Anyone run a Dunlop d606 or Pirelli MT43 on their XRL?

[Bedunjgi]

I'd be inclined to agree with you if there hadn't been several ocassions in which I got the rear spinning up to 3rd or 4th, and it STILL wouldn't clean out...

Has anyone come up with tricks to get the MT43 unclogged besides low pressure? I get stuck from time to time. I read somewhere that someone suggested putting the bike on the side stand & spinning it in gear to fling the mud off. I have considered bringing a snow claw or making some lightweight chains or kevlar rope to wrap around the wheel for those rare occasions (especially when I am alone with no one to push). Overall I love the MT43s front & rear & am about to install my second set.

[Bedunjgi]

There has been another thread recently regarding tha suitability of the MT43 - I happened to say that mine shredded at a very low mileage - less than 200 miles. I was told by some of the "experts" that what I had said was impossible and that, basically, I didn't know what I was talking about. having done 41,000 miles in the last 4 years on my XR650L and having tried numerous tyres I will stick with the Trelleborg Army Tyre (developed for the Swedish Army) - evidently it is not available in the US and that's sad as it is a good all-round tyre.

To the doubters please peruse the following image - MT43 - very low mileage, evidently cannot take hard riding...... and I'm an Old Age Pensioner..... LOL

http://i49.servimg.c...57/p1010911.jpg

Are you sure thats an MT43? The knobs look square, whereas the MT43s have a slightly different shape.

[caliorbust65]

Put 4000 miles on my rear D606 this last season. Long road rides, lots of dirt & several enduros (practice). No flats & my ony complaint is it starts to HHHUUUUMMMMMM after 1500 miles on highway.

Plan to use again this next season & put 1 on front

[zx12r]

Put 4000 miles on my rear D606 this last season. Long road rides, lots of dirt & several enduros (practice). No flats & my ony complaint is it starts to HHHUUUUMMMMMM after 1500 miles on highway.

Plan to use again this next season & put 1 on front

I don't understand how people are getting 4000 mi out of a rear D606, do you run it till its bald? The most mi I ever got out of a rear tire was a d606, around 1500 mi, it did have about 3mm tall knobs left in the center when I took it off, but it quit working in the dirt. As for the MT43, the tire worked great, except it only lasted 1100 mi.

Edited January 9, 2013 by zx12r

[elsalvadorXR6]

word

getting anything over 1.5k out of a knobby can only be done by riding with high tire pressures, like miss daisy only on soft dirt...start having fun and or ride aggressively and anything over and around 1k is normal.

I dont ride wheelies or surf corners or slide too much...still Im only getting 1.5 at the most!

[ThumpNRed]

My previous tire was a D606. I got about 2000 miles out of it, but it was SHOT when I replaced it. Not bald, but worthless off road. I replaced it with a D952 (not a DOT tire) and it does a good job on and off road. I have about 1000 miles on it and could probably get another 500 out of it if I clean it up with a Knobby Knife as the knobs are pretty rounded.

[zx12r]

My previous tire was a D606. I got about 2000 miles out of it, but it was SHOT when I replaced it. Not bald, but worthless off road. I replaced it with a D952 (not a DOT tire) and it does a good job on and off road. I have about 1000 miles on it and could probably get another 500 out of it if I clean it up with a Knobby Knife as the knobs are pretty rounded.

I tried a D952, it worked great and lasted almost as long as the D606, and is less money, I would use a d952 again. I got a IRC M5B 130/18 waiting in the wings, we will see how long it lasts, with road and dirt use. I know the M5B works well, use it on my cr500, except they got pricey. After the M5B wears out I'm thinking about trying a Kenda K270, just to get more miles out of a rear tire and see if I can live with it on the trails. If you go to the Kenda site, they have a chart for the k270 that gives knob length(tread depth), heres were it gets strange, the 450/18 has 15.5mm tall knobs and the 460/18 has 11.5mm knobs and is a 4 ply. I'd be trying the 510/18= 14.5mm knobs.

http://www.kendausa.com/en/home/motorcycle/dual-sport/k270-dual-sport.aspx

Edited January 9, 2013 by zx12r

[elsalvadorXR6]

270s are a perfect dualsport touring tire, do not compare to a knobby ever! I had them for a looooong time on my xr

[zx12r]

270s are a perfect dualsport touring tire, do not compare to a knobby ever! I had them for a looooong time on my xr

How many mi did they last?

[elsalvadorXR6]

they were given to me used by a fellow xr650r rider, same sizes....I used them for about 2500miles till the crash...I even mounted them after the second rebuild for maybe 500miles...

they are bald now, the rear that is...the front Im sure will last 7kmiles, unbeleivable

[Bedunjgi]

Has anyone come up with tricks to get the MT43 unclogged besides low pressure? I get stuck from time to time. I read somewhere that someone suggested putting the bike on the side stand & spinning it in gear to fling the mud off. I have considered bringing a snow claw or making some lightweight chains or kevlar rope to wrap around the wheel for those rare occasions (especially when I am alone with no one to push). Overall I love the MT43s front & rear & am about to install my second set.

Bump ?

[garthr]

ive had a couple 606 on the rear. rough on the road but seemed great offroad. had a mt43 on front but it wore weird. i changed fronts and that wore the same. handled fine but every other knob wore at a faster rate. had the wheel balanced and no change so went with the usd swap. hopefully that will be different. going to try a kenda 270 on the rear rhis time and see if its a bit smoother on the road without sacrificing offroad traction.

garthr

[Motosprtman]

 

 

I removed the MT43's today and went back to MT21's - bike was just squirrely with the trials tires on it.

[RickB1975]

I run an MT21 up front with a D606 rear. I rune between 18-22psi due to the rocks in Eastern PA. I usually get around 2k miles out of the rear tire and about 4k miles out of the rear. These tires perform quite well offroad, even in the mud until the wear too much. Also, they are fine on road. The D606 is load and can get a bit slippery in the rain if emergency breaking.

[bork]

I removed the MT43's today and went back to MT21's - bike was just squirrely with the trials tires on it.

I been wanting to try the 43 on the rear, but when you say squirrely, you mean on the road? How much air was in it? How long did you use it? What about the wear factor? Was it good in the dirt?

[Motosprtman]

I been wanting to try the 43 on the rear, but when you say squirrely, you mean on the road? How much air was in it? How long did you use it? What about the wear factor? Was it good in the dirt?

 

Yes on the road the rear end felt odd, like it was moving around almost like going flat. Stopped checked al good. Chain adjusters aligned, pressure was at 24 PSI.  I think it was sidewall flex.  I have them on my DRZ400 also and they feel fine on it.  This makes me think it bike weight related. ?  yet they are very close in weight - 330 lbs - 317 lbs. maybe I just got a bad tire?

[Gumby302ho]

 I dont know why anyone who runs mostly pavement would want the d606. I have used Mt21`s and they were great for pavement and fair in the dirt, I am running the 606 in the rear but I am 90 percent off road with my 2000XRL, I dont think any tire in the world could help the L go through mud other than a paddle wheel maybe but the 606 is the best so far when shit hits the fan in the bush. I dont mind a little mud but when I come up on a big sippy hole of it I start to worry right away.

[Gripo]

I saw the 606 at my local dealer and thought...knobby!!!! which Dunlop claim as a DOT knobby anyway ...so i went the 603 which they claim is a 30/70% favouring the dirt....

I've probably ridden the 603 about 50/50 and I can't see it lasting 2000km before replacement...already done 800km and easily half the tread has gone....

Mind you the 650R will punish most rear rubber..which truely becomes a consumable with 50hp and so much torque.

Maybe next time I will try the 605 but I can see it making the dirt backroads a slidefest!

Life is a compromise!