tera-flex

[bork]

I did a dual sport about a week ago on a new TF. Had it mounted at a shop a couple of days before.(does this make me a girly-man?) Well about 30-40 miles into the ride, tire was flat/flat. It was about 15 lbs when I left(I checked). So we tried everything like fixaflat and green slime. No help. At gas stop tried to air many times. Hopeless. Checked with organizer of trip, if I could short cut back to base on pavement. NO, too many miles. So I opted to ride rest of trip flat. ( By the way , roosting seems to increase when flat! ) COOL ! To make a long story short. I rode about 80 miles on a flat.(some in 5th gear wound out! 14 x 52 spockets)

In the end , tire and rim seem to be fine . My buddy had a spare tube but we opted to change only if tire derimmed because we were trying to out run a nasty thunder storm ( Fl ,#1 lighting state). I since remounted myself . Hope I did OK. Dont want a repeat! Bottom line , I'm impressed with durability. ( got home and no damage ) And still cant wait to give it a real good ride with air . Since then I heard running about 6-8 lbs is a good #. Anyone else have experience in pressures ?

PS. And a big thank you to the guys who told me to call John @ m&h tires (really super guy, & delivered quickly!)

[XR650L_Dave]

Was this the US made steel-belted or the overseas nylon-belted 'flex?

D

[bork]

According to sidewall, no steel . and could not see any manufacturing location .

[FULTWST]

I used to run a Terra flex on my cr500. It worked best at 8-8.75 psi. The tire really did respond to small changes in pressure yet it is quite capable of hooking up when completely flat. Great sidewalls! Try a low pressure guage to make small adjustments.

[BWB63]

The Tera flex is no longer made in the USA. It is now made in China with a much cheaper rubber. It chunks way faster and dose not have steal belts any more. Making it two pounds lighter. That is a good thing that it is lighter the rest sucks.

[cajun]

Man I ran my first TF over nothing but rocks and sand in the mountains of Big Bend and real hard on pavement at 80 and 90mph for close to five hundred miles. Then put another 1000 miles on it on highway and dirt and trails. This tire with 8 to 10 psi handles it all. I'm not kidding there is nothing it want handle. It did get small chunks out of it in the mountains but not whole knobs like some tires. But nothing else hurt this tire at all and its really nice when you really need some grip. I just put my second one on and I don't know if I'll ever use anything else.

[bork]

Maybe I dont have your hp to make it chunk?

[4Takt]

I'm intrigued.

So the 150 wide rear will fit on a stock XR650R?

4Takt

[wr450fyamaha]

how much do these cost?

[4Takt]

I bought one today from M&H Tires for $59.

Nobody replied to my question whether the 150 will fit, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

4Takt

[BWB63]

I bought one today from M&H Tires for $59.

Nobody replied to my question whether the 150 will fit, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

4Takt

Yes, they fit but, it's not easy. You have to be more then the 3/4 way back on the chain adjuster if you do not want it to rub at speeds higher then 70mph. You rim must be true, maybe even trued over to the left a 1/4". It will rip off your mud guard even set back. Most run a shockwears, Outerwears shock cover.

[4Takt]

Well, it does not fit. Not even close

It rubs against the right side of the swing arm, and my wheel is true.

Thankfully it does fit on my Maico 490, so it's not a total loss.

4Takt

[bork]

I thought a lot of 650r's used them. I was afraid it wouldn't fit the older 600r. Maybe I'm really fortunate. I'm sorry to hear about your 650r.I still have not been able to ride on mine since remounted.

[cajun]

Man it does fit! Lots of people are using them on 650R's. You just have to do a little manipulating. I just trimmed my mud flap a little shorter. Then just tilt the wheel a little to the left side and it's done. It's really not that difficult.

[4Takt]

Man it does fit! Lots of people are using them on 650R's. You just have to do a little manipulating. I just trimmed my mud flap a little shorter. Then just tilt the wheel a little to the left side and it's done. It's really not that difficult.

I can see the part about shortening the mud flap, but tilting the wheel? As in out of alignment? What does that do to the handling and chain/sprocket wear?

4Takt

[BWB63]

Don't "tilt" the wheel but you do tighten the spokes on the left side to true the rim to the bike. Start at the valve stem and tighten each spoke that goes to the left side of the hub a 1/4 turn (if the spoke is loose tighten that one till it is as tight as the rest). Then do it agian 1/4 turn. Then true the wheel.

[swells454]

I did the spoke tightening method...it helped but the right just just barely touched. A little tweak here and it was straight. I don't think my tire is running completely true because my measurements back to the swingarm are off About 1/8" from one side to the other.

I also had to install a 13 tooth front sprocket (Moose makes them) and a 47 tooth rear. I have ran it all summer and have not noticed any excessive wear on the sprockets yet.

I love this tire! It rocks in all the different terrains. I see a lot of drz-400's with this tire. I think the DRZ's have a fuzz more room at the front of the swingarm so they don't have as many issues mounting. Not sure about the 600r yet.

[Chooch]

Baddest tire on the market hands down! I'll use nothing else!

[bork]

I also notice when challenged over a wet 10" log , The tire didn't just spin like on grease , you could feel the knobs ratcheting to climb over ! ( actually happened when crossing a make shift bridge and my rear came off the plank and on to a bunch of logs slowly sinking and spinning now. I quickly jumped off and pushed and clutched out ) I dont think it would have climbed out with my worn Michelin desert knob.