I installed a new Pirelli Scorpion Pro DOT front tire on the KLX for the Colorado trip. I've never run one before but had good service from Pirelli MT21's in the past. This tire has about 1000 miles on it, and it's shot IMO. The center section of the tire is fine, but most of the side ***** have some form of noticeable deterioration and chunking. Not just 2 or 3 but most of them. I'm not impressed with this tire. I'm certainly no Marc Coma of the Dakar or anything like that, and I've never had a tire chunk this bad this quickly. I won't be trying anymore of these. I've got a nice new Kenda Parker Desert tire sitting against the wall, and it's up as soon as I have time to slap it on. I thought I'd seen some good reviews on this Scorpion, but it certainly didn't work for me. It also occasionally had some odd feedback in the rocks that didn't instill a lot of confidence. It seemed like it got kicked off line rather easily. It always came back, but it wasn't a good feeling.

 

good info thanks. try a hp4 front sometime. It's a MX tire but it's got a weird wavy pattern that rolls good on the pavement but hooks dirt good. Mine have survived loaded KLR trips ridng junk roads and iffy terrain. bought a stack and have em on 3 bikes.

 

While on the Stoney Pass road headed to the Kite Lake turnoff outside of Silverton, I had another ranger ask if I had DOT tires on the bike. It was especially weird because this is not a location that even requires a registered, street legal vehicle. He asked this from the seat of his pickup and didn't even get out to check. He was nice, but I'm not sure what the question was even about at this spot. Based on what I'm seeing more and more in recent years, I'll just stay with a DOT tire. There are some excellent ones, so it's not a handicap to run one IMO anymore. The many places I go out west apparently have some overeager LEO's, and I'd rather not have to be concerned about it.

 

don't blame you at all. I have my pre canned defense lecture about my own personal safety, and how dangerous the "legal" tires are on dirt roads...blah blah. Luckily most my buds ride even iffier bikes than mine, that takes the focus off, LOL. My stock turnsignals just cry out LEGAL ! our state you can put a plate on any bike now so there is a of confusion with the LEO's as to what is a factory DS and a converted one.

 

I didn't experience the same chunking that you found. I rode mostly hard pack & sand no sharp rocks, but it wore fast. Then I tried the pirelli mxmh 554, the medium hard compound held up better, last longer than the scorpion pro. Could be the conditions we all ride in is the factor...

 

I've been running the Scorpion XCMS and although I've only had it on for a few hundred miles, I've been pleased with performance and durability. I ride a combo of pavement, gravel road, single track. I've got an MT43 on the rear.

 

That's great, but it's a totally different tire.

 

ya, sorry. I forgot to include my disclaimer that I'm a tire noob and wasn't sure how the 2 tires compared.

 

Pirelli makes some great tires and there are quite a few. I had great wear and performance from the MT21, but this particular Scorpion didn't cut it. I'm 60 years old and don't ride like a AA enduro rider, and this tire barely lasted until the water got hot. Your Scorpion XCMS is based on the old MT44 while the Scorpion Pro is based on the old MT83. Tire construction and tread pattern are very different. It's funny, it was just the side ***** on this tire that disintegrated in Colorado. I guarantee I was nailing it hard in the upright position while climbing and descending steep, rocky sections way, way more than leaned over on the side *****, and the center ***** held up fine. I'm a front brake user even on steep, rocky terrain, and while that's hard on *****, it's usually the center ***** that take this abuse. Usually you get a little more uniform pattern when a tire starts tearing its ***** like this.

I'm looking forward to trying out the Kenda Parker DT on the front. The Parker rear held up amazingly well in Colorado's rocks and has tons of life left in it.

 

TNC - Where'd all the side ***** go??? Get hungry out on the trail?

The rock gardens out west can surely tear up a tire, but that's just unacceptable!!! My factory 605's are holding up great on this punishing terrain... no issues at all. I'm getting to the point where I'm going to have to replace them though... and I can guarantee it won't be with Scoprion Pros!