 front on the pavement, and it works well as a dual-duty tire. It's definitely no knobby in wet clay or mud though.

eakins · 02-01-2013, 05:55 PM

of course a mullet. knobby up front and 50/50 tire in the rear

tkc-80 fr - mefo or k60 rear
tr8 fr - shinko 242 rear

CJBDRdude · 02-01-2013, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kommando

I often run a $22 AMS Sand Snake knobby up front, and a custom-grooved $60 Kenda K761 on the rear. This combo works fine in the Florida sand, but this knobby is definitely not a street tire. The K761 lasts at least 6K miles for me on a DR650SE, and I don't run them smooth. I'm considering the Kings rear tire posted above, as well as a Kenda K270 rear. I'm looking for something I don't have to groove, that lasts a long time, handles decently on both sand and pavement, and doesn't cost a fortune. Some people are getting 10K miles or more out of the 2 Kenda tires I've mentioned. I currently use a Shinko 244 front on the pavement, and it works well as a dual-duty tire. It's definitely no knobby in wet clay or mud though.

Kenda K270 is the worst tire I've ever put on a motorcycle..neither good on road or off! Cheap yes, but after the first 100-200 miles worn like you won't believe. Absolutely no traction offroad! And, they were mounted on a DR650.

C/W · 02-01-2013, 06:39 PM

Seems every day I see a new tire that would be cool to have.

I'm currently running Dunlop D606 on the rear and a TKC-80 on the front. I'm happy with it, however I've heard the TKC-80 doesn't do well in mud do to close together knobs.

Previous tires were Pirelli MT-21 front & rear. I didn't like the MT-21 on the front, it felt very unstable.

Gryphon12 · 02-01-2013, 07:57 PM

Interesting. Most reports of inmates running mullets love the bite of the MT-21 up front.

eakins · 02-01-2013, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gryphon12

Interesting. Most reports of inmates running mullets love the bite of the MT-21 up front.

i was happy with mine. wore funny at the end but i switched when rear was toast. great match with mefo or k60 rear.

Ride Now · 02-01-2013, 08:54 PM

Pirelli XCMH on the front, MT43 on the rear with Tubliss both ends. Very little sign of wear after 1300 miles on an '07 KLX250S. About the same mileage to the dirt as the OP. YMMV.

Wallachian Spikes · 02-02-2013, 03:46 AM

My KLR had Perelli Skorpions on it when I bought it. Great street tire that sucked in dirt. Put over 7,000 miles on those tires & JUST changed them yesterday. They've still got another 1-2 thousand miles left on them. I went with a Dunlop D606 up front & a Heidenau K-60 Scout on the rear. Haven't had a chance to get them dirty yet but, that should change soon & I'll give an update.

I've heard the K-60 sucks in mud but, the KLR sucks in mud & I usually avoid mud anyway. Dirt, sand & rocks are what I usually ride when off road.

Ginger Beard · 02-02-2013, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJBDRdude

Kenda K270 is the worst tire I've ever put on a motorcycle..neither good on road or off! Cheap yes, but after the first 100-200 miles worn like you won't believe. Absolutely no traction offroad! And, they were mounted on a DR650.

Weird, I swear by them. I have ridden them all over the south east and even road through GA during a tropical storm with a fully loaded bike and they worked great. I also get around 5k out of the rear and 2-3 times that out of the front ( I change tires at about 25% tread remaining. Buddies K270 equipped KLR650 has had similar results). Spent a week at Highlands Park and during a hard rain only a handful of riders were out on the trails.I was on a K270 rear and K760 front which has been my go to setup for 100% off-road for years. Even in the GA clay with wet rocks and roots I never had a problem other than rider skill

. An hd rear tube and 10-15lbs of air and the K270 just seems to dead hook in the dirt. 25-28 on road and they ride fine (not great on road but they do their job). They also seem to shed mud like Teflon. I have a pair waiting to go on my Sportster build as well.

mikem9 · 02-02-2013, 02:19 PM

Thanks all. Never heard that term "mullet" for tires but I assume you mean more aggressive dirt tire on the front and longer lasting dual-sport tire on the back?

I've tried MT-21's and Dunlop 606 before. They just don't seem to offer enough grip (on front) for the kind of riding my buddies do. It's kind of an Enduro or Harescrambles, almost race pace type of riding on trails. I'm wondering if I could run a more dirt oriented tire on the front (XCMS Pirelli, Michelin S-12, Dunlop Geomax 51) and then run a little less agressive dirt tire on the back: MT - 21 etc maybe? For those who ride the more race oriented dirtbikes have you tried something like this?

Or maybe i need to go with more dual sport, longer lasting tires and just become a better rider in the slop!

thanks for your thoughts all!

jon_l · 02-02-2013, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJBDRdude

Pirelli MT 16 (at least for the rear) Great in all types of terrain and DOT legal as well! They wear really well including extended pavement use. I use them on my KTM 350 rfs coupled with a Bridgestone M59 up front. My rfs KTM sees a lot of tough, rocky offroad stuff mixed with occasional pavement. Give them a try.

Pirelli MT 16 rear isn't DOT, only the front.

02-01-2013, 12:36 PM	#1
mikem9 ^OP Wanderer Joined: Oct 2007 Location: North Georgia Oddometer: 1,053	Dualsport Tire Combination for more Dirt Looking for discussion on the best combination of dualsport/offroad tires for more dirt oriented dual sporting on smaller thumpers. Ones that will last longer, but still give good competitive grip. Depending on the areas, I live between 15 - 40 miles from my closest local trails. Ride an EXC 400. I like to explore the backroads asphalt looking for new trails. Our trails here in georgia can be rocky, sometimes full of roots, very slick with mud or dry with dust. When dual-sporting we normally run intermediate offroad racing type tires like Pirelli XCMS, Dunlop 756, or Geomax 51, or Michelin S-12/M-12 combo. These seem to be some the best options for optimal grip around here. Regular dual sport tires don't give very good grip for the kind of riding we normally do, especially on the front. Has anyone tried a dual-sport tire on the rear and offroad tire on the front combination? Like maybe an MT-21 on the back and a Pirelli XCMS on the front? Or some kind of longer lasting dual sport tires that give decent grip in the serious dirt that I don't know about?

02-01-2013, 03:19 PM	#4
Laura0107 Retrophilic Rambler Joined: Apr 2008 Location: SC Midlands Oddometer: 1,052	Rear: Kenda Trakmaster II Front: Pirelli Scorpion Pro Love that combo for SE trail riding on my DR350SE, which is probably about 270 lbs (dry weight) + fluids + 140 lb rider + gear. __________________ Sandlapper Braaaappper - Savannah River Rambling - SC Dirt! - On a perpetual dirty road tour in the land of Hicks and Nothing...

02-01-2013, 05:55 PM	#6
eakins Butler Maps Joined: May 2002 Location: Colorado - Fort Collins Oddometer: 14,458	of course a mullet. knobby up front and 50/50 tire in the rear tkc-80 fr - mefo or k60 rear tr8 fr - shinko 242 rear __________________ Butler Maps - motorcycle maps for riders by riders - Ozarks , Nor Cal , COBDR shipping, AZBDR scouting http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=598717 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/butlermaps

02-01-2013, 07:57 PM	#9
Gryphon12 Studly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Carnation, WA USA Oddometer: 698	Interesting. Most reports of inmates running mullets love the bite of the MT-21 up front. __________________ 1990 Honda NT-650 Hawk-GT Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead

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02-01-2013, 12:45 PM	#2
CJBDRdude Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY.. rockin it in Valatie!!! Oddometer: 187	Pirelli MT 16 (at least for the rear) Great in all types of terrain and DOT legal as well! They wear really well including extended pavement use. I use them on my KTM 350 rfs coupled with a Bridgestone M59 up front. My rfs KTM sees a lot of tough, rocky offroad stuff mixed with occasional pavement. Give them a try.

02-01-2013, 01:13 PM	#3
Yooper_Bob Beastly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Da UP, eh! (Michigan) Oddometer: 1,952	I have been using Kings tires on my KTM 640 Adventure, and I love 'em! They last a really long time, provide excellent traction, and are low priced (I should be riding a KLR). They are also DOT approved. http://www.kingstire.com/KT-963Rear.htm

02-01-2013, 06:39 PM	#8
C/W Adventurer Joined: Jun 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA Oddometer: 41	Seems every day I see a new tire that would be cool to have. I'm currently running Dunlop D606 on the rear and a TKC-80 on the front. I'm happy with it, however I've heard the TKC-80 doesn't do well in mud do to close together knobs. Previous tires were Pirelli MT-21 front & rear. I didn't like the MT-21 on the front, it felt very unstable.

02-01-2013, 08:54 PM	#11
Ride Now Graybeard Joined: Aug 2011 Location: Yakima, WA Oddometer: 27	Pirelli XCMH on the front, MT43 on the rear with Tubliss both ends. Very little sign of wear after 1300 miles on an '07 KLX250S. About the same mileage to the dirt as the OP. YMMV.

02-02-2013, 03:46 AM	#12
Wallachian Spikes Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2012 Location: Somewhere between the sacred silence & sleep Oddometer: 385	My KLR had Perelli Skorpions on it when I bought it. Great street tire that sucked in dirt. Put over 7,000 miles on those tires & JUST changed them yesterday. They've still got another 1-2 thousand miles left on them. I went with a Dunlop D606 up front & a Heidenau K-60 Scout on the rear. Haven't had a chance to get them dirty yet but, that should change soon & I'll give an update. I've heard the K-60 sucks in mud but, the KLR sucks in mud & I usually avoid mud anyway. Dirt, sand & rocks are what I usually ride when off road.

02-02-2013, 02:19 PM	#14
mikem9 ^OP Wanderer Joined: Oct 2007 Location: North Georgia Oddometer: 1,053	Thanks all. Never heard that term "mullet" for tires but I assume you mean more aggressive dirt tire on the front and longer lasting dual-sport tire on the back? I've tried MT-21's and Dunlop 606 before. They just don't seem to offer enough grip (on front) for the kind of riding my buddies do. It's kind of an Enduro or Harescrambles, almost race pace type of riding on trails. I'm wondering if I could run a more dirt oriented tire on the front (XCMS Pirelli, Michelin S-12, Dunlop Geomax 51) and then run a little less agressive dirt tire on the back: MT - 21 etc maybe? For those who ride the more race oriented dirtbikes have you tried something like this? Or maybe i need to go with more dual sport, longer lasting tires and just become a better rider in the slop! thanks for your thoughts all!