Best Tyre 80/20 On/Off Road

[We Make Life A Ride]

I'll be needing new tyres soon. I'm currently on road tyres but will want to move to something a little bit more knobly for my next set. I'll be doing mostly road riding but some off road too and when I am off road I'll be full up with luggage so will want that secure feeling that only off road tyres can give but I also ride in all weather so want the feeling of on road stickyness at the same time.

I'm not gonna lie here but aesthetics are important to me too. More knobly tyres on a GS just look damn good right!

I'm leaning towards the new Metzler Karoo 4 - they seem to have pretty good reviews.

Open to alternative suggestiona and opinions on the Karoo 4's if anyone is using them.

Thanks all

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[GB.]

This really depends how off road you are going and what sort of off road. If you can find them the Pirelli rally (not the STR) is a good compromise. If you are looking to do more of a wet, muddy surface then look at anlas or kenda big blocks. If money is no object then try motoz. There is also the reliable Tkc80, not good mileage but a good tyre, the then Bridgestone, metzler etc etc the list goes on but don't expect the same mileage unless you go for K60's or Motoz tractionators.

 

[g00ner]

I’ve got Karoo 4 on my Africa Twin. They cope well with dry green laning, but by god they’re noisy and they’ve slowed the steering down no end.

 

[Jverdoes]

Look for a spare set of alloy wheels on eBay so you have best of both worlds, especially if you are mostly road riding. With road tyres you'll have more confidence and better grip when it's wet.

When I tour on tarmac, I fit the alloys with road tyres and for tracks/offroad, I fit my spokes with knobblies. I currently have the Adventurecross AX41 knobblies and can highly recommend them.

The AX41's are fairly quite on normal roads but if this is going to be your main tyre for on and off road, expect to replace them often.

 

[er-minio]

80/20? TKC70

 

[We Make Life A Ride]

I should add that is use the bike for commuting as well as fun. I can cover several hundred miles a week easily.

But then when fun time comes it'll be that combination of 80/20 on/off road. Nothing serious, mostly fire tracks and greenlaning.

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[er-minio]

Again then, TKC70

 

[GB.]

If you are just doing that virtually any tyre will do. Tyres that "look the part" won't last long if you're commuting on the road. Tyres like the tkc70 with a round profile will be more than enough and last reasonably well. You say 80/20, ask yourself will you do 20miles off road to 80 miles on road.?

 

[Deleted account 221212001]

I used Michelin Trackers although they are 90/10 so may be too off-road focused for you although I never had any issues with them on tarmac.

 

[GB.]

I used Michelin Trackers although they are 90/10 so may be too off-road focused for you although I never had any issues with them on tarmac.

I know you can get a rear tracker to fit on the front of an LC but I'm pretty sure they don't do a rear to fit an LC. Commuting on a tracker would be fun!

 

[er-minio]

He wants to have decent mileage. Any “block” road tyre will last very little.
I’ve had a few sets of TKC70, as an example, they all lasted more than enough. The only set I had to replace quickly was the one with the “rocks” rear tyre. Lasted about half of the others.

For gravel, etc. they standard 70 is more than enough. You still have a road tyre “feeling” when on asphalt. Not commenting on grip as the vast majority of tyres have more grip than most of us can handle.

 

[Flipfly]

Dunlop Trailmax missions are good once they’ve bedded in. Work well off road and on dry tarmac, wet tarmac is ok but you do need to ride on the cautious side of safe.

When they are new they feel horrible, slow steering and a real reluctance to turn in (then they kind of flop over once you fight them over the resistance).

Get 1000 miles on them and they steer really nicely and work well of road.

 

[GB.]

The problem is he wants the look of a knobbly tyre but the longevity of a road tyre. The only tyres what will do that are tractionators or K60s

 

[Spareparts]

Pirelli Rally STR.

 

[GB.]

The STR is a reasonable tyre, I've had lots of them and have a set on my road wheels and may well do what he needs but as soon as it gets wet or muddy you'll be wishing you had a more aggressive tyre.

 

[Spareparts]

The STR is a reasonable tyre, I've had lots of them and have a set on my road wheels and may well do what he needs but as soon as it gets wet or muddy you'll be wishing you had a more aggressive tyre.

Agreed for MUD. Then again, I don't think any of the 80/20 tyres are good for mud. For mud you really want something with proper blocks like a TKC80 or similar.
For the 80% tarmac, the STR is one of the best though - good feedback, transitions well, and lasts. It's good for the rest of the 20% greenlaning and gravel too.
There is no ideal 80/20 that does mud well. imho. too many compromises.

 

[GB.]

Agreed for MUD. Then again, I don't think any of the 80/20 tyres are good for mud. For mud you really want something with proper blocks like a TKC80 or similar.
For the 80% tarmac, the STR is one of the best though - good feedback, transitions well, and lasts. It's good for the rest of the 20% greenlaning and gravel too.
There is no ideal 80/20 that does mud well. imho. too many compromises.

I think the STR would probably be ideal for him tbh looks a bit like a knobby but is great on the road, as long as his off road excursions are in the dry they will be fine, as soon as it turns wet even on grass they are a liability. Motoz will out last the STR (and at their price point they want to!) and be better off road but nowhere near as good on road. Like you say it's a compromise

 

[We Make Life A Ride]

Granted aesthetics are important. And yes I'll spend little time off road but when I am I will be fully loaded and I know how that feeling that your tyre is gripping can make all the difference to your confidence levels. A few of you have suggested I am bothered about how long they'll last because I do a lot of miles - actually whilst that is a consideration it probably sits below everything I mention below.

Lots of great suggestions here though. Keep them coming. Interesting that hardly anyone has suggested my original choice so am pretty put off by the Karoo 4s now.

As a slight aside on 4 wheels - 4x4 that is I have a wealth of knowledge so I get that I'm never going to find a tyre that gives me everything I wants.....looks, off road ability and on road safety (particularly in the wet). But therell be something out there that comes pretty damn close I reckon.

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[GB.]

I think it's because they have been hard to get so not much feedback. If you want grip on and off road and mileage isn't an issue, TkC 80 is a great tyre and still the one most are judged by. Adventure bike tv did a tyre test a while back that may be of interest, do a YouTube search.

 

[bowser]

mitas e07+ dakar with the yellow strip, nothing beats them