Road King Adventure Tire Recommendations

[ka5ysy]

Somebody get creative and put some TKC's on one ! Hey Jessie... how about a dual sport RK? Somebody would pay good money for one of those ... Call it the "Dirt King"

[Ginger Beard]

Originally Posted by Le'monjello Jackson

Show the King some respect would ya! run that 800+pound behemoth up shits creek a couple times and pull it out by yourself and you'll stop taking it where it has no business being.
They didn't name it Road King cause it's such a great gravel and fire roader.

There's that ADV Rider SPIRIT !!!



To the op, just get that bike out and ride it!!. Even the stock tires will handle off road duty. Your only limiting factor is the rider.

[foxtrapper]

Originally Posted by Ginger Beard

There's that ADV Rider SPIRIT !!!



To the op, just get that bike out and ride it!!. Even the stock tires will handle off road duty. Your only limiting factor is the rider.

Chuckle, been tobogganing it around the fields a bit already. Very docile, which is part of why I bought one. In some ways, it's easier to handle in grass than my XL500 with knobbies is.

You should have seen them at the dealership where I got seduced by the Road King. Playing with the various Harleys from an ADV rider perspective. Just standing up on the pegs/boards and such, making sure I could shift and brake that way. Made some eyes bug out. Especially out on the test ride, dancing the bike around while standing up.

Don't argue that the rider is the biggest limiting factor, as well the greatest advantage. Just sniffing around for the tire that has the best balance of pavement & dirt road riding, as opposed to just low noise or interstate highway mileage. Hard to find that info.

Looks like a toss-up between the Dunlop E3, Conti Milestone, Metzler 880, and Michelin Commander II. Just discovered those Michelins, and some of the things I've read make it seem like the dark horse unknown winner. Several very happy postings from guys who've ridden them up through Alaska for example.

[EricD10563]

Originally Posted by RoadHD

I'm currently on a ride from London to Cape Town. Loads more pict's, but I just had to share these (and one video)


Personal Land Speed Record - Pendine Sands


White Knuckled Ride after a Light Rain - Nürburgring


One Classic Meets Another - Giza, Egypt


Stuck - Northern Kenya


Really Stuck - Northern Kenya


African Road Hazards - Maasai Mara

VIDEO LINK (click to play):

Helping along the Great Migration - Maasai Mara

Originally Posted by RoadHD

The only 16" dual sport knobbies I could find were Duro's - I would NOT recommend running the Duro on the rear tire - my bike, bags and I weigh more than 500kgs (over a half ton), and most of the weight is riding over the rear tire - simply put, the Duro couldn't handle the weight and started to crack/tear around each knob. I noticed the abnormal wear after one lap around the Nurburgring (I had, maybe 500 total miles on the tire). Simply put, the rear was quickly replaced with a stock Dunlop before I left Europe - although the Dunlop is terrible in mud and sand, I know it can handle the weight I'm running.

The front tire also started to crack/split around each knob, but it didn't become pronounced until a few thousand miles. I really liked the Duro in the front, way more stability in the sand and light mud and ran well for over 10k miles - after a while, I just ignored that they seem to be ripping apart... I switched the front tire yesterday (from London-Turkey, Egypt to Zambia) for a stock Dunlop (I'm anticipating way less mud on roads in Southern Africa). I'm sure I could have ridden another thousand miles on the Duro - but center knobs wore unevenly and the front tire started to vibrate/bounce at 30-45mph.

Finding replacement 16" tires that can handle the weight of a cruiser has proven impossible in Africa. Had I to do it over again, I would have switched to 17" mag rims, loads more tire options.

RoadHD as a lot of experince with this.

[Butters]

I'm really not a Harley fan, but this pic is just awesome. Very Indiana Jones-esque. I have lots of friends with Harleys - some might even have over 2000 miles on them . I think I'll print RoadHD's pics out and place them on their desks.

[EricD10563]

Originally Posted by Butters

I'm really not a Harley fan, but this pic is just awesome. Very Indiana Jones-esque. I have lots of friends with Harleys - some might even have over 2000 miles on them . I think I'll print RoadHD's pics out and place them on their desks.

Then you should share this:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/forwood/index.shtml

[whitedelight]

Hey Eric let us know when you are inw Cape Town, would be cool to hook up.

[Ginger Beard]

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

Chuckle, been tobogganing it around the fields a bit already. Very docile, which is part of why I bought one. In some ways, it's easier to handle in grass than my XL500 with knobbies is.

You should have seen them at the dealership where I got seduced by the Road King. Playing with the various Harleys from an ADV rider perspective. Just standing up on the pegs/boards and such, making sure I could shift and brake that way. Made some eyes bug out. Especially out on the test ride, dancing the bike around while standing up.

Don't argue that the rider is the biggest limiting factor, as well the greatest advantage. Just sniffing around for the tire that has the best balance of pavement & dirt road riding, as opposed to just low noise or interstate highway mileage. Hard to find that info.

Looks like a toss-up between the Dunlop E3, Conti Milestone, Metzler 880, and Michelin Commander II. Just discovered those Michelins, and some of the things I've read make it seem like the dark horse unknown winner. Several very happy postings from guys who've ridden them up through Alaska for example.

I know what you mean about the looks at the Hd dealer! Should have seen the looks when asking about raising the bike a couple of inches and when I commented that I would love a light weight exhaust if someone had one that was as quiet as stock.

I also got some funny looks when my daughter and I rode 30 miles through a wildlife management area 2 up as well as when I was jumping it over a hill and doing sideways slides through corners on a dirt road in front of a buddies house.

I had the ME880s and they were great for the first 11k miles. One thing that was weird was that when they were nearing the end of their life they began to slip something fierce in the rain. I rode the Dunlops down to nothing and they never exhibited that characteristic. I am now riding the Commander IIs and so far so good. I have put about 6k on them and they look new. They seem to do fine on dirt/gravel (they seem to shed mud pretty well also) and are very nice on pavement. Zero complaints so far.

My dad lives in AK and has ridden the Dempster on a fully loaded Sporty with the stock Dunlops. He was 70 when he did that trip. I'm sure that with a little practice you would be fine.

[nskitts]

+1 on Dunlop Elite 3s..long lasting tire and I have been on reasonable gravel and dirt roads with my Road Glide..it's not going to go the same places as even a KLR but it's doable.

[BigDave75]

Originally Posted by Le'monjello Jackson

Show the King some respect would ya! run that 800+pound behemoth up shits creek a couple times and pull it out by yourself and you'll stop taking it where it has no business being.
They didn't name it Road King cause it's such a great gravel and fire roader.

Lol

[EricD10563]

Originally Posted by whitedelight

Hey Eric let us know when you are inw Cape Town, would be cool to hook up.

I wish it was me and thanks for the offer, "RoadHD" is the memeber here who travels byt Road King, here is his profile.

http://advrider.com/forums/member.php?u=155840

[0ldhippie]

I have no problem with you guys off-roading tourers if ya want but I live on a gravel driveway and have gotten rocks in the belt a couple times. That can leave a in the middle of nowhere. Just say'n, belts aren't for off road.

[Murf2]

Oldhippie, How many belts have you lost do to rocks? I run lots of gravel roads & have never lost one. I preemptively replaced the belt on my wife's 89 Electra Glide Sport at over 100k. At least 10k of that was on gravel. Just lucky I guess.

Merry Christmas

Murf