Tire Size/Availability/Retailer Question

[TheBucket]

Leaving in 56 days (but who's counting) for an Alaska trip from MN. Heading all the way up the Dalton. Right now have Dunlop TrailSmart on front and rear. They're gonna need changing...both for wear and for the gravel of the Dalton. Current sizes: 150/70-17 (R) and 100/90-19 (F).

I want to buy new tires and ship them to Fairbanks to be put on before I hit the Dalton. Looking closely at the Mitas E-07.

Question: My online searches say the 110/80-19 is factory? What will impact of that be on handling, vs what I currently have? I'm guessing negligible?

I know tires are kinda like opinions (and a$$holes...everyone has one) but any other brands recommended? I also had Dunlop Mission eyed and Heidenau K60 Scout.

Where is the best place to buy these? Amazon? Cycle Gear?

 

[RCinNC]

I've always used a 110/80R 19 front tire. In fact, a Mitas E07 in that size is what's on my bike right now. My previous front E07's were all that size.

Try Revzilla and Rocky Mountain ATV and see if they have the Mitas in stock. Both companies are very reliable and a pleasure to deal with.

 

[TheBucket]

I've always used a 110/80R 19 front tire. In fact, a Mitas E07 in that size is what's on my bike right now. My previous front E07's were all that size.

Try Revzilla and Rocky Mountain ATV and see if they have the Mitas in stock. Both companies are very reliable and a pleasure to deal with.

Thanks RC. Do you know the difference between the E07+ and the E07+ Dakar? Cycle Gear has the first, but not the second. How's your road handling? Wet? What I've read the E07 is a good 50/50 tire. Is that your finding as well?

 

[Alphalfa]

Pre-order your tires from the Yamaha Dealer in Whitehorse. They will hold them until you show up. Plus do the install. You may pay more for where they are located, but it would be offset somewhat by the shipping costs.

That’s what I did, it worked out great.

 

[RCinNC]

Thanks RC. Do you know the difference between the E07+ and the E07+ Dakar? Cycle Gear has the first, but not the second. How's your road handling? Wet? What I've read the E07 is a good 50/50 tire. Is that your finding as well?

There are four different models in the E07 line. The E07 and the E07 Dakar were the original ones. The difference between the E07 and the E07 Dakar is that the Dakar has an extra ply in the sidewalls, making them stiffer and more resistant to sidewall and impact damage, especially when they're aired down for better traction. They're a little harder to mount than the E07 due to the stiffer sidewall.

The E07+ and the E07+ Dakar were a later model of the E07, with a new rubber formulation that was supposed to be better for the heavyweight adventure bikes like the GS. They were said to have better traction and better handling qualities for the bigger bikes, at the expense of losing the legendary longevity of the original E07. The E07+ Dakar, much like the E07 Dakar, has stiffer sidewalls than the E07+.

For a couple years, Mitas discontinued the E07 and E07 Dakar in the sizes we use, in favor of the Plus model. They eventually brought back the original compound E07 and E07 Dakar due to consumer demand. I prefer the original E07; I've never used the E07 Dakar, or either of the Plus models.

I do a lot of loaded two up touring, and the E07 has been a great tire for that. I can't recall what my mileages were out of a rear E07 without looking back in my records, but I'd guess I got 7,000-8,000 miles out of it. Front tires were close to 10,000. And because I used to be pretty big, and rode a lot with a passenger, I'm very hard on rear tires. Mostly my other rear tires, like Battlewings and Shinkos, would last in the 3500-5500 mile range.

I've found their road characteristics to be perfectly fine, wet and dry, plus they're a good dirt/gravel tire. All that 50/50 or 80/20 or 70/30 stuff is just marketing BS, in my opinion, but some might argue the point. I chose the tire mainly for its longevity, because it can save on having to do a mid-trip tire change. They're my go-to tire for long distances.

 

[RCinNC]

I went back and checked my records to see how long the E07's have lasted for me.

I've put three front E07's on the bike. The first lasted for 9,757 miles, and the second for 9,509 miles. The third one is currently on the bike, and has 6,739 miles on it.

I've put four rear E07's on the bike. The first one lasted 9,757 miles. The second took a fatal puncture at 2,004 miles and had to be replaced. The third also took a fatal puncture, at 7,444 miles, and had to be replaced. The fourth is currently on the bike, and has 6,739 miles on it.

I tend to change tires maybe a little sooner than some riders would. Normally I wouldn't change a front and rear tire simultaneously, since I usually can get two rears to a front. However, I often bounced between the Mitas and the Shinko 705 (once upon a time, a decent reliable economical tire). If the rear Mitas had worn out, and I wanted to replace it with a Shinko, I'd also switch the front Mitas out for a front Shinko because I didn't want to mix a radial Shinko with a bias ply Mitas. I imagine the front Mitas probably still had useful life in them, even at close to 10,000 miles.

 

[TenereGUY]

Last summer we went up there. Cycledude had on Dunlop trail max all the way up and all the way back to Wisconsin. His tires could have probably gone back up again. They looked that good.
I had MotoZ Tractionator GPS tires up and back. No problems even in muddy goo going over the Brooks Range.

 

[bimota]

i put my first set of E07 DAKAR on about 14 months ago i,ve done 4000 miles and they still look like the day i put them on, i only ride road to and fair play they are really good tyres in dry and wet weather

rob

 

[Cycledude]

I wore out a set of EO7 Dakar tires in about 10,000 miles , didn’t have any problems with them but in my opinion the Dunlop TrailMax Mission tires handle better and will last twice as long so I most likely won’t be buying any more Dakars .

Yukon Yamaha in Whitehorse is an excellent dealer and I highly recommend using them, if you want to remove and reinstall your own wheels while on their property they did allow that when I was there, I highly recommend calling ahead and setting up an appointment, it’s usually a very busy place.
To me Yukon Yamaha seemed to have everything priced very reasonable.
Yukon Yamaha phone number 867 668 2101
i have been to Alaska 5 times on motorcycles, last year the roads were by far in the worst conditions I have ever seen.
My current set of Dunlop TrailMax Missions has been to Prudehoe bay and back, they have 17,000 miles on them now, planning to put a few thousand more on then replace them with another set of new Dunlop TrailMax Missions that I received a couple weeks ago.