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Metzeler Karoo 3 Experience?

rmance

rmance

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Contributor
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
118
Location
Canyon Country, California USA
I am completely DONE DONE DONE with Pirelli tires! Besides them wearing out quickly, my last front tire was badly cracked on the sidewalls. I did complain to Pirelli and they did send me a free replacement. Now this one is wearing more on the left side then the right side ... by a LOT, and there are now cracks extending from the tread pattern. It only has a couple thousand easy miles on it!

SO I am now shopping for new tires! Since I have a 2010 my rear choices are a bit limited. Does anyone have any experience with the Metzeler Karoo 3's? They do make a 170/60R17 which should mount just fine? I think they are 50/50's which is a bit much for me. I would say I would need more like 80 street/20 dirt but can't find anything in the 180 range.

Would love to hear your opinions and/or suggestions.
 
Well, Metzeler is owned by Pirelli, so caveat emptor. That said, if you do a search on the Karoo's, you'll see some fairly favorable results. Tire opinions are a slippery slope (pun intended too).
 
OH GREAT! Can you get me a deal on a set of Karoo's Todd, with mounting and balancing? The rear is still in pretty good shape that I could probably turn around a make a few bucks on.
 
rmance said:
OH GREAT! Can you get me a deal on a set of Karoo's Todd, with mounting and balancing?
Click to expand...
Buy them online and ship them to me, and I'll M&B them here for you at a great price. Tire pricing is very cut throat, so little guys like me have no chance on making anything on them.
 
I currently have the Karoo 3's on my 2012 V-Strom. They are better on the road than the original Bridgestone Trail Wing tires and absolutely great in the gravel, mud and dirt. The drawbacks are a short lifespan and noise. I am not ready to pull them off yet but at 4,000+ miles they are showing a fair amount of wear and I figure under 6,000 miles on them. At between 72 and 78 mph I think I am in a Jeep Wrangler with mudder tires. Above and below that they are fine. That could vary by bike and tire size.
I am trying a set of Avon Trailriders next as they are already in my garage. I had the Continentals and Anakee's on my BMW R1200GS and felt the Continentals were better but not impressed enough to convert back. If the Avons disappoint I may go back to the Karoo's as I am certain that on one muddy, hilly road I probably should not have been on they are what got me out. It is just looking at them makes me wonder about road traction but as I said they seem great.

P.S. I sold the BMW and bought the Suzuki. Best move I could have made.
 
Ill
abbienormal said:
I currently have the Karoo 3's on my 2012 V-Strom. They are better on the road than the original Bridgestone Trail Wing tires and absolutely great in the gravel, mud and dirt. The drawbacks are a short lifespan and noise. I am not ready to pull them off yet but at 4,000+ miles they are showing a fair amount of wear and I figure under 6,000 miles on them. At between 72 and 78 mph I think I am in a Jeep Wrangler with mudder tires. Above and below that they are fine. That could vary by bike and tire size.
I am trying a set of Avon Trailriders next as they are already in my garage. I had the Continentals and Anakee's on my BMW R1200GS and felt the Continentals were better but not impressed enough to convert back. If the Avons disappoint I may go back to the Karoo's as I am certain that on one muddy, hilly road I probably should not have been on they are what got me out. It is just looking at them makes me wonder about road traction but as I said they seem great.

P.S. I sold the BMW and bought the Suzuki. Best move I could have made.
Click to expand...
be interested in how you find the Avon Trailriders. They have a similar tread patern to the old Anakee11.
 
Well I did some more research on the Trailriders. Chaparral was having a great sale on them but for some reason the web site wouldn't allow me to add the rear tire to the cart. Front tire was no problem. SO I called Cycle Gear and although they don't carry them they can order them ... but their prices were MUCH higher! $203 vs $128 for the front alone! After some discussion with Guss at the Newhall store I got the 110/80R19 for $130.99 and the 180/55R17 for $161.99. Since I purchased them through Cycle Gear mounting & balancing will only be fifteen bucks each. I should have them today. Funny how things happen for a reason.

Will follow up with a ride report in a couple of weeks. We're taking a trip to Joshua Tree NP later this month and plan on doing some 'off the beaten path' research for some photographic opportunities.

Thank so much for all the input!
 
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