crf250 Rally

[garyboy]

My front MT21 is still not too bad... but i am thinking of changing the rear tyre ... Kenda?... Michelin Tracker????
Any advice??

[garyboy]

eweny by gary boy, on Flickr
yep .. the Rally goes through deep water ok
View from my bike.


deep water by gary boy, on Flickr
the rider after me



my Rally looks on anxiously as they CPR another bike, feared drowned.

cpr bikw by gary boy, on Flickr

[rockdodger]

Garyboy I love the trackers on my rally but I have just returned from doing the ACT Andorra and I used TKC 80 which I put on mainly for the distance as we rode from West Yorkshire all the way there and back. I think the trackers wouldn’t have lasted the distance that well especially the rear with all the motorway miles.
Now I’m home I will be putting the trackers back on as I really love um off road. They give me loads of confidence.

[garyboy]

Thanks for the reply, Rocky.
.. and `well done` doing your trip. I must confess I don't know what the ACT is ... presumably like the TET?

yeah .. a fatter knobbly is going to last longer on the tarmac, especially at motorway speeds, if used.

Its more of a dilemma than i thought tbh. Finding a good small knobbed tyre that has good local grip, but still capable of long mileage.

Ive been looking at the Michelin Trackers, and i can get a rear locally for £70 and £20 fitted to a loose wheel. Which is a very good price.
Even better, price-wise, is the Kenda 760 Trackmaster, for £54, which is an even better price.
I don't know how they compare for performance and longevity, and i have started watching You Tube for comparisons. The Kenda is supposed to be noisy on the road?
Both of them are going to be a lot better than the MT 21's. Which are a lot better then the IRC lol.
My last outing, with the TRF, I was very disappointed with my own performance, riding, and am looking at videos that show correct positioning. I am a bit downcast about it if truth be told, but will persevere. A grippy tyre tread is going to increase my confidence, in any case.

Strangely, 2 riders in the trf are waxing lyrical about the TKC80. saying they never fail to `hook up` even on slippy trails. I don't get this??? I had an E09 of almost identical tread, but it filled up with mud very badly, and had very poor grip on every trail?? Its good you had a good experience with them though.

I was asking prices for a mousse .. £130 for Michelin, £95 for Wise. Phew.. didnt think they were that dear, but worth it for local trails with no punctures. Though, recently I had a 3" tube ruin my inner tube while riding tarmac, so would have wrecked a mouse too, I guess??
I decided that its best, for me, to use a hd inner tube, as i will need to do say a steady 60mph to get to and from Mid Wales?

I've read that the D606 wears quickly too, and suspect the Trackers and the Track Masters will wear out very quickly on tarmac? perhaps 1000-2000 miles? I suppose you pays your money and makes your choice. ?

I'm quite happy with the MT21 on the front, but as a rear it is too slippy on muddy and rocky trails.
I suppose really I need a rear tyre to match the MT21 front .... some write that the D606 lasts well?? .... so who do you believe??

[garyboy]

Actually, I've just convinced myself that I need to D606, even though its twice to price of the Kenda. Will it last twice as long?

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

I'd say there's more to it than tread depth when it comes to grip.

For instance, a trials tyre still offers decent grip when the tread is 50% worn...because much of the grip comes from the compound of the tread (it's ability to generate grip at a molecular level) and the pliant nature of the carcase which conforms to ground contours and acts almost like a tank's tracks.

A brand-new very hard-wearing tyre (think Mefo Explorer) probably won't grip as well as a part-worn Michelin Tracker (which is another tyre reputed to grip almost as well when half-worn as it did when new). But the Mefo will take you to Alaska and back, and probably won't puncture on the way). The Michelin will be down to the canvas long before.

A lot of people seem to like the Maxxis Intermediate Enduro: seems to have replaced the MT21 as the all-round tyre of choice.

[garyboy]

Any idea what the IT's are like, lasting, on tarmac .. they look good .. forgot about them lol

[Thedktor]

Maxxis IT the goto trail tyre for me

D606 good for mileage, not for mud. Similar to TKC80

Tracker sort of inbetween, slightly better wearing than Maxxis but has less tread to start with.

Maxxis IT always feels predictable on road, and continues to grip on the edge even when very worn down the middle.

So yeah Maxxis IT, clear winner

[boboneleg]

Yes Maxxis IT cross for me as well. I rode to France and back on a set (twice) doing TET and GR routes and they still had tread when I got back .

Both times on my Rally Gary

[garyboy]

Yes Maxxis IT cross for me as well. I rode to France and back on a set (twice) doing TET and GR routes and they still had tread when I got back .

Both times on my Rally Gary

Waaawww ... that clinches it (or should i say IT)
Thank you 3 all ...
I got them ready on Ebay to click ...
what inner tubes? ... HD Michelins?