Tyre Tech Talk – March 2020 Dirt and Trail Magazine
by Bruce de Kock, Owner of Bike Tyre Warehouse
Original article published by Dirt and Trail Magazine, March 2020 Issue
So it’s March already and most of us are broke after Valentine’s Day and the longest January in history. With this in mind, I’ve decided to look at a well-priced tyre that has been around in the dualie market for years now. It rose to fame as the OEM fitment tyre for the KTM 990 Adventure when it was launched and has remained a popular choice ever since, even though the dualie tyre market has quadrupled in size.
Meet the Pirelli Scorpion MT90 A/T
The MT90 is a 70/30 road-biased adventure tyre, commonly used in OE applications and is the KTM 990 Adventure faithful in the 90/90-21 and 150/70-18 applications.
Its’ key selling points are:
- An ideal multi-purpose tyre for the touring fan
- Performs well in various weather conditions
- Great mileage
- Can manage heavy loads
Intended for all-purpose use… The design of this tyre and its high silica compound mix provide you with strong grip for moderate/light off-road use. The tread pattern offers plenty of grip on tar roads, with good water dispersal which enhances safety, especially on tar surfaces.
The knobby blocks are arranged in a V pattern to allow better traction and enhanced braking, in both wet and dry weather conditions. In fact, the front and rear tyres in this range use slightly different compounds to create as much grip as possible.
Durability… Even the biggest fan of knobby tyres gets fed up of having to replace them after just a couple of thousand kilometres, especially if they’ve been used on actual roads as opposed to gravel or dirt tracks.
The silica-rich compound in the Pirelli MT90 gives great durability. The tyre also features a steel belt radial design, so it’s more than happy sitting underneath some of the biggest enduro bikes out there, with and without a passenger.
Confidence inspiring… This tyre helps you to feel safe when you’re riding on it, even when the bike is fully loaded. It is more than capable of handling a wide range of temperature variations, so is ideal for touring, even in the hottest of countries, with the very worst of roads. The tyre also gives you the kind of grip that allows you to just focus on enjoying the ride, rather than on having to constantly take a different line into or out of corners because you’re fighting a lack of grip.
Please note that this tyre is not suitable for the KTM 1290 Adventure R model, so while some stores will fit it to this bike model, mainly out of ignorance, it is not advisable.
The Pirelli Scorpion MT90 tyre is available in 21” fronts and 17” & 18” rear sizes.
Pirelli Scorpion Pro-FIM
Another tyre worth mentioning is the Pirelli Scorpion Pro-FIM, which was developed from the tyres used in the F.I.M. Enduro World Championship – so it’s a thoroughbred race tyre!
The Pro-FIM is a full enduro competition level tyre and is highly resistant to tears and cuts. It is designed to work in dry, wet, mud or sand conditions and is aided by three different choices of compounds on the popular rear 140/80-18 size, namely Medium; Soft and Super Soft, all of which ensure it gets power to the ground.
The pyramidal geometry of the blocks gives optimal stability while braking, as well as self-cleaning properties and precision cornering. The special polyester carcass with nylon belts absorbs shocks and high impact, while the compounds are designed to resist wear for long tyre life.
Other selling points include:
- A high module, low shrinkage polyester carcass for regular and large footprint area to maximise traction and braking
- Optimised steering precision and traction provided by the small hard knobs on the front
- Racing compound for a high-performance level for the entire race, regardless of conditions
- A carcass developed to offer high resistance, to work in enduro competitions and to respond effectively in overcoming obstacles
- Designed for those capable of riding even on unexplored ground, irrespective of the type of surface and the weather conditions
Available in popular 21” front and 18” rear sizes.
The Pirelli Pro-FIM super stickys are on promotion right now, so take advantage of the reduced prices. If you buy now, you’ll save and have more money for fuel, which means more time in the saddle.
Take care out there and enjoy the dirt.
Bruce de Kock, Bike Tyre Warehouse
GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE INFO
Have a look at the Bike Tyre Warehouse Motorcycle Tyre Combo Specials here: https://biketyrewarehouse.com/monthly-specials/
#bestadvice #bestservice #bestprice
#BikeTyreGuru #KingsOfTyreCombos
