Off road tyres

Mouse · Mar 27, 2006

What tyres are people using on their HP2s then? I'm (yet again) loooking for tyres for my GS. Been using Karoos, which are OK. I suppose anything more extreme will get shredded if I give it a handful while on tarmac ...

Now I think about it, does the HP2 have different size wheels to the GS? 21" front and 17" rear? The GS has 19 front 17 rear, which doesn't give you much choice. I seem to remember Phil Gunn talking about getting his rear wheel rebuilt to an 18" - did you do that Phil and was it a success?

Bit of a rambling post this ... any ideas?

Jeremy · Mar 27, 2006

The Karoos have been great for green laning and road riding but on wet chalk at Salisbury Plain they were a bit of a handful but I imagine most tyres would be.

Blue Sweeper recommended some Dunlops but I can't remember if its the D756 or K695 models. Check with him.

Jeremy

Vern · Mar 27, 2006

I don't think there is a good all round tyre for the HP2,the karoos just get ripped to pieces in no time on the dirt,and stick like teflon on the road.I'm going to see what a set of TKs are like on it next.If it lasts more than 400 miles without throwing chunks off,then that'll be a good thing.

I think the torque is too much for knobblies really(bloody good fun though :beerjug:

)

Blue Sweeper · Mar 27, 2006

Jeremy said:
Blue Sweeper recommended some Dunlops but I can't remember if its the D756 or K695 models. Check with him.

No he didn't. :nono

He talked about Bridgestone Gritty ED663 for the very serious stuff, but Bridgestone don't do a Gritty rear tyre for the HP2 as it's a 17" wheel. As yet I haven't found a decent all round tyre for the HP2. Very soon to try the Continental TKC80 though

CrazyIvan · Mar 28, 2006

All round tires for the HP2 ? I don't think so...
I am running metzeler MCE2 at the front and metzeler UNICROSS at the rear.
In future i will be using the MEFO stonemaster for rear tire.

On road capabilities are minimal, that's why i ordered the extra set of wheels...

dieter von hexhead · Mar 28, 2006

I got only 200 miles out of the Karoo before it started throwing lugs.
Next were Michelin Deserts - great sand tire but real wonky everywhere
else. Swapped out the stock rims and went to an 18" rear to have more
choices. Best 100% dirt tire I've tried are MT18s but best all around
for me has been the new (at least new in the states) Dunlop "rally raid"....

Mouse · Mar 28, 2006

Thanks for the info chaps!

I'm in a similar position to CrazyIvan in that I've got 2 sets of wheels for the GS so I'm not really looking for an all round tyre, I'm looking for the best dirt tyre and if it means I have to take it easy on the tarmac then that's the price I pay.

For the record I've had Karoos on the GS for the last 6 months (ish) and I haven't counted the miles but I must have done a couple of thousand. The front is still OK but the rear is pretty tatty. Maybe the extra weight or the lower torque of the standard GS helps tyre life, ir maybe I just use the throttle like a girl

stephenenglish · Mar 28, 2006

TKC on HP2

Vern said:
I don't think there is a good all round tyre for the HP2,the karoos just get ripped to pieces in no time on the dirt,and stick like teflon on the road.I'm going to see what a set of TKs are like on it next.If it lasts more than 400 miles without throwing chunks off,then that'll be a good thing.

I think the torque is too much for knobblies really(bloody good fun though )

Vern
What size TKC's are you going for?

I notice on the continetal Website a feature on the HP2 and the rear shock development, but they don't list a tyre for the HP2 model :confused:

stephenenglish · Mar 28, 2006

TKC on HP2

I sent an email to conti website regarding HP2 and got a quick replt below

Hi Stephen

Sorry for the omission, web site now shows the correct TKC fitment;

90/90 21 54T TL 140/80 17 69Q TL

Safe riding

Patrick Keen Conti UK Two Wheel

Mouse · Mar 28, 2006

Small update - MEFO Stonemasters and Metzeler Unicross aren't available in the UK, as far as I can tell.

So I've ordered another Karoo rear this time.

When I have some spare cash I may get my rear wheel rebuilt to an 18"

Marky C · Mar 28, 2006

Grip.

Tyres seem to be a real pit fall for us Gs Hp riders. I dont understand quite why they decided to put a 17 rear on the Hp. Myself and friends own Gs'es and other big Trailies with 17's. We plunge for the Trelleborg Army specials. They're cheap and road legal but only go up to 120 90 17. Too skinny for a Gs. For dirt i run a B F Goodrich 100 80 19. Enduro. on the front. It's legal. But you have to run a tube. Forget TKC's. They're scary. On the rear i'm stuck with the Karoo. Much better Tread pattern, but blocks ar'nt deep enough. The back wheel skids under engine braking. What we all really need is the Terraflex Intercore. Awesome! They make a 150 90 17. Only available in the States. They cost about 70 Bucks. And the same to ship!

Form an orderly queue. Cheers, M.C.

Mouse · Mar 29, 2006

Maybe we should put in a bulk order

After all, at the current exchange rate, $70 is what, about 40 quid? I pay £75 for a rear Karoo.

Vern · Mar 29, 2006

This is easy innit,all we need,is a tyre that doesn't spin when you open the throttle,doesn't lock up when you close the throttle,lasts well on the road,sticks well on the dirt,doesn't throw chuncks off when you get a little bit violent with it,and costs next to nothing to buy :confused:

Mouse · Mar 29, 2006

By jove Vern you've cracked it

Vern · Mar 29, 2006

Mouse said:
By jove Vern you've cracked it

I've split a couple,but never cracked one yet

(RIP) philgunn · Mar 29, 2006

well mouse -- Tyres for off road use

I have just got off the phone from Si Pavey and he is sending me the name of a chap in southampton that will rebuild a Hp2 hub with a 18" rim - 140 x 18" ( he is just after getting one done ) got the hubs from My local BMW dealer here in Cork, I hope to have it on the Bike for the Red kite Rally on Easter sunday (ps are you going ?) and then use it at the HP2 school by Pavey on easter monday
tyres are michelin Enduro fim approved 300 x 21 in the front with .... wait for it mouse .... a Mousee and also a 140 x 18 with mouse on the rear yet again michelin enduro fim approved at the last rally(PJM) i had on a old stock michelin Enduro 450 x 17 with a tube ( no 17' mouse available ) but the tyre kept on Creeping even with the BMW oversize tyre lock , in between laps we were deflating the tyre and spinning the wheel to re align the tube valve neck if it kept going it would have been like Jonty in the Hafren Rally when he pulled the neck out of the tube and got a DNF

anyone else going to the HP2 school on easter Monday ?

enclosed pics of front and rear tyres at PJM rally

Gunner

Mouse · Mar 30, 2006

Cheers Phil ... I don't think I need to go to the lengths of getting mousses fitted but when money permits I might well get a 140 x 18 rim built. I'll be at the Red Kite by the way, should be fun.

Where did you get the 17" enduro tyre, and what pressure were you running for it to slip like that? Can you get any more?

Off road tyres

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