R1200GS Forum banner
21 - 22 of 22 Posts
Well, 2 wheel sets gets to the heart of the matter: We are really trying to bridge 2 very different riding disciplines with a single tire, and that implies a hybrid/compromise tire solution — there will be a give and take balance point to choose, with no idealized, pure solution at either end of the range.

Buried within this compromise is the real world balance of how many miles/hours are actually spent on tarmac vs. dirt, so a 50:50 tire is a reasonable solution for a rider who actually spends half of their riding in the dirt and half on the tarmac. As riders, we have to be honest with ourselves if we want to arrive at a “best solution;” it’s a safe bet that only a fraction of us come close to that 50:50 ratio. There is world of difference between what we want and dream of for ourselves, versus what our realities yield.

For example, I ride aggressively both on and off tarmac, so I push my tires to their limits. How do I choose a tire? Well, because I commute on my GS and log vastly more urban miles, I buy rubber that favors my safety and longevity on tarmac, and accept that I must adjust my off-pavement riding to stay within the limits of the tire as reflecting my skills. As badly as I want to ride like Ewan & Charlie, I face the reality that that was a one-of-a-kind dream ride they put together for fun and as a film project. Because of my life situation, I am lucky if I get to ride as much as 1 mile offroad for every 10 miles I log onroad— that’s the honest answer I use to choose tires, so if I set up a special or epic dirt trip, I will go through the unpleasantness of temporarily swapping in knobby tires.

A hybrid tire is a compromise tire, accept it.
Very true. I'll commute an hour each way on my GS as soon as we go back to work. (at home working now) Currently running Metzler Tourance but may go to the Shinko 705 or the Bridgestone AX41s. Truth is, this bike ain't likely to go offroad! She's big fun though.
 
21 - 22 of 22 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top