Here we go. Best tires

Discussion in 'TR650' started by Baddrapp, Apr 24, 2014.

  1. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100

    Not as yet, it's very new to the market, although their Trials & Enduro tyres are well respected here
    At AU$139 it's a great price for a top quality front
    I am impressed with the E-10, better manners etc than the Karoo3, but lesser milage - the original Metzler Safari were yeuk
    mag00 likes this.
  2. Kenneth Webb Livin' It Up!

    Location:
    Tucson AZ
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TE630 TR650 Terra TE310R
    Other Motorcycles:
    Yamaha WR250R, GoldWing, Africa Twin
    Those Motoz Adventure tires look really good and I wonder if they are available here in the States yet. Have to look. One of the problems I've had with the Heidi K60 is the inability for the rear tire to hook up when side walling out of a deep rut or running on steep slopes. The rear end just wants to slide down to the bottom. It isn't much of a problem with the Dunlop 908RR as it grips pretty well. The Terra is heavy which doesn't help a lot. What pressure do you actually run? 33psi is high and is going to give a punishing ride over washboard gravel roads. I am getting the Terra ready for another run of the Western TAT and will have 3400 miles of trail and another 1500 of pavement to get back to my rig. These tires might do the entire trip. I was also thinking of the Tractionator Desert HT as an alternative to my 908 rear. At the front, I really prefer a wide profile tire and run the Golden Tyre now, but I know it won't make 5000 miles. The Tractionator Desert is wide, but the Adventure is not. So many choices.......
    engineerk9 likes this.
  3. drzcharlie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Fayetteville, Arkansas with my Redheaded Mistress
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Burgman 650 (The Barcolounger)
    @ Engineer,

    Tubeless? Are you using the Nuetech system?
    engineerk9 likes this.
  4. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100
    My K-60 rear I ran 35-40psi road & 30psi desert - the Shock Tech rear shock coped well with the corrugations
    I have Mefo 99 on rear now run 36psi the Mitas E-10 on the front 25psi (any lower & it gets too hot on the road)
    The Motoz recommend 33psi for most uses - I might drop to 25 for deep sand
    Everything is a compromise with tyres - as I undertake long distance solo desert rides with big road miles I treat my tyres with respect
    Kenneth Webb likes this.
  5. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100
    Still considering them, they don't recommend for road use
  6. drzcharlie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Fayetteville, Arkansas with my Redheaded Mistress
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Burgman 650 (The Barcolounger)
    Yeah, I remain unsold to. ArkWhizzy here in Fayetteville, Arkansas tried to do the spoke nipple seal and it didn't work out for him, he had air leaks and gave up. I find that rear tires are likely the toughest I have ever tried to spoon on a wheel in the 52 years I have been riding. I find myself dreading a flat every time I ride gravel.
    engineerk9 likes this.
  7. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100
    I've always used "Self-amalgamating" tape inside the rim, 4-5 turns, rather than rim tapes
  8. johnsweet Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Mount Desert, Maine 04660 USA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650
    Other Motorcycles:
    KTM 790R RickmanZ BulsSherpaTs350
    I see the new Michelin dual sport tires, anyone using these? http://motorcycle.michelinman.com/tires/michelin-anakee-wild, It will be a while before I wear out my Mitas E07s. Expecting them to go for 8000 miles. Is this realistic? I had a pinch flat with the OEM Metzler Saharas. I used them for 7000 miles
  9. LED Husqvarna
    A Class

    Location:
    Perth, WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR 650 Terra
    I think so, I've got 10,000 km on mine and there is still good amount of rubber left. Maybe another 3000 km.
    johnsweet likes this.
  10. drzcharlie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Fayetteville, Arkansas with my Redheaded Mistress
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Burgman 650 (The Barcolounger)
    The Anakee Wild really caught my attention too. However the sizes they offer won't fit the Terra. So far I have seen conversations that these tires are lasting into the 3K miles range.


    [IMG]
    PaulC likes this.
  11. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100
    I suffered a number for front pinch flats on the OEM Saharas - exercised my sphincter frequently - None with Karoo 3 or E-10 (to date)
    I wanted something a little more aggressive than the E-7 on the front
  12. NLfireblade Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    NZ
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    I had to order the 17 tooth sprocket from ebay UK. None available at dealers or online elsewhere. It's on the way. I decided to start with the rear Shinko and see how the wobble issue goes. I'd rather have the directional control in the dirt that the knobs provide on the TKC front. The 170 rear fit no problem and is very close to same width as the 150 TKC....

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    I used calipers and, at the widest point, the Shinko was .5cm closer to the chain than the TKC. So, overall only 1cm wider.
    mcalistr likes this.
  13. engineerk9 Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Narrabeen
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Kawasaki ZRX1100
    Lot's of rubber on the road
    Mark_H and NLfireblade like this.
  14. kiwiape Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Aprilia DD750
    Thats Shinko looks serious, but I would imagine in lose gravel and or dirt it will disappoint you.

    The TKC 80 are rubbish for the following reasons, (and all I ever heard was they are great, obviously people have not tried anything else);
    1.They are by far the most expensive tyre I have purchased
    2. It just melted away in less than 4000km
    3. It had the least amount of grip both on-road and off road
    4. It has the least amount of tread depth

    A Dunlop D606 cost far less, will out perform it for mileage and grip both on-road & definitely off-road /gravel.
    Mark_H likes this.
  15. Cpan Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    New zealand
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Drz400,Crf230,Ctx200
    Kiwiape, Have just got back from 1600km trip on my Shinko 705s and can report they were great.
    Sure, didn't experience much/any mud but as far as gravel , aka Haka pass, danseys pass , Thompson gorge , all loose gravel, they performed well at 25 psi
    Also the many km on tarmac , lindas pass , Milford sound , Queenstown ,tekapo, great tyre. Ran into some rain at one stage , sticks like Poo.
    Got up to 138kph and they were solid.
    Agree with You re rear tkc80 tho.
    engineerk9 likes this.
  16. drzcharlie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Fayetteville, Arkansas with my Redheaded Mistress
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Burgman 650 (The Barcolounger)
    TKC 80 is the absolute worse tire you could put on a TR. From day one the tire was squirmy and never got better. I got less than 1000 miles out of it before I lost confidence. I am now running the Kenda Big Blocks. 2000 miles on them so far and I will probably get another 1000 out of them but they are cheap. Great legs in gravel, dirt, tarmac and sand but in the mud they suck.
    engineerk9, kiwiape and Mark_H like this.
  17. Kenneth Webb Livin' It Up!

    Location:
    Tucson AZ
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TE630 TR650 Terra TE310R
    Other Motorcycles:
    Yamaha WR250R, GoldWing, Africa Twin
    I just ordered a pair of Motoz Desert HT for my other bikes, and boy do they look grippy. Supposed to last well too as they are pure rubber. I decided to run my existing Goldentyre fat tire up front on the Terra for the Western TAT, and the existing Dunlop 908 on the rear, until they are gone, then switch to the Motoz Desert HT along the way. I'm taking the small bikes with the Desert HT to Death Valley in a few weeks and will get a good idea of how they work on various surfaces like rock and sand, and pavement. Maybe some mud on Hunter Mountain too. Or snow......
    engineerk9 likes this.
  18. kiwiape Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    650 Terra
    Other Motorcycles:
    Aprilia DD750
    Hi Cpan

    We're on the same page....for the money the Shinko is good and I like the oblique grip it offers as opposed to many which are weight to fore /aft bite only. However I can get the most lean angle grip by far grip on gravel with D606......and when you look at the pattern, it just screams this and even when its worn on the top it still has big knobs on the side that will work in gravel and mud.
  19. danketchpel Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Camarillo, CA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Terra 650
    Other Motorcycles:
    Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Beta
    Yes they do.

    I'm running Shinko 700s 18/21 on my Terra. I love these tires.

    [IMG]

    They are cheap, work very well in a wide range of conditions outside of deep mud and deep sand, and last as well or better than many at 2x the price. They don't last as long as a K60 but they cost 1/3 as much. You can do the F&R for less than the price of one K60 rear.

    I'm getting between 4-5k miles from a rear and more than double that from the front. They also wear evenly with almost no scalloping etc.
    Mark_H and PaulC like this.
  20. BLZ2DWL Husqvarna
    C Class

    Location:
    Virginia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TR650 Strada
    Just installed Pilot Road 4s (trail in front), and they are the bees knees.