Does anybody have any experience with the Michelin Desert Race Dual Sport front tire? I'm looking for a replacement for the Michelin Enduro Comp 3 on my TE which I liked. The Desert Race tire can be run with a moose which looks interesting. Comments?
I'll answer this, although I am way late to do so. The Michelin Desert Race tire is an excellent race tire. Like all Michelins, it does run a little on the narrow side for a 140 width tire. I have heard of people getting up to 4000 miles out of this tire. It is designed to be puncture and tear resistant, even in 120 degree weather. I would not run this tire on anything larger than a 450cc. Though it was designed for the 450, it is also it's limitations. In my opinion, the Dunlop Rally Raid 908 is a much better tire. Dunlop is very proud of this tires and for good reasons. It is a smooth running, very wide 140 tire. Doubt these get flats easily and stiff enough to run for a while without air.
Tinken, I have much respect for your opinion(s), but just to present another view, I *hate* the Dunlop 908RR tire. I think it is a very good tire for a big (600+ cc) dual sport/adventure bike, especially in drier climates. I had one on my TE610 and I took it off well before it wore out because it was useless in mud or on anything wet (rocks, logs). I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, looking at the tread pattern, it doesn't have a lot of edges. For you dry-terrain west guys, it might work ok. For fire roads, awesome tire. For more mixed use, no thanks! I'm using the Kenda K760 for a mixed use rear on dual sports now, and like it quite a bit. More traditional knobby pattern, reasonable hook in most terrain, and I got 2500 miles out of one on a DRZ, riding from CO to OR (probably 2000 dirt miles, 500 pavement miles).
Thank you Kyle, I completely understand. The 908 was originally designed for bigger displacements with big horsepower. They are the preferred tire down here for racing the Baja 1000 on the 450s due to their toughness. They also work great for dual sporting and rarely get flats. In the mud and slime, Ty and I use a hot knife to cut the Chevrolet pattern out, but even then they are difficult to manage. The Kenda K760 looks like it is basically a Metzler 6 days extreme, but for a lot less money and looks like a great tire. I believe Pirelli uses this pattern as well on their scorpion tires. Runner could use any of these tires with success.
I have also used the Pirelli XHMC (on a DRZ in Baja and Colorado). Worked pretty well in the dez, and held up rather well. I'd definitely use that over a 908RR. Are you saying that even the "real race teams" use the 908RR for the 1000? I would not have expected that!
Damn! I guess I better not talk too much trash about that tire; good enough for the Baja 1k, good enough for me...
Haha, it's all good. If you talk to the Dunlop reps, they are very proud of their tire. There are two different models, the 908 and the 908 Rally Raid tire which I was referring to. I like the Michelin desert race tire too, they are used across Dakar, too slippery in the sand for me. I run the Metzlers and GT's. Ty likes the Gummy GT's. K270's and trails tires work well. Which ever works for you.
The 908 RR has its good points and bad points. It wears well, its pretty puncture proof and you can air it down to almost nothing because of that thick heavy sidewall. On the other hand I wasn't too impressed with the traction in any terrain and that thick heavy sidewall means that it takes two strong men an elephant and a small boy to get it on and off the rim so be grateful that it is puncture resistant because trail side maintenace is going to suck. It also a HP eater, I lost a few MPH on the top end when I was running one due to the extra weight. I also didn't like the tip in during a hard corner, you get just so far into the lean then it just falls off the side biters and into a skid kind of unpredictably.
It's funny how different an experience two people can have. The 908 is the easiest rear tire I've ever mounted. I was dreading the job but it popped on easily, much easier than a T63 I did the same day. I've had one on my 630 for 3100 miles now, I like the drive traction just fine - lateral traction is not as good. 3100 miles ... .
