Tire help

[bobboberson]

I'm fairly new to dual sport bikes. I recently scored a honda xr650l. I hate the current front tire( I forget what it is but it's the factory tire). It's fine on the road but in the dirt it's terrifying. The rear tire is a Dunlop d606. It's great on the dirt but a little noisy on the road. I was wondering if you guys had a recommendation for a front tire that would still be good on the road but would grip better in the dirt.

 

[agavelvr]

What amount of dirt vs pavement are you doing? How aggressive and what type of dirt do you do? I ran 606s front and rear on my KLR with great results.

Personally, I run agressive knobby tires because I ride for the dirt and don't really care about the road performance. When I ran 50/50 tires, the Heinendau Scouts treated me great on road, and were ok on dirt at lower pressures, were terrible in loose stuff and sand (which is typical of 50/50 tires). I ran a tubliss system with those tires, so I could drop the rear down to 8 psi or less, which made them liven up. In the end, they were too much of a compromise in the dirt, so I switched back to knobbies.

 

[bobboberson]

Mostly the bike gets used for running errands into town. The 606 that's on the rear has been fine other than being noisy. The xr is heavy so it didn't see much single track. Most off the trails I ride are adobe or compacted granite.

 

[agavelvr]

Mostly the bike gets used for running errands into town. The 606 that's on the rear has been fine other than being noisy. The xr is heavy so it didn't see much single track. Most off the trails I ride are adobe or compacted granite.

I would go with the Heidenau K60 Scouts front and rear then. They are great for that kind of riding and last a long time if that is a concern. I had them on a KTM 690 and was very pleased with them on the pavement and hard pack. Heck, I rode the AZ Traverse with no skills and stock KLR tires back when I was getting back into bikes.

Hopefully others will chime in, as I am not the resident expert.
Bikes, tires, and oil are the politics & religion of the moto world

 

[bobboberson]

I looked at the k60 but I think I want something more aggressive. Do you have any experience with the IRC GP1 or kenda k270?

 

[82fb]

I just put Kenda K270's on my wr250f. I think they are great on a light bike. However, I probably would not run them on anything heavier or more powerful. They are kinda flexible and soft feeling. Great traction in dirt and rocks. Probably pack up in mud.

 

[agavelvr]

I looked at the k60 but I think I want something more aggressive. Do you have any experience with the IRC GP1 or kenda k270?

Why do you want something more aggressive for pavement, adobe, & compacted granite? The d606 front will compliment the rear you have if you want something agressive. If you want something that isn't buzzy on the road, but has adequate performance in the dirt, it's hard to beat the Scout.

good enough for the AZBDR


and the sandy parts of the AZGWT


and your average AZ desert with loose baby heads and steep climbs/decents.


I run a d606 front and d908 rear on my big bikes, but I take them to nastier places than the photos above and don't do much pavement

 

[bobboberson]

The reason I'm looking for a more aggressive tire is when I'm running errands with the bike I only get up to 55mph and it's only 20 miles round trip. However if there is any moisture the adobe turns to slimy terrifying goo. When the granite trails are dry there is a layer off loose granite on top that's even hard for the full on knobby on my KTM 450 exc to grip. I want to be able to use my xr as a do it all bike. Hollister Hills near me and I to go play there. The k60 looks like a great tire but it's not quite what I'm looking for.

 

[1stDeuce]

I'll second a Shinko 244 or Kenda 270 as a great tire. We've run 244's on both my wife's bikes, and had zero problems. I'm on my 2nd Michelin M10 knobby on the rear of my XR, (DOT and fairly cheap, but LOUD!) and the next rear is going to be a 5.10 244. I'll probably do a 244 on the front too when my current semi-knobby wears out. (If it wears out!) Should be a fine tire even on an XR250L if you're not riding agressively.

And if snot slick adobe roads are your concern, a knobby is your only hope, but taking a truck is far easier.

 

[dman93]

Maybe too late, but I recently replaced a D606 on the front of my DR650 with an IRC TR8. It's still definitely in the "DOT knobby" category but is smoother and quieter than the 606. And, MUCH cheaper. That said, I just scored a 19" front wheel with a Shinko 705 tire and I'm loving it on the street. On the rear I'm running a Shinko 244, and it is more street-friendly than the 606 I had before but seems to have better traction than the Kenda 270 that came on the bike.

 

[bobboberson]

It's not too late. I'm still agonizing over what to get. I may sell the xr (not because of tires, to dang heavy) so it may not matter.