Best Tires For Triumph Street Scrambler

‍Triumph Street Scrambler Wheels and Tires Specs

Nobody does modern classics better than Triumph from the United Kingdom. From Bonneville models to the Bobber and Speed Twin, this British company has nailed combining modern engineering feats with their own take on retro appeal. However, one style of the bike remains an icon among Triumph's customers— the Scrambler.

Triumph's off-roaders were the must-haves of the '60s, and even some of the celebrities of that era, like Steve McQueen, bought and rode a Triumph bike. In 2006, the company released the Scrambler as a derivative of their air-cooled Bonneville, which later received a water-cooled engine and became the Street Twin, so the appearance of an off-road variant was just a matter of time.

The Street Scrambler debuted in 2017, and it was based on the Street Twin platform, with some added off-road components to create an urban adventurer. Based on the 865cc Bonneville, the new Scrambler 900 features a 900cc parallel-twin engine (brought up to Euro 5 emission standards) that delivers 64 horsepower at 7,250rpm and plenty of new equipment. Not bad for an $11,000 bike.

When it comes to tires, the original 865cc Scrambler runs on 10/90/R19 front and 130/80/R17 rear tires. The later 1200 model uses a 90/90/R21 front and a 150/50/R17 rear tire. However, Street Scrambler ships out with 100/90/R19 front and 150/70/R17 rear tires by the manufacturer. These are the most common tire sizes, so you should have plenty of choices in the tire category.

Best Tires for Triumph Street Scrambler

Tire experts usually say that, besides their primary purpose, a good set of tires should also improve your bike's performance and be able to handle the power your bike delivers, as well as the riding conditions that they're meant for. Using low-cost, low-quality tires can be detrimental to your bike and pose a safety risk for you and your Street Scrambler.

It's always better to ask than assume, and if you're uncertain about the tires you want to install, it's preferable to consult Triumph, or a reputable tire expert and dealer, as we have. Here are some of the best tires for Triumph Street Scrambler that would suit the urban-adventurer nature of the bike, sparkled with some off-road elements:

Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports

The Continental TKC-80 Twinduro was developed specifically as a competition off-road tire for heavier off-road/enduro bikes, but it fits the Street Scrambler surprisingly well. It gives a powerful initial expression, and the sheer beauty of these tires on a Street Scrambler is awe-inspiring. It turned Street Scrambler from a 60s-inspired off-roader into a Mad Max-type of a vehicular apparition — a steely steed of Johnny Blaze (aka Ghost Rider).

So, forget the beautiful and artistic paint jobs and masses of carbon fiber; if you want to draw attention to the bike and yourself, a set of TKC-80 is all you need. But looks aren't everything, and performance-wise, these work admirably off-road as well as on-road — though there are some trade-offs.

Knobblies, the large rubber tread blocks, provide lots of grip and stability, which allows riders to change direction off-asphalt with plenty of ease. This would grant an average rider with little-to-none dirt riding skills and experience enough confidence to ride at speeds between 60 and 80mph, which is something no one does when sporting street tires. Their dated and knobbly design actually hides a quite accomplished all-around tire that offers a very planted feel in mud, muck, and even snow — the latter to a lesser extent, of course. This makes them fantastic for all but the most extreme conditions.

When it comes to on-road performance, one might expect increased vibration caused by the large gaps between the treads, but surprisingly, that isn't the case with TKC-80. The big-block knobblies actually feel very stable and planted. Plenty of users have stated that the tires work flawlessly on asphalt and during ascends, during which you couldn't feel the knobs hindering forward progress.

However, there was a slight increase in vibration during descents. This has more to do with trail braking in downhill corners than with the tire design itself, and these are mostly felt while leaning into a turn with the front brake engaged. However, those users that did all the braking before initiating the turn reported that the knobs aren't noticeable at all.

The only downside to Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports is the durability or lack thereof. Some users have reported upwards of 4,000 miles, while one user claimed they got 11,000 miles out of them but admitted that the tires were completely destroyed as a result. Ultimately, users should remember that Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports is a performance tire above everything else and not a long-distance product.

Those interested in purchasing a set of Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports can find them at a discount at RevZilla.

Pros

• Outstanding all-around performance
• The good all-around grip on and off-road
• Easy to fit

Cons

• Slightly louder than road-based tires

Metzeler Tourance Tires

The Metzeler Tourance tires are the standard stock tires on the Triumph Street Scrambler, and Triumph selected them for a good reason: they maintain the bike's traditional aesthetic while providing adequate performance. These make an exceptionally comfortable daily ride and are probably some of the best on-road performers offering the most classic Scrambler appearance. It's everything you'd expect from an 85% on- and 15% off-road tire set.

These are probably the best choice for riders who are realistic about their Street Scrambler and their riding needs. Despite being built on an off-road platform, Street Scrambler is not a dirt adventure bike. It's more of an urban adventure bike, with a bit more off-road capabilities, and the reason why Triumph chose Metzeler Tourance as their stock tires mirrors the bike's overall capabilities and design.

When it comes to dry road conditions, running these at 34 PSI makes for a sold contact and a very comfortable ride, with plenty of stability and grip even during cornering. The radial steel belt in the construction means that they're very stable through corners since Metzeler's proprietary 0° steel belt technology reduces the dynamic deformation under centrifugal forces.

Similar performance is to be expected from wet road conditions under appropriate speeds since the improved compound offers improved grip. Combined with twin layer, 4-ply diagonal construction, this makes the Metzeler Tourance Tires perfect for longer journeys in different elements — though we would avoid snow.

Off-roading will require riders to drop the pressure down to some 28 PSI to improve the tire's grip. This isn't all that surprising, considering that we're discussing an 85/15 on/off-road tire, so dropping the pressure will significantly improve the quality of your ride. The side-knob is obviously missing from the tread pattern, which significantly reduces the cornering performance, but some users have suggested that the tires feel pretty stable at reasonable speeds through looser terrain — one you become used to them.

Durability is a performance point where things become a bit tricky, as this mostly depends on your driving style. If you're driving at reasonable speeds and the appropriate terrain, you can expect anywhere between 8,000 to 15,000 miles per set and considerably less if every corner is a slide. Still, it's worth mentioning that, at least according to the users, the front has a better durability rating than the rear one.

Metzeler Tourance is a fantastic 85/15 tire that's currently on sale at both RevZilla and Cycle Gear.

Pros

• Fantastic grip and handling
• Stable
• Durable

Cons

• The rear tire offers lower mileage
• Difficult to change out

Mitas E-07

For those searching for the perfect combo of longevity paired with off-road grip and on-road cornering, we present you with Mitas E-07. These tires are produced by Mitas Tires, established in 1933 in Czechoslovakia (the former union between the Czech Republic and Slovakia), and like many other things from the former Eastern Bloc countries, they're made with the "function-first" approach.

Mitas E-07 is the closest thing tire manufacturers came to when manufacturing a tire fit for all terrains and situations. Admittedly, real-life applications require the consideration of additional factors, like driving style, terrain incline or decline, temperature, etc., but performance-wise, the E-07 is the closest thing to a true 50/50 tire.

Just like the Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports, Mitas E-07 sports a decidedly narrow and aggressive appearance, which is something worth considering if you're after the rugged aesthetics that are associated with Street Scrambler bikes. However, don't allow yourself to be fooled by their appearance; they're quite the performers, as well.

On-road handling is lighter and more responsive than the same-category tires from more-prominent manufacturers, like Pirelli Scorpions, for example. They provide plenty of grip and comfort on the road, even while cornering at higher speeds. They're not the perfect choice for pure pavement, especially at higher speeds, but they offer plenty of warning on the asphalt by squirming to grip the surface. Performance on wet roads is also on par with the competitive models, meaning that you shouldn't get too speedy in rainy conditions.

In other words, you should be fine in the rain as long as you adjust your riding style to the conditions in which you ride. With that said, the off-road performance is where Mitas E-07 shine, as their narrow construction cuts through softer terrain and provides an excellent overall grip. The narrow-tire construction works well in most off-road situations and offers the level of consistency sought in dedicated dirt bikes through a solid combination of traction and maneuverability.

Stiff sidewalls on Mitas E-07 offer significant protection to the rim and prevent pinch flats in cases of hard-edge impacts. Overall, these outperform most street-oriented adventure tires in the off-road setting and only fall behind the full-fledged off-road tires by a negligible margin — as long as the trail is dry. The limitations of E-07's tread pattern became noticeable in muddy conditions and on wet trails.

When it comes to longevity, Mitas E-07 matches the durability and longevity of more competitive models, such as the aforementioned Metzeler Tourance, but at a more accessible price per set. If you're interested in Mitas E-07, RevZilla is shipping them for free across the US.

Pros

• Affordable
• A true 50/50 tire
• Outstanding performance and aesthetics
• Long-lasting treads

Cons

• Challenging to mount/dismount
• Typical trade-offs associated with 50/50 tires

Pirelli Scorpion Trail II Tires

Despite their go-nearly-everywhere capabilities, most adventure bikes are used for commuting and thus spend more time on the motorway than in the mountains. And the tires available for such bikes reflect that, since most of them are mainly road-biased, some of them heavily, while the remaining are more suited for off-road riding, with no durability required for viable long-distancing.

Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires fall into the former category, as they're made for adventure riders who spend the majority of their time on pavement. The original Scorpion Trail was first introduced somewhere around World War II, at the onset of adventure bikes and their surging popularity. It was one of the most prominent and highly sought-after replacement tires because they were better suited for pavement than most stock options but also offered some off-road capabilities.

The second iteration of Pirelli's Scorpion Trail combines the pavement-friendly nature of the original with the high-mileage nature of Pirelli's Angel GT tire. Thus, the Scorpion Trail II was born — a touring tire designed for ADV bikes that rarely go off-road. And there are some notable design and performance differences between the original Trail and Trail II.

The first notable difference is a 6% shorter and a 10% wider footprint compared to the previous version, which helps reduce wear, ensuring greater mileage without sacrificing the grip. According to Pirelli, the new Scorpion Trail II offers 50% more mileage than its predecessor. Truly impressive. However, the compound itself isn't hard at all; it's actually pretty soft, which offers plenty of benefits in on-road riding.

To be more specific, the new compound gets up to temperature rather quickly and increases the grip of the tire upon the surface. They are actually very grippy and quite comfortable on asphalt, offering a smooth ride and plenty of confidence in corners, and during braking, even on damp roads. Their grip allows you to increase leaning angles during cornering, and a generally wider contact patch promises increased durability and longevity without sacrificing grip.

Off-road performance is heavily based on the state of the underfoot. They're generally great on poorly surfaced roads and hard-packed gravel tracks, but the performance significantly decreases as the underfoot becomes looser. Considering that they're heavily on-road biased, perhaps even in the range of 90/10, the pattern depth and width are too shallow and narrow to shift enough gravel to be effective in off-road riding.

Not to mention mud or wet grass, which could prove particularly tricky for most mid- and heavy-weight bikes at high PSI. Still, as previously mentioned, they're strongly road-biased, and they'll work well on hard compacts. Luckily for those interested in urban adventuring, RevZilla is currently offering Pirelli Scorpion Trail II at a discount.

Pros

• A significant improvement over the original
• Great Grip
• Consistent performance

Cons

• Not for loose surfaces
• Struggles in mud and wet grass

Pirelli MT60 Dual Sports Tires

Mitas E-07 isn't the only unicorn in the 50/50 category; Pirelli MT60 Dual Sports is also a great example of a street/off-road tire. This is because they combine the best of two worlds while trying to minimize the trade-offs. Put simply; street tires have narrow patterns, which provide more contact surface with tarmac for better grip. On the other hand, however, off-road tires' treads are so wide and deep that they're basically dividing the contact surface into knobs.

These knobs are usually spaced far apart to get better traction on gravel and dirt. But dual sports tire combines these patterns, offering good performance on all surfaces — or at least they try to. So, to minimize the trade-offs or loss of one kind of grip in favor of another, tire manufacturers play around with tread shape and depth in different segments of the tire.

Pirelli MT60 sports a typical tread pattern seen in dual sports tires, featuring diamond-shaped knobs that are spaced out just enough to keep one type of grip without sacrificing the other. They offer plenty of grip on tarmac, especially when it comes to cornering at high speeds and hairpin bends, making them great for average riders who don't lean into corners too much. There's a bit more vibration at lower speeds and paved surfaces, but they're not present at typical speeds and tarmac.

Additionally, they provide good grip and feedback in cold weather and when riding on cold roads and somewhat wet surfaces. However, their off-road capabilities are where things get interesting. Several users reported driving through a half-foot mud on lighter bikes without any issues, while those that ran into a foot-deep mud had to put shift some of their weight to the back wheel. This shouldn't pose any kind of problem for a Street Scrambler, which should be capable of dealing with a few inches of mud anyway.

With that said, loose gravel and muddy surfaces usually require a thinner and higher tire profile to "cut" through the substrate and provide more traction and stability. Unfortunately, Pirelli MT60s don't fall under that category, but their tread pattern compensates well for the wider tire profile, mitigating any potential control issues, especially since this is a hybrid set.

The downside to fantastic performance is the subpar longevity, and most users complain about getting only 3,000 miles out of their rear tire. However, most of these users are sporting them on heavier ADV bikes, which means that you'd probably get more mileage (perhaps even double) with the Street Scrambler, especially if you steer away from the pavement. If you're interested in a good tire set, both RevZilla and Cycle Gear are offering Pirelli MT60s at a discounted price.

Pros

• The fantastic grip on all surfaces
• Good for gravel and muck

Cons

• Subpar longevity
• Price

Mitas Terra Force-R Tire

While Mitas E-07 pair an almost perfect balance between on-road and off-road riding with an aggressive look, Mitas Terra Force-R is actually a 90/10 road-biased tire that offers superb grip and looks every bit the part of a touring tire. This is especially true if you're putting long riding miles for commuting and enjoying an occasional ride in your free time.

Mitas is advertising these as 90/10 road-biased tires for road-biased use on larger adventure bikes, offering exceptional grip on wet surfaces and in cold temperatures — something that sports tires, for example, greatly struggle with. And while this sounds like a perfect tire for daily commuters riding in mixed and colder climates. But if advertising was honest, most companies would be out of business in a very short time, so we have to wonder whether that's the case with Mitas?

Well, Mitas E-07 proved as a very reliable 50/50 tire, and the same can be said for their road-based Terra Force-R — the advertisement does the product justice. Terra Force-R provides excellent grip in dry, wet, and cold conditions, so you can confidently miss the date with asphalt while leaning, even on cold rubber. According to the company, this superb grip is owed to a new blend of polymers used in the tire's build.

This same compound alleviates all the typical downsides of grippy tires — the most prominent of which is relatively low mileage. In fact, the stickier rubber is used on the tire's shoulders that usually come in contact while cornering, while the central strip is made of more durable material. The resulting compound is supposed to prevent the tires from squaring off like a Lego while also ensuring maximum grip and longer life.

When it comes to its off-road capabilities, the Terra Force-R performs just as advertised, and being only 10% road-biased, this means they aren't really suitable for other than asphalt and dry gravel trails. We would call it a design flaw were these advertised as 80/20 or 50/50, but considering that Mitras was quite clear with Terra Force-R's intended use, the lack of depth in the pattern grooves is exactly what you would expect from a 90/0 tire set.

So, they're not really great for mud and sand, but they do expel water pretty well. The groove pattern does an excellent job of expelling water from the treads' contact with the pavement, making it much safe to ride in the rain. Ultimately, Mitas Terra Force-R is quite an impressive road-based tire designed for building up miles of your Street Scrambler, and those interested can acquire them at RevZilla.

Pros

• Superb grip in all conditions
• Relatively affordable

Cons

• The front tire is not as durable

Shinko 804/805 Big Block Adventure Touring Tires

Shinko, a Japanese manufacturer of bicycle tires and tubes, was founded in 1964 in Osaka, and in 1998 they bought Yokohama Rubber Company's tire technology and tire-making molds, starting a new production under the Shinko Tires brand. Nowadays, the company produces around 200 thousand bike tires a month.

The Shinko 804/508 are actually incredibly versatile tires that come in a variety of rim sizes, making them suitable for both Triumph Scrambler and Triumph Street Scrambler. Admittedly, they're of a more aggressive variety since they're designed as a 40/60 off-road-biased set, so they won't actually reduce the good road manners of your Steet Scrambler — instead, they'll increase its off-road stability and good grip in both dry and wet conditions on asphalt.

Anyone using these for on-road daily commutes will be pleasantly surprised with how boring these tires are — a highly-welcomed trait in street tires. The initial lean-ins during cornering require a bit of effort, but once you enter a corner, the grip these provide is quite consistent and holds the line nicely. However, this is an off-road-biased tire, so it comes as no surprise that the sidewalls begin to flex when pushed too hard into a corner.

Off-road riding, however, is where Shinko 804/805 really shine, and they're really good for dry gravel, hardpack, wet dirt, even shallow mud, and some light snow. They won't let you slip and slide, provided that you're riding at reasonable speeds, as they provide consistent traction through all lean angles. They're also very telegraphic when you push them too far, so you can adjust your riding style accordingly.

The thing that really sets Shinko apart from other models on our list is the affordable price since the company isn't actually re-inventing hot water by implementing a mouthful of technologies no one really understands. They're using the tried-and-tested components in this build, from the compound to the tread pattern, which is remarkably similar to some of Pirelli's models.

This could prove to be a good thing since you're getting premium performance for a fraction of the cost. The downside is the loss of bragging rights, but if you're not too worried about those anyway, you'll find them at RevZilla and Cycle Gear.

Pros

• Outstanding off-road prowess
• Solid street performance
• Predictable

Cons

• Lacks side knobs for enhanced off-road performance

Michelin Anakee Adventure Tires

Michelin Anakee ADV tires are the middle-ground in between the heavily road-biased Anakee III and the 50/50 Anakee Wild tire sets, and their performance is everything you can expect from an 80/20 tire made by the renowned manufacturer.

Michelin Anakee Adventure Tires come with plenty of innovations that would separate them from the aforementioned models, like the new tire profile, tread pattern, and a 4-part compound that ensures the best performance in a variety of conditions. This includes the Two-Compound Technology 2CT for the front and 2CT+ for the rear tire. This means that four separate compounds of varying hardness have been used in the tire set's build.

The softer compounds are used on the front tires, with the softest compound used for the sides, providing an additional grip, while the harder compound makes up for the center for optimal thread life. Of course, the rear tire follows the same build type, and considering that the rear tires usually wear out faster, this should provide a significant improvement in the tire's longevity.

These exhibit fantastic on-road stability and track well through a wide variety of rain grooves and seams, with notable softness over smaller square-edged transitions, which adds an additional layer of comfort to your ride. The treads are predominantly street-oriented, but the grooves have some depth to them, and they gradually open towards the sides for shedding water and dirt. To be entirely honest, that kind of performance is expected from an 80/20 street-biased tire.

This doesn't make them perfect for off-roading, however, since they're only 20% off-road-oriented, but they'll work exceptionally well on roads in dire need of maintenance, with sand and puddles that would cover the surface of an abandoned, aging road. Both tires feel well-planted and stable, even during cornering in wet conditions, due to the outstanding grip they provide, at reasonable speeds, of course.

We're far from saying that the off-road performance is negligible — because it isn't! Off-road performance is actually quite good and perhaps even slightly above the listed category; more experienced riders will surely notice this. While they're not best suited for super-rugged terrain, they'll get you through some rough spots if you happen to encounter any on your ride.

When it comes to longevity, most users reported getting approximately 4,000 miles out of these, but most were used on 1,200cc bikes, which is whole two dirt bikes of displacement from the Street Scrambler. In less technical terms, you'll likely get more mileage, provided your riding style isn't overly aggressive. If you're interested in buying these, you can find them at RevZilla.

Pros

• Excellent road manners
• Superb wet grip
• Performs well in corners

Cons

• Subpar performance in mud and sand

In the end, finding the best tires for Triumph Street Scrambler mainly comes down to your preferred riding style and the surface on which you intend to ride. To reiterate, the Triumph Street Scrambler tires are the Continental TKC-80 Twinduro Dual Sports as an all-around best performer, followed by Mitas E-07 as a true 50/50 tire for both on- and off-road riding, and Metzeler Tourance — the high-performing stock tire on the Triumph Street Scrambler.