Best Motorcycle Tires For Dual Sport

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‍1. Scorpion Rally STR 170/60-R17 Rear Tire

Scorpion Rally STR is the latest addition to Pirelli's Scorpion range and is designed as a high-performance dual-sport tire. It offers a blend of on and off-road capability for those who like to push their ride beyond the pavement.

Design Elements

The design of the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR's tread pattern is distinctive and aggressive.

The center rib has a different tread design than the shoulder sipes. It has deeper and wider channels that help evacuate water from under the tire and helps reduce hydroplaning. It also helps chanel loose dirt and gravel away from the contact patch to prevent it from being thrown onto less grippy parts of your motorcycle.

When fitted to multi-purpose bikes with larger displacement engines, I can imagine the center rib becoming an advantage during straight-line acceleration over the tarmac. The generous spacing between the shoulder sipes is great for dealing with wet or muddy conditions, with water being displaced away from the tire's center.

Pirelli utilizes a silicon-enriched tread compound and a thinner profile that provides a long tread life for on-road use and great self-cleaning characteristics in rain or mud.

Performance

In terms of off-road performance, from my experience, the Scorpion Rally has been very good when compared to other similar-sized tires in its class. I have used it in deep mud that would easily bog down lesser tires, and the Rally STR would provide excellent road traction to keep going forward.

I have also ridden on muddy trails that were made of soft gravel. I was able to power out of ruts without too much effort and retain momentum during climbs or descents. When riding in dry dirt conditions with moderate off-camber turns, the tire is a real-time saver as it provides good road grip upon turn exit.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR is by no means cheap, but it is very competitively priced when compared to similar tires in its category.

The 170/60-R17 version of the Scorpion Rally STR retails for $258 at the time of writing this article, depending on where you shop and which size you would like to purchase. The tire can be found at your local dealership or online through websites like Revzilla.

The Scorpion Rally STR is also available in 17, 18, 19, and 21-inch rim sizes, making it one of the most widely available dual sport tires on the market.

Verdict

If you are looking to purchase a dual-sport tire that can take corners with confidence, then the Scorpion Rally STR is certainly worth considering. It offers good on-road performance and very capable off-road capability, making it suitable for enduro riding. It is a great choice if you plan on tackling some really gnarly trails or terrains where deep mud could bog down your ride.

Order your set of Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires today from Revzilla and get 26% off.

Pros

Excellent traction and performance in off-road conditions
Excellent longevity in its class
Highly capable performer in mud and wet conditions
Provides good grip for turn exit and cornering on dry pavement at higher speeds.

Cons

A tad expensive
Not the best option for extreme off-road riding

2. Continental TKC 80 Dual Sport Tires

Continental TKC 80 is the older brother of the TKC 70, but it doesn't mean that it's any less capable in the rough stuff. The TKC 80 is a 60/40 dual sport tire.

Since its introduction, the TKC80 has earned a reputation for being an extremely good off-road tire, and rightly so. Its large tread block design provides great traction and stability when traversing tough mud and loose gravel trails.

Design Elements

Continental has always produced tires with a similar tread pattern that distinguishes them from the rest. The TKC 80 is no different, and its aggressive knob pattern provides not only great traction but also a good grip on asphalt as well.

The reason the TKC80 does so well off-road is that of its wide central blocks. These are staggered in length to provide both stability and forward drive when powering through soft sand or loose dirt.

Performance

As mentioned earlier, the TKC 80 is a 60/40 tire. It's more of an off-road oriented tire than street, so don't expect it to grip the asphalt in a sports car manner. The TKC 80 is a great dual sport tire for someone who spends a lot of time in the dirt but also has to commute on the pavement from time to time.

The tread design provides great traction in most conditions with gravel, mud, or loose dirt, making them pretty good when riding on trails with mixed terrain. They struggle a little bit in softer sand because there isn't enough contact patch between the front and rear tires when riding at higher speeds. So you will have some problems if you get stuck or lost deep in sand dunes without momentum going forward.

In terms of wet weather performance, the TKC80 is only average. Continental has done a good job in providing grip when riding on wet dirt or gravel trails, but they aren't designed for rain, so you will have to reduce your speed accordingly if it starts raining while you are out touring with these tires.

These tires can easily cover 4000 to 5000 miles of serious riding on a set without suffering from excessive wear or punctures.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Continental TKC 80's are fairly affordable at around $100 to $240 per tire, making them one of the best value for money dual-sport tires. The quality that you get is very high, and I believe they are one of the best dual sport tires available in today's market.

They are also available in various 17, 18, 19, and 21-inch rim sizes, which is very handy if you want to upgrade or swap sizes on your motorcycle.

Verdict

The Continental TKC 80 is a tire that will go the distance and stay on your rim doing it. They provide great grip when riding off-road and also perform very well in wet or dry conditions depending on what type of dirt you are riding on.

Order your set of Continental TKC 80 tires today from Revzilla and avail a 29% discount.

Pros

Great value for money
Good stability on the road
Long-lasting tread life
Excellent off-road grip
DOT approved

Cons

Average performance in wet conditions

3. Michelin Anakee Adventure Dual Sport Tires

Anakee Adventure is a tire that has been designed for the dual-sport market. Michelin designed this tire with touring in mind while putting a bit of an off-road capability into it.

Design Elements

Anakee Adventure comes in a radial design and uses 3D sipe technology to help it grip wet and dry roads easily. It's not quite as aggressive-looking compared to other off-road focused tires like the TKC 80, but you can rest assured that its aggressive knobs will provide excellent traction when encountering soft terrain.

Anakee Adventure also features Michelin's patent 2CT and 2CT+ compound technology in the tread. This technology is designed to provide superior stopping power when in wet or dry conditions, better mileage, improved grip, and reduced vibrations when riding on asphalt at high speeds.

Performance

Anakee Adventure performs quite well when taken off-road compared to most dual-sport tires, mainly because of its large central contact patch, which gives it the stability needed when charging through mud or loose dirt. The sipes are also staggered in length along with shorter drainage channels between them, so they can adapt to gravel or rock surfaces very well without losing traction.

On asphalt, you get good road feedback thanks to the tire's stiff sidewalls, which work in most conditions, even when cornering at high speeds. Off-road, they also perform really well, provided that you don't try to ride them too aggressively in deep sand or loose dirt.

These tires excel when riding on gravel, wet mud, dry mud, and even occasional light trails where the knobs help provide grip. They are certainly one of the best dual sport tires for someone who spends a lot of time on the blacktop while also getting off onto some gravel trails once in a while.

They also offer great ride quality with minimal noise from the tire, which is something you will appreciate when riding long distances.

In terms of tread life, you won't get better dual-sport tires than the Michelin Anakee Adventure. These tires will easily last you 6000 to 8000 miles before they need replacing, which is a massive bonus in my opinion for people who want to ride their bike for long distances instead of always changing tires.

Price Point and Size Availability

Anakee Adventure is available in 17, 18, 19, and 21-inch rim sizes. The 17-inch version of this tire is priced significantly lower than other brands, but if you plan to upgrade your motorcycle wheel size, the extra few dollars you will spend on a bigger Anakee Adventure tire might be worth it.

Michelin Anakee Adventure isn't the cheapest dual-sport tire. They are available for $160 to $235, depending on the tire size.

Verdict

Michelin Anakee Adventure is an excellent tire suitable for off-road use and long-distance highway cruising. It has great all-around performance when in the dirt and provides good feedback when riding on asphalt.

There are certainly better-looking dual-sport tires available today, but the Anakee Adventure performs well regardless of where you take it or how much money is in your pocket when purchasing them.

Order your set of Michelin Anakee Adventure tires today from Revzilla and get a 28% discount.

Pros

Great off-roading performance
The deep tread design offers excellent grip in wet and dry conditions
Excellent mileage
Ride quality is silent compared to other dual-sport tires

Cons

The price point may be a little high for some dual sport riders

4. Dunlop D606 Dual Sport Tires

Dunlop D606 is a popular choice among dual sport riders who want an affordable tire that offers good off-road performance coupled with better-than-average handling when riding at highway speeds.

Design Elements

Dunlop D606 features a knobby tread design with well-spaced tread blocks to provide good traction in off-road riding conditions. The D606 also has a rounded profile, which provides more comfort at highway speeds when compared to other knobby tires with square profiles.

The multi-thread construction, which consists of alternating thick and thin threads, provides a good level of traction both on-road and off-road.

The rubber compound is designed to provide good grip at highway speeds, giving the tire decent mileage between replacements. The sidewalls are made with strong nylon layers that you can easily see when looking at the tire's profile. It's not an overly thick sidewall, but it does have enough material there to protect against potential damage caused by road hazards.

Performance

For a tire with a knobby tread pattern, the Dunlop D606 has decent straight-line stability when riding at speeds over 70 MPH. The rounded profile helps the D606 have better balance while going in a straight line than other tires with slimmer profiles.

Dunlop D606 has a wide range of off-road performance that will allow the average dual sport rider to get by without replacing their tires too often. The profile of the tire gives it enough bite when riding on loose surfaces like dirt or gravel while at the same time providing good straight-line stability when riding on asphalt roads.

As far as highway performance goes, I would rate the D606 as better than average for a tire with knobby treads. Obviously, any tire with a purely street-oriented profile (like Michelin Anakee or Continental TKC80) will be better in terms of ride comfort and straight-line stability, but you do need to consider the cost difference between these two types of tires.

Price Point and Size Availability

Dunlop D606 is only available in 90/90-21 front and 130/90-17, 120/90-18, 130/90-18 rear tire sizes, so it's a pretty limited selection of sizes compared to some other tires on the market right now.

Dunlop D606 Dual Sport tire retails for $120 from online retailers such as Revzilla, which is more affordable than a lot of knobby tire options available today.

Verdict

If you are looking for an affordable, long-lasting, street-friendly tire with decent off-road capabilities, then the Dunlop D606 deserves serious consideration. At less than $120 for some popular sizes (like 130/90-17), this is one of the cheap dual sport tires that offer good performance while walking the line between dirt riding and highway use.

Order your set of Dunlop D606 tires today from Revzilla and get up to 30% off.