Dual Sport Tires on an ST

[ASPC]

Is/has anyone run dual sport tires on either ST? For example 70/30 tires.

The reason I ask is where I live there are miles of dirt roads and I would like to have more traction when riding my ST1300 on them.

I have many years of off road and dual sport experience.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

Buy a KLR650 or a DR650 or even a V-Strom 650 as a Second bike for your dirt road riding. You will enjoy the dirt roads a lot more. ST's are not designed for that and will wear out the fork seals sooner and chip up the paint from the stones / rocks. Not to mention the weight of the bike. Beside the ST needs a little brother/sister.

 

[Josh_ST]

FWIW, the PO of my STeed put one of these on the front, as he said he felt like it helped on the gravel roads around him in northern TN. It seems fine on the road, but is noisy. But you can't hear anything above 50 anyhow

SCORPION™ Rally STR - Motorcycle tire | Pirelli

SCORPION™ Rally STR: a tire with specifically for desert racing or rally use

www.pirelli.com

 

[ASPC]

I would probably go with Shinko 705 70/30. They are very smooth on pavement. I’m not thinking about high speed stuff, just better traction at low speeds.

I owned a very modified KLR for years. I’m not interested in owning another one but it was good on dirt, and with Shinko 705’s on it, it was ok on pavement also.

I’m not set on the idea, just looking at it as an option. And wondering if anyone has done it.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

I have run 705s on my V-Stroms for years. Good all around tire. Front gets cupped a bit and causes an unsmooth ride in the later miles. I have just switched over to Michelin Anakee Adventure 3s on my V-Strom and do really like them. They do well on the dirt roads and smooth on the pavement.

 

[ASPC]

The 705’s I’m looking at.

Load index on the front is 62 at 41 PSI.

Load index on the rear is 72 at 42 PSI

Speed rating is H.

Interesting info about the cupping. Is that why you switched to Michelins?

 

[Sidekick]

I would probably go with Shinko 705 70/30. They are very smooth on pavement. I’m not thinking about high speed stuff, just better traction at low speeds.

I owned a very modified KLR for years. I’m not interested in owning another one but it was good on dirt, and with Shinko 705’s on it, it was ok on pavement also.

I’m not set on the idea, just looking at it as an option. And wondering if anyone has done it.

Why not!
The radiator is maybe the most exposed part of the ST.
These tires are going to dump a lot of dirt on it, do you have a protection on the fins?

 

[ASPC]

Why not!
The radiator is maybe the most exposed part of the ST.
These tires are going to dump a lot of dirt on it, do you have a protection on the fins?

New Radiators are cheap. $128.00

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And the dirt won’t reach the radiator. I’m not talking anything high speed. But a radiator guard is a good idea. Think relaxed dirt road riding.

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And a fender extender too.

 

[ASPC]

This subject should not be taken out of the context of wanting nothing more than additional traction while riding on dirt roads at low speeds. There are many miles of sometimes muddy and sandy dirt roads here where I live.

 

[ChucksKLRST]

The 705’s I’m looking at.

Load index on the front is 62 at 41 PSI.

Load index on the rear is 72 at 42 PSI

Speed rating is H.

Interesting info about the cupping. Is that why you switched to Michelins?

Yes and I wanted to try something else for a change. That and longevity. I never got more than 6 to 7 k out of a rear Shinko. But then I never get mort than 8 to 9k out of any tire rear tires that I run. We will see what the Anakee Adventure 3s do. So far so good. Of course the ST is a bit heaver.

 

[SMSW]

New Radiators are cheap. $128.00
And a fender extender too.

IIRC, someone here had a problem with a Chinese radiator. One problem does not damn all of them, but the feeling was that cheap radiators are...cheap.
Fender extender is a good idea.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

And a fender extender too.

I find that the Extenda Fenda is to short and always thought that they were a waste of money because of that. Stuff Stopper is better in my opinion because it is longer and therefore provides better protection. They are made by a member of this forum and I believe that he is still making and selling them.
See here- Stuff Stopper.

 

[ASPC]

I find that the Extenda Fenda is to short and always thought that they were a waste of money because of that. Stuff Stopper is a better in my opinion because it is longer and therefore provides better protection. They are made by a member of this forum and I believe that he is still making and selling them.
See here- Stuff Stopper.

Those are nice. Thanks for the info.

 

[ASPC]

Some time ago I saw a guy in this area and he had these Shinko 705’s on a road bike for the same reason. And he said they performed very well. And due to the fact that I had them on a KLR I knew that was possible. So it got me thinking.

The load rating is very encouraging but I do wonder if the ST will just eat them.

 

[ASPC]

I remembered that the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 had fairly good grip on dirt and grass. The Pirelli Angels did not at all and neither did the Metzeler Z8. So today I installed Dunlop Roadsmart 4’s, thinking they would probably have relatively good dirt road performance, and they do. They seem to have a surprisingly aggressive tread pattern for a Sport Touring tire I think. They ride nice.

 

[Al st1100]

I'd like to try the Dunlop Mutant tire

 

[Igofar]

Here's a nice looking set of dual sport type tires for the ST.

 

[ASPC]

Here's a nice looking set of dual sport type tires for the ST.

Nice setup.

 

[bdalameda]

If youhave the room I would use a Dunlop Trailmax Mission tire. They make a 140/80-18.

Trailmax Mission | Dunlop Motorcycle

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www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com

 

[jonz]

Some time ago I saw a guy in this area and he had these Shinko 705’s on a road bike for the same reason. And he said they performed very well. And due to the fact that I had them on a KLR I knew that was possible. So it got me thinking.

The load rating is very encouraging but I do wonder if the ST will just eat them.

I ran a set of 705's on my KTM 1290SA T for a Mexico trip from southern California to Oaxaca and back. Probably 98% pavement, close to 5000 miles. The rear lasted that trip but was pretty much done as the 1290 has 160 hp and I used it liberally when safe to do so. The tires were fine on the hard packed gravel roads and I could lean it all the way onto the very edge (i.e. no nubs of shame left on the tire) in the twisties when the pavement was good. The ST1300 is around 100 lbs heavier than the 1290 but has much less horsepower so that seems to kind of equal out.