Michelin trial tire for dual sport

[dmar]

I have a klx250s dual sport. I have been reading that the michelin x11 trial tire is a great off road tire that is also DOT approved. Anyone use these? Also the sizes of these trial tires are smaller, My tires are 4.6 at rear and 3.0 at front, the trials only come in 4.0 rear and 2.75 in front. I know that the rear michelin x11 trial tire is a radial tire that lays a better contact patch to the ground. I think that would be more rubber on the ground than a larger knobby type tire. I got the idea from dirt bike magazine, they said the michelin x11 trial tire was better than the knobby in most conditions.

[Surly]

Originally Posted by dmar

I have a klx250s dual sport. I have been reading that the michelin x11 trial tire is a great off road tire that is also DOT approved. Anyone use these? Also the sizes of these trial tires are smaller, My tires are 4.6 at rear and 3.0 at front, the trials only come in 4.0 rear and 2.75 in front. I know that the rear michelin x11 trial tire is a radial tire that lays a better contact patch to the ground. I think that would be more rubber on the ground than a larger knobby type tire. I got the idea from dirt bike magazine, they said the michelin x11 trial tire was better than the knobby in most conditions.

I think they would be awesome but get wasted very fast on the road (even on a 250). IRC has a cheaper version too.
Give them a go and let us know how long they last

[WoodsChick]

The reason trials tires work so well in the dirt is because they are very squishy and grippy. If you plan on doing a good amount of riding on pavement at anything approaching highway speeds, I would reconsider. They tend to get a bit squirelly on the road. I've taken mine up to about 75mph and, while it didn't wallow around too much, it wasn't the most confidence-inspiring feeling. I equate the sensation to the feeling you get in your front end when ripping through deep sand. I run an IRC Trials Winner, tubeless but with a HD tube, and run about 8-12psi, depending on where I'm riding. I've tried the Michelin and the Mitas, but keep coming back to the IRC.

Now, if you're talking about riding mostly in the dirt and rocks with one, well then prepare to feel like an Enduro Hero. They absolutely stick like velcro to rocks, they make wet logs and rocky stream-crossings a total non-issue, and make long rocky hillclimbs an absolute blast. I've been running trials tires for several years now and unless it's really muddy, I feel like I am at a distinct disadvantage with a knobby.

Now there are some downsides. If you get a flat on the trail, good luck getting the bead to seat with the conventional pump. It's a good idea to carry Co2 cartridges with you, and even then they sometimes don't work.
I've resorted to carrying 3 very large zip-ties to keep the tire on the rim in case of a stubborn flat that can't be fixed. Also, if you're a "point-and-shoot" type rider that likes to square everything off, well then you're going to have to alter your riding style in order to get all the benefits a trials tire has to offer. They definitely lend themselves to a smoother riding style. They grip well, and since they aren't sliding around like a conventional rear knobby they tend to push the front end. Once you get used to the feel you can just lift the front end and put it where you want it, no problem. They will also tend to make you raise your front end when hillclimbing when not expecting good traction They are very good at teaching traction control, which comes in handy when riding a knobby in crappy conditions. I've found that it is now easier to find traction with a knobby when there is none. I dunno...maybe it's just mental.

They tend to not work so well on the bigger, heavier 4-strokes. I would imagine if your KLX is a street version it might be heavier than the average 250 4-stroke. Something to consider...

You will notice initially that they wear extremely fast...at first. You'll think you wasted your money after you witness the alarming amount of degradation after the first ride. But fear not, they keep working forever regardless of how crappy they look. You can literally get thousands of miles out of one.



WoodsChick

[BikePilot]

I've not used them, but all the trails tires I've seen were pretty much totally flat on the botom. Great for slow-speed technical stuff, but not so great for higher speed turns where you would be at much of a lean angle, especially on the road.

have fun

[Gasdoctor]

Originally Posted by WoodsChick

The reason trials tires work so well in the dirt is because they are very squishy and grippy. If you plan on doing a good amount of riding on pavement at anything approaching highway speeds, I would reconsider. They tend to get a bit squirelly on the road. I've taken mine up to about 75mph and, while it didn't wallow around too much, it wasn't the most confidence-inspiring feeling. I equate the sensation to the feeling you get in your front end when ripping through deep sand. I run an IRC Trials Winner, tubeless but with a HD tube, and run about 8-12psi, depending on where I'm riding. I've tried the Michelin and the Mitas, but keep coming back to the IRC.

Now, if you're talking about riding mostly in the dirt and rocks with one, well then prepare to feel like an Enduro Hero. They absolutely stick like velcro to rocks, they make wet logs and rocky stream-crossings a total non-issue, and make long rocky hillclimbs an absolute blast. I've been running trials
tires for several years now and unless it's really muddy, I feel like I am at a distinct disadvantage with a knobby.

Now there are some downsides. If you get a flat on the trail, good luck getting the bead to seat with the conventional pump. It's a good idea to carry Co2 cartridges with you, and even then they sometimes don't work.
I've resorted to carrying 3 very large zip-ties to keep the tire on the rim in case of a stubborn flat that can't be fixed. Also, if you're a "point-and-shoot" type rider that likes to square everything off, well then you're going to have to alter your riding style in order to get all the benefits a trials tire has to offer. They definitely lend themselves to a smoother riding style. They grip well, and since they aren't sliding around like a conventional rear knobby they tend to push the front end. Once you get used to the feel you can just lift the front end and put it where you want it, no problem. They will also tend to make you raise your front end when hillclimbing when not expecting good traction They are very good at teaching traction control, which comes in handy when riding a knobby in crappy conditions. I've found that it is now easier to find traction with a knobby when there is none. I dunno...maybe it's just mental.

They tend to not work so well on the bigger, heavier 4-strokes. I would imagine if your KLX is a street version it might be heavier than the average 250 4-stroke. Something to consider...

You will notice initially that they wear extremely fast...at first. You'll think you wasted your money after you witness the alarming amount of degradation after the first ride. But fear not, they keep working forever regardless of how crappy they look. You can literally get thousands of miles out of one.



WoodsChick

+1 :grinner I've been running trials tires for some time now with excellent results!!

[potatoho]

Regarding dual sport, I've tried three different models so far. Michelin X-11, Dunlop D803 (tubeless), and a Mitas ET-01 (tubeless). These I ran on my KTM 300 EXC.

The X-11 I ran for quite a few weeks, and I thought it was great, but I got scared because it was the softest sidewall of the three and I thought I would get a flat or something. The tire still looked like new when I changed it out.

I changed to a Mitas ET-01. Got two rides on it and all the center knobs broke off.

I changed to a D803. The center knobs began cracking more and more and after about three rides I didn't feel safe any more so I removed it. Then I realized that I don't like tubeless tires; a) the bead didn't seat well, and b) I had to cut the tire off with a bolt cutter.

So out of those three, I would recommend the X-11. Kinda wish I had given it more of a chance then I did. Still, they are not very appropriate for dual sport. I wouldn't run them above 55mph or so, and even though the X-11 didn't give me problems I know I would have to check them constantly and it just drives me nuts.

Oh, and don't try a trials front LOL. It is interesting, but you'll have to really change your riding style.

[JTT]

Ditto on what Woodschick said. I've used them a fair amount too and they are outstanding in anything other than deep sand and truly soupy mud.

I will warn you about the use for Dual Sport though. Beware, as the new generation Michelins coming in are stamped "not approved for road use in USA and Canada". Have a close look at the tire before taking it home for this label if you plan to use it on the street.

[motu]

Originally Posted by BikePilot

I've not used them, but all the trails tires I've seen were pretty much totally flat on the botom. Great for slow-speed technical stuff, but not so great for higher speed turns where you would be at much of a lean angle, especially on the road.

have fun

The tyre flattens out and even cornering puts down a bigger footprint than a knob - you don't get to ride on that small outside lug,you would still be on enough rubber.It's as much in the compound as well as the construction,they have outstanding grip on hard surfaces too,you won't be lighting up the rear coming out of corners.

Guess I'll chime in here,

On my old ts250 hustler (1979) i was riding a couple summers ago, the only tires still readily available in it's stock sizes were trials tires. I couldn't have been happier once i got them on, although I was wary at first.

At speeds around 105 km/h (about the most i could squeeze out of the poor old 850$ beast) on a regular two lane winding highway they were like glue. Even with the somewhat harsh bite of the old two-smoker, they held up very well.

I used to go about 225 km each way to and from my job in another town nearby (drive there, work four days, drive home) and then about 100km a week of runnin around at the other town visiting and such. The tires lasted the full season and half the next before i sold the bike without replacement.
When i sold the bike i feel confident they still probably had close to 1000km left in them, and they still had good grip. So about 7500km on them with say 1000km to go. Makes about 8500km lifespan for them, which is better than some street tires lasted on other bikes i've had, and they cost less.


All in all I'd say although they aren't the tire for every bike in every condition, I would say that on a smaller lightweight bike, they are better than regular knobs in almost any conditions for grip, and far better for durability. So overall a better deal and a safer ride that lasts longer to boot.
Highly recommended if your bike is say under 450cc and relatively light weight.

Just my .02

N. ON. R.

[viverrid]

I ran an X-11 on my DRZ for a season. It was awesome on rock, and not as bad as you might think in regular mud. However, I also ran the X-11 in an event that has gumbo mud conditions. The tire loaded up so bad that a spectator (while I trying to push the bike out over a log at the exit of a mudhole) asked me, "are you running a slick?".

I thought the tire was awful for cornering on the road. The paved road between my house and some of the riding areas is a "twisty" road and I never felt comfortable on the X-11. Very squirrelly when leaned over. Perhaps partly because to be effective in the woods, it needs to be run at siongle digit (psi) tire pressure.

Mine was Not For Highway Use and after I switched it out the next Spring for annual Inspection, I never put one back on. I had some ripped knobs but so far none actually come off. The pattern is symmetric so as the knobs get rounded off on their leading side, the tire can be turned around for new sharpt knobs.

If someone is riding in the dry with lots of rock, I think they would be great. For me they were a mixed bag, better for some things, worse for others. I don't consider it a good dualsport tire, more a specialty tire.

[Silver Bullet]

I have used the D801 Dunlap (now D803) for many years on my Husaberg 400E. It's great. The key is tire pressure. Do not run the 5 to 7 lbs like a trails bike. Run it at 14-18 lbs depending on bike and rider weight. I use a full knobby up front for good steering. I have actually changed the tire from bike to bike before I wear it out. However, this is mostly off road and not much serious DS riding. These tires will not take sustained hwy speeds and should not be used on heavyer DS bikes.

[GB]

Tire threads go to the Equipment forum.

[motu]

They may be squirrelly on the seal - but they will grip.They have the compound of a race slick,you can slide them on seal with confidence.Sure they move around,but you ride a dual purpose bike and should be comfortable with that.They feel like they are stepping out with the flex,hold them there with the throttle.....be more aggressive.

[WoodsChick]

Originally Posted by motupaika

They may be squirrelly on the seal - but they will grip.They have the compound of a race slick,you can slide them on seal with confidence.Sure they move around,but you ride a dual purpose bike and should be comfortable with that.They feel like they are stepping out with the flex,hold them there with the throttle.....be more aggressive.

Sure, they might have a similar compound to a race slick, but they have nowhere near the sidewall stiffness, nor will they have proper psi for riding on the street if they're being run with proper psi for the dirt. I can slide a rear tire with the best of them, street or dirt, but I will not do it with a trials tire on the pavement. That's not what they are for. It would be a real drag to slide that puppy right off the rim while dragging knee on the pavement.


WoodsChick

[rickf]

BTW, they do make rears in tube type.