Current Tire Thoughts

I have gone thru the three pages and note that most of this information is old, or the threads are along the lines of " just installed..."

What are the current (as of 5-19-11) thoughts of replacement tire for the R? Maybe a break down for with stock gearing and moded gearing as well as mileage.

The Maxxis and the Kenda 270's seem interesting, but I have not found any posts indicating mileage or experiences.

The 606's had a good following, but it sounds like they are getting the street mileage.

MT21 works for me on the front. As for the rear:
Stock Bridgestones are uselless--I've had them on 3 new bikes--quick takeoffs.
D606 are like rocks--stiff sidewalls and more difficult to install, mileage may be a smiggen better but not worth the loss of traction.
MT21's worked well and hook up in most situations, maybe a lit low on the mileage side but not enought to matter to me.
Currently trying MT43--hooks great, rides nice, still out on mileage, but what a big hoop--BFH--rubs the splash guard unless you modify the chain.
I'm running stock rear and one down counter.
Most likely I will revert to the MT21 when the MT43 wears out.

M1A Rifleman wrote:

I have gone thru the three pages and note that most of this information is old, or the threads are along the lines of " just installed..."

What are the current (as of 5-19-11) thoughts of replacement tire for the R? Maybe a break down for with stock gearing and moded gearing as well as mileage.

The Maxxis and the Kenda 270's seem interesting, but I have not found any posts indicating mileage or experiences.

The 606's had a good following, but it sounds like they are getting the street mileage.

I am a fan of the Pirelli XCMH's. I had them on my DRZ when I sold it, and installed them on my new WRR after 29 miles with the trails wings. For the terrain I ride, the trails wings were not cutting it. I am sure they are good for some, but not for me. I like the traction and more importantly,the predictability I get with the XCMH's.

I had kenda Trackmaster II's on my DRZ before the XCMH's and liked those as well. But they did wear quicker than I liked and the XCMH front tracked better in the soft sand.

Not sure on mileages. I ride 95% offroad and usually replace before most people would...since dirt tires are so cheap.

I've ridden and worn out:
Front - Stock trailwings (3), Dunlop D606, IRC VE39 (non-DOT intermediate tire), Kenda K761, and a Shinko 244
Rear - Stock trailwings (2), Dunlop D606 (4 or 5), MT43 (2, 1 wore out, 1 had tread separation at 500 miles and was warrantied), IRC VE40 Baja Comp, Kenda K760 Trakmaster II, Kenda K761, and a Shinko 244.



I think the D606 is the best dual sport tire for this bike. Mixed dirt and pavement use I get a solid 5000 miles out of them and they flat out work in any and all conditions from new knobs to old knubs on all surfaces. You can really rail on them on pavement too. To get better dirt performance you'd have to get full on dirt non-DOT knobs imo, and then it depends on the conditions.

I had Shinko 244's for a while, similar tread to the Kenda 270 but supposed to be a better tire. Great for mild DS use that sees a lot of pavement. And CHEAP too, I can get a set for the cost of a D606 rear. If you ride mostly in rocks and hard pack, the stock tires really aren't all that bad. I got about 8000 from the front and 4500 from the rear iirc on both the 244's and the stock tires.

For pure street tires, the K761's weren't bad, but they weren't great either. I found them to be scary, particularly the rear, when it was wet out. Unsure of the mileage, didn't keep track.

The MT43 has amazing velcro-like traction in everything not paved if you keep the pressures down where they're supposed to be at 8-10psi, but is obviously a bit squirmy on road. It is also the only tire I've gotten a flat on (picked up 3 nails on 3 separate occasions) and the only tire to fail on me so far. I'd get one for my play bike or trails-only bike, but its not the tire I'd cross a continent on. You really have to change your riding style to suit the MT43 capabilities, and in the end I prefer the riding style offered by a knobby tire. The one that held together I pulled with 3000 miles on it, the warrantied one had 500 miles.

I hated the K760 Trakmaster II, except for the few occasions I got to use it on loamy soft sand, mud, and soft moist soil. Then it rocked. Otherwise it mostly didn't on the terrain I predominantly ride (rocky, rooted, rough trails, hardpack gravel, and unfortunately pavement).

The IRC VE39 was a nice tire once I figured it out, it handles differently than the D606 front, more precise and less stable but made it easier to pick and change a line when needed. Needed to be between 14 and 16psi or it wouldn't work for crap, in that window it was amazing until it wore out. Found out when it wore out the hard way when I ended up sliding in a nice deep mud puddle off the bike lol. It was probably gone at 3000 miles for dirt use, but I was ok on the road through 4000 miles.

The IRC VE40 Baja Comp was a big beefy bad mother of a tire. I'm happy I wasn't behind me a lot of times lol. Sand and rocks it rocked in, mud it was terrible. Wore out fast, about 2000 miles.


I think I'm going to try something more street oriented next time, Shinko 705's maybe. Or just get a set of plain street tired like distanzas or something. If I get new dirt tires, I'm going to try the MT16 front and a D606 rear.

Comprehensive Skierd, thanks.

+10 on the 606. Can't beat this tire for durability, and traction is great (contrary to what others say, I've run mine in EVERYTHING and they were phenomenal). The only beef I had was the front tire wears really odd and scallops fast. The Mitas I'm running now are getting replaced. Wear isn't as good as the 606; traction kicks ass. Front tire has worn worse than the 606...every third set of knobs are worn right to the carcass. New set of skins are on the way and i should hopefully have them tomorrow.

Speaking of Mitas, I just got my set today. $160 for both, taxes in, delivered. They have some serious lug for a DOT tire. I'm going out to the bush for the long weekend so I can't wait to try them out. Shouldn't be too hard to beat the TW's road slick-like performance in the dirt. Be interesting to see if I get the same scalloping you did on the front SheWolf. I'll be swapping the rubber out at the site...and a virgin tire swapper to boot...haha. Should be fine but I am a bit concerned about not having rim locks with the increased traction. I guess I'll just keep the rire pressure up in the 18-20 range to make sure I don't shear the valve.

Don't worry about rim locks with the Mitas skins. I've had mine down to 12 easy and didn't spin a thing...except the tire, and holy shit do those tires BITE!! Be prepared for a sore face. The smiling will be permanent once you experience the traction those things put out.

SheWolf wrote:

Don't worry about rim locks with the Mitas skins. I've had mine down to 12 easy and didn't spin a thing...except the tire, and holy shit do those tires BITE!! Be prepared for a sore face. The smiling will be permanent once you experience the traction those things put out.

Not to split hairs, but I would call that advice contradictory. If they really bite, all the more reason to have rim locks. I tend to want to play things on the safer side, and use rim locks for anything below 15 PSI....cause no matter what patch kit you have with you, it aint gonna fix a ripped off valve stem.

I've had one bike that had rim locks, and it was more for balancing. This bike I've never had rim locks, have done some pretty heavy chewing with the tires I've had on with fairly low psi and NEVER spun a bead on a rim. I guess it's all a matter of choice.

SheWolf wrote:

I guess it's all a matter of choice.

Of course, as always.

Reminds me of a post I wanted to do yesterday.

SheWolf wrote:

I've had one bike that had rim locks, and it was more for balancing. This bike I've never had rim locks, have done some pretty heavy chewing with the tires I've had on with fairly low psi and NEVER spun a bead on a rim. I guess it's all a matter of choice.

I will agree but for a different reason--and it isn't going to be well accepted. I don't use rim locks on the WRR because it does not make sufficient torque where rim locks are effective in my riding----for me--Rim locks are needed from a stop to relatively low speeds where the tire bites and simultanously receives a large torque load. Can you do this on the R\X sure but only with a high RPM launch from a stop--it just does not have low RPM grunt.

In the dirt\rocks etc below say 4500 RPM snapping the throttle open just does not produce all that much torque. Not true for my XR650R or KTM380 2 smoke--without rim locks either one can easily twist a wheel inside the Tire at low RPM and good hook up.

What about if you are riding, spinning the rear tires in something soft, like sand or mudd, then all of a sudden, you hit a root and the tire grabs enough to lift the front wheel two feet in the air??

That is a torque force, independent of the torque that the bike makes.

I did exactly that. Came out of a nice mudhole, caught the hardpack on the other side and it launched the nose right up. I was at 12 psi and it never spun on the rim. Second gear, rpm was around 5k when I hit that hardpack. YeeHAW!!!

In both cases you two have mentioned to only source of torque is the engine and with the rear spinning you are going to be hitting the power band--and if you are unlucky most likely your rear as you exit the bike
Two sources of torque to twist the tire on the rim--the engine and braking. The torque curve on the R\X comes on above 4000-5000 not down low--so as Shewolf says "ye ha" spinning wildly coming out of the mud hole--or hooking a root spinning.
But--just like in snow if you are spinning you are not getting controlable forward motion--maybe some fun but.....little progress. I just don't ride that way on the WRR or my other bikes--power it to hookup and hold not spin, as soon as she spins dial back on the power--I know one of you lives in snow country--what do you say when you see some driver trying to get up a hill by spinning--most likely take it easy and go--don't spin 'em. For me same applies riding rough stuff--keep it hooked and momentum up--most of my WRR riding is therefore well below where the torque is of concern regarding twisting a tire on a wheel.
I guess you could brake into sufficient torque but that would require pavement in my experience and stoppies are not my style

To each is own, as they say.

To rim lock or not to rim lock, is like which oil to use, which tire to buy, etc.

To wear or not wear underwear...

anyone try the d908 rally raid?It looks real PERtty..the price is definitely the turn off thou
The mt21 cross rally are alllright i guess,i like more triangle cut tires in the front like some of the great kenda they used to make!and the rear is adequate like the d606!!Went through a couple maxxis6006 good cheap tire surprisingly.disapiontend with kenda these days and just might try the d908 on the front anyway and might do the scopion pro on the back
could be good
jahnny

Gotta be real careful aroun here these days with MX tires; DOT is impounding bikes with full-on MX tires on plated bikes.

The kenda parker dt looks sweet too...couldn't care less WHAT the dot would say..catch me if you can CHUMPS!

Your state DOT right?

SheWolf wrote:

Gotta be real careful aroun here these days with MX tires; DOT is impounding bikes with full-on MX tires on plated bikes.

DOT we have here in Canada, and they have now trained integrated traffic control RCMP to do it too. So yeah, sure you can run MX tires, but if you get caught in a cop roadblock for seatbelt checks and they see you with an MX only tire, your bike is as good as impounded. Turn around to bypass a cop and you'll have the chopper dispatched along with any other ones in the vicinity.

jyam wrote:

The kenda parker dt looks sweet too...couldn't care less WHAT the dot would say..catch me if you can CHUMPS!

My Kenda Parker DT is DOT.

I know...and so is the d908
How are you liking the parker dt..i think i'mma gonna get me some
The d606 is kind of lame but if tire wear is your concern it's a good buy.I went through a couple already...ehh~
ja

jyam wrote:

I know...and so is the d908
How are you liking the parker dt..i think i'mma gonna get me some
The d606 is kind of lame but if tire wear is your concern it's a good buy.I went through a couple already...ehh~
ja

I don't care for tire wear, I love the parker dt, just a pita to install. Super hard walls and bead.
Recently just attended the Berkshire 100 in Mass and its all mud, rocks, hill climbs and water crossings. What really impressed me was turning on asphalt (aggressive lean) I could actually hear the tire ripping the pavement (like ripping duct tape off your thigh. There are some stretches that require high speeds like 70mph to catch up to the group. The tire held well IMHO.
You would never believe how well in corners with its aggressive knobs. It leaves me no desire to try others as of now.