IRC offroad tyres

bill

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Mar 29, 2004
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Is anyone using IRC knobbly tyres on the front for dualsport use, ie offroad and tarmac.
I hear they're good in sand/mud but a bit soft/unstable on hard surfaces.
Some people tell me they're only unstable on hard surfaces for first few hundred kilometers, but settle down after that.
I have been using the more expensive Dunlop knobbly on the front to date. Its a good tyre but doesn't have much meat on it from new and wears down pretty fast, imo.
 

Linds

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Oct 31, 2009
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Hello Bill ,
I have a set of Vee Rubber knobbly`s on my Klx, i know not the same pattern but still for `Dirt Use Only`,(a manufacturer waver of cover).
They are all right in the dry and make nice rubber drift marks on hot dry tarmac.
But they Do Not Stop Or Corner the same on Tarmac ,and when it is wet or you get a moist Dew covered road be careful, its akin to having desiel on the bends. After A good Qaulity Helmet , tyres in my opinion are the Second most important Qaulity item you need on a Bike.
Dual-Purpose tyres are just that , ment fordoing two things 50% good. The knobbly`s i have ,along with the bigger sprocket pull my Under Rated Klx through the wet mud like a farmer rippin his field up , oh arr
But having said all that i suppose after grinding down on the tread they will be a bit like dual-purpose tyres, still would`nt trust them though
Linds
 
Aug 7, 2003
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Bill, I use the IRC on the front ( and rear) on the XR650 and KTM525, OK in the dirt, very conscious of the air pressure . For road use they "walk" a bit and need a higher pressure on the tarmac. The knobs wear to a slope if used a lot on the road, maybe that is the settling in that you're talking about. For the price and availability I have no problem using them.
 
Oct 12, 2005
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Greetings Bill,

I raced the IRC VE33 tire for years in the deserts back in the states and had great luck with them for little money. However the IRC VE-33 tires that are produced over here are not produced with the same rubber compound. They are produced with a soft and pliable rubber which has its pro's and cons.

Pro's - They excel in gripping in the wet, slimy hardpack clay we have over here in the rainy season. Not much is better in this arena than the IRC they produce over here. best tire for rainy season conditions.

Cheap as chips.

Con's - Those same soft pliable knobs that help you get grip in the wet make them squirm all over when on the tarmac and harpack offroad. i thought something was wrong with my bike the first time mounting them up and blasting off down the pavement. Very unsettling at first. As Harry noted above though if you increase the pressures it helps ease this situation somewhat. Also once you wear them down a third the squirming becomes less of an issue. They also don't not grip as well when leaned over in a pavement corner as a decent Dunlop tire. I had the rear end let go in Laos and the bike slid 100 yards down the pavement with me on my backside chasing it coming back from Lam Nam Ta on the pavement at about 70% the pace i can go at with a decent name brand knobbie. On hard pack dirt roads i also thought their grip was sub par.

A tire that is available over here for the same price and provides much better grip both in the dry dirt and pavement is the "Quick" tire. Here's a pic of the rear tire.

1117857658_hcYgj-M.jpg


They are a copy of a Dunlop MX tire and last quite well. I used one offroad from the Cardamom mountains in southern Cambodia and it lasted all the way to Vientienne Laos. They won't grip quite as well as the IRC in the wet hard pack clay but everywhere else they outperform the IRC in my eyes. These Quick tires can be found in Thailand ( and hopefully Cambo for you Bill) for quite cheap and for the price are the best things I have tried.

Best of luck.

Edit: They also produce a front tire that has the same characteristics as the rear.
 
Aug 7, 2003
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This back side?? Maybe could have done with the Cardomom Icecream to cool it down!

Got a contact in Thailand for the "Quick" tyres (tires?)

Attached files
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263334=257-P1020872.jpg
 

bill

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Mar 29, 2004
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Thx all for the informative replies.
I got the IRC VE35F Volcanduro ($49) for the front and didn't like it at first on hard surfaces.
However, after a few hundred K's, me and the tire are settling in together. Improving with wear on hard surfaces now and good in the sand.
I'm with you on air pressures. Normally run 18psi in the front for everyday use and drop to 13psi for offroad rides given the sand around here. I have rimlocks to prevent the tire spinning on the rim when running low pressures.
Haven't seen the Quick brand yet in Cambodia but will keep an eye out for them.
 
Jan 4, 2010
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Is anyone using IRC knobbly tyres on the front for dualsport use, ie offroad and tarmac.
I hear they're good in sand/mud but a bit soft/unstable on hard surfaces.
Some people tell me they're only unstable on hard surfaces for first few hundred kilometers, but settle down after that.
I have been using the more expensive Dunlop knobbly on the front to date. Its a good tyre but doesn't have much meat on it from new and wears down pretty fast, imo.
Looking for a retailer of V Rubber tyres anywhere in Thailand