TOPIC:

Hey all,

SWAMBO says the rear on my CSR750 is too thin, and recommends I replace it before venturing out. Twist my arm to buy new kit, but the MONEY is an issue... clever girl, keep me off my rig by enticing me to spend, then clutching the purse strings tight!

As we live about 5 miles off the tarmac on a gravel road studded with SHARP Ozark rocks, I'm looking at DS tires. I've narrowed it down to the Duro HF904 and the Firestone ANS, purely because it seems those are the only two that come in a 130-90/16 size!

Does anyone else have any experience with DS tires on a KZ? Any recommendations? TIA!

Rats, just found another tire to add to the running: The Avon Safety Mileage Mk II. Good looking tread, with plenty of void for gripping gravel, plenty of meat for resisting cuts, and contiguous tread surface for road and cornering.

Here's some links to their pages:
Avon SM MkII: www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14793/i/avon-sm-mark-ii-rear-tire
Duro HF904: www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14941/i/du...dual-sport-rear-tire
Firestone ANS: www.hotrodhanks.com/products/tires/searc...D/71/productID/11998

Now that I've found the Avon, that may bump the Duro from the list, especially considering I'm concerned about cornering on pavement. A fellow rider on a builder's group on FB recently purchased the Firestones, so I'm waiting for a ride report from him once he gets them mounted. Lots of riders recommend the Avon Speedmaster and Speedmaster Mk II, but that's more a purely road tire, not much grip for dirt or gravel.

What, NO input? Gents, you strangle me.

Well, I read some reviews. The Duro HF904 is out, lots of tales of chunking out in corners and poor wet pavement traction. The ANS is under suspicion, some scattered reports of sliding in the corners when dry. As I have a lot of lovely curvy roads around me, I'm not willing to compromise on cornering capability.

The snarl in all of this seems to be the fact that, when it comes to DS tires, a 16" rim is an anomaly. Most are 17 or larger, which helps me not at all.

So, anyone know of ANY tire that can handle some gravel, and fit an '82 Z750M1?

Anyone?

Bueller?

For Dual Sport tires, I suggest you go to a forum that talks about them all the time, such as ADVRider .

I am actually on ADVRider.com, and posted just this issue several days ago. They suggested the Bridgestone TW40, which is slightly smaller (120/90-16), but is well-rated for road use. I'm going to order one from Motorcycle-Superstore.com, and depending on how it behaves in the wet, I may also have it siped. Don't like the poor tread life reviews (single-season tire), but it's almost half the cost of the Avon I was looking at. We'll see how it goes.

Well, after an absolutely humiliating time trying to install the tire, and puncturing the tube at least once each of the SIX times I tried to seat the second bead, I gave up and spent the money at the LBS to have them do it. It was a bite, but better than riding on six patches!

The TW40 is an absolutely ravenous-looking tread, but I can see this one won't be long for this world. I already have buyer's remorse, wishing I'd gone with EITHER of my two first choices (the Firestone or the Avon). Oh well, done is done. I'll give a ride-quality report once I get the thing running right (different thread).

Pirelli sport demons come in a 130-90/16 .

A pretty tire, to be sure, but it wouldn't last a week without a flat on my gravel roads. If it did, it wouldn't have the traction I need to get up the hill south of my house to get out of here! Thanks for the suggestion, tho.