TIRES!...Who's Running What & WHY?

Hey Guys! I'm running TKC 80's on my GSPD now, and I have about 1,500 or so on them. I'm just thinking down the road, and later this summer. What other tires (other than TKC 80's) are you guys running on your GS's, G/S's, and PD's that will do well on the street, and not so bad on the gravel, etc.??
I'm not saying I DON'T like the TKC's, but if I were to put a %-age an my riding so far, it would be something like 70-30 (On-Off) maybe 75-25. Thanks for your opinions in advance!!


Boojum!

I'm relatively new to this board, but I'm certain I've read at least 10 discussions on this.

Gspot especially has alot.

Personally, I have metzler tourances on my r100gs. Someone who's been riding these things since before I was born recommended them, so i took it.
I don't do much if any offroading, but they're great on the road and in heavy rain. (i'm in FL, so i know this.)

My next set though, will be the Avon gripsters most likely. Have read lots about them here. From reading, they're inexpensive, long-lasting, good road tires that are also for light offroading.

by the way, your new bike is gorgeous. The PO must have rubbed it with a diaper daily. I didn't see a SPECK of corrosion on it.

When I had my old '93 PD in Alaska, it came with Metzeler ENDURO 3 SAHARA. I put about 30k miles on this bike and was very happy with there performance on road & gravel. Most of my riding was 50/50. Very little off road travel. The gravel roads we were running on were pretty crappy though!

I liked there performance in the rain (we had lots of it). They seemed very grippy on pavement...I liked that alot.

They wore out fast...I'm trying to remember but I think a rear tire would go in about 6500 miles...don't quote me on that number.

I'm picking up a '94 PD this afternoon....it has a set Metzeler Tourence's mounted...will have to see how they run.

I first used Metzler Enduro 3 Saharas on mine, which worked surprisingly well, and now run TKC80s, which I really like. I think for all around the Metzlers work very well. In the loose dirt the TKCs take the prize.

-H-

it is taking absolutely forever to waste these gripsters. I cant wait to put D606's back on, but am too cheap to change a half-used set of tires. they have close to 6,000 miles, and they look like they've got another 3 or 4.

so far i've tried Tourances, Sahara 3's, Gripsters and the D606's. the Avons seem to beat the tar out of everything i've tried for mileage. I like the D606's for those times when traction is a problem, (northeast woods). they seem to function pretty well albeit squirrley up until 3000 miles, then they go straigh to hell. I have not tried the TKC's because the Dunlops were cheaper and knobbier. I love the way the front tire finally found some purchase with the dunlops.

0.02

Pirelli Scorpions work well for me - mainly road and some light track work. They are due for replacement soon and thinking of TCK80s. What are they like on the road in the wet?

I am on my second set of Sahara 3s on my R100GS. They are, in fact, plenty grippy on pavement and the tread is very good for the dirt. Of course, since they are so grippy they are going to wear out fast. Right now, I'm willing to replace a little more frequently and enjoy the solid on-road/off-road performance. Oh, and they look very sweet on the old GSs.

TKC 80's for me.
Tried D606's. OK in the dirt, squirmy on the street.
If I rode more street, I'd opt for the Gripsters, as I know a few folks who've had good results with them.
Getting 5k on the TKC's rear and 8k+ on the front.
Air pressure is critical for long tread life on DOT knobbies.

You WILL slow down the first time you get into a two wheel slide.:eek1

After that you'll be OK.

They Do! They look a lot more purposeful than the Tourence...they look like they belong on a PD

I put 3k on my gripsters and you'd hardly notice. They're nice street tires, and they do pretty well on graded gravel, and unimporved tracks as long as the surface is relatively hard. the do not so well in mud (like any mud, at all) i can't imagine they're any good in sand or any extremely low traciton surface.

I'm pulling the Gripsters in favor of TKCs for the summer, but i'll probabally swap back and forth between them. Too bad rims are so expensive, or I'd just mount two sets of rims, make my life alot easier.

For mostly street I like the Tourance. Gripster is ok too. The Gripster sure
has a nice price in the lower 48. See southwest moto. Free shipping too.
http://arizonamoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=SWMT

I'm tempeted to try the Distanzia. Comments anyone?

I purchased a set of "tubeless" Sahara 3's from Ron Ayers Motorsports. When I got them they were tube type. They said they would take them back, ok. But when I asked about the tubeless they said that the shipment was only tube type. So, I checked with Southwest Motosports, which by the way was VERY helpful, he said they had ordered tubeless but only got tube type.
I am wondering where you guys are getting the Sahara 3's that are tubeless for the R100GS.
Thanks,
HJ

Gripsters - best all around tire and cheep too.

Tourances on one and Pirelli Scorpion ATs on the other. Both great tires. The Tourances are a little better on pavement. They corner very well and hold the road well in the rain. The Scorpions are a little better off road.

I'm thinking about some TKCs on the standard PD this summer.

TKC 80's cause Kildalla 2ooo told me too

Ahhh, You Canadian Guys! I was looking at those Scorpions yesterday on the SW Moto site. They looked pretty good. Also looking at the Metzler Saharas, but I'd want the Tubeless. So, did all the retail outlets get Tube Tires on their last order? :huh
Thanks for all the input on tire selections. Just goes to show, Different Strokes for Different Folks.

Boojum!

+1 on Gripsters... 4K on mine in all conditions tarmac, gravel, mud, dirt with no problems.

I run gripsters. Why? good tire for how I use the bike.

Pirelli Scorpion S/T.

I've been thru the original Saharas, Gripsters (2pr), Tourances (2pr), Anakees, and am now near the end of my first pair of Scorpion S/T's. I like the Scorpions the best so far and just ordered another pair. They're as good as the Tourances on pavement but much better in the rain, and I was amazed at how well they did on gravel - kept up with some big dogs running TKC 80's, no problem. Seem to be an ideal all-purpose tire for an all-purpose bike. Not quite the mileage of the Tourance but at least as good as everything else on my list in that respect, and alot more fun to have on the bike.