new tire coming up Karoo 3

deguoren · 12-15-2012, 10:33 AM

I am a big fan of the Heidenau tyres, but always open for something even better.

Just stumbled across a new model from Metzeler, available next spring

The Karoo 3

Apparently it has been presented on the EICMA. It will replace the MCE Karoo and the MCE Karoo (T)

Oso Blanco · 12-15-2012, 01:45 PM

Will be interesting hearing some real world feed back on these. The thread designs looks like it wouldn't offer much for lateral traction off the pavement.

4TooMany · 12-15-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oso Blanco

The thread designs looks like it wouldn't offer much for lateral traction off the pavement.

I'm thinking the same thing. It's a strange design in that it doesn't have much of a center "strip" to make it quiet on the road yet it also doesn't have a very aggressive tread laterally to make it good off road. It appears to be the opposite of what I think makes a good dual-sport tire.

Bayner · 12-15-2012, 11:44 PM

The Karoo 2 was a good tire, let's hope they didn't screw up another good knobby just to make a show piece.

X1Glider · 12-21-2012, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayner

The Karoo 2 was a good tire, let's hope they didn't screw up another good knobby just to make a show piece.

Sorry, but they did.

BcDano · 12-21-2012, 12:34 PM

Love the larger lugs, but would have to agree with the strange design comment. Cornering in the loose stuff looks like it could be very tricky with this design. Good luck to all the initial test pilots, I look forward to their reviews.

Midnullarbor · 12-21-2012, 04:55 PM

.
The new Karoo-3's rear tread is looking a good compromise for on-off road purposes . . . even the loose stuff, IMO (for a heavy bike).

The front, however, seems a bit more on-road biased.
For all-round riding, it looks fine for loamy surfaces [at moderate pace] and of course for bitumen ~ where the higher grip for braking is a big safety factor.
The front tread blocks look rather broad for those endless miles of loose-ball-bearing gravelly roads . . . but that's the compromise. A TKC or Heidi is always there as an alternative, on the front. Unless a more open Karoo-4 is in the pipeline !
.

Mr B · 12-21-2012, 09:19 PM

I ran an bunch of other tires, loved the Karoo off road but forget it on the road at anything above 50 mph, squirmy !!! T me anyway.
I rode a set of those Heidenau's but as soon as the area got sloppy, they don't do much.. Put a set of good ole YKC 80's on and I am much happier !!!!

Angryrican · 12-22-2012, 04:37 AM

Looks like a slightly tweaked and beefed up version of the Metzeler Sahara tire which was an excellent all a rounder and did really well in sandy conditions. This looks like it will be an excellent dual purpose tire for a big bike like the R1200Gs and even an F800GS loaded up.

deguoren · 12-22-2012, 05:20 AM

The reason I find this tyre attractive is the fact that it does not come with a center strip.

I need a good road tyre, because its a lot of miles before the dirt starts and the Heidi does it great.
But I think offroad the Heidi would be even better without the center strip.
If the 150 Heidenau tyre would be available with the same pattern as the 130 I would go that route.....

Casejeep · 12-22-2012, 08:39 AM

Yeah my big problem with the k60 is that it had the center stripe, this one i like! i will get this rear tire.

ebrabaek · 12-22-2012, 08:50 AM

Only reason I chose the K60, is that on the 18 inch version the pattern is different than on the 17 inch. 18 has half the center stripe, and it only contacts after 80% wear..... I like it a lot.

biodieselandon · 12-22-2012, 02:07 PM

Looks damn good

Snowy · 12-24-2012, 03:22 AM

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss these.

The rear looks promising.

The front, I think would work fine on most gravel surfaces.

One thing I've noticed in swapping between full knobbies and semi bar tread adventure tyres is that on gravel roads, and hardpacked base with shallow loose surface, the more road oriented tyres work better. Full knobbies work when you're in soft loamy dirt, loose rocks, or in mud. But on hard pack with a dusting of gravel they skate and float around like a bastard.

I rode some trails a week ago with a front Pirelli Mt90At, which I really like as an all round tyre, and then again this weekend with a Scorpion Rally front. I have a Scorpion Rally rear on at the moment.

Until the thunderstorm made everything greasy and sticky, the knobbie was losing. It works best in the pure off road/no road environment. The MT90At works better everywhere else. Wet dirt, the knobbie rules.

This Metzeler is more open than the MT90AT, but less open than the Rally. I think it could work well for me.

toowheels · 12-26-2012, 06:37 PM

Yes it's an interesting tread design!

I'm curious to see what kind of lifespan they'll have with the rubber compounds they're using and what the pricing is going to be like.

I'm sure they've done some homework on them. As a front I'm a little less sure but we'll see...

After using the K60 (140) without the centre strip and then with (I stick to the 140 since it has less of a centre strip and some side cuts where the 150 doesn't) I'm not all that big a fan anymore even after cutting some of the centre strip out.

I'm on to the Mitas E-07 rear and E-10 front now. They'll be installed next week.

I'll report back on one of the tire threads...

Dave

12-15-2012, 10:33 AM	#1
deguoren ^OP 该出手时就出手 Joined: Jan 2011 Location: big freezer Germany Oddometer: 106	new tire coming up Karoo 3 I am a big fan of the Heidenau tyres, but always open for something even better. Just stumbled across a new model from Metzeler, available next spring The Karoo 3 Apparently it has been presented on the EICMA. It will replace the MCE Karoo and the MCE Karoo (T) __________________ Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once; seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Live your dream, and wear your passion. Life is short."

12-15-2012, 01:45 PM	#2
Oso Blanco Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Oddometer: 963	Will be interesting hearing some real world feed back on these. The thread designs looks like it wouldn't offer much for lateral traction off the pavement. __________________ Camel Tank auxiliary fuel system for F series BMW twins: http://cameltank.com/

12-21-2012, 12:34 PM	#6
BcDano One Lucky Dude Joined: Nov 2010 Location: On the Road!! Oddometer: 237	Hmm Love the larger lugs, but would have to agree with the strange design comment. Cornering in the loose stuff looks like it could be very tricky with this design. Good luck to all the initial test pilots, I look forward to their reviews. __________________ 09 F800GS www.worldwideride.ca ADV RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

12-21-2012, 09:19 PM	#8
Mr B Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2009 Location: Merced, CA Oddometer: 408	I ran an bunch of other tires, loved the Karoo off road but forget it on the road at anything above 50 mph, squirmy !!! T me anyway. I rode a set of those Heidenau's but as soon as the area got sloppy, they don't do much.. Put a set of good ole YKC 80's on and I am much happier !!!! __________________ "We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing." Oliver Wendell Holmes

12-22-2012, 05:20 AM	#10
deguoren ^OP 该出手时就出手 Joined: Jan 2011 Location: big freezer Germany Oddometer: 106	The reason I find this tyre attractive is the fact that it does not come with a center strip. I need a good road tyre, because its a lot of miles before the dirt starts and the Heidi does it great. But I think offroad the Heidi would be even better without the center strip. If the 150 Heidenau tyre would be available with the same pattern as the 130 I would go that route..... __________________ Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once; seize them. Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Live your dream, and wear your passion. Life is short."

12-15-2012, 11:44 PM	#4
Bayner Beastly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: Penticton, BC Oddometer: 1,236	The Karoo 2 was a good tire, let's hope they didn't screw up another good knobby just to make a show piece.

12-21-2012, 04:55 PM	#7
Midnullarbor Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2010 Oddometer: 245	. The new Karoo-3's rear tread is looking a good compromise for on-off road purposes . . . even the loose stuff, IMO (for a heavy bike). The front, however, seems a bit more on-road biased. For all-round riding, it looks fine for loamy surfaces [at moderate pace] and of course for bitumen ~ where the higher grip for braking is a big safety factor. The front tread blocks look rather broad for those endless miles of loose-ball-bearing gravelly roads . . . but that's the compromise. A TKC or Heidi is always there as an alternative, on the front. Unless a more open Karoo-4 is in the pipeline ! .

12-22-2012, 04:37 AM	#9
Angryrican know nothing all Joined: Mar 2011 Location: North NJ Oddometer: 211	Looks like a slightly tweaked and beefed up version of the Metzeler Sahara tire which was an excellent all a rounder and did really well in sandy conditions. This looks like it will be an excellent dual purpose tire for a big bike like the R1200Gs and even an F800GS loaded up.

12-22-2012, 08:39 AM	#11
Casejeep Studly Adventurer Joined: May 2011 Location: Lake Powell or Flagstaff Oddometer: 734	Yeah my big problem with the k60 is that it had the center stripe, this one i like! i will get this rear tire.

12-22-2012, 08:50 AM	#12
ebrabaek Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: El Paso,NM Oddometer: 2,757	Only reason I chose the K60, is that on the 18 inch version the pattern is different than on the 17 inch. 18 has half the center stripe, and it only contacts after 80% wear..... I like it a lot. __________________ Erling

12-22-2012, 02:07 PM	#13
biodieselandon Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2012 Location: Spokane, WA Oddometer: 292	Looks damn good __________________ 2013 BMW F800GS, Cordoba Blue, ASC, ESA, ABS 2012 BMW G650GS - 13,000 miles *SOLD* "If you're not mixing gas, you're not hauling ass!" "A clean GS is a dirty shame."

12-24-2012, 03:22 AM	#14
Snowy Beastly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2008 Location: on most ignored list Oddometer: 1,116	I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss these. The rear looks promising. The front, I think would work fine on most gravel surfaces. One thing I've noticed in swapping between full knobbies and semi bar tread adventure tyres is that on gravel roads, and hardpacked base with shallow loose surface, the more road oriented tyres work better. Full knobbies work when you're in soft loamy dirt, loose rocks, or in mud. But on hard pack with a dusting of gravel they skate and float around like a bastard. I rode some trails a week ago with a front Pirelli Mt90At, which I really like as an all round tyre, and then again this weekend with a Scorpion Rally front. I have a Scorpion Rally rear on at the moment. Until the thunderstorm made everything greasy and sticky, the knobbie was losing. It works best in the pure off road/no road environment. The MT90At works better everywhere else. Wet dirt, the knobbie rules. This Metzeler is more open than the MT90AT, but less open than the Rally. I think it could work well for me. __________________ My trail videos. Yes, I need to learn to edit. Baby steps... https://www.youtube.com/user/DRMZ650?feature=mhee

12-26-2012, 06:37 PM	#15
toowheels on a mission... Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Oddometer: 837	Yes it's an interesting tread design! I'm curious to see what kind of lifespan they'll have with the rubber compounds they're using and what the pricing is going to be like. I'm sure they've done some homework on them. As a front I'm a little less sure but we'll see... After using the K60 (140) without the centre strip and then with (I stick to the 140 since it has less of a centre strip and some side cuts where the 150 doesn't) I'm not all that big a fan anymore even after cutting some of the centre strip out. I'm on to the Mitas E-07 rear and E-10 front now. They'll be installed next week. I'll report back on one of the tire threads... Dave __________________ Moto Overland [MOD] -Skid Plates, Top racks, Tool Boxes etc for Adventure bikes & Giant Loop for Canada www.motooverland.com

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