Dirt Road Tires Anyone?

Gonzodog · New Member Joined: Nov 23, 2005 Posts: 8

Bought the '81 Special II as a cheapo back roading bike. I'm not interested in a beauty queen, rather something reliable w/stable handling and good torque. So far I'm happy on both counts.

I got rid of the rototiller handlebars and put on some regular - look like flat tracker -bars/hose/cables.

I was wondering if anyone has tried putting old style trials tires on an XS to improve dirt road performance/handling?

They were crappy on full-on dirt bikes but not too bad on the street.

Any comments?

grizld1 · Posted: November 24, 2005, 10:45 pm Post subject: Re: Dirt Road Tires Anyone?

Your biggest problem will be that you won't find a dual-purpose tire to fit a 16" Special rear wheel; you'll have to go to an 18" unit.

That having been said, there's lots of fine stuff out there, much better than the old trials tires. My favorite is the Avon Gripster. Due to size constraints you'd have to run a radial in front and a bias ply behind, but in these tires it works great. They have awesome bite in gravel and Velcro-tight sticktion on pavement. The front used to be used as a roadracing rain tire (the tread blocks hold too much heat for dry pavement at racing speeds). When I had my first set of 'em broken in I checked 'em out on this neat little see-through right-hand dogleg. I flicked the scoot (that one had a wickedly ported engine) way down into it and whacked the throttle hard, right on the hardest pull of the power band, right at the apex, intending to find the break-loose point and slide the corner. The tires wouldn't break--shot me out of that turn like a rock out of a slingshot and ground the bejezus out the Kerker header I was running. My riding buddy, a former Pro-Am roadrace competitor, had his 250 Zook Gamma production racer with sticky Yokohamas sideways when I checked the rearview. When we got to our stop he said "What the HAY did you do back there?" I said "Tried to find out where these skins bust loose. Guess I'll need more motor to figure it out." They don't last a long time--maybe 5000 miles--but it's a helluvva ride.

I've read some great things about the Avon Distanzias as well.

Gonzodog · New Member Joined: Nov 23, 2005 Posts: 8

Hey - Thanks for your comments - I'll check them out.

I hadn't thought about needing to change the rear rim to another size. Dang - don't want to go there.

xs650mike · Posted: November 28, 2005, 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Dirt Road Tires Anyone?

Duro Tires makes a 130/90S-16 dual-sport tire in their HF904 Median line. It's part #54-0781 in the Dennis Kirk Catalog. www.denniskirk.com

grizld1 · Posted: November 29, 2005, 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Dirt Road Tires Anyone?

Oops! That's a new one on me, Mike. I shoulda learned by now not to make absolute statements! Don't know as I'm inclined to order a pair; cheap tires and I don't tend to be real kind to each other. That's a mighty nice looking tread pattern on those Meridians, though. Anybody taken a ride on 'em?

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