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X 300 Member / Tires don't appears to be dual sport

1K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  fasteddiecopeman 
#1 ·
Tried new bike on gravel road and felt something weird slowing down for a turn. Got ABS model so tried using rear break in straight secdtion and it tuns out I triggered the ABS the first time. Does leave a trail when ABS kicks in. Tires don't seem to have much grip. Will need to change out tires.
 
#3 ·
OEM tires on the V650 are pretty bad imho. Marginal on pavement, downright bad on dirt.

I have Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 tires and they are much better at everything than the factory Dunlops. Some here have gone to full knobbies, others have gone to better street tires (e.g. Michelin Pilot Road 4). If you're going to be on loose surfaces such as gravel you will need something better than what came from the factory.t

Try airing down to about 28 psi off pavement. I've gone down to 26 without problem. If there are rough rocks then you may want to stay a bit higher so you don't dent the rim. I've never had an issue, though I ride more sedately off pavement, not like motocross. Lower pressure makes a big difference in traction on dirt. Carry a pump to air back up when you get back to pavement.
 
#7 ·
OEM tires on the V650 are pretty bad imho. Marginal on pavement, downright bad on dirt....
On ALL THREE of my V650s I have used the OEM tires until they were worn out - my '08 had 10,008 MILES on the rear, 11,545 miles on the front, when they were changed, and I rode quite a few of those miles on dirt, not necessarily at WFO throttle...! (Records for the other two are up in the GREAT WHITE NORTH...:wink2:...)
 
#5 ·
Identify in Introduction / updated 2 posts

I edited both titles to reflect X300, keep in mind this forum now has 3 Versys models.
 
#6 ·
Gravel is like riding on marbles so there isn't much grip. Natural dirt hard pack is much easier to ride on than gravel. There are different dual sport tires ranging from 90/10 On/off road to 90/10 Off/On road. You have to decide where you want your grip to be. Great off road tires will have you activating the ABS on road during more than gentle braking.
 
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