Adventure Tire Buyer's Guide

Tom Roderick
by Tom Roderick

Want to make your old bike feel new again? Install new tires. Your current rubber hoops may have mileage left in them, but switching to new tires is an easy and affordable way to elevate the handling composure of a motorcycle. Fresh rubber not only increases both on- and off-road grip, but the manicured profile of new tires also smooths turn-in and transitioning, bettering your sense of control and feedback from the road.

On the flipside, the wrong tires can go a long way in ruining your riding pleasure. Installing a 10mm wider rear tire can so adversely change your motorcycle’s handling you’ll curse having ever made the decision to do so. Tire choice for Adventure bikes is compounded with the demands of not just street but off-road riding. How much grip do you want for street riding vs. how much grip you want in the dirt? Longevity vs grip on the street as well as longevity vs grip in the dirt. There’s also terrain types to accommodate: rocks vs. sand vs. hard-pack, wet vs dry.

Of course, there’s the adventure bike itself. The demands of a 350-pound Honda XR650L will be vastly different from those of a 525-pound BMW R1200GS. Aggression levels in the dirt vs. those on the street also go a long way in determining tire selection, as does tube vs tubeless tires.

We can no more choose the perfect tire for you than we can get our wives to turn off lights in an unused room. What we can do is suggest a few of the tire options available and hope they’ll help smooth your future tire buying decisions.

Avon

Avon has two models of adventure tires available: Distanzia (left) and Gripster (right). The Distanzia is the more streetable tire (80% on-road, 20% off-road) and is designed for heavier-weight adventure bikes, while the Gripster is the tire with more off-road intentions (60% on-road, 40% off-road) for mid-size dual-purpose motorcycles. The Distanzia is available in a variety of front and rear sizes, the Gripster comes in only a single front (90/90-21) and rear (130/80-17) sizes. Prices for the Distanzia range from $124 – $189 for fronts and $153 – $280 for rears. Gripster prices are $140 for the front and $175 for the rear. For more go to avonmoto.com.

Bridgestone

Bridgestone’s arsenal of adventure tires includes these two models: the radial Battle Wings BW501/BW502 (left) and bias-ply Trail Wings TW301/302 (right). Bridgestone claims the Battle Wings to be 90% on-road and 10% off-road, while the Trail Wings are designed for 50% operation on either surface. Both models come in a variety of sizes with prices ranging from $115 – $145 for Tail Wing fronts and $121 – $145 for Trail Wing rears. Battle Wing rears cost $202 – $217 while Battle Wing fronts cost $80 – $115. For more information about these two models or the availability of other adventure tires from Bridgestone go to www.motorcycle-karttires.com

Continental

Continental has four models of adventure tires, ranging from more street to more dirt, from which to choose: ContiTrailAttack 2 (left), ContiEscape (not pictured), TKC 70 (center) and TKC 80 (right). The 0° steel-belted TKC 70s are the newest adventure tires from Continental and are said to combine the best of the TKC 80 off-road tire and ContiTrailAttack 2 on-road tire. All adventure tire models come in a variety of sizes and pricing. The TKC 70 fronts are available in two 19-inch sizes ranging in price from $181 – $191 while the rear is available in three 17-inch sizes and one 18-inch for $226 – $262. For more information go to www.conti-online.com.

Dunlop

Dunlop’s triumvirate of adventure tires includes the Trailmax TR91, D606 and D908RR Rally Raid. As you can see from the chart above, the Trailmax is the more streetable of the three, while there doesn’t seem to be much separating the D606 or D908RR. But there is. According to Dunlop the D606 is a street-legal tire with an emphasis on aggressive off-road riding and longevity, whereas the DOT-approved, D908RR is designed for racing and cross-country conditions, providing enhanced wear resistance and grip over rocks, hard ground and pavement. All model adventure tires come in a variety of sizes and pricing from $142 for a front D606 to $320 for a D908RR rear. For more information visit www.dunlopmotorcycle.com.

Duro

There’s not much information about the Duro HF 903/904 Median Dual-Sport tires, but here’s what we do know: They’re S-rated for speeds up to 110 mph, and made for 60% on-road, 40% off-road use. Possibly the best attribute are the tires’ pricing of $70 – $99 for rears and $67 for a front. Size wise, the front comes in only a 90/90-21, while the rear is available from a 110/90-16 to a 4.60-18. Check out www.durotire.com.

IRC

IRC manufacturers seven different dual-purpose tires: three Battle Rallys, two Trail Winners, a Trails and a Foot Loose. The Trail Winner GP-110 is said to be “designed to provide the best possible handling and control for both on and off road. The GP-110 is designated 90% on-road and 10% off-road, and is S-rated up to 112 mph. Like the Duros, the IRC Trail Winner GP-110s have an attractive price tag of $110 – $144 for the selection of different sized rears, and $80 – $85 for the two different sized front tires. To see more models of IRC adventure tires go to www.irc-tire.com.

Kenda

Kenda has four dual-sport tire models, but the company’s newest offering is the K784F and K784 Big Block tires. According to Kenda, the Big Blocks are “designed specifically to meet the demands of the high powered Adventure motorcycle and serious Adventure rider.” The DOT-approved tires are rated to be 60% on-road and 40% off-road, with a tread pattern designed for traction on the street as well as in the dirt. Three front sizes go for $109 – $135, while the four rear sizes are priced from $124 to $189. Check them out at www.kendatire.com.

Metzeler

Tourance Next is the newest model in Metzeler’s adventure tire lineup: Tourance, Tourance EXP, Tourance Next. Compared to the EXP, the Tourance Next boasts improved mileage, as well as better grip in wet weather and increased stability. Metzeler achieved these performance improvements by utilizing new compounds, profiles, structure and tread pattern. The Tourance Next is fitted to BMW R1200GS models as standard equipment. The Tourance Next comes in three different front and rear sizes, prices ranging from $241 – $299 for rears, and $202 – $221 for fronts. For more check out www.metzeler.com.

Michelin

Michelin’s Anakee III’s have replaced the Anakee IIs as Michelin’s premier adventure tire. The Anakee IIIs feature an innovative and distinctive tread pattern, better mileage, and a new silica compound. Michelin claims the new Anakees offer riders improved traction in wet weather as well as enhanced ride qualities. For more off-road adventurous riders, check out Michelin’s T63 tires which boast true 50/50 street/dirt performance. Front sizes for the Anakee IIIs are limited to 19- and 21-inch diameter wheels, and 17-inch diameter rears. Pricing for Anakee III fronts range from $181 – $230, and $236 – $285 for rears. For more information go to motorcycle.michelinman.com.

Pirelli

Pirelli has an impressive variety of tires that can be used on adventure bikes, depending on your preference for on- or off-road riding, and the type of bike you own. For now, however, we’ll focus on the company’s Scorpion Trail tires. The Scorpion Trails are constructed for heavier adventure-touring bikes to deliver impressive mileage as well as impressive traction in all weather conditions. Built for more on-road rather than off-road riding, the Scorpion Trails boast of providing excellent handling and stability on both surfaces even with a fully-loaded adventure-touring bike. Front tires come in diameters ranging from 17 inches to 21 inches in a price range from $192 – $221, while rears are available in 17- and 18-inch diameters ranging from $207 – $308. Check out www.pirelli.com.

Shinko

Not as well known as some other tire brands, Shinko, nonetheless, has an impressive variety of adventure tires. The E-804/E-805 Big Block adventure tires above are rated as 60% off-road and 40% on-road. The tubeless, DOT tires are intended for off-road adventurers at a price that’s much more affordable than comparable tires from better-known companies: $136 – $170 for rears and $100 – $161 for fronts. Sizes for rears are limited to three: two 17-inch diameter and one 18-inch diameter. Fronts are available in two 19-inch and one 21-inch diameter models. Check out these and Shinko’s other tire options at www.shinkotireusa.com.

Tom Roderick
Tom Roderick

A former Motorcycle.com staffer who has gone on to greener pastures, Tom Roderick still can't get the motorcycle bug out of his system. And honestly, we still miss having him around. Tom is now a regular freelance writer and tester for Motorcycle.com when his schedule allows, and his experience, riding ability, writing talent, and quick wit are still a joy to have – even if we don't get to experience it as much as we used to.

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  • Dustysquito . Dustysquito . on May 11, 2015

    Definitely a few notable entries missing in the dual sport tire category. The Kenda 270 (and the Shinko 244 by association) are really good, inexpensive DS tires. The Shinko 705's should also get a mention for being in that 70/30 or 80/20 category with long tread life and low price. I'm sure there's others worth mentioning here too.

  • Disqus_hE5RPG5U7l Disqus_hE5RPG5U7l on May 23, 2016

    i like the Pirelli scorpion mt 90 a/t on the front of my bmw. haven't tried the rear in that tread, yet.
    Michelin t63's , front and back, are my goto for more dirty stuff....dig? they dig!

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