2008 klr versus wee vstrom...becoming nklr

[mpowell_98828_2]

I put about 3500 miles on my 2006 KLR-650 last summer. I guess I spend about half the time on the road and half off road. My off road use is not particularly extreme--mostly logging roads, some rocks and dust and gravel with some occasional mud. My rear stock tire is showing a lot of wear. My last few rides last year produced a little bit of slipping off the road due to the wear. My question is two-fold: 1. What recommendations do you have for a good, all-purpose tire for the use I described. 2. Is it necessary to change the front tire as well, even though it shows little wear?

[matteeanne@yahoo.com]

Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the best 50/50 tire. It is more expensive but I have 6000 miles on my current set and still 30-40% tread left. No need to replace front is same type tire but if changing brand you may want to consider it. Sean Brown Looking for the perfect gift for the wife/Mom/or "the person who has everything?" www.brownsbirdestates.com To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 4:46:50 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Question About Tires I put about 3500 miles on my 2006 KLR-650 last summer. I guess I spend about half the time on the road and half off road. My off road use is not particularly extreme--mostly logging roads, some rocks and dust and gravel with some occasional mud. My rear stock tire is showing a lot of wear. My last few rides last year produced a little bit of slipping off the road due to the wear. My question is two-fold: 1. What recommendations do you have for a good, all-purpose tire for the use I described. 2. Is it necessary to change the front tire as well, even though it shows little wear? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time with the Yahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#news [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Michael Silverstein]

Lots of opinions here at the KLR650 tires page: [www.standoutnet.com/extras/mike/motorcy ... r650/tires]. I wouldn't bother to change the front unless you wanted a different tire. -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of mpowell_98828_2 Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 7:47 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Question About Tires I put about 3500 miles on my 2006 KLR-650 last summer. I guess I spend about half the time on the road and half off road. My off road use is not particularly extreme--mostly logging roads, some rocks and dust and gravel with some occasional mud. My rear stock tire is showing a lot of wear. My last few rides last year produced a little bit of slipping off the road due to the wear. My question is two-fold: 1. What recommendations do you have for a good, all-purpose tire for the use I described. 2. Is it necessary to change the front tire as well, even though it shows little wear? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "mpowell_98828_2" wrote:

> > I put about 3500 miles on my 2006 KLR-650 last summer. I guess I spend > about half the time on the road and half off road. My off road use is > not particularly extreme--mostly logging roads, some rocks and dust and > gravel with some occasional mud. My rear stock tire is showing a lot > of wear. My last few rides last year produced a little bit of slipping > off the road due to the wear. My question is two-fold: > > 1. What recommendations do you have for a good, all-purpose tire for > the use I described. > 2. Is it necessary to change the front tire as well, even though it > shows little wear? >

For a 50/50 tire, the Kenda K270 gives decent offroad performance (only so-so in mud), ok on road performance unless you are a scratcher, and if you treat it right, better mileage than any tire with so much off-road capability, and by a long margin, the most mileage for the buck. In a close second, the Cheng Shin 858, preferred by many for its better on-road handling, and the even wear pattern of the rear tire. A lot of guys like the K270 rear with the 858 front. For a DOT knobby, the Dunlop D606 performs well on and off road, and wears better than anything with comparable performance (MT21, Karoo, TKC80). The list price is high, and the actual discounted price is up to close to 70 bucks around here, but it is still a better value than the competition, IMO.

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, matteeanne@... wrote:

> > Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the best 50/50 tire. It is

more expensive but I have 6000 miles on my current set and still 30-40% tread left. No need to replace front is same type tire but if changing brand you may want to consider it.

>

I guess it depends on how you look at things. The gripster is a decent tire if you want to make an airhead a little less squirrelly on gravel. I would not call it a 50/50 tire, however, more , or whatever they call it. 80/20 or 90/10. On the road, it handles a lot like its street counterpart, the AM21/22. Slightly better than a pure road tire on gravel, hopeless in sand, worse yet in mud.

[Arden Kysely]

I agree with Jud. They don't call them 'slipsters' for nothing. I had one set and won't have another. The IRC GP-110 is a good, reasonably priced tire, and the List advice to mount the front one backwards does seem to help. My fave is the Conti TKC-80, but they're kinda pricey. I've run mis-matched front/rear combos without a problem, but some combos probably work better than others. Change the rear and see how it goes. __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Jud Jones" wrote: > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, matteeanne@ wrote: > > > > Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the best 50/50 tire. It is > more expensive but I have 6000 miles on my current set and still 30- 40% tread left. No need > to replace front is same type tire but if changing brand you may want to consider it. > > > > I guess it depends on how you look at things. The gripster is a decent tire if you want to > make an airhead a little less squirrelly on gravel. I would not call it a 50/50 tire, however, > more , or whatever they call it. 80/20 or 90/10. On the road, it handles a lot like its street > counterpart, the AM21/22. Slightly better than a pure road tire on gravel, hopeless in sand, > worse yet in mud. >

[Mike Peplinski]

Its not called the "slipster" for nothing. I didn't like my Gripester rear tire at all for mud or grass.

>From: matteeanne@... >To: mpowell_98828_2 , DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Question About Tires >Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:36:36 -0700 (PDT) > >Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the best >50/50 tire. It is more expensive but I have 6000 miles on my current set >and still 30-40% tread left. No need to replace front is same type tire but >if changing brand you may want to consider it. > >Sean Brown >Looking for the perfect gift for the wife/Mom/or "the person who has >everything?" >www.brownsbirdestates.com matteeanne@... > > > >----- Original Message ---- >From: mpowell_98828_2 >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 4:46:50 PM >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Question About Tires > >I put about 3500 miles on my 2006 KLR-650 last summer. I guess I spend >about half the time on the road and half off road. My off road use is >not particularly extreme--mostly logging roads, some rocks and dust and >gravel with some occasional mud. My rear stock tire is showing a lot >of wear. My last few rides last year produced a little bit of slipping >off the road due to the wear. My question is two-fold: > >1. What recommendations do you have for a good, all-purpose tire for >the use I described. >2. Is it necessary to change the front tire as well, even though it >shows little wear? > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ >8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time >with the Yahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut. >http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#news > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > >

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[J Fortner]

On 3/22/07, Mike Peplinski wrote:

> Its not called the "slipster" for nothing. I didn't like my Gripester rear > tire at all for mud or grass. >

The lack of gripster traction in wet grass and mud is deadly. The gripster offers great wear and traction in hot dry environments. jf

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, matteeanne@... wrote:

> Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the

best 50/50 tire. Err, the Gripster is a street tire. Right now I have Continental TKC-80's on my bike. Handle pretty good on the street (no squirm!), do pretty good on the trail (the knobs are too big to bite as well as a real knobby into dirt surfaces, but they clean out well on mud and gravel and tractor you out of loose stuff just fine). The Kenda 270 is also popular if you do more dirt than street (it squirms on the street and also is slick in the wet). The Kenda 761 is more street-oriented than the 270 but more usable on dirt than the Avon Gripster. Don't get me wrong, I have Gripsters in my garage too, but they're going on my bike before my next 5,000 mile highway trip, not for 50-50 use -- they're more a 90-9-1 tire (i.e. 90% pavement, 9% gravel, 1% offroad). _E

[Dail]

This was found on the "internet" so it must be true these ratings are given in the "german way", that means 1 is the best and 5 the worst. Dry Wet Dirt Noise Wear Overall Avon Gripster AM24 2.5 3.3 2.0 3.7 2.5 3.0 Bridgestone TW47/48 4.0 3.2 3.0 2.0 2.4 3.2 Continental TK60/70 2.6 3.0 3.5 3.3 1.5 2.7 Dunlop Trailmax 2.5 2.9 3.5 3.0 2.7 2.9 Metzeler Enduro 3 2.7 2.4 3.0 4.0 2.9 2.8 Metzeler Enduro 4 2.3 2.5 3.0 3.2 2.2 2.5 Metzeler ME33/55A 2.2 3.1 4.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 Michelin T65 2.5 2.8 2.0 2.2 2.9 2.6 Michelin T66 2.5 2.6 2.5 3.0 2.5 2.6 Pirelli MT50 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.5 3.2 2.9 Pirelli MT60 2.5 2.4 3.0 3.0 3.6 2.9 Yokohama E705 2.7 3.3 3.5 3.3 2.2 3.0 Avon Gripster AM24: Best ratings off-road, worst on wet roads. At two tires parts of the profile blocks flew away. a.. PERFORMS EQUALLY WELL ON HIGHWAYS AND CROSS COUNTRY TRAILS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message ----- From: "E.L. Green" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 5:17 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Question About Tires | --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, matteeanne@... wrote: | > Ive tried most popular brands. The Avon Gripster m-24 is by far the | best 50/50 tire. | | Err, the Gripster is a street tire. | | Right now I have Continental TKC-80's on my bike. Handle pretty good | on the street (no squirm!), do pretty good on the trail (the knobs are | too big to bite as well as a real knobby into dirt surfaces, but they | clean out well on mud and gravel and tractor you out of loose stuff | just fine). The Kenda 270 is also popular if you do more dirt than | street (it squirms on the street and also is slick in the wet). The | Kenda 761 is more street-oriented than the 270 but more usable on dirt | than the Avon Gripster. | | Don't get me wrong, I have Gripsters in my garage too, but they're | going on my bike before my next 5,000 mile highway trip, not for 50-50 | use -- they're more a 90-9-1 tire (i.e. 90% pavement, 9% gravel, 1% | offroad). | | _E | | | | List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com | List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html | Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 | Yahoo! Groups Links | | | | | | -- | No virus found in this incoming message. | Checked by AVG Free Edition. | Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.16/729 - Release Date: 3/21/2007 7:52 AM | |