D-Tracker tires

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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I'm looking to change the tires on my D-Tracker. This issue has been touched on in the KLX on the highway thread & on the D-Tracker seat thread but rather than sidetrack either of those I thought starting a new, dedicated thread would be a good idea.

I do most of my riding on paved roads but I do enjoy light off-road riding as well and I want more of a dual purpose tire than the strictly street IRC tires that are stock on the bike. KZ suggested Metzeler Sahara or Tourance, or Pirelli MT60, all of which are on the pricey side. I've also looked into Michelin Sirac & Anakee, and Bridgestone Trailwings. Yesterday I stopped in at Sai Neua Gan Yang, a big tire shop on the superhighway between Tesco & Kuang Singh intersection, to check on the Michelins & Bridgestones. The guy there was friendly enough but after checking his suppliers in BKK he told me that the only tires now available in D-Tracker size (130/70-17 & 110/70-17) are the stock IRC's! Trailwings may be available at the end of the month. No Michelins.

Of course, I'll check around some more, including a stop at G3 this weekend as recommended by David. If anyone has put dual purpose tires on a D-Tracker, or has comments about the merits of the different tires for my bike/riding needs, I'd love to hear about it. I will post updates as I learn more about what's available in CM & at what price.
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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The quest for rubber continues... I was busy over the weekend but finally got around to checking 3 more places today. G3 told me no 17 inch Michelins, Bridgestone Trailwings will be available next month, or I could have a set of Dunlop Trailmax's tomorrow for 5-6k Baht. The Kawasaki dealer on the moat said that they have Pirelli MT60's on order for next month at a price of 8-9k Baht. Samoto told me that they could get me a new rear tire but in front I'd have to change to an 18 inch rim before I could get an offroad tire.

When I came home to do more research, I found a nice comparative tire review on this site.
http://www.roadkill.com/~davet/moto/tire.review.html

I'm now leaning towards the Dunlop Trailmax. It sounds like the Pirelli's have better grip on paved roads but I'm not a very fast or aggressive rider so I think good all-around performance is good enough. And of course, it's nice to save a few thousand Baht. Then there's the "I want it now!" factor.

I'll probably place an order today or tomorrow fir the Dunlops & if so I'll post my impressions later this week.
 
Sep 19, 2006
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www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
Hello cm das,
I just had a Meeting with the Pirelli Thailand Distributor and He left Me with a Brochure of their Full Range :wink: The MT60 range in Price from 2300 Baht to 3800 Baht. If you are interested contact Him?

Patiparn Sirichamroonvit
089-0038886
[email [email protected]][email protected][/email]

He is a Really Helpful Guy and Speaks Perfect English 8) Mention You got His details from Ian at the Chiang Mai X-Centre and He should Give You some Extra Discount :D Real Easy just deposit the Money via ATM and He sends the Tyres up on a Truck, Day or two Max :!:
I will be Trying some of the New Pirelli ANGEL Tyres on My Triumph Tiger Next. New Model and Supposed to be Top Stuff :idea:
Good Luck.
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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Thanks Ian. I stopped by G3 earlier today to order the Dunlops but Tom wasn't in. Looks like maybe I was lucky. I've just sent off an email to Khun Patiparn to see what he can offer me. Will post the results.
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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But wait, they wouldn't fit, since the front is only available in 18, 19 and 21" - or you have to spoon a 120/90/17 rear onto the front rim...

SIZE RANGE

110/80 R 19 M/C 59V TL

100/90 - 18 M/C 56P TL

100/90 - 19 M/C 57H TL

100/90 - 19 M/C 57S

90/90 - 21 M/C 54H TL

90/90 - 21 M/C 54S

90/90 - 21 M/C 54V TL

150/70 R 17 M/C 69V TL

130/80 - 17 M/C 65P TL

130/80 - 17 M/C 65S

130/80 R 17 M/C 65H TL

140/80 R 17 M/C 69H TL

150/70 R 17 M/C 69V TL

120/90 - 17 M/C 64S
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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Yes, KZ, size is the issue I keep coming up against. There are plenty of great tires out there, but how many of them can be slapped on the D-Tracker's rims? Not so many, it seems like.
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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The problem is that the Tracker is a street bike with 17" rims - to find tires, you have to look under "street tires", and there are not many knobby tires available. It's easier to find dual sport tires for Enduros, in 21 / 19" sizes.
 
Most of the KLX guys that alternate SM and Dirt/DS have two sets of rims built up for this exact problem. To me that would be the easiest solution. I may or may not go down that path with my KLX. I'm really waiting to see if the KLR650 will get released here and if it does my KLX will stay in dirty mode permanetly.

Good luck on your hunt.
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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At this point 2 sets of rims doesn't make sense for me - that would require more skill in working with the bike and/or advance planning of my rides than I can muster. I've ordered a set of Dunlop Trailmax's from G3, they should be at the shop by now but I probably won't have time to get them installed til Monday.
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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Well, I've got new tires on my D-Tracker now, but as so often happens in these parts, it wasn't a very straightforward process & I didn't end up with exactly what I wanted. Last week I placed an order (1000 Baht deposit) with Tom at G3 for Dunlop Trailmax's, front & rear. I went by the shop today & Tom brought out the rear tire & had his boys get to removing the rear wheel to install it. The tire looked good, just what I had ordered. I left do some shopping while the job was being done. When I returned, both tires were on the bike. The thing is, the front had a Dunlop D605, not a Trailmax. When I asked about this, Tom said "Mai mee Trailmax for the front. But it's the same, it's Dunlop." Well no, it's not the same. The tread is different & the 605 is much knobbier than I wanted. At this point I had 2 options: I could refuse to pay for the 605 & insist that they re-install my stock IRC on the front. Or I could say 'what the hell' & give the 605 a try. I opted for the 2nd choice. It'll be some time before I can give my verdict on the tires but I'm not pleased with the service I got from Tom. I know that G3 has lots of high-end bikes. I don't pretend to be a serious or experienced rider & maybe my bike & I weren't impressive enough, but I don't appreciate being taken for a complete ignoramus & I likely won't be giving G3 any more business.

Anyway, here are some pics of the new tires on my bike.
DSC03376.jpg

DSC03377.jpg

DSC03378.jpg


I have to say, I think the D-Tracker looks pretty cool with the new rubber. But I imagine that when the rains come, I'll probably switch the front at least back to the IRC.
 
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Sep 19, 2006
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Hi cm das,
This doesn't Surprise me really!!! I had exactly the same thing from G3 once. I actually Ordered Dunlop 605 for My Bike and He gave me a Rear 605 and a less Knobbly model for the Front :shock: Luckily I Never have to go back to His Shop as I get everything Direct from BKK now :wink: I Personally would have told them to take them off and Put Two of the Same on. Front & Rear 605 might have been the Shot? The KLX comes standard with them and they Grip Fine in Dry & Wet 8)
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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I've ordered tires, waited two weeks for them, then the rear arrived, I was told the front is not available anymore. I didn't accept that, had the new rear installed, waited another three weeks for the front, which suddenly was available again. - For my CBR Damrong Yont sent two rear tires. When I called them, they said: no problem! Went to BKK to sort it out. - Needed a rea tire for my Honda Wave, they showed me an IRC for over 600 THB, I took it. While they worked on the bike, I unwrapped the tire, wanted to check how old it is. Imprinted in the rubber it said: "for front use only" - no problem, they said. I said I don't want it, now I got a V-rubber in the back.
One always has to double-check everything, then go and have lunch and let them work. Then check again when you're back. Don't pay if you haven't ridden the bike around the block and everything is okay. Check the alignment of the wheel and chain slack.
Then say to yourself: this job would have cost 20 times as much back home, what do you expect?
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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Live and learn. Of course I could have been more careful. I only double checked the rear tire, and then I was lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that I was at a shop which 2 experienced foreign riders had recommended.

I went back today to pick up my old tires & had a (not surprisingly) unsatisfactory exchange with Tom. After half a day riding around town I was unhappy with the feel of the D605 up front. I know the KLX has these tires stock, but the KLX front tire is much skinnier than the one I've now got & the steering has become way too heavy for my tastes. I told Tom I didn't like the tire & asked if he would buy it back. He refused, naturally, but he also refused to acknowledge that he should, or even could, have told me that the tire I thought I'd ordered wasn't available before switching to a different model. Not to mention before actually installing it. And when I politely pressed him on this, he just said that if I didn't like my old street tires, I should have gotten a KLX instead of a D-Tracker.

Time to move on. My current plan is to switch the front to the old IRC & leave the new Trailmax on the rear. The few grip issues I've had were all with the rear tire so I"m hoping that a set-up like this will be OK. But being a newbie, I'm not sure if I'd been violating any rule by doing this. Is it OK to have different treads & tire makes on front & back or will I be inviting handling problems? Any advice?
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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You ordered Trailmax tires for front and rear and that's what you should get. For the shop to go ahead and install a tire you didn't order is plain wrong. They should have waited and asked you, or told you when you arrived, that they don't have both tires. But they went ahead and tried to sell.
Then again you shouldn't have accepted it. As soon as you pay and leave the shop, it's your tire, and it's used. Can't expect the shop to simply take it back.
I would install the stock street tire for the time being. Leave the front tire at the shop and tell them to sell it at a 20% discount. Wait for the Trailmax front and offer to pay for the difference, since that's what you went in there for.
Generally you should run the same make and kind of tire front and rear, but for normal use it's not essential or dangerous to run different ones, as long as the sizes are right. Thais have been doing it for ages!
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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I've now got the original IRC on the front & the new Trailmax on the rear (anyone want to buy a practically new D605? :D ). This combination works fine in town, although the new rear tire slightly bigger than the original rear IRC, so the balance of the bike is a little different. I haven't had a chance to go for a ride on dirt yet, & probably won't for at least another week or two. But I'll be sure to report back when I do.

I'm still hoping to find something like the Trailmax for the front in the right size, but that's not going to be easy. It turns out Dunlop doesn't make anything like a 110/70-17. So for now I'm waiting to see what the Pirelli's will look like when the Kawasaki dealer gets them.
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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I did get your pm Ally & checked out that site earlier. Sorry I didn't respond - actually I thought I had. Or at least I had intended to. Shoot, and I'm not even 40 yet! Anyway, it does look like they're doing lots of cool mods with D-Trackers. But if you noticed, in all the pictures the bikes have pure street tires, almost always the stock tires. So that's one area where it looks like there aren't too many options. To look on the bright side, I guess I'm on the cutting edge.

So where are you in your D-Tracker evaluation process. Getting ready to join the club?
 

Ally

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Dec 13, 2007
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cm_das - Yep, its all street because that has the highest 'Nalak' factor about it.

Well, since you ask, the situation is that I have 1,000 down & 148k to pay !!

Just under 3 weeks and counting down :wink:

Ally
 

cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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Wow, thanks for the link Ally. It looks like the MT60 does in fact come in a size something like what I want (I'm thinking the 110/90-17). And not too expensive. But can I actually get one here to Chiang Mai? The dealer told me that MT60's were on order for next month (at a much higher price). Any bets on what will arrive & when?
 
Nov 2, 2008
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DSC03376.jpg


Is that a 130/70-17 rear Trailmax? Looks wider than stock IRC, but could that just be the knobbier tread or higher profile.

Would a 150/70-17 road tire fit?
 

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cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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It's a 130/80-17 Trailmax. Not wider but a higher profile than the stock 130/70 IRC. Raises the rear of the bike about 1 inch in comparison. I'm just back from a road trip (on 4 wheels) to Nongkhai & hope to get out on some dirt on my D-Tracker later this week.
 
Sep 19, 2006
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Saw this Custom D-Tracker at the Motorshow.

BKKMotorshow017.jpg


Like the Mag Wheels, That Means Tubeless Tyres :wink: It was Loaded with Stuff but not sure how Practical it would be or User Friendly. :?:
 

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cm das

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Feb 8, 2006
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An update on the Pirelli MT60's on order at the Kawasaki dealer in Chiang Mai: delivery is still next month, except now that means May. I learned today that the sizes they've ordered are rear: 160/60-17 and front 120/70-17. The cost for the pair is 11,500 Bht. That rear tire is considerably wider than the stock 130/70. Since I have the rear Trailmax (130/80), I may opt only for the front Pirelli, though the price is kinda high. And since the delivery date has been pushed back, I'm not holding my breath.

My next step is to have the missus get on the phone & call some shops in Bkk, see if I can get something delivered to me directly instead of going through a local shop. After Songkran of course.