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Tires Tires Tires

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BDMaha
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Tires Tires Tires

Post by BDMaha »

Am buying new tires for my ktm. this last weekend of 50 mph trail riding, noticed a lot of Dunlop at 81 front tires. I think, unless otherwise noted, Ive decided on this one. REar tires I need some advice. Im looking for great grip on rocks and mud like everyone I guess. Ive heard the Pirelli mt43 is good especially rocks like Taskers, but it looks non aggressive. What do you guys think? Do I ride street? Yeah some as it is 30 mile round trip to my friends house and the dirt track power lines, but that is it.
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by gots_a_sol »

Trials tires take a different approach to riding. If you like to slide it in to corners/hammer out/lean the bike way over it isn't the tire you want. You end up running off the edge of the knobs and checking how hard the ground is :lol2:


These are all tires I've run on my little Husky or KX. Some are DOT, some are gummies.

MT43 - good grip in a straight line and lasts a good long time. Need to adjust riding style to suit. Can be sketchy on downhills as it won't dig in like a knobby. Mud can be an issue too. DOT.

Dunlop D803 - Another trials. Not DOT and much much softer than the MT43. Hooks amazing but still has (IMO) the same issues at the MT43 for everything else. I think it has been replaced with an updated version now.

Kenda equilibrium - I didn't like it. It is super soft and seems to hold up well but I found myself on the ground way too much from the rear suddenly trying to pass the front. Wingfixer has one on his beta with about 10 holes in it and he won't shut up about it :killingme:

Pirelli XC - either the hards or softs depending on what I'm riding. Fronts and rears both worked well and lasted fairly well. Hards are DOT.

GoldenTyre 523 (gummy or non gummy) - works well on harder terrain, but is expensive. Wear isn't bad on the non gummy, the gummy rounded off quick but still has great grip just because it is so soft. FIM legal tire so it has short knobs. Non gummy is DOT

Shinko 505 "cheater" - A great gummy tire for little money. I have one on my KX125 and it is wearing surprisingly well for a gummy. Probably the best 'bang for your buck' tire I've used.

Shink 546 - Rear is decent but seems to have worn fast. To be fair, it is a soft terrain tire and I was using it mostly on hard/rocky stuff. Front is great.

Michelin S12 Meh. Didn't wow me but I didn't hate it either. Seemed to wear ok until I trashed it down at Hatfield riding almost 20 miles of pavement with a flat.

Motoz mountain hybrid - Too hard of a compound for a true dirt bike. I think it would be good on something like a DR650 or the like. DOT

Maxxis desert tire - Too DAMN stiff for the riding around here where we don't really need that sturdy of a tire. I was running it at 2 psi and it was barely hooking up.


I want to try a Kenda Ibex rear next. It is another in the gummy category of tires.


And on the subject of tires, I had been running the GoldenTyre GT216AA fatty front (90/100-21) which is a nice intermediate tire. I currently have the Shinko 546 fatty on there and it works every bit as well at the GT for a whole lot less money. I have a pile of hare scramble, enduro, pavement, and trail miles on it and it still works great. Same height as the GT fatty, just a little narrower.


Also note I'm pretty sure the current gen KTM comes with AT81s on them, might be why you had seen a bunch. From what I've seen, the rear is decent but the front sucks. Not sure if the OEM KTM tire is different than what you get when just buying them new though.
Last edited by gots_a_sol on Tue May 02, 2017 9:42 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by Marylander »

gots_a_sol wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 12:30 pmI had been running the GoldenTyre GT216AA fatty front (90/100-21) which is a nice intermediate tire. I current have the Shinko 546 fatty on there and it works every bit as well at the GT for a whole lot less money.
Cool, I've been meaning to look for an equivalent front for the cheater I've got on the back of the xtrainer. I'll have to try out the 546.
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by gots_a_sol »

Marylander wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 12:51 pm
gots_a_sol wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 12:30 pmI had been running the GoldenTyre GT216AA fatty front (90/100-21) which is a nice intermediate tire. I current have the Shinko 546 fatty on there and it works every bit as well at the GT for a whole lot less money.
Cool, I've been meaning to look for an equivalent front for the cheater I've got on the back of the xtrainer. I'll have to try out the 546.

Yea I'm extremely impressed with this tire for the whopping $55 it costs from Rocky Mountain.

Shinko vs Golden. Same wheel, both with tubliss and 13 psi. Shinko is on the bike.

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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by BDMaha »

Thanks for the right up!!! cheap gooey tires sounds perfect. which tire size for the cheater rear?
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by gots_a_sol »

I have the 110/90-19 on my KX and it is average sized. Reviews say the 120 tires are bit taller than normal.

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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by Marylander »

gots_a_sol wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 2:00 pm Yea I'm extremely impressed with this tire for the whopping $55 it costs from Rocky Mountain.

Shinko vs Golden. Same wheel, both with tubliss and 13 psi. Shinko is on the bike.
Interesting that you're running 13 psi. I've been running 9 in the gt216aa even without tubliss (BS UHD tubes). Even with a more normal sidewall I usually run 11-12. I have overfilled the tires the day before a ride and then forgotten to set the pressure properly the next day. Running 25-30 psi was noticeable but, other than something stupid like that, I'm not very sensitive. I just like running the lowest I can get away with. I haven't had pinch flat issues even with my finesse-free barrel straight through the rocks 'style'. Now I'm jinxed, of course.
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by BDMaha »

Thanks for all the help. I have had 120/100-18 on there now so am going to keep the tire size just to see the difference in just the tire.
Tires ordered!!!...
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by BDMaha »

I just got done putting 200 miles on the motz hybrid rear at Hatfield Mcoy. under braking especially I think it is terrible. high speed braking it would slide sideways then if I just touched the front brake, it would slide out radically and look like a flat tracker but eventually I hit the ground... quickly and hard. In the mud it is real terrible but it seemed to be fine on dry rocks and dirt...until I hit the brakes. I'm really looking forward to trying my bike with some new treads. The fronts currently are a DOT 1/2 worn knobby and in the mud it was really not fun at all and if there were mud ruts, most every time I could not keep the front any where I wanted and eventually Id get crossed up between the ruts. However I was pretty fortunate not to splat in the mud. Out of 18 bikes, I had the most worn front tires by far. Several people asked me how I liked my tires with a serious face and I didn't get the joke until it rained. Lots of fun!
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Re: Tires Tires Tires

Post by gots_a_sol »

Marylander wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 4:16 pm

Interesting that you're running 13 psi. I've been running 9 in the gt216aa even without tubliss (BS UHD tubes). Even with a more normal sidewall I usually run 11-12. I have overfilled the tires the day before a ride and then forgotten to set the pressure properly the next day. Running 25-30 psi was noticeable but, other than something stupid like that, I'm not very sensitive. I just like running the lowest I can get away with. I haven't had pinch flat issues even with my finesse-free barrel straight through the rocks 'style'. Now I'm jinxed, of course.

Just a personal preference thing as I don't like how the bike feels with low air pressure in the front tire.
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