KENDA K270 Tire Question?

[XL100allnightlong]

I am going to get the kenda k270 front tire for my xr400. It is for 50/50 dirt/pavement and I have heard it can last for up to 3000-5000miles due to it's hard rubber. Also heard it handles good in the dirt and so-so on pavement. And it only costs $45 shipped which is the main reason I am getting it, can't afford the $90 tires right now!

It should do the job I need it for. I dont ride real agressive on the road but plan on riding more pavement this year and don't want my front tire to be worn by 1000 miles.

The questions I have is should I go with a wider or taller front than stock? And it says it is tubeless? Should I run it without a tube or keep one in their for more protection from a flat? Anyone like this tire for the price?

[creeky]

I am going to get the kenda k270 front tire for my xr400. It is for 50/50 dirt/pavement and I have heard it can last for up to 3000-5000miles due to it's hard rubber. Also heard it handles good in the dirt and so-so on pavement. And it only costs $45 shipped which is the main reason I am getting it, can't afford the $90 tires right now!

It should do the job I need it for. I dont ride real agressive on the road but plan on riding more pavement this year and don't want my front tire to be worn by 1000 miles.

The questions I have is should I go with a wider or taller front than stock? And it says it is tubeless? Should I run it without a tube or keep one in their for more protection from a flat? Anyone like this tire for the price?

The K270s that I have had in the past were tube type tires, is Kenda making a tubeless version now? They are OK both on and off road, but not spectacular. What percentages on/off road are you planning to do?

[n16ht5]

they are trash for any trail riding, dont bother. My cheap crap Artrax tires on my rubber devouring xr650l still have meat after 2000mi. they were $90 a set. the front is a full knobby and I expect about 5000mi from it. the rear 3000 till almost bald.

you need tubes no matter what you run.... or tubliss.

[XL100allnightlong]

I plan on about 60% dirt 40% pavement.

[n16ht5]

if you want cheap... artrax 450f combo from motosport $90 set

expensive -

Pirelli MT43 rear

Pirelli MXH or MT16 front

or Dunlop MX51 front

I run the craptrax on my pig but they work really well for the money

[michigan400]

Just my 2 cents here but I would rather have a front tire that performs well off road and just deal with the added wear on road. Even a full dirt knobby will work easily on road, but a street based tire off road will make you hate life,,, and crash a lot. I run Pirelli Scorpion Pro front, about $70 each and they are great performers here on the Michigan trails. They aren't bad on road either but definately won't last as long as a Kenda K270.

[creeky]

I plan on about 60% dirt 40% pavement.

Then don't waste you $$$ on the K270s. Put on a good set of knobbies and just deal with the extra wear on the pavement. Kenda Washougal Stickies work great offroad and hold up decently on the pavement. Another good combo is a Bridgestone ED11 on the front and a Pirelli MT16 on the rear.

[fiep]

did this not confuse anybody else?

... It is for 50/50 dirt/pavement ...

... What percentages on/off road are you planning to do?...

I plan on about 60% dirt 40% pavement.

[tspsailor]

Gone through three sets ,, xrs 650 and 400 . Although not a great road tire , they do well in the Rocky Mountains . Will buy again .

[XL100allnightlong]

Michigan400, that pirelli looks like a bad a$$ tire! That thing just looks like it would grip perfect. When I get some more cash in the future and want great hook up I will most likely buy that Pirelli.

FIEP, the 50/50 is what the company claims that the tire is used for. The 60%pavement and 40%dirt is what I think I will be riding this year. I bet it will end up being like

70% dirt in reality!

Thanks for the input guys.

[davek18]

I burned two sets off of a 600, I don't live the squirrely feel of the front on pavement corners or I would buy another set. They are not the roundest tire built, thus the squirm. Ok in dirt and pavement, as long as it is not wet pavement.

[highmarker]

270's are a good cheap DS tire, what bike you putting it on? The front sizing is kinda weird, The wider 3.25 is soft 2 ply sidwall and needs a few more psi than normal to stiffen it up. The 3.00 is a 4 ply stiffer side , tire is narrower and stiiffer with more straight up and down sidewalls, They do not uses hard rubber on the knobs. They last because the knob spacing is close enough your not rounding off the knobs near as much as a knobby, How long they last on the roads depend a lot on inflation, weight of the bike and heat of pavement , speeds etc. I buy lots of them for my DS bikes, so do friends. Like any tire the rears wear faster, the fronts last long enough. I've ridden 1000 mile in two days on them in an event and the front was still fine.

so the 3 or 3.25? what bike.

Edited January 26, 2012 by highmarker

[XL100allnightlong]

There for my xr 400.

[fiep]

FIEP, the 50/50 is what the company claims that the tire is used for. The 60%pavement and 40%dirt is what I think I will be riding this year. I bet it will end up being like

70% dirt in reality!.

ah, thanks for explaining, sometimes the non-native-speaker understands things differently

example: to me NC license plates read they are proud to be the 1st to flee

the K270 seems to work best on bikes with little weight and/or little power

the rear on my late XL600 slided more than I liked and with enough lean angle an pavement it started creeping sideways,

by no means suddenly or scary, it just clearly told me this was it, no further or

and I did not try to find out what the 'or' was

off pavement they behaved better than I did expect from a so-so tire

sold the XL 1500mi into the K270s live, tires still looking good

on the 250LC - 275lb, 23-29hp depending non which source I want to believe - they work great on pavement

I wore off the inside off the last row of knobs n blacktop and did not even notice I was not riding my XR250R off pavement

but we have not encountered any mud or deep sand

at 1200mi they are worn about halfway

[jg83]

Take a look at the Shinko 244s. They have really good reviews, they are inexpensive, and I think they are basicly the same thing as Kenda K270 or IRC GP1. I am going to get a set this spring for my 250. 3.00x21 front and a 5.10x18 rear. If you are on a budget its hard to beat these for a 50/50 tire.

Edited January 26, 2012 by jamesgardner83

[fiep]

on ADV I read more than one comparison between K270 and Shinko 244

neither one did 'win'

seems a personal choice

I got more on than off tires for the LC now, did not mount them yet,

Duro 904 + 903 with very good reviews from the stingy KLR people

[michigan400]

Michigan400, that pirelli looks like a bad a$$ tire! That thing just looks like it would grip perfect. When I get some more cash in the future and want great hook up I will most likely buy that Pirelli.

FIEP, the 50/50 is what the company claims that the tire is used for. The 60%pavement and 40%dirt is what I think I will be riding this year. I bet it will end up being like

70% dirt in reality!

Thanks for the input guys.

It's also DOT approved. ?

I've been getting about 2,000 miles before the angled knobs get really rounded. But, most of my road riding is on gravel roads. They do OK on pavement as long as you don't air them up to high. Keep them under 15psi and they seem to last longer for me anyway.

[XL100allnightlong]

I found the Kenda 270 in a 3.25-21 size for $52. Is the 3.25-21 the right size to replace my 80/100 21 front tire or is it to wide? That pirelli is my next tire for the dirt though, awesome tread pattern.

[Trailryder42]

I've used the K270 on my KLR. It does ok off road. The rear, when new, is very squirrely on wet pavement. The K270 and the IRC GP1 are nearly identical tread pattern. The IRC is a different compound and a better tire I think.

The difference between the 3.25 and an 80/100 tire is about 1/8" width. It will work fine.

[XL100allnightlong]

Trailryder42, do you know why the IRC tire is better as far as the compound it is made of? I have read of people getting 3-5000 miles out of the Kenda k270. I think I will get that 3.25-21 as it has some bad reviews but also some good ones for the price of the tire. Don't know if I can justify spending another 25-30 on the IRC when they look exactly the same? Thansks for the info!