Aggressive nobbies on the front tire: Do they matter?

[grhanka]

I put real nobbies on my TBR7, and I like the improved rear-wheel traction, but my new front tire has a low spot where the rim won't seat no matter what I do. (I've tried lube, sledge hammer, 10 pressure cycles, squeezing with a C-clamp, and overinflating to 50 psi. The rim seems sealed, but the bead indicator dips out of sight and the overall tire height is 1/4" lower at that spot.)

It's ridable, but I still have the original semi-nob tire and I'm tempted to put it back on. Do aggressive nobbies in front actually do much good, aside from braking in mud? I can't imagine they would help much on rocks, though I suppose they might dig in a little when cornering on sand.

The defective tire was obviously optimized for braking, not turning, since its nobs are arranged in horizontal rows like a paddle wheel.

[buzz]

Real knobbys are the only way to go, .All depends on what you want to ride on . For me it was a must,I think you need a new tires should mount the whole way.

[Mudflap]

On gravel and dirt roads I think having an agressive knobby on the front is more important than having one on the rear. A wash out on the front tire is more difficult to control than a washout on the rear.

[buzz]

Mudflap totally agree with you, ride safe.

[2t2t250]

Have a CSC TT 250 with stock tires. Only 1000 miles and I could not fucntion with the stock front. Any braking other than a straight line washed me out in the dirt. On gravel roads that thing would wander like crazy. Swapped it with a Trackmaster II and my front end is solid now. I was astounded how much difference it made. Popped a Shenko 700 (free) on the rear and it made a big difference even though it is a 50/50 tire. With the 50/50 in the rear you can feel the difference in bite between front to rear. Got a new trackmsster II for the rear now can't wait to swap it out. Knobbies do matter!!

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by 2t2t250

Have a CSC TT 250 with stock tires. Only 1000 miles and I could not fucntion with the stock front. Any braking other than a straight line washed me out in the dirt. On gravel roads that thing would wander like crazy. Swapped it with a Trackmaster II and my front end is solid now. I was astounded how much difference it made. Popped a Shenko 700 (free) on the rear and it made a big difference even though it is a 50/50 tire. With the 50/50 in the rear you can feel the difference in bite between front to rear. Got a new trackmsster II for the rear now can't wait to swap it out. Knobbies do matter!!

I agree. The Trackmaster II are probably the best tire for sand and gravel. I was surprised at how much better they were on pavement VS stock tires that came on my Hawk.

[su98]

and PSI? 20, 25, 30 psi less than 20?
thanks much

[Thumper]

Knobby front tires are narrower than OEM dual sport tires. This allows them to cut into berm and mud. The big gaps in the tread also make a big difference.

OEM dual sport tires wash out off road, and bend OEM handlebars, break mirrors.

The above description applies if you try to ride like you are on an enduro or MX offroad bike with a dual sport tire on the front of your bike.

It is a slippery slope, literally!

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Thumper

Knobby front tires are narrower than OEM dual sport tires. This allows them to cut into berm and mud. The big gaps in the tread also make a big difference.

OEM dual sport tires wash out off road, and bend OEM handlebars, break mirrors.

The above description applies if you try to ride like you are on an enduro or MX offroad bike with a dual sport tire on the front of your bike.

It is a slippery slope, literally!

Can you provide an example of the type of OEM front you’re talking about that washes out easily?

Just asking to learn. Not doubting what you said

[Thumper]

My Storm and my son's TBR7 both came with a Yuanxing 90/90-19 dual sport front tire (below). I removed mine!

Check out post #6, above. Read the quote from 2t2t250.

"Washes out easily" is relative. I can keep this tire on the ground in almost any conditions, but only if I am not having fun, riding conservatively and working to keep it upright (on the trails I ride)! For me, dirt bikes are at there best when the rear tire breaks loose in a turn, or scaling a narrow muddy ridge on a trail with puddles on each side... adrenaline! So I like knobbies that stick under more extreme conditions, and don't "wash out". I am never going fast enough to break a bone, but a knobby sticks where these tires wash right out (slips out sideways) and the front of the bike goes down, taking the rest of the bike with it!

To me, these are practically road tires

[flopsweat]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a different set of tires for my TT250? I have about 1300 miles on them and was thinking about what to look at for my next set, as these are OEM. I REALLY want to say give me some fat knobbies and let's hit the trails, but alas, the trails around here are few and far in between.



Realistically, I'll probably be doing 80/20 road/dirt for the next year or two. However, I may end up at an OHV park this summer doing the easy trails that circle the property, so I wouldn't want something terrible in dirt, and the other off-roading that I'd be on would likely be gravel back roads.



So maybe a 50/50 would actually still be best? I dunno. This is why I come here... what do you think? My main thought was when I got caught in rain last weekend on a 3hr ride back home, and kept to the slow side roads since I know dual sport tires are particularly iffy on wet roads.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Thumper

My Storm and my son's TBR7 both came with a Yuanxing 90/90-19 dual sport front tire (below). I removed mine!

Check out post #6, above. Read the quote from 2t2t250.

"Washes out easily" is relative. I can keep this tire on the ground in almost any conditions, but only if I am not having fun, riding conservatively and working to keep it upright (on the trails I ride)! For me, dirt bikes are at there best when the rear tire breaks loose in a turn, or scaling a narrow muddy ridge on a trail with puddles on each side... adrenaline! So I like knobbies that stick under more extreme conditions, and don't "wash out". I am never going fast enough to break a bone, but a knobby sticks where these tires wash right out (slips out sideways) and the front of the bike goes down, taking the rest of the bike with it!

To me, these are practically road tires

Attachment 26910

Wow! I really just learned a lot. Thank you so much. Those are pretty much identical to my stock tires as well. And I just got another set. Damn. I have to ride very cautiously. I ride in Sand that is like a foot deep in Florida. With those tires. I ride in deep mud that comes halfway up the wheel. With those tires. It seems that I am doing it all wrong. Ha ha

But there is also plenty of road riding, and I would rather wash out off road than on road. Don’t knobbies kind of wash out on the road? Or is it just that they wear down faster?

[zscr]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Wow! I really just learned a lot. Thank you so much. Those are pretty much identical to my stock tires as well. And I just got another set. Damn. I have to ride very cautiously. I ride in Sand that is like a foot deep in Florida. With those tires. I ride in deep mud that comes halfway up the wheel. With those tires. It seems that I am doing it all wrong. Ha ha

But there is also plenty of road riding, and I would rather wash out off road than on road. Don’t knobbies kind of wash out on the road? Or is it just that they wear down faster?

From what I have researched Aggressive knobies will wear faster on road, you will also have reduced braking power and if the road is wet you have to be very careful while cornering/braking.

I prefer more street oriented tires since I ride very slowly off-road(newbie) so I am the limitation and not the tire. Also I live in a very rainy country so half of the year it’s almost sure you will find wet roads.

[Sochin]

I have Shinko 700 front and rear, and for my riding it works really good. In process of changing inner tube on the rear again, sometime last year it blew and I let it sit until now to fix it. Messed up rear rim in the effort.......good I had a parts bike.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by flopsweat

Does anyone have any recommendations for a different set of tires for my TT250? I have about 1300 miles on them and was thinking about what to look at for my next set, as these are OEM. I REALLY want to say give me some fat knobbies and let's hit the trails, but alas, the trails around here are few and far in between.



Realistically, I'll probably be doing 80/20 road/dirt for the next year or two. However, I may end up at an OHV park this summer doing the easy trails that circle the property, so I wouldn't want something terrible in dirt, and the other off-roading that I'd be on would likely be gravel back roads.



So maybe a 50/50 would actually still be best? I dunno. This is why I come here... what do you think? My main thought was when I got caught in rain last weekend on a 3hr ride back home, and kept to the slow side roads since I know dual sport tires are particularly iffy on wet roads.

Off road and road tires have completely different needs. Dual sport tires actually do pretty well on the road, but not the best. Off road, a dual sport is designed to help you survive, and that is about the limit. The Kenda Trackmaster 2 is great off road (see post 6, above). I have similar tires, though I think my Tusk DSprot is just as good off road, similar on road (big gaps for digging, bigger blocks for strength). The Tusk DSport is not a "dual sport" tire unless you call a 90% off road oriented tire a dual sport


These tires are superior off road tires. Run them at 20psi.

A knobby will get worn out faster on pavement. So I will buy another one in a couple of years. No problem. And rain on pavement? I slow down. No biggy. Dry dirt and rocky stuff is fine for a dual sport tire, but get into mud and forget it. Soft dirt, wet dirt (even if it is not muddy), you need a knobby if you want control (especially the front tire).