ADV 101: All About Tires (And Compromise)

If you're an adventure rider or getting into adventure riding, choosing tires can feel overwhelming. You're looking for a unicorn, a tire that can both carve up canyon asphalt and climb a loose gravel hill. But I'll be straight with you, the perfect adventure tire doesn't exist. Adventure riding is a compromise, and so is the rubber. It's all about finding the right balance of durability, grip, and comfort. Next up in this Yamaha-sponsored video series, we'll look at how to choose tires that best match your adventure riding plans. Adventure tires live on a spectrum, usually broken down in street to dirt percentages. A 90-10 tire is intended primarily for pavement. It's going to be smooth, it's going to have great grip in the rain, but it's definitely going to slip in the mud. A 50-50 tire is your middle ground. It has decent on-road performance and decent off-road grip, whereas a 30-70 or even 20-80 tire, that's your off-road weapon. It's going to have massive knobs which are going to bite into sand and rock and mud, but it's going to be more noisy on the pavement and wear out faster. Quick tip, if you're new to the dirt, don't go too street-oriented. Going with a more aggressive tread gives you that extra mechanical grip which can give you more confidence when you're off-road and prevent you from constantly fighting a washed-out front end or slipping rear wheel. You also have to be honest about how you actually ride. Are you mostly crushing highway miles or hunting remote single track? Is your bike loaded down with heavy luggage? Heavy, high horsepower bikes absolutely chew through soft dirt tread. If you're deciding to cross the country, go with stability and mileage. If you're hunting remote single track, prioritize off-road grip. Next up is tubeless versus tubed. I know there's some confusion out there and that general wisdom often says that tube-type rims are more dirt-focused, whereas tubeless rims are more street-oriented, but that's not always the case. In our small sample here, we've got some perfect examples. This Dunlop Trailmax D610 has a very street-oriented design, but it is a tube-type tire, whereas at the opposite end of the spectrum, you've got a Pirelli Scorpion Rally, which is a very off-road-oriented tire, but it's a tubeless design. So in the end, your bike's wheels are what make this decision for you. Are they tube-type rims or tubeless rims? If they're tubeless rims, you've got to put a tubeless tire on there. If they're tube-type rims, you can use either tubeless or tube tires, but with either choice, there has to be an inner tube in there. And this Yamaha Tenere 700 is a perfect example. From the factory, it comes fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, which is a tubeless design. However, these rims are a tube-type rim, so there's got to be inner tubes in there. And full disclosure, if you're running a bike with tubeless rims and you do something like hit a rock and damage the rim to the point that they can no longer seal, you've just turned your tubeless rims into tube-type. You're not going to be able to repair it with a plug kit, so you've got to pull the tire off, pull that tubeless valve stem out of there, and stick an inner tube in there, and then you can keep rolling. All right, let's talk tire lifespan. We all want a tire that sticks like glue and lasts 10,000 miles, but the reality is more grip usually equals shorter lifespan. The soft rubber and tall knobs that make dirt riding fun will melt away on the highway. But fun fact about legendary tires like the TKC 80, the first 80% or so of the tread will wear out fairly quickly, but that last 20% seems to go on forever. But regardless of which end of the spectrum you lean towards, you'll most likely be sacrificing some off-road grip for on-road longevity. And while some tires handle this trade-off better than others, the perfect mix of both is inherently a compromise. Finally, consider trailside repairs. Some tires have incredibly stiff carcasses which can enhance durability and puncture resistance, but they can be a pain to try and pry off of a rim in the middle of nowhere. Softer tires may be easier to repair, but they also don't last quite as long. You don't want to find out which type you have while you're trying to fix a flat on the trail, so practice changing your tires in the comfort of your garage with the same tools that you plan on carrying on the bike so you're better prepared for the adventure. At the end of the day, forget the endless internet debates and marketing hype. There is no universal best tire. Whether you're battling gnarly single track or carving up canyon asphalt, the best tire is the one that gives you confidence when you need it most. Thanks for watching and ride safe.