Bridgestone D616?

[ChrisK]

Anybody use them? Thinking about picking up a set, interested in hearing opinions.

[Dirty Duc]

Do you mean Dunlops?

[ChrisK]

Yeah, sorry.

[Dirty Duc]

They are OEM for the Buell adventure bike (Ulysses?).  I know a local who runs them on his Monster and says they are great for our surfaces here, and a Buell guy says he gets 4-5k out of the rear. 

I'll probably throw a pair on when I wear out the Scorpion Trails I have on right now just to see how they are.  On other tires with a center groove in the front I have experienced an increase in the effect of road ruts and longitudinal tar snakes.  (the groove on the tire "catches" in the groove on the road) Not really bad, just a bit different.

Somebody, somewhere described them as "road race rain pattern in a hard compound" but I don't know how true that is.

Let us know how they work...

[ChrisK]

Yeah I saw they were stock for those Buell's. I'm interested in being a little more comfortable when I find the occasional gravel road, etc.

Also, glad you said the rear wheel mileage. Longevity is important to me. Going on a couple of long trips this summer. I like to ride aggressively. I guess I'm the stereotypical sport touring rider.

[Dirty Duc]

I've found that reported mileage varies wildly by rider and bike...

I've ridden a few gravel roads on my S2R... I don't think the Scorpion trails are much better than any sport touring tire in the dirt/gravel.  It seems likely I'll get decent life out of them, but probably not more than 5k on the rear (I'm about halfway there right now).  Depending on prices (and how fast the front wears), I might try the Dunlops next (normally I get two rears to a front, and I'm not smart enough about tires to commit to a mismatched set).

I am under the impression that the D616 has the best reputation of the 90/10 tires on gravel roads and such... but I also ran Contimotions (a budget sport touring tire) at 50+ down the washboard, and I've ridden them on a medium layer of sand (sand is the devil). 

What am I saying?  Just like on the tarmac, the grey lanes (in the UK they call them green, but I live in the desert ) are easier with a properly set up suspension and a little bit of technique.  Tires are important, but I can't get truly decent DS for the SSS.  You on the other hand, I would recommend you get a 4.5 inch rear rim... and then when you want to do some serious unpaved hooning, spoon on a set of Pirelli MT60s (I hear they have terrible mileage, but if you had two sets of rims...).

[Speeddog]

Can't find MT60 front in 17"

Seems the TKC80 is now available in 120/70 & 180/55.
Heinously expensive, and they for sure won't last long on pavement.

[Dirty Duc]

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/11/53/802/5425/ITEM/Pirelli-MT-60-R-Dual-Sport-Front-Tire.aspx

[Speeddog]

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/11/53/802/5425/ITEM/Pirelli-MT-60-R-Dual-Sport-Front-Tire.aspx

Thanks!

They're a wee bit cheaper than the TKC's.....
Probably last longer on the pavement but not work as well in the dirt.

[Dirty Duc]

The reviews don't have them really lasting much longer than the ADV-sized TKCs, but I haven't seen any life expectancy reports on the 180 TKC.