I see a lot of our folks experimenting with the big trailies. I mentioned in another thread that I had done some random driving around last weekend, and a bunch of that was on smooth and not so smooth dirt roads. I was also thinking about Redbirds journey after picking up his Cagiva, and those two things led me to wonder just what kind of tires are used on the trailies, and what kind of wear do they give? Especially since I could see myself on one at some point....assuming they have suspensions adjustable for incredible overloads.

Who's up for this one?

John01XX is running Powers on his Negrocat 660. I have not ridden it myself with those hoops, but he seems to like it. He's still learning ( getting used to it ) so we should find out some more in the not so distant future.

My GS came with Metzeler Tourances, and I dunno how many miles you'd get out of em from personal experience.

Then I put on Dunlop D607...that was a fucking mistake. Typical Dunlops, cupped to shit and worn the fuck out at 6k. Fuck Dunlop. They make completely shit sportbike tires, I dunno why I thought they'd make decent multisurface tires.

Currently I'm using Pirelli Scorpion ST, and at 5k on em it looks like there's a teensy weensy flatsopt, about what you'd see on a bird at 2k on a Pilot Road. Most guys I've talked to who use the Tourance and Pirellis usually get 11k+ out of a set, and judging by how mine are wearing, I fully expect to get quite a bit more than 11k.

Those Pirellis stick like fucking GLUE too. I've got no chicken strips on either side of the rear, and am still running 42 PSI in the rear with my fat ass and a shitload of luggage.

Say What ??? Negrocat? OK your right the name wacko is appropriate and does apply.

The Powers where a mistake and should not have been put on the MZ but "live and learn" !!

If I lived by Deals Gap or the like then the Powers would be the right tire for eating up the Sport Bikes in the twisties but here in Florida I have enjoyed riding it down the "Dykes" that border the Everglades. I also like to be able to run in the grass along the fenceline on the interstate when there is an accident and the Highway becomes a big parking lot. I will be getting a set of "proper" tires very soon as the Powers suck at grip on shellrock or grass and downright dangerous in wet grass.

So thank you Joe for asking the question cause I want to know the answer also as I need to get a set of semi knobby tires (dual sport) that will hold up decent for commuting back and forth to work.

Sounds excellent. Do they make them in 180/55-17?

Wouldn't that be awesome?

In a related note, my buddy Jerry has a 170 ME880 on the rear of his FJR and it's wearing like iron if'n that was a route you wanted to pursue.

I had a feeling about that. It's like riding a sportbike in light snow,,,,,, not a party. I guess it's only a pavement party for you for a little while then. You'll get to pracitce those wheelies in parking lots at least.

Friend has a set of Avon duel sport tires on his street/trail Honda and loves them.

He says they stick real good on pavement and work better than most off road. Off road to him is ramping the bike of sand hills, playing in the mud and some rock crawling.

I ran both Metzler Tourance and Michelin Anakee on my GS Adventure. The Tourances would give me 11K out of a rear and 15K out of the front, about 2K less on the Anakee. The Anakee was a great tire, I could go right to and past the edges on the street and still manage the roads and trails around here in S. Fla. Neither was particularly good on wet grass but very little, short of spikes will get you through that situation. No problems on shell or sand roads though. For mud or deep sand a more agressive tire would be better but I rarely road in that stuff. 550 lb dirt bikes are better kept to moderate stuff.