First post, hello! & tire recommendations
 

Hello to all, just joined and am happy to be here:thumbup1:
I've just purchased an 08 DR650 and would like as much advice as possible.
The mods I'll be making are: DJ carb kit, airbox mod, Renazco seat, taller bars, windscreen(not sure which one), Pat Walsh luggage rack, Revpack luggage, skidplate, and some other small mods.
I'll be taking it across the USA in September along US Rt. 20. My goal is 300 miles a day with a 12 day trip window. I'm looking to replace the Trailwinngs with a 80% on 20% off tire. I've been doing lots of homework and would like some feedback on the following:
Kenda K761
Duro Median
Pirelli MT90 A/T
Thanks in advance, happy to be part of the gang:D

Metzeler tourance! great!
greetings!

Hello from Helena Montana
 

Hello from the land of the -50F windchill today. I have actualy had some good use out of the Duro's for the price, otherwise the Metzlers.

Over 500 pages .. some of it on tyres
the DR650 thread - ADVrider

Frank, thanks for the heads up, I've been an inmate @ advrider and thumpertalk for some time now. I've looked through most all the threads and that's where i came up with my three choices. The Metzler's are great tires but are 4th on the list.:mchappy:

IRC GP110 (not GP1)
Mefo Explorer 99

Both tires get reasonable mileage and are good on-road.

LoneRider,
Yup, I looked at the GP110, it was a toss up to the Kenda's, I'll take another look at them, thought about the Mefo's but apparently the only person to import them is constantly out of stock. Know any pace I can get them?

Lefty, the Trail Wings it came with are a great 80/20 tire imho. I rode these all over the Yukon, NWT to the arctic. They are passable on dirt just not mud. Reasonable wear (7,000 rear) and no flats in 25,000k. Stick with them unless your on single track. I ride with a Mitas e9 now, but I am using it as almost a pure ditch pig.
I had good luck with trailwings on dirt roads. Good choice of bike. :thumbup1:

I want to thank all those who offered their help on the tires thing, I've found the tires I thought I couldn't get, MEFO 99's. My Suzuki dealer found some and ordered them for me today. They weren't on the list as I thought it would take months to get them.:clap:

I'll let you all know how they hold up x-country.

Thanks from another,
Patrick:D

Just hello...
 

:welcome:

Don't have much more to say at present...

Though Patrick surely knows his stuff, and I appreciate his words of wisdom, I gotta disagree a tiny bit about the Trailwings.

My 07 Vstrom650 came with them, and I never liked them. Had the same rubbers on an Africa Twin before, and didnt like them on that bike, either. And they seem to wear very quickly, too.

Felt actually much the same on both machines; unpredictable, especially in the wet, a bit like having "knobblies" on. Didnt impress in the dry, either, and the front started to shake more and more when a bit leaned over, as they wore down. I checked the air pressures many times (I normally do it 2-3 times a week) and even tried a bit different readings, but that did little to change the fundamental feeling.

Changed for Metzeler Z6's next, and Michelin Anakees after that, and boy does the Suzuki feel much better with both of these! The Z6's were just perfect for twisty roads, and very, very good to ride in the rain. Michelin may not be on quite that level (The Metz is a full-on street tyre) but it still suits my bike (and my way of riding, and where I ride) better than the original 'Stones.

The Anakees last (especially on the back) at least 2 times longer than the Trailwings have, AND they offer either more grip, or more confidence. I am able to use the back tyre's tread pattern completely on both sides (ok, maybe 1-2mm could be missing) even quite easily... something which I wouldnt have dared to try with those 'Stones (would feel Im going to crash!) The bike feels so much more stable & confidence-inspiring with the Metz or with the Michelins, than it did with the original tyres.

This is just how I felt. And Im talking street-riding now, never even tested them on the dirt properly. Surely someone with more offroad-experience might have a totally different opinion. I might sometime try the newer (Battlewing?) but the Trailwings Im done with, for my use there are so much better options available.

Bad news:
MEFO's out of stock, thought they had them, and didn't. They won't be in until late March.

Good news:
Ordered GP-110's almost half the price and I can get them anywhere I travel x-country.
Thanks LoneRider:thumbup:

Lefty

Did you mean 'GP110', and not 'GP1'?

I love it, you guys just hi-jacked my thread, way cool:thumbup1:

I bought the GP-110's that's what I meant...............

Thanks for the help:funmeteryes:

Everybody loves a Tire or Oil Thread. It is something everyone will have an opinion on!:innocent:

Oil and tyres
 

Yes, very true! Strange how oil and tyres are so bike specific.
I guess Rossi would express it very well.

Now a thread about fuel octane or whatever won't get wrapped up in the bike itself, but these two consumables.......

Ok, I'll jump in, how about Amsoil for my DR650?

Don't know if you're still looking for tires, but here's my experience. I just started the US portion of my trip. I've done 3,700 miles so far on my DR650, with Scorpion MT90 AT front and rear. I weigh about 200lbs, and luggage including the weight of the boxes is about 80lbs. I'd say my average speed has been around 60 mph. Lots of twisties down the eastern half of the country, and about 800 miles of long and boring straight line high speed drones. I definitely have not taken it easy in terms of acceleration and braking. The front has held up well and I see no reason to replace it. The center tread on the rear has about 2mm of rise left. (not sure if that is the proper term for it). It still looks good for road use, but I would not want to take it anywhere else. I have essentially no off-road experience with these tires, unless you consider hard-pack gravel off-road. On-road, these tires have been a blast and I couldn't have asked for more grip.

On another note, I had my bike jetted for sea-level, with the usual open-top airbox, DJ 155 main, fuel-air screw 2.5 turns out, Dyno jet needle 4th notch from the top, stock exhaust. I averaged 42 mpg across the country. The bike ran flawlessly, until just outside of Denver, Colorado at about 5,400ft. Air-fuel screw adjustments weren't enough to make it run well again, so I put the stock needle and jet back in, and it runs a hair lean at 5,400ft still.

Hope this info is helpful, or at least info to throw into the mix.

Jeff

Patrick,
I'm heading from Connecticut to Argentina. I'm in Salt Lake City, Utah at the moment and will be leaving here in a day or so. I had a blast in Colorado, and I'll be going back to the Southwest portion of the state as I head South. I made a simple website: Journey to the Bottom of the World Essentially none of my friends and family ride bikes, so the journal isn't too bike oriented, but I hope to contribute my experiences here or answer any inquiries. If you have a chance, take a look and let me know what you think. I haven't added the link as a signature line yet, figuring my newbie adventure would be a bore for some of the more hardened bikers. Btw, how did the IRC in the pic work out for you? I'm putting a TKC up front in Arizona, still undecided on the rear.

In regard to the original thread, the stock jetting with the air box opened at the top did pretty well up to 12,200ft. Any higher than that and I think I'll have to take the airbox cover off. Gas mileage went to %#!? at that altitude though, especially at highway speeds. (36mpg) With Stock jetting I usually get around 50 mph at moderate speeds. This may be common knowledge, but since I'm from Connecticut, I wasn't sure how altitude would affect the bike.

I have been searching many websites for the "ultimate and definitive" tire list...ha! ha!!..fat chance of that ...but I have seen some really interesting comment. I am presently looking for replacement rubber for the Dunlop Trailmax on my Africa Twin. I am going to ride 5000km's through Namibia in a few weeks time and I will have my 11yr old son pillion with me. Of the 5000km I will be doing around 1500 on tar the rest will be gravel roads with the odd patch of sand.
I have been looking at TKC's, Pirelli Scorpions, T63's etc etc...the list is unending. I then had a conversation with a gentleman from "Tours For Africa" a company here in South Africa that takes individuals adventure biking all over Africa and they do the occasional Cape to Cairo run. He is in the Adventure biking business has tons and years of experience...he swears by Anakee tires ...150's on the back 90's up front and he says you can go anywhere barring the worst "fesh-fesh". Looking at these tires they are quite "road" (as in tar) oriented so I am a little confused as I do not have much experience with Dual sporting. I have an XR650R that I ride off-road and that is a simple choice Dunlop D908RR agressive tire on the back and a resonable front MX tire and off you go.
I would appreciate any comments on the Anakees and or recomendations specifically for the Africa Twin. Thanks in advance

I just ordered this combo. Don't know how it will work out but you can't beat the prices!

Rear: Cheng Shin C858 5.10X17
Front: Kings Tire KT963 3.00X21