Why it's a stupid decision to run street tires in the dirt

[cyclemike4]

Wow ballisticexchris that is an impressive rack of tires you have! All of them look pretty new. I am a cheap @$$ and run mine till they look like a street tire in the middle. Cut the knobs to get them square again and then i turn them around backwards before i buy new tires. yes when i am off road i do like full knobs on the tires. I am not going to take my Super T where i take my 250. I do ride it every single day year round and i do cross mud ruts and gravel then street all the way to town each day. So far nothing beats my 50/50 tires for daily use and road trips. If i ever do decide to haul it someplace and do a Adventure school i would put appropriate tires on it but that isn't likely going to happen for me.

 

[SilverBullet]

...Interesting opinions for sure. It see a lot of the guys here are not paying attention to the title: "Why it's a stupid decision to run street tires in the dirt". I would hope almost all of us can agree to that.

So then you need another companion thread then. "Why it's a stupid decision to run dirt tires on the street". Your Anakee Wilds could be equally shamed as a stupid choice.

...
My 50/50 tires are more than adequate....
What's shocking is how well of a touring tire they are. Once you get past the noise they do everything I ask of them.

But wait no shame to you as you admit they are only adequate. i.e. a compromise. Better change out those unsafe tires before your next track day in the rain.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

 

[ballisticexchris]

So then you need another companion thread then. "Why it's a stupid decision to run dirt tires on the street". Your Anakee Wilds could be equally shamed as a stupid choice.



But wait no shame to you as you admit they are only adequate. i.e. a compromise. Better change out those unsafe tires before your next track day in the rain.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

I don’t do track days and try to avoid the rain. A knobby tire gives ample warning on the pavement when pushed too hard. A smooth street tire goes away with no warning whatsoever when ridden in the dirt.

Wow ballisticexchris that is an impressive rack of tires you have! All of them look pretty new. I am a cheap @$$ and run mine till they look like a street tire in the middle. Cut the knobs to get them square again and then i turn them around backwards before i buy new tires. yes when i am off road i do like full knobs on the tires. I am not going to take my Super T where i take my 250. I do ride it every single day year round and i do cross mud ruts and gravel then street all the way to town each day. So far nothing beats my 50/50 tires for daily use and road trips. If i ever do decide to haul it someplace and do a Adventure school i would put appropriate tires on it but that isn't likely going to happen for me.

A lot of those tires the knobs were rounded. I too have a tire cutter I use on some of my tires. I don’t like running my tires to the end of their life.

 

[jeckyll]

Jesus, run what you like and are comfortable with. Worry about getting yourself straightened out and if you think someone else is doing something stupid don't ride with them.

Problem solved.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Maybe myself and some of you other guys can give some feedback on the handling characteristics with different type of rubber mounted.

The biggest difference for me is when I’m running a knobby on the street the back of the bike steps out first allowing me the ability to save it and be on my merry way.

When I have low traction set of tres in the dirt the first thing to go is the front. I just cannot save it when it folds over without warning. Im used to the rear tire slipping and moving under me. Even the front tire when in a straight line. I might be off my thinking. I was always taught to do all my braking before the corner in low traction environments. What sucks is you are just tooling along in a straight line and you come across a hidden rut, rock, etc. the front tire has no traction to save it and down you go.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

It's unfortunate no one was around to let this woman know how stupid her tires were for the type of riding she was doing. She might not have risked so much just to have some fun. Ah yes, the irresponsible choices we make when we're young.

 

[Checkswrecks]

D_D
And then there's your inexperienced wife, not knowing how risky the tires are on that BMW!

Or me on the new tires:

btw - Anybody want the front E-07 that is on the top box which doesn't have many miles? Make me an offer VIA personal message.

 

[Highwayman]

So blame the inanimate object instead of the "inexperienced rider"? Seems quite backwards to me.

Cue crazy look at me pictures of brainless rides.

ADV Scooter?

Some idiot (me) took his supermoto out to the desert and sand dunes. I had a great time that weeknd!

Sorry..... But you cant tell me that SM did anything out at Blow Sand...... Other then look silly. Yes, Ive been there many times and glamis on my 300 with knobbies.... A pic there doesnt mean a thing. Especially that it did well.

 

[Highwayman]

Pirelli Scorpions here...

Even though its still a heavy bike and you have to respect it.... With proper tires it does well off road.... Still rips the mtn roads to the edge of the tires and takes me to work in crappy weather I dont wanna ugly the Harleys with.... Yeah, they get replaced alot quicker then 50 50s, but Im old school and find replacing the right tires cheaper then crashing on the wrong ones.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

D_D
And then there's your inexperienced wife, not knowing how risky the tires are on that BMW!

Those are the 90/10 tires I mentioned earlier that are much better off pavement than expected.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Those are the 90/10 tires I mentioned earlier that are much better off pavement than expected.

It only means you are lucky. I have seen tons of youtube videos and pictures of people using street tires in the dirt. Does not make it safe or smart. For every successful ride there are many others that end up with rubber off the ground and an injured rider. And who in the heck wants to waddle along worrying if the front end is going to let go and end up off the side of a hill.

What's strange is it's very hard to find anyone that has the ability to explain the handling characteristics of the tire. It's the same with suspension. I have a pretty detailed description of exactly what my tires and suspension do and don't do so well.

Most any post on tires goes like this: "it works good", "It lasts long", "it gets crappy mileage". How about describe the feedback on those 90/10 tires. How fast can you go through loose rock? What gear can you safely run in? Does the front of the bike want to wash out? Are you standing or sitting? When going through a loose corner are you able to steer with the throttle? Or do you slow way down and turn your bars in the direction of the turn?

 

[Dirt_Dad]

How about describe the feedback on those 90/10 tires. How fast can you go through loose rock? What gear can you safely run in? Does the front of the bike want to wash out? Are you standing or sitting? When going through a loose corner are you able to steer with the throttle? Or do you slow way down and turn your bars in the direction of the turn?

I'm not going to lead my wife through any significant loose rock that will give her a problem. 90/10 tires are perfect for that.

I'd have no problem running those up to 70 MPH or more, on the wet dirt roads around here. Which is probably more that I'll ever put her through. 90/10 tires are perfect for that.

My wife is not aggressive off pavement, so if she's in a loose corner, she's already pretty cautious and probably not slowing down much. 90/10 tires are perfect for that.

She likes to stand. Has learned that getting off the seat makes her feel way more comfortable when the ride gets a little shaky. 90/10 tires are perfect for that.

She might try to steer with the throttle on her XT250. Definitely more spirited there, but still not what anyone would call aggressive. 90/10 tires are not perfect for that bike, and it doesn't have them.

For me, when I took her BMW to "test" it on a dirt road for her, the road had a light sheen of mud from the rain the night before. I tried pretty hard to get it to slide around, it didn't want to. I'd throw it from side to side with the throttle nearly pinned and it hooked up so well I was actually surprised to look back and see I was leaving a trail behind me. After a few runs back and forth I handed the bike back to her and told her, "you've got nothing to worry about with these tires, don't spend a second thinking about it."

Overall, I know what kind of places I'm going to put her, and those tires are not a concern. Sure we could end up some place I'm not expecting, but she's smart, cautious, and follows the riding directions I give her extraordinarily well (I stress riding directions). If it looks like too much, I always offer to take her bike through it. 95% of the time, she declines that offer.

I intend to keep her on the same Bridgestone Battlax A41 tires as long as they keep making them. I think it's the prefect tire for what she's going to ride...which includes a good amount of easy dirt.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Yep, good idea to keep your wife on a A41 tire. Who would have known how good they grip on a wet dirt road!! HA HA!!

Trying to reason with guys why to use knobby's off road is like trying to explain to a Harley rider to swap a cereal bowl helmet for a real one.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I like to carry a spare too!!

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Trying to reason with guys ...

Now that's funny.

 

[bigbob]

I like to carry a spare too!!

View attachment 61942

 

[Dougbug]

Apparently it's even worse riding well worn tires in the sticky mud after a month of rain

 

[tntmo]

Sorry..... But you cant tell me that SM did anything out at Blow Sand...... Other then look silly. Yes, Ive been there many times and glamis on my 300 with knobbies.... A pic there doesnt mean a thing. Especially that it did well.

I mean, do you think I trucked it up the hill? I rode it around OW all weekend, it obviously wasn't as good as having my dirt wheel setup on it but I had a great time and was riding with the rest of my group.

Just like running more street biased tires off road on the Tenere, use your brain before using the bike.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Just like running more street biased tires off road on the Tenere, use your brain before using the bike.

What sucks is when you are 80 miles in and have to turn around because you don't have the proper tire to make it through. I can assure you when you go somewhere like Death Valley, Lucerne, Mojave Preserve, etc, you are not going to have the luxury of close hard pack bail outs. Beginner OHV parks like Ocotillo Wells have super easy graded roads (within a few hundred yards anywhere in the park) that a 5 year old can navigate on a minibike.

Pirelli Scorpions here...

Even though its still a heavy bike and you have to respect it.... With proper tires it does well off road.... Still rips the mtn roads to the edge of the tires and takes me to work in crappy weather I dont wanna ugly the Harleys with.... Yeah, they get replaced alot quicker then 50 50s, but Im old school and find replacing the right tires cheaper then crashing on the wrong ones.

Guys like you and me get it. I think a lot of others just like to brag on what they can do on the bike with a smooth tire. It's all good until they wad it up and end up with an air lift because the front end folded without warning.

I actually considered turning around when I was heading out to Toroweap Overlook. I was on very smooth hardpack for over 60 miles until I came across a few miles or so section of a nasty unimproved very steep, deep, and loose rocky 4 track. There is no way in hell anyone would successfully navigate a 600+ lb bike up this crap with a street tire. At least without dropping it a few times. Pictures do no justice. This road went from a little over 3000' to almost 8000' in just a few miles. It was so gnarly I almost packed my SPOT in my jacket. I was sucking gas and spent after dropping over the top and onto the smooth fire road again. Why would anyone in their right mind run street tires in this stuff?
I am so grateful to have my Anakee Wilds on this bike. They have saved my bacon time and time again.

 

[Highwayman]

Trying to reason with guys why to use knobby's off road is like trying to explain to a Harley rider to swap a cereal bowl helmet for a real one.[/QUOTE]





Gotta say Im hardly the standard HD rider. Looooong time dirt and big bore superbikes guy.

Was time for a change being closer to 50 then 40. Ride the shit outta my HDs all the time and everywhere. Humble crotch rocketeers on the built Dyna in the twisties. No chicken strips and dragged pegs. Built bagger too. Both with money spent on performance / not chrome . On 2 wheels 99.5 %.

Gotta say here in So Cal ALOT of guys I know relate with me and not the 50mph in the fast lane, wild hogs looking, mushroom tip wearing helmet folks. The HD crowd is definitely evolving in my eyes.

Heres my lid X-14. Always a Shoei guy, got all of em over the years hanging on my wall. Does double duty on the Ten. Dont run a specific ADV helmet, no need.


The Scorps have pulled snow duty this yr too.