Shinko Trail Pro (Trials Tire)
Posted: August 3rd, 2011, 7:52 pm
Yeah, I pussed out and decided to try a trials tire. A few years ago when I came down to Az for hoonfest I borrowed ST500's KTM 250. He had a trials tire on the back. I liked it, but wasn't sure just because the terrain down there is so different from what I am used to. Now there's a 19" available so I thought I'd give it a go.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/ ... -Tire.aspx
First impression: very different. Going straight over 25 mph is very strange. The rear end kind of wobbles because the sidewall is so pliable. Cornering is cool. The tire gives you the impression that it's sliding at first, again because of the pliable sidewall, but it doesn't. It rolls in and sticks. Well.
After a few rides: Mud? No problem. Rocks? Duh! Trials tire. Roots? Better than any fricken knobby. Wet? As good as any knobby. I have watched a fair bit of observed trials and always wondered how they got the bikes to do those things. IT'S THE TIRES!!!!! This last weekend I was going down a trail and came up on a root step up that I normally clutch n dump to loft the front over. Simple. I did that with this thing and it shot me into the embankment beyond the obstacle. Woah! No knobby I ever ran did that for me. For the rest of the day I made it a point to master that manuever. I LOVE it.
So what's the downside you ask? Well, the only thing I don't like so far is steep powdery downhills. With a knobby, I can drag the rear wheel and collect a pile of dirt in front of the tire to help slow down. This tire does not do that.
Added bonus: I kick up way less dust (I'm told). Much nicer for the people who ride behind me, and I "tread lightly" because of it.
Do I think this thing would be good on a 500? For a singletrack rider, Oh hell yeah.
Buy. No hesitation. I'm switching from the old faithful M5B.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/ ... -Tire.aspx
First impression: very different. Going straight over 25 mph is very strange. The rear end kind of wobbles because the sidewall is so pliable. Cornering is cool. The tire gives you the impression that it's sliding at first, again because of the pliable sidewall, but it doesn't. It rolls in and sticks. Well.
After a few rides: Mud? No problem. Rocks? Duh! Trials tire. Roots? Better than any fricken knobby. Wet? As good as any knobby. I have watched a fair bit of observed trials and always wondered how they got the bikes to do those things. IT'S THE TIRES!!!!! This last weekend I was going down a trail and came up on a root step up that I normally clutch n dump to loft the front over. Simple. I did that with this thing and it shot me into the embankment beyond the obstacle. Woah! No knobby I ever ran did that for me. For the rest of the day I made it a point to master that manuever. I LOVE it.
So what's the downside you ask? Well, the only thing I don't like so far is steep powdery downhills. With a knobby, I can drag the rear wheel and collect a pile of dirt in front of the tire to help slow down. This tire does not do that.
Added bonus: I kick up way less dust (I'm told). Much nicer for the people who ride behind me, and I "tread lightly" because of it.
Do I think this thing would be good on a 500? For a singletrack rider, Oh hell yeah.
Buy. No hesitation. I'm switching from the old faithful M5B.