Gravel and street tires.

[davidc83]

Here is a couple of videos containing some gravel riding; turn down your audio. Even with tape over the mic, it still picked up all the noise (got to figure out how to disable the mic and how to post video without redirecting to youtube). The NC700X has street tires (conti's) and the gravel road is very loose gravel and most of the road is washboard....

About 2 minutes into the video turns to gravel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bt7giqz7tk

about 3-4 minutes of more gravel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2XqB2WP0po&feature=youtu.be

 

[SergeantChuck]

I went after some geocaches on a gravel road just like that the other day. I don't normally do gravel only because I bought the bike to commute but I was surpised to find I was doing 40-50mph at times. I have PR4's. I obviously slowed down for corners but it was fun to get out on some gravel and get off the hardball (military term) for a change.

 

[davidc83]

I was maintaining the same pace as my riding buddy on his 2007 bmw f650gs with his 60/40 tires, but I hate riding gravel (know how, just hate it)-I'd rather ride the sand roads in Florida than the gravel-washboard roads in Indiana.

 

[MZ5]

I didn't see you deflate your tires. Do you think that deflating them from road pressure would help? I grew up on dirt bikes, and if I'd inflated the tires on them to street bike pressures, I'd have crashed just about instantly.

This is timely, because I need to go do some scouting for deer, and the NCX would be a great option if I could feel confident in both the stability and puncture resistance of my tires (Mich PR4 out back, Pirelli Angel ST up front).

 

[davidc83]

Nope, didn't deflate; not worth it, over 150 miles riding and only 5 was gravel.

 

[bamamate]

I found the PR3s to be a big improvement on gravel over the stock Z8s. I rode a bit on the PR3s on gravel/rock/dirt roads before moving on to the Shinko 705. The PRs are scary on mud though.

 

[Bullseye]

I presently run K60-rear / TKC80-front and have been thinking about switching to Shinko 705 BUT worried about gravel travel as i do enjoy riding back roads . Are they any good ? Is there any other tires I should consider ??

 

[2brnut2b]

I presently run K60-rear / TKC80-front and have been thinking about switching to Shinko 705 BUT worried about gravel travel as i do enjoy riding back roads . Are they any good ? Is there any other tires I should consider ??

I have a Shinko 705 back and a Avon Distenzia front...and I'm very pleased with this combo on street and on gravel road. I also unintentionally tested them in the mud but no success...the crash bars took the hit and the winshield is now striped

 

[Fuzzy]

.....The PRs are scary on mud though.

Now you tell me.

 

[bamamate]

I presently run K60-rear / TKC80-front and have been thinking about switching to Shinko 705 BUT worried about gravel travel as i do enjoy riding back roads . Are they any good ? Is there any other tires I should consider ??

The 705 is a less aggressive tire. More of an 80/20 or 70/30 tire. Having said that, it is a good tire. In Arkansas, we have a lot of large aggregate gravel and small rock from the graters knocking chunks off the underlying rocky ground. The 705 would initially slip/wander more than the TKC80 and then grab as you got into the more aggressive side tread. On roads that are smaller gravel/dirt it was great. In mud, if you go slow it will get you through but don't expect a lot from it. Here again when it slid it would grab better when it got onto the side tread. On the road it is good. Never had it slip even on gravel/sand scattered in turns.

We are limited on choices on the front. There are several 90/10 tires but more aggressive is limited to 705 and then the more aggressive TKC80. A lot more choices on the rear. Instead of the K60 rear I'm running the Mitas E-07. Love it. All of the same great characteristics of the K60 without its limitations.