Dualsport Tire Combination for more Dirt

[GalacticGS]

For me, it's hard to beat the Pirelli XCMH on the front. It's the best tire by far that I used on my Husaberg - it steers really well. I can get by on a variety of rears, but it's the front that I really want to stick.

[Wallachian Spikes]

eakins - understand the 130-17" K-60 ($150) does not have a center bar at all, that could cause it to suck in the mud, like the 140-17" & 150-17" size . the design is like the original K60 and is more aggressive. make sure you're not hearing chatter about the 140 & 150 sizes at the 130 is very different in tread.


I got my K-60 on sale for $120 from revzilla . I ride a KLR so I can only mount a 130-17. This is what my tread pattern looks like.
http://

I've only ridden mud once since the tire change but, I was really pleased with the result. It was only around 5 inches deep in the worst places but, it was very slick Kentucky clay based soil. The K-60 cut through the mud & gripped the soil beneath very well IMO. I suspect the guys complaining about the K-60 in mud are riding much heavier adv-bikes.

[thumpthumpthump]

I have tried the IRC's, Duros, 606's and the Kenda 270's. The kendas work great on my xt600 .I get about 4000 or so with lots of fast mountain road pavement, gravel, and forest roads. Others around here get even more. I get the best compromise for off road and pavement life from the 270's. I'm on my 3rd set.

[ohgood]

Originally Posted by Kommando

I've run a Shinko 244 front. It sticks unbelievably well for me on pavement, feels stable on the slab, and works fine in moderate sand, grass, and gravel. In deep sugarsand, it's noticeably better than the stock TW41 on my DR650SE, but it's still no sand knobby. I can ride Ocala NF on it though. I just have to air it down. It lacks in damp clay and mud, where a true knobby is probably the only tire that would work well. It washes out on me a bit in the snot, aired up or down.

Versus the K270, the 244 allegedly doesn't last as long. Reports of 10K miles on the K270 rear are not unheard of. 244 rears are not often reported beyond 5-6K miles though. The side knobs on the 244 are supported better, so pavement cornering on these is reportedly more stable than on a K270. I can definitely say that a 244 front can corner on pavement. The 244 also tends to be cheaper. The K270 is slightly more open/aggressive, and the less-supported side knobs can reportedly feel a bit squirmy when cornering. I know that I don't feel any disconcerting squirm with a front 244. I have to flip mine around though. It's starting to wear unevenly, probably from my hooligan braking habits. The 3.00-21 size of 244 also has a fairly low speed rating. I don't know about the K270. I haven't had any issues from knocking down hundreds of slab miles at a crack though.

I just received my 2nd 244 front by UPS today. My existing one has a lot of miles left in it, so I won't change it anytime soon. I also have a K270 rear scheduled to arrive Monday. I'm hoping that it's as good of an all-around tire (slab, sand, mud, grass, rocks, rainy streets, longevity, economy, etc.) as my custom-grooved rear K761s...but without needing the grooving. I went ordering with the K270 rear, instead of a 244 rear, because the reported longevity and voids were better.

See youtube for vids of my grooved K761s. The most recent one worked well for me. I currently have 6K miles on it and it still has tread. I ride a lot of 2up too. When it slides, on wet pavement or off-pavement, it slides predictably. Lateral traction isn't the greatest offroad, but it will propel the DR through some nasty slop as long as the bike isn't resting on the skid/swingarm and/or pointed skyward...if I can just stay on the gas without plowing through a tree.

very good info here- thanks for taking the time to bang it out.



would you please link to your mentioned youtube vids ?

[eakins]

sweet. thanks for the pic.what kind of mileage are you getting? $120 is an awesome price.
thnx bill

Originally Posted by Wallachian Spikes

eakins - understand the 130-17" K-60 ($150) does not have a center bar at all, that could cause it to suck in the mud, like the 140-17" & 150-17" size . the design is like the original K60 and is more aggressive. make sure you're not hearing chatter about the 140 & 150 sizes at the 130 is very different in tread.


I got my K-60 on sale for $120 from revzilla . I ride a KLR so I can only mount a 130-17. This is what my tread pattern looks like.
http://

I've only ridden mud once since the tire change but, I was really pleased with the result. It was only around 5 inches deep in the worst places but, it was very slick Kentucky clay based soil. The K-60 cut through the mud & gripped the soil beneath very well IMO. I suspect the guys complaining about the K-60 in mud are riding much heavier adv-bikes.

[eakins]

yes the rear K270 last a long time as the knobs are deeper than the 244.
i tried the K270 way back when and while it was cheap the pavement cornering was never to good to me over the life of the tire.

the front was really horrible the whole time. it was squirmy. the rear was better but the bike never railed properly like the 244 does. If someone does not push their bike on the pavement then a K270 would be a decent rear option. no way ever on the front.

for me I have alot of fun cornering harder on the pavement and thus getting less mileage out of the 244 rear is acceptable as I never felt safe with the K270. they are both $50 or so rear tires not $150 tires so 5k works for me on a rear tire.

i kinda look at (tubed & non-radial in the 130-17" size) rear tires in $50 spending blocks these days.
i can pay $50 for a solid tire and get 5k.
i understand there is performance, construction and rubber differences, but will that $100 tire yield me 10K?
will that $150 tire yield me 15K? i know it's not exact for that and you pay for changing the tire less and we're talking different mfg. locations and thus cost, but that still serves as my framework.

Originally Posted by Kommando

I've run a Shinko 244 front. It sticks unbelievably well for me on pavement, feels stable on the slab, and works fine in moderate sand, grass, and gravel. In deep sugarsand, it's noticeably better than the stock TW41 on my DR650SE, but it's still no sand knobby. I can ride Ocala NF on it though. I just have to air it down. It lacks in damp clay and mud, where a true knobby is probably the only tire that would work well. It washes out on me a bit in the snot, aired up or down.

Versus the K270, the 244 allegedly doesn't last as long. Reports of 10K miles on the K270 rear are not unheard of. 244 rears are not often reported beyond 5-6K miles though. The side knobs on the 244 are supported better, so pavement cornering on these is reportedly more stable than on a K270. I can definitely say that a 244 front can corner on pavement. The 244 also tends to be cheaper. The K270 is slightly more open/aggressive, and the less-supported side knobs can reportedly feel a bit squirmy when cornering. I know that I don't feel any disconcerting squirm with a front 244. I have to flip mine around though. It's starting to wear unevenly, probably from my hooligan braking habits. The 3.00-21 size of 244 also has a fairly low speed rating. I don't know about the K270. I haven't had any issues from knocking down hundreds of slab miles at a crack though.

I just received my 2nd 244 front by UPS today. My existing one has a lot of miles left in it, so I won't change it anytime soon. I also have a K270 rear scheduled to arrive Monday. I'm hoping that it's as good of an all-around tire (slab, sand, mud, grass, rocks, rainy streets, longevity, economy, etc.) as my custom-grooved rear K761s...but without needing the grooving. I went ordering with the K270 rear, instead of a 244 rear, because the reported longevity and voids were better.

See youtube for vids of my grooved K761s. The most recent one worked well for me. I currently have 6K miles on it and it still has tread. I ride a lot of 2up too. When it slides, on wet pavement or off-pavement, it slides predictably. Lateral traction isn't the greatest offroad, but it will propel the DR through some nasty slop as long as the bike isn't resting on the skid/swingarm and/or pointed skyward...if I can just stay on the gas without plowing through a tree.

[sdd04]

Originally Posted by eakins

sweet. thanks for the pic.what kind of mileage are you getting? $120 is an awesome price.
thnx bill

These are mine on my 09 KLR at a bit over 5000 miles. Been a good tire.

[Kommando]

Originally Posted by ohgood

very good info here- thanks for taking the time to bang it out.



would you please link to your mentioned youtube vids ?

Here ya go!

http://youtu.be/gk9DdMZmSi8

[Wallachian Spikes]

Originally Posted by eakins

yes the rear K270 last a long time as the knobs are deeper than the 244.
i tried the K270 way back when and while it was cheap the pavement cornering was never to good to me over the life of the tire.

the front was really horrible the whole time. it was squirmy. the rear was better but the bike never railed properly like the 244 does. If someone does not push their bike on the pavement then a K270 would be a decent rear option. no way ever on the front.

for me I have alot of fun cornering harder on the pavement and thus getting less mileage out of the 244 rear is acceptable as I never felt safe with the K270. they are both $50 or so rear tires not $150 tires so 5k works for me on a rear tire.

i kinda look at (tubed & non-radial in the 130-17" size) rear tires in $50 spending blocks these days.
i can pay $50 for a solid tire and get 5k.
i understand there is performance, construction and rubber differences, but will that $100 tire yield me 10K?
will that $150 tire yield me 15K? i know it's not exact for that and you pay for changing the tire less and we're talking different mfg. locations and thus cost, but that still serves as my framework.

A very good point. I got the K-60 because the tread pattern was so different from anything else I've seen, I fealt like it was calling to me to try it. My next tire will probably be this 244 you speak of, or something similar.

[sdd04]

I understand that we are all different, and our expectations about what a motorcycle tire will do for us is different as well. I don't buy a tire based on what mileage I expect to get from it. We have 2 very small contact patches that are going a very long way in determining our motorcycling experience, as well as having a significant impact on our safely getting home at the end of the ride.

I suggest buying a tire that meets your riding needs, regardless of cost, or lack thereof.You will have more fun, and be safer.

fwiw

[ohgood]

Originally Posted by Kommando

Here ya go!

http://youtu.be/gk9DdMZmSi8

Thanks, subbed