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why I won't run Mitas E-07s again

5K views 33 replies 11 participants last post by  Big B 
#1 ·
I have been running a set of Mitas E07 Dakars for nearly 7500 miles, and still plenty of tread, the longest a set of MC tires has ever lasted on my Vee, in the beginning about the ony thing I didn't like about them was less grip than I like on wet pavement

It turns out, that is not the most severe problem, I ride a lot of gravel roads, about 50% of my riding where they seem to excel in performance.... why do they excel, cause they clear their treads of debris very well, which leads to the problem, where the debris, pebbles, small stones, grit, etc, gets thrown

I hear more gravel hitting the underside of my front fender, yup, fender is now broken from the beating , mounting tab on the left side is cracked all the way across, only the mounting tab on the other side secures the fender to the fork

today I learn that I now have broken teeth on my front sprocket and my chain is toast, and the chain and sprockets (530) were installed same time as the tires just over 7000 miles ago when I normally get 45,000 miles from 530 chain and sprockets, only thing I can summize is that crap is getting thrown into the chain as well that other tires don't kick up that high

These tires are beating the crap out of my bike
 
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#2 ·
Broken teeth on your sprocket will ruin your chain and a damaged chain can brake teeth on a sprocket. It seems pretty likely that if your running 50/50 gravel roads that gravel is likely the culprit. A stone between the chain and sprocket will definitely do bad things.

Even if you believe the tires are the culprit I wouldn't stop with changing the tires though. If your going to run gravel that much you might want to add a sprocket and chain guards like used on dirt bikes. Some are plastic rings that go around the sprocket. Blackspire C4 Ring God Bash Guard > Components > Drivetrain > Bash Guards | Jenson USA

Longer chain guards are available that provide coverage almost all that way up to the swing arm pivot.

Seems like good insurance.
 
#5 ·
I have always ridden 40% or more gravel and never had this issue before, even running TKC80s and Karoo Ts

the guards on the link you posed only fit up to a 38 tooth sprocket


I will have to do some research

on another note, I just got back from visiting my bike at the dealer, my engine side cover (stator side)has corroded so much around one of the bolt holes that it leaks oil, $247.75 and on back order, eeek, I just scored one on Ebay used that includes the mounting bolts and stator for $21.24 free shipping

I'm not finding as good a deal on the front fender
 
#3 ·
You could give the Shinko 804/805 a try? My buddy runs those E07 on his GS "of course it is a shaft drive" and says he will likely never buy different tires ever again because they work so well off and on road.
 
#10 ·
a bike that was ahead of its time, one of the first mono shock bikes with what I would call "unibody" construction, a heavy pressed sheet steel backbone frame with the engine as a stressed member, The frame is also the airbox.

only sold in the US for 1½ years, in Europe a few more as a 1000cc up from 920, ergonomics and geometry very close to that of the V-strom and 505 lb weight, light for its time, the engine,easily modifiable to over 100hp, but under 70 in stock form.
a delightful 9"diameter headlamp that lights up the road at night as good as any modern high performance headlamp

 
#14 ·
I like this thread hijack so here is some more.

Yamaha was the first to race motocross with a mono shock, but they were far from the first to use it.
I know that there were mono shock bikes long before the XV920, the Virago also had the mono shock the first couple years but went back to dual shocks to compete better for sales in the cruiser market

in the UJM market, the mono shock was a novelty at the time
 
#12 ·
I can't imagine the tire contributed to the sprocket/chain issue...I've run aggressive knobs on all sorts of bikes for years and years and run gravel like nobody's business and never seen anything like that on my bikes, including the Strom. Haven't damaged a fender, either, tho so there's that.
 
#13 ·
I have run many different agressive knobs as well, my riding style and maintenance regimen has not changed, brand of chain (OEM Suzuki 530 front, Sunstar 42t steel rear and ordinary DID o-ring chain) and sprockets have not changed


the ONLY difference is the deep chevron treads rather than block treads, I also notice/hear more gravel scraping on the underside of the front fender

and that is why I have come to the conclusion that it is the Mitas E- 07 Dakars, not that I was particularly happy with them to begin with, I was much happier with the now obsolete Metzeler Karoo T

however I may try the Mitas E-10 Dakars, they appear that they may be the most logical replacement for the Karoo Ts
Several big block tires in V-strom size are out there now, at one time it was just the TKC80 and the Karoo MCE and Karoo T,
 
#17 ·
And you were first past the post to do so ! ;)
 
#21 ·
you wouldn't hear anything in the rear,

it's the front tire that is the problem, rear tire throws stuff behind you and rear wheel has more tire clearance for stuff that is caught in the tread

front wheel, a 3/4" pebble caught in tread will scrape the underside of the fender, and what it throws bounces up into the chain
 
#29 ·
I've done 10,000km on my first set of E-07's and couldn't be happier. I previously ran Metzeler Karoo 3's which are as good in the dirt, and much more grippy on seal but the rear particularly did not last.
You may have hit the nail on the head with your reference to freshly graded loose gravel. I can easily see fresh crushed gravel with its sharp corners and angles being easily caught in the grooves of the E-07's. However I would still have to believe that you were just unlucky to have a stone flick into your chain and cause damage.
Perhaps a cure for your future peace of mind might be a rubber mudflap zip tied under the engine in the footpeg/rear of undercowl area, rally car style.
 
#30 ·
Mitas E07's

OydnaR, Sorry to hear about the issues you have been experiencing with your bike set up. I can only report that at 14K miles I am on my second front E07 soon to be changed, Third E07 rear and I install a set of E10 for use at Rally's that have serious off road sections. they are about 70% gone. I am a aggressive operator and am hard on tires and brakes. I have raised my front fender up one inch for mud and high speed operation that will cause the E10's to grow and rub the front fender in the stock height setting. Now on the rear fender, the E07,s rubbed a hole in the Puig Hugger fender, again due to high speed diameter growth. I tried to shim it higher but was unable to create enough clearance. Did not even try the E10's. I then installed a Givi Hugger with more clearance and both tires worked well at all speeds....but soon a crack appeared on the right side attachment point where the brake line guide mounts. I stop drilled crack and temp repaired till annual maintenance in January. Chain and sprockets are fine. I will hook up some cameras to front and rear and see if I can duplicate any stone throwing incidences that require further condemnation on Mitas E07 Tires. Have fun and again sorry for your experiences with them.
Adam.
 
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