beta,scorpa,montesa,sherco,ossa,gasgas

[LUFC]

I tried to get a trials tyre for my enduro bike in CM as i wanted to try that out also!

But I was quoted 4,500 baht for a rear Michelin. Non Merci.

 

[KTMphil]

I tried to get a trials tyre for my enduro bike in CM as i wanted to try that out also!

But I was quoted 4,500 baht for a rear Michelin. Non Merci.

I'll check with Big Bendum in Bangkok, see what he can do, he's one of the best.

 

[MastaMax]

From what I've read (never tried) they are really good in rocky trails (we don't have that much of those around here) and at slow speed. But it gets really sketchy at higher speed.

Also read you should always ride under 10psi so they can flex as they should. And yes they are very expensive.

Here is a very short article on trial tires :
http://www.dirtrider.com/features/141_0705_trials_tire_comparison/viewall.html

To me it seems like a good choice for extreme and slow trails, like rocks or even thick jungle (not the one we have here). If I remember correctly that's what one of the guys took for the amazing Broneo ride (http://rideasia.net/forum/borneo-equator-expedition-t455.html)

 

[AlexUSA]

From what I've read (never tried) they are really good in rocky trails (we don't have that much of those around here) and at slow speed. But it gets really sketchy at higher speed.

Also read you should always ride under 10psi so they can flex as they should. And yes they are very expensive.

Here is a very short article on trial tires :
http://www.dirtrider.com/features/141_0705_trials_tire_comparison/viewall.html

To me it seems like a good choice for extreme and slow trails, like rocks or even thick jungle (not the one we have here). If I remember correctly that's what one of the guys took for the amazing Broneo ride (http://rideasia.net/forum/borneo-equator-expedition-t455.html)

Pros
-Good traction in wet, slick, rocks, etc.
-Can run very low pressures

Cons
-Bad traction in mud, sand, anything soft
-No treads on the side of the tire so if you lean the bike over you run out of tread (a bad choice for fast cornering)
-Different profile of the tire screws up the geometry of the bike
-Wear out quickly (obviously)

Probably a good choice for crawling through difficult and slippery terrain but a bad choice when you start moving faster or get into soft terrain. Anyone ever seen an enduro racer run trials tires? Can't seem to find any professionals who endorse this idea. Would like to try it myself (but preferably on someone else's bike first).

 

[LUFC]

From what I've read (never tried) they are really good in rocky trails (we don't have that much of those around here) and at slow speed. But it gets really sketchy at higher speed.

Also read you should always ride under 10psi so they can flex as they should. And yes they are very expensive.

Here is a very short article on trial tires :
http://www.dirtrider.com/features/141_0705_trials_tire_comparison/viewall.html

To me it seems like a good choice for extreme and slow trails, like rocks or even thick jungle (not the one we have here). If I remember correctly that's what one of the guys took for the amazing Broneo ride (http://rideasia.net/forum/borneo-equator-expedition-t455.html)

I think they are pretty well suited to the terrian around CM.

After all there is no real topsoil, so no loam, the speeds around here are generally low on most trails and we have plenty of mud and roots.

If I can get one for a reasonable price I'll try it.

Have you tried the "Last Man Standing 2" track that goes behind teh Night Safari and up to the tourist village. Thats an approx climb of 1,500ft all of which is rock to start with, then mud then more rock. A great test of a tire and machine.

 

[KMA]

Here is some of the stuff they are riding with trial tires. This is Washington state, Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Park

 

[KTMphil]

I'd try them too


I'll see if I can organize some from some contacts and see what the price comes out to - look interesting to try.

From what I've read (never tried) they are really good in rocky trails (we don't have that much of those around here) and at slow speed. But it gets really sketchy at higher speed.

Also read you should always ride under 10psi so they can flex as they should. And yes they are very expensive.

Here is a very short article on trial tires :
http://www.dirtrider.com/features/141_0705_trials_tire_comparison/viewall.html

To me it seems like a good choice for extreme and slow trails, like rocks or even thick jungle (not the one we have here). If I remember correctly that's what one of the guys took for the amazing Broneo ride (http://rideasia.net/forum/borneo-equator-expedition-t455.html)

I think they are pretty well suited to the terrian around CM.

After all there is no real topsoil, so no loam, the speeds around here are generally low on most trails and we have plenty of mud and roots.

If I can get one for a reasonable price I'll try it.

Have you tried the "Last Man Standing 2" track that goes behind teh Night Safari and up to the tourist village. Thats an approx climb of 1,500ft all of which is rock to start with, then mud then more rock. A great test of a tire and machine.

 

[MastaMax]

Jim,

Do you know what brand does saddle bags are? They look nice and also smaller than the Wolfman enduro bags.

 

[KTMphil]

Max - it's the Giant Loop MoJavi

link to it is below


http://www.giantloopmoto.com/collection ... -saddlebag

 

[MastaMax]

Thanks Phil.

Those are not cheap, and you probably need an additional heat shield for a rack-less bike :
http://www.giantloopmoto.com/products/hot-springs-heat-shield

 

[LUFC]

I'd try them too


I'll see if I can organize some from some contacts and see what the price comes out to - look interesting to try.


Phil,

I've asked Jamie if he can get some sensibly priced tyres from BKK. Should hear back from him soon.

I dont expect they will last long but it should be a highly amusing few hours with previously unimaginable levels of grip.

 

[MastaMax]

I dont expect they will last long but it should be a highly amusing few hours with previously unimaginable levels of grip.

...until the first high speed corner in the dirt. Well that's my guess, never tried those. But as no one ever uses them in races I can imagine they are only good at very low speed.

 

[LUFC]

I dont expect they will last long but it should be a highly amusing few hours with previously unimaginable levels of grip.

...until the first high speed corner in the dirt. Well that's my guess, never tried those. But as no one ever uses them in races I can imagine they are only good at very low speed.

They do use them for racing, albeit at clubmans level. See article below from the UK.

Obviously the faster you go the worse they perform but as there are no David Kinghts in CM I'm willing to bet (and back this up with $$) they will do a decent job.
I'll post once I have one on my 300 (which will destroy an IRC Enduro tyre in a few hundred kms) to let you know how they perform.

Remember also alot of riders in CM choose to go with the cheap crappy hard as nails Quick or Maxxis Terradactyl (or whatever they call em) to save money. These spin up on damn concrete never mind the muddy trails. Hard to imagine a trials tyre being much worse than these things.

Levels of grip are comparable even in muddy conditions. Consider where a genuine Trials bike goes, we wouldn’t even consider taking our Enduro bikes to some of the venues let alone some of the sections they encounter. Why do they grip even in these type of conditions when the tread is close and full of dirt, because they are soft ( typically I run mine at about 6 -8 PSI depending on the conditions, unlike the Enduro tyre which I run at about 12 PSI ) and sticky. Just look how much grip a Quad gets with its 3 PSI fat tyre.

What about the problem of the tyre feeling flat at speed then due to the low pressure? Well the Pirelli MT43 has a slightly thicker side wall next to the wheel rim than all others and acts as run flat /pinch barrier for the Trials bikes, great as it stops the flat tyre feel at speed as well.

Why then do we use big open block treads rather than close blocks on the current Enduro tyre. Well I think it is for historical reasons. The world was full of feisty heavy 2 stroke bikes which you had to drop the clutch on, wheel spin the tyre until the engine reached its power band and then hope the tyre would dig its way down to solid terra firma, to simply get under way. Now all modern Enduro bikes are real light weight puppies, we simply ease the throttle / clutch on and ease away, if its really slimy and muddy we drop the pressure a couple of pounds on the tyre, change up a gear and now use all that torque the modern bikes have. Now isn’t that just like the way you ride Trials bikes or am I riding my trials bike all wrong ? It may be a slightly different technique but its just as fast.

Can we compare tyres then in the real world as far as grip goes. Yes we can, we have now run 5 events with a mix of MX, Enduro and Trials tyres. Regardless of conditions, riders of equal ability on similar machinery are pretty much equal on lap times, in fact I am starting to think that statistically the trials tyre may even be faster. Interestingly without the penalty of 20% we as a club impose for the MX tyre, 3 of the 5 events were won outright with a rider on a trials tyres, the other 2 were won by a rider who could have fitted a road slick and still won ( he is a current British champion MXer just getting the taste for Enduro's ). Ignoring that 1 rider 4 of the events would have been won outright on a trials tyre.

What other advantages are there then. Safety, how often have you been hit in the face and hands by stones and mud tossed up from a rip roaring knobbly, it doesn’t happen with the trials tyre as the big clumps and stones can’t get into the tread to be lifted, instead those stones are used as grip. Cost is a major factor, I can destroy an Enduro tyre in 1 weekend, my trials tyre lasts all season, half way through I simply turn it around. Not good for the tyre companies but great for my pocket. They are great on the road as there is plenty of rubber contact. I can run them as a tubeless tyre. They don’t seem to puncture as often as there is more blocks of rubber in the way of any sharpies.

Disadvantages: At about 450cc ( 300cc 2 stroke ) the bikes produce enough torque to be able to break out the standard 4.00” trials tyre. The MotoX tyre will then dig its way down and find grip unlike the trials tyre which then fills the blocks and continue to spin. Probably a wider tyre with more blocks / area would solve this but no tyre company makes a wider trials tyre. But hey most clubman riders are now downsizing due to the power of the 450’s which can scare the hell out of the best of us. There are no 19” Trials tyres for the MotoX bikes 19” rim. When a bike gets in a real sideways slide, well leant over, the trial tyre doesn’t have the sharp side blocks of the MotoX tyre and will continue to slide. The tyre companies lose out, my bank manager complains I’m not spending enough at the weekends on tyres, just jesting or am I ?

 

[KTMphil]

Interesting article , thanks LUFC

 

[KTMphil]

I've ordered a rear trails tire for Darren & myself, it will be very interesting how they perform say mid January when everywhere is hard and bone dry.......will report

 

[LUFC]

I'm actually hoping I'll have the chance to try it when its still wet, just to test the grip.

But anyway Phil, we'll be able to wheelie up 12ft rock steps with ease while our enduro tyre wearing freinds sit crying at the bottom of the hill.