I want to run full off road tires, I want a more aggressive knobby. I know about the dot requirement..i have on now a set of Mitas Dakar tires and don't really like them, especially for how fast the have worn and how much they cost. I have ridden thousands of miles on desert dirt roads on a dr 650 with off road tires and heavy duty tubes. never a problem..
So what happens when you air down a tubed tire and the bead becomes unseated and the wheel spins in the tire? Unless you are running a rim lock you just sheared off the valve stem leaving the tire with no ability to hold air. If a wheel spins in a tubeless wheel won't shear the valve stem.
I have not aired down below 22 or 23 on the XT and no issues. I don't think I'd go lower than that and recommend a stiff sidewall tire like the Mitas Dakar or K60 Scout .
I had them on my YZ250X. They were great. You could run Zero PSI if you wanted to. They are not suggested for the highway however by the manufacturer, so I'd not go that route on a Vstrom.
We have gravel fire break roads around here and I always get a chuckle when I see the Adventure/Enduro crowd airing down their big lug TKX 80's to ride these roads. These are well groomed compacted gravels roads where interstate speeds are easily maintained. Nit uncommon to see street bikes and Honda civics cruising along.
Just rode 300 miles of unpaved TLH this past August. 36 front 42 rear no issues. Airing down for gravel roads is asking for trouble IMO. Since you can travel at much higher speeds the risk of damaging the rim from hitting potholes or other debris at speed goes way up. In the gnarly single track where your going 5 mph not so much.
Totally in agreement. Outback dirt roads here can go for 100kms+ without even seeing a house so speed is necessary if you ever want to get anywhere. 80-100km/hr are normal travelling speeds and you DO NOT want to hit a rock or sharp lip with reduced pressures.
I never reduce from road pressures 33/36F or 36/38R no matter where I am riding. If I find myself short of traction either my technique is wrong or I am on the wrong bike.
Who would willingly risk a dented or broken rim 500kms from the nearest bike shop? Or even 100kms from home, come to that.
OK, I can appreciate that. The only issue is that you should really swap to non tubeless tyres so that you can more easily break the bead on the side of the road. How readily available are they in 19" and 17" sizes?
The majority of people prefer tubeless as a simple puncture (nail or piercing) can be very easily repaired on the side of the road with minimum equipment and no disassembly. A major tear or slice that cannot be repaired with a plug will require outside assistance anyway.
Also keep in mind that tubeless tyres are heavier. Pick up one of each next time you are in a bike shop. Surely that means that they are more puncture resistant to start with.
I ran heavy duty tubes on my DR 650's ive had. Rode them hard off and on road. there is full on dirt tires in sizes that will fit the strom, I am entering a desert off road race for adventure bikes next spring and the Mitas Dakar tires I have now won't cut it. The mitas front tire comes with very shallow knobs on it and feels very squimish cornering on the dirt. Thanks for your input.
It is the rim that will give trouble when it comes time to break the bead not the tire.
I recommend a TPMS be used, if the air gets low in a tube type tire the valve can be torn from the tube, a TPMS can help prevent this by giving a early warning of low air, this also goes for tube type.
I stopped using heavy duty tubes many many years ago, they are made of real rubber and continuously weep air, the cheap plastic chow ones weigh less and hold air better, I have never had pinch flat with them.
I on my Stroms I keep my pressures up and only air down if trouble strikes, this helps protect my wheels.
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