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ADV Gravel Riders - What Tires?

While the Trailmax doesn't have the solid center strip
Some sizes do, some don't.

Neither of the rear tires on my two bikes have them, but SouthTex had a rear strip on his.

After my experience with TKC70's on wet pavement, I won't run one that has it.
 
Some sizes do, some don't.

Neither of the rear tires on my two bikes have them, but SouthTex had a rear strip on his.

After my experience with TKC70's on wet pavement, I won't run one that has it.
I think the width of the strip makes a big difference. Compound too. Some tires are just much better in wet than others. Fortunately, I don't ride in wet conditions much.
 
I think the width of the strip makes a big difference. Compound too. Some tires are just much better in wet than others. Fortunately, I don't ride in wet conditions much.

That is urban mythology, no such thing as a “sticky, wet motorcycle tire” [emoji41]

When it is wet, I would do ok on racing slicks because I ride like grandma!
 
That is urban mythology, no such thing as a “sticky, wet motorcycle tire” [emoji41]

When it is wet, I would do ok on racing slicks because I ride like grandma!
I've had better grip at a trackday in the rain with sportbike tires than I did with that TKC70.

Won't own or ride one again.
 
That is urban mythology, no such thing as a “sticky, wet motorcycle tire” [emoji41]

When it is wet, I would do ok on racing slicks because I ride like grandma!
Ever seen motoGP in the rain? They are putting their knee down at 45 degree lean angles in corners with rain tires. Now...those aren't what we are talking about here but there are absolutely differences in rubber compounds and tread patterns for street tires that make a huge difference in the wet.

Usually tires with longer tread life have harder compounds and aren't as good in the wet but it's not just compound. Some tread patterns are better than others as well.

A.personal example for me was from the Goldwing. The Dunlop E3s and D250s were horrible and the Bridgestone 704 /709 combo is excellent.
 
Ever seen motoGP in the rain? They are putting their knee down at 45 degree lean angles in corners with rain tires. Now...those aren't what we are talking about here but there are absolutely differences in rubber compounds and tread patterns for street tires that make a huge difference in the wet.

Usually tires with longer tread life have harder compounds and aren't as good in the wet but it's not just compound. Some tread patterns are better than others as well.

A.personal example for me was from the Goldwing. The Dunlop E3s and D250s were horrible and the Bridgestone 704 /709 combo is excellent.

I stand corrected.

Come to think off it, I ran car tires on the rear of my Goldwings for over 400,000 miles. between the weight of the Goldwing and the car tire I rode aggressively the same rain or shine.

So allow me to rephrase....”it is urban mythology that their is an adv tire that is sticky in the wet.” [emoji41]

I do ride my adv bike like a grandma in the wet because I always have those 50/50 higher mileage/harder compound kind of tires.
 
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I stand corrected.

Come to think off it, I ran car tires on the rear of my Goldwings for over 400,000 miles. between the weight of the Goldwing and the car tire I rode aggressively the same rain or shine.

So allow me to rephrase....”it is urban mythology that their is an adv tire that is sticky in the wet.”I. [emoji40]

I do ride my adv bike like a grandma in the wet because I always have those 50/50 higher mileage/harder compound kind of tires.
I hear you, but having just seen this last night.. I'm impressed.
If you want to skip dirt and mud go to about the 10 minute mark



Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
 
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I hear you, but having just seen this last night.. I'm impressed.
If you want to skip dirt and mud go to about the 10 minute mark



Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
What's the outcome on video? I have very limited data at home. So don't watch video's, my loss! Curious to what was discovered.
 
What's the outcome on video? I have very limited data at home. So don't watch video's, my loss! Curious to what was discovered.
Snow was as good as could be expected. I've ridden my Harley's in snow on street tires and the Trailmax did better lol.
Wet roads with sheets of water and 35* temps he had great traction and commented how well the tires evacuated water. He doesn't hold back on the throttle when he tests tires.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
 
As mentioned, I've been pretty impressed with these tires.

I have them on both of my ADV bikes now. For my needs, they work well.
 
Snow was as good as could be expected. I've ridden my Harley's in snow on street tires and the Trailmax did better lol.
Wet roads with sheets of water and 35* temps he had great traction and commented how well the tires evacuated water. He doesn't hold back on the throttle when he tests tires.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

I Ran the missions, I liked the tire, but I still rode like a grandma in the mud and wet roads
 
Did the Medina 200 on the Tiger 900 with the Trailmax Missions today. Really impressed with how those tires handled all that the route threw at them.

And a bonus. On the way home, I leaned over into an 80mph corner and the bike started snaking. I finished the corner, stood it up. Bike still felt funny.

Rode a few more miles to see if it would improve. Did not. Pulled over and rear tire read 0.0 psi on @RoadRageTaurus air gauge.

I guess something went in and came out or went all the way through because there was a hole, but nothing in it. Apparently, the carcass of that tire is stiff enough to keep going down the road with no air in it.

Got it plugged, pumped back up and rode it 20-30 miles home and it was fine. Cool tires.
 
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Getting a flat mid corner at speed is not a fun experience, especially if it goes flat fast! I did that on my KLR while cranked way over in some twisties in Arkansas. It was... exciting... :zen: Almost as exciting as the final drive on my old 1150 GS coming apart while leaned hard in a corner on FM 337 while running about 70 mph. I still think my guardian angel parked the bike on the side of the road for me on that one!

A year or so back, I was up in Arkansas with some other TWT folks for a Fall rally. One of the riders was on a Ducati Scrambler and got a flat out in the middle of nowhere. It was a tubeless tire and we could not get it fixed because the seal on the spokes was damaged. He rode it out to the pavement, maybe 4-5 miles, and then another 30 miles or so up Hwy 7 to Jasper. Once on pavement, he ran about 30-45 mph and didn't seem to have too much trouble keeping it under control. It was cold and dark. I followed him the whole way while another ride headed back to Eureka Springs to get a truck/trailer. I want to say it was a K60, but I can't recall for sure. Amazingly the tire didn't look to bad and the rim was perfectly fine. I expected both to look pretty bad by the time we got to town.
 
More love for the Trailmax Missions. I did a 300 mile route on the 390 Adventure last Saturday that really put them through the wringer. It was the Texas Hill Country Overland route. It's got pavement, dirt, gravel, mud, sand and multiple water crossings. And to top it off, it rained on me on the way home, so I got some wet pavement time with them as well.

Looking at the pattern on these tires, I keep expecting 80/20 type performance out of them, but they keep proving me wrong. I went through some deep sand, deep mud and slick water crossings and they just kept sticking. Even over cooked a corner badly on wet pavement and not a slip.

There were only two times in the whole day I remember any slippage and that was on a really slick water crossing, the rear stepped out a hair, I pulled the clutch in and it straightened up. The other time, I was being a dumas and was running 90 mph in the rain down Hwy 281. I went over a tar snake and it wiggled just a fuzz. Enough to remind me to stop being a dumas.

I'm really impressed with Dunlop has accomplished with these tires. I've got them on both my Tiger 900 and 390 Adventure now and plan to keep using them going forward.
 
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Joined the club.
Woohoo, saved the tax, (bout$27). Bought the pair of Dunlop trailmax missions for $332.29 at performance cycle of Colorado. Confirmed they were in stock and will ship out.
I'm happy with that. As long as they make me believe I'm getting a good deal 😆
 
Joined the club.
Woohoo, saved the tax, (bout$27). Bought the pair of Dunlop trailmax missions for $332.29 at performance cycle of Colorado. Confirmed they were in stock and will ship out.
I'm happy with that. As long as they make me believe I'm getting a good deal [emoji38]
Be sure to let us know how you like them.
 
Be sure to let us know how you like them.
I'm sure they will be fine. Just courious to see if they last any longer than a average one. Otherwise I will just go back to the cheap shinko 705's (and save over $100 on the set). I have a little over 20k miles so will be easy to track mileage.
 
Probably a little bit of both - I doubt he would endorse a tire that he wasn't pretty satisfied with given how he uses them in his business. Given the reviews I have seen/heard, these will be my next full set on the GS...
 
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