wr250X Tires

I was gonna go with the Conti SM's on Zed's suggestion but he never called me back today and I just realized I have some spare Michelin Pilot race take-off front tires and I know the Michelin dealer at the track so I figured I could go with the Michelin Man and just have to buy a rear tire cause for me the fronts are essentially free. If they are good enough for roadracing then they should be OK for my street hooligan riding and only having to buy one tire makes the cost a lot more attractive.

FWIW I got over 8000 km on the OEM rear and the OEM front is still in reasonable condition. Yes the rear tire is completely shagged now but it did its duty so it can go to the great tire pile in the sky now.

The laugh I got at my local shop after installing "Shit-ko" tires should have been a clue...

Wow. Super heavy, fall into corners, shitty braking, worse acceleration, sh*tko traction (crappy Korean rubber), and really hard on stock gearing.

Then 26 miles, or 42km for you canucks! into my ride on the freeway, at around 78mph, knobbies start popping off like popcorn kernels!!!

Lost 7 knobbs in the middle tread pattern to be exact... Um thinking the reflector dots ripped them off... I will post a pic.

Which, at that speed felt like riding on snow next to Soccer Moms, while stayin alive on the "Daytona I-5."

I still ride them around town... Trying to get my $80 worth. Also noticed over 15mpg drop in fuel economy.

Used to get 75-100 miles per tank with Distanzias, now I'm lucky to get about 62 miles per tank.


So, IMO, if you want to live, retain your stock gearing and good gas mileage, stay away from the properly nik-named SHITKO'S!

Which Shinko's are you running? Since you said knobs I'm assuming the 244's? I managed 100x that mileage without issue... Can't be that bad if you're still riding on them...


ANYWAYS, mileage is 29,35x and I'm at the wear bars front and rear on my BT090's. Unknown mileage on the front, but based on the previous owner of the wheels' estimate it has around 10k on it. The rear has about 4000. Neither is completely shot, but are noticeably worse than before. Still debating on a replacement tire, I've been happy with the OE tires so far and might just order a new rear to go with the barely worn front I have sitting in the basement or a set of the Duro's. Might also get prepped for winter with a set of sorta-knobs like the Shinko 244's or 705's, don't want to lose the good street handling but the roads are gonna get dirty, salty, sandy, and gross most of the time soon so a knobs might be a better choice...

So are you guys running tubes in all these radial tires?

Being that we have spoked wheels, yes. It is required unless you've done some sort of tubeless conversion. Otherwise the air would leak out around the spokes.

pbnut wrote:

Being that we have spoked wheels, yes. It is required unless you've done some sort of tubeless conversion. Otherwise the air would leak out around the spokes.

Is there a radial tire specif tube, or do you just use a standard tube of the correct diameter and whatever ply you like?

I believe it's the latter.

Yep, so far I'm just running the stock tubes in the stock radial tires. Tubes are tubes, designed to hold air. Radials and bias tires differ in construction, both can be designed as tube-type or tubeless.

Finally got around to changing the rear tire on my bike. Picked up a nail about a month ago and she's been sitting since, just no time to wrench and no money to pay a shop to do the change. Mileage is 29,782. I got about 4000 out of the OE tire till it hit the wear bars, not too shabby all things considered.


First ride, the BT003 RS feels fantastic! It was also fairly easy to mount, even with the stiff sidewalls. I think I'm gonna like this one, hope it lasts. Only changed the rear, not the front even though its due as well due to not feeling like fighting a second hard to break bead in one day. The BT090's bead was a motherf***er to break this time, too about 20min per side using a C-clamp. Of course, the good side of this is when I had my flat the bead held as I rode it home so you win some and you lose some in this situation.

Pics from when the tires came in...

Stock width on that BT003?

skierd wrote:

Finally got around to changing the rear tire on my bike. Picked up a nail about a month ago and she's been sitting since, just no time to wrench and no money to pay a shop to do the change. Mileage is 29,782. I got about 4000 out of the OE tire till it hit the wear bars, not too shabby all things considered.


First ride, the BT003 RS feels fantastic! It was also fairly easy to mount, even with the stiff sidewalls. I think I'm gonna like this one, hope it lasts. Only changed the rear, not the front even though its due as well due to not feeling like fighting a second hard to break bead in one day. The BT090's bead was a motherf***er to break this time, too about 20min per side using a C-clamp. Of course, the good side of this is when I had my flat the bead held as I rode it home so you win some and you lose some in this situation.

Pics from when the tires came in...

I wound up going with the BT-0003s also. I like them alot so far and should get much better millage out these. Mounting was fairly easy took about an hour to do the front and rear.

motokid wrote:

Stock width on that BT003?

Yup, got the 140/70-17. Didn't want to go wider and taller/shorter when the stock size felt good to me.

Nice. Look forward to your review once you get both skinz mounted and run in a bit.

i would like to know what everyone thinks is the best 80% on road 20%off road tire? if money was not a object what would everyone have and what sizes,, also if money was a object what would be the next steps down? new to forum and have read up alot, everyones riding conditions are different,, here in NY we have mostly hard pack dirt trails unless it rans then all we have is mud trails lol.. but im looking to buy new tires and just wanted to see what people recommend??? thanks

For the R wheels I'd have an answer for you in a second, the Dunlop D606 rear and whatever dirt or street friendly front tire you prefer.

For the X, and mostly staying on road, gravel, and hard pack, any street tire with tread will likely be fine. On hard terrain compound matters as much if not more than tread pattern imo and in my (limited) experience.

I've put maybe 1000 miles on the BT003RS rear so far and I mostly like it. It has a much more rounded profile than the stock tire I guess, its a little less willing to lean over like the stock tire but once its over its very smooth and controllable. Could be somewhat affected by still running the old stock front BT090 though. Grip has been more than acceptable for the mild to medium street pace I typically ride at despite the cool to cold (below freezing) temperatures though I have had a few oh-slip moments when first starting out on cold tires. Not surprisingly its absolutely useless on a slimey wet pine duff covered trail except to make a nice wide rut along the trail.

I have no idea on how well this sucker is going to wear yet. If the weather keeps clear I hope to have it mostly worn out by April so I can spoon on a set of 17" knobs for the several early spring DS rides I like to do. Rumor has it there's gonna be a 120/70-17 TL TKC 80 coming out, which I think would be great to join up with a 140/80-17 TL TKC80 rear and sealing the spoke nipples on my wheels to make it a tubeless setup... mmm... tubeless long lasting knobbies...

motokid wrote:

AJBsays wrote:

i would like to know what everyone thinks is the best 80% on road 20%off road tire?

Avon Distanzia.

+ 1. They are a little heavy but are a great tire, esspecially in SM compound.

Well Im a long way from a review much less a ride, but Im excited



Lets hope they're worth it!

Yikes! They better be amazing for that price.

Anyone used the Michelin Road 2's or Road 3's with the WR250X? Are the Road 3's worth an additional $30 for a set? I am concerned about how well the rear will fit considering they only offer them in 150/70 and 150/60. I am leaning towards the Road 2's in 150/70 but wanted to see if anyone had fitment issues before I order them.

RoadRash wrote:

Anyone used the Michelin Road 2's or Road 3's with the WR250X? Are the Road 3's worth an additional $30 for a set? I am concerned about how well the rear will fit considering they only offer them in 150/70 and 150/60. I am leaning towards the Road 2's in 150/70 but wanted to see if anyone had fitment issues before I order them.

quite a few folks run pilot powers in a 150/60 without issue. I would imagine that the roads would be pretty similar in actual width.

Just an FYI for Canadians tired of getting price gouged on tires to checkout Pete's Superbike. Just ordered a couple sets and even with shipping I saved $440 over what local dealer was charging. They are located in Canada and prices are in CAD. The website is http://www.petes-superbike.com/english/

Read all 4 pages and see that a 150 tire seems to go on fine. The question I have is if anyone has spooned a 160 Supermoto specific tire on?
Avons, Pirellis in DOT's or Dunlop or Michelin cut slicks?
I understand the taller profile less contact patch thing but don't care about looking at "chicken strips"

A 150 width tire is cutting it close as far as swingarm/chain clearance. I'm pretty sure a 160 would not fit. You'd get chain rub for sure, and even if it did not, our rims are only 4" wide. You'd be pinching a 160 considerably.

More discussion on this exact topic here.

In my experience, 150/70 is just a little too tight: chain nips at the tire.

From others here, 150/60 seems to be OK.