Best Motorcycle Adventure Tires for Overlanding
Review: Adventure & dual sport tires for motorcycle travel
What are the best motorcycle adventure tires for overlanding? This question has been asked and answered countless times on many motorcycle forums. While there is probably no definitive response as tire choice is often a personal preference, we wanted to share our opinion on different adventure & dual sport tires we used during our travels.
We usually go for 50% on-road – 50% off-road tires, as they offer a good compromise for long-distance adventure riders. Occasionally, we also used more aggressive tires, especially when we knew the journey ahead would be mostly on dirt roads.
As for the tire size, for our Suzuki DR650s, we use 90/90-21 for the front, and 120/90-17 or 130/90-17 for the rear. With the Honda CRF250L, the front size is the same, while the rear is 120/90-18 or 120/80-18.
Below you will find a list of all the adventure and dual sport tires we used during our travels accompanied by a short review and rankings.
Our favorite setup is currently AX41 for the front and Motoz GPS for the rear.
Front Adventure Tires
Below is a list of all the front adventure and dual sport tires we tested during our travels, and a short review of them. Most of them were 90/90 21-inch tires mounted on our Suzuki DR650s. Our top pick is Battlax Adventurecross AX41 from Bridgestone. Which front tire for motorcycle travel one is your favorite?
TKC80 - Continental
We had it on one of our DR650s on the route from Tasmania to Cape York in Australia’s far north. This is a robust 50/50 tire with good off-road control and solid grip on winding paved roads. We put it to some serious work during our trip to Cape York and it demonstrated good durability and longevity.
- Off-road ★★★★☆
Offers good off-road capabilities for control and traction on challenging terrains. - On-road ★★★★☆
Provides reliable grip on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★★☆
Known for longevity and durability.
Verdict
A great 50/50 choice, although AX48 Adventure Cross has a slight edge in all categories.
Anakee Wild - Michelin
This tire lasted a journey over half of Australia, from Cape York to Adelaide. During that time, we rode on varied terrains from loose sandy surfaces, through corrugated gravel roads and paved roads. While Anakee Wild showed decent performance on harder terrains, we felt it struggled with sandy and muddy conditions (so not a great choice for the Outback). Having this tire for almost half of our trip around Australia spoiled some of the riding experience, especially when the terrain became loose. While one of us had this tire on, the other had the Motoz Rallyz, and the Anakee Wild on the front was losing traction off-road more often.
- Off-road ★★☆☆☆
Poor grip on loose surfaces, decent on hard terrain. - On-road ★★★☆☆
Average performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★★☆
Offers good longevity, lasting for 18,000 km.
Verdict
Poor traction on sandy and loose terrain, so not a great choice for Australia.
Tractionator RallZ - Motoz
This is a rather aggressive tire, with intended 20% road and 80% off-road use. We tested it across different terrains from The Victorian High Country to the Western Australia Outback, and they delivered. With their superior traction, RallZ tires excel in off-road conditions. Its performance on paved roads was also commendable, although its longevity was a concern.
- Off-road ★★★★★
Excels in off-road conditions, offering excellent traction. - On-Road ★★★☆☆
Fine on paved roads, but a bit noisy and bumpy. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
Short longevity of about 8,000 to 9,000 km.
Verdict
Highly recommended if you plan to do more than 50% off-road.
D606 - Dunlop
Another very aggressive tire almost exclusively for off-road use. This tire is extremely popular in Australia due to its low price and amazing performance, especially on loose surfaces like sand and bulldust. It wouldn’t be our first choice for long-term adventure travel though, as they are not great for riding on long strches of pavement on higher speeds.
- Off-road ★★★★★
Provides outstanding off-road grip, especially in sandy conditions. - On-Road ★★☆☆☆
Offers an ok performance on paved roads if not going too fast. - Longevity ★★☆☆☆
About 9000 km.
Verdict
Not ideal for highway use due to noise and bumpiness. If you are going through a sandy desert and do not plan to ride more than 10% on pavement, this is the tire to choose.
AX41 Adventure Cross - Bridgestone
From the South Australia Outback and Victorian High Country to the wild north of Hokkaido, Japan, the AX48 Adventure Cross front tire showcased remarkable versatility. It provided excellent traction in off-road conditions and exceptional performance on paved roads, even in wet conditions.
- Off-road ★★★★☆
Excels in off-road conditions, providing excellent traction. - On-Road ★★★★★
Performs exceptionally well on paved roads, even in wet conditions. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
About 10,000-14,000 km, depending on usage.
Verdict
This is our favorite tire, offering amazing versatility for a 50/50 trip.
Rear Adventure Tires
Below is a list of all the rear adventure and dual sport tires we tested during our travels, and a short review of them. Most of them were 130/80 17-inch tires mounted on our Suzuki DR650s. Our top pick is Tractionator GPS from Motoz. Which rear tire for motorcycle travel is your favorite?
Anakee Wild - Michelin
We used this tire between New South Wales and Cape York. It provided good grip on pavement as well as off-road, even in loose surface conditions. The rear version of the Anakee Wild felt much better and more stable than the front (which we really don’t like). However, a big downside of the rear Anakee Wild is that this tire is VERY stiff. It’s really hard to get off the rim without proper tools.
- Off-road ★★★★☆
Provides reliable off-road traction. - On-Road ★★★★☆
Offers solid performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
Can do around 10,000 to 12,000 km.
Verdict
Not our first choice, but if Motoz GPS are not available, this is a good alternative.
Tractionator GPS - Motoz
Tested all over Australia, the Tractionator GPS handled all kinds of terrain without issues. With excellent off-road traction and reliable on-road performance, this tire stands out for its impressive longevity, making it our favorite for long-distance motorcycle travel. This tire is also reversible which means you can either mount it as a 50-50 tire or mostly off-road.
- Off-road ★★★★☆
Excellent off-road traction. - On-road ★★★★☆
Reliable performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★★★
Impressive longevity with a lifespan of 15,000 km.
Verdict
This is our favorite 50-50 tire, highly recommended for its versatility and AMAZING longevity. They can be tricky to get however outside of Australia.
Tractionator Adventure - Motoz
A more aggressive tire option from Motoz Tractionator Adventure is advertised as 75 off-road, and 25 on-road tires. We had it on the back of our DR650 in the north of Australia and it displayed impressive off-road capabilities on all kinds of terrains – from sand, and gravel to rocky river crossings. Reliable, but a bit noisy on paved roads. A rather moderate lifespan.
- Off-road ★★★★★
Provides impressive off-road capabilities for all-terrain adventures. - On-Road ★★★☆☆
Delivers a reliable performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
Offers a moderate lifespan ranging from 8,000 to 9,000 km.
Verdict
Suitable for those planning to do more than 50% off-road.
K60 Scout - Heidenau
These tires can have different threads depending on the wheel size. For the DR650 it’s the 130-80/17 type, and we felt it wasn’t performing as well as the larger sizes that we had on our old Honda HRV750. The tire struggled on loose surfaces and while it performed reasonably well on paved roads, the lack of the center strip on this particular size significantly reduced the tire’s longevity.
- Off-road ★★☆☆☆
Poor grip on loose surfaces. - On-road ★★★☆☆
Reasonable performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
Lasts only about 8,000 km for the 130/80 size.
Verdict
We would avoid this tire for sizes 130/80 and below. The Motoz GPS seems like a better choice in terms of traction and longevity for a lower price.
E805 - Shinko
We got one of these tires in Darwin, as the local mechanic had no other options in stock. It survived the challenging conditions of the Outback and provided good off-road traction and solid performance on paved roads. The biggest drawback is its short longevity of about 7,000km. But they are very cheap!
- Off-road ★★★☆☆
Reliable off-road traction. - On-Road ★★★☆☆
Average performance on paved roads. - Longevity ★★☆☆☆
Unfortunately, it doesn’t last as long, with a lifespan of around 7,000 km.
Verdict
Suitable for those on a budget, but they have poor longevity.
AX41 Adventure Cross - Bridgestone
We had this tire on both DR650 and CRF250L and were impressed with its versatility. They have great traction off-road and are a joy to ride on twisty paved roads, even in wet conditions. Their biggest drawback is a rather moderate longevity of around 8,500 km.
- Off-road ★★★★☆
Excels in off-road conditions, offering outstanding traction. - On-road ★★★★★
Delivers a fantastic performance on paved roads, even in wet conditions. - Longevity ★★★☆☆
Offers moderate longevity with durability of approximately 8,500 km.
Verdict
Highly versatile tires, although they have poor longevity. Recommended for trips less than 8,000 km.
Ranking: Tires for motorcycle travel
Overall performance
| Front Tires | Rating | Rear Tires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| AX48 Adventure Cross | 4/5 | MOTOZ GPS | 4/5 |
| TKC 80 | 4/5 | AX48 Adventure Cross | 4/5 |
| Motoz Rallyz | 3.7/5 | Anakee Wild | 3.3/5 |
| Anakee Wild | 3/5 | MOTOZ Adventure | 3.3/5 |
| D606 | 3/5 | D606 | 3/5 |
| Shinko E805 | 2.7/5 |
On-road performance
| Front Tires | Rating | Rear Tires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| AX48 Adventure Cross | 5 | AX48 Adventure Cross | 5 |
| TKC 80 | 4 | MOTOZ GPS | 4 |
| Motoz Rallyz | 3 | Anakee Wild | 4 |
| Anakee Wild | 3 | MOTOZ Adventure | 3 |
| D606 | 2 | Shinko E805 | 3 |
| D606 | 2 |
Off-road performance
| Front Tire | Rating | Rear Tires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motoz Rallyz | 5 | D606 | 5 |
| D606 | 5 | MOTOZ Adventure | 5 |
| AX48 Adventure Cross | 4 | AX48 Adventure Cross | 4 |
| TKC 80 | 4 | MOTOZ GPS | 4 |
| Anakee Wild | 2 | Anakee Wild | 4 |
| Shinko E805 | 3 |
Longevity
| Front Tires | Rating | Rear Tires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anakee Wild | 4 | MOTOZ GPS | 5 |
| TKC 80 | 4 | Anakee Wild | 3 |
| AX48 Adventure Cross | 3 | AX48 Adventure Cross | 3 |
| Motoz Rallyz | 3 | MOTOZ Adventure | 3 |
| D606 | 2 | Shinko E805 | 2 |
| D606 | 2 |