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Tourance

RJVB

RJVB

GT Reference
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
1,936
Location
Paris
A quick question...

I had the questionnable pleasure to find my Norge with a half-deflated rear tyre when intending to leave from visiting the Troffeo Rosso, last Saturday, due to what looked like a flintstone shark tooth that got lodged in a tread of my Roadsmart, smack on the centre line (i.e. where a Z6 has solid, thick rubber ...). Probably picked the stone up on the tiny country road, 1-laner with plenty of gravel in the middle :( I got the cut repaired with a tire plug and a dose of compressed snot, but as the tyre already had 12k km on it, I'm going to try to have it changed. (If I can find a respectable shop that's open in summer...)

So, as I do ride on smallish country roads quite regularly, the idea came to mind to investigate a Metzeler Tourance. I haven't yet checked if they exist in the necessary size, nor if it'd "fit" under my Skidmarx hugger, but

*) are they really better suited (more resistant) for use on roads that aren't exactly in a good state of repair?
*) how would they combine with a Roadsmart front?
 
I know now that the Michelin Pilot Road 2 is a very good tyre. I rode a few hundred km's of gravelroads in Norway (see Ride reports). OK fell once but that was in heavy rain. The sharp Norwegian gravel didn't leave even one spot of damage on them. After 6000 km's they look like new and I can hardly see a flat section in the middle from the homeward journey over the "Autobahn".
For the right size of Semi Off Road tyres, you can take a look at the Griso 8V SE. I think they are the same size front and rear as fitted on the Norge/Breva.
 
The PR2 is like the Roadsmart, and from what I read, I'd prefer the latter.

Since when does the Griso SE come with semi off-road tyres??
 
I think my question is moot anyway, I don't see the Tourance in the 180/55 17" dimensions required for the Norge. Bummer.
 
Just looked at a pic. same profile as the standard Stelvio just another frontsize. I think Pirelli. They should fit the Norge.

Look at the Guzzi website, can't get a pic posted :S
 
Ah, strange. I'll have a look, but not sure I'd be interested after what I read about longevity...

Will research a Conti Road Attack too.
 
Before I went to Norway I was thinking of semi off roads to, but I'm happy with the MPR II. The Bavarian guy I met in Norway did a lot of Off Road too on his BMW R100RT and he was really good at it. He teached me how to ride on these roads on a street bike. The most important thing is the tyresize. He had a 140 rear tyre instead of my 180. This is no option for us, but the narrower the tyre the easier it is. I saw him riding easier on the gravelroads then some of the GS-riders we met. Even they were amazed seeing this.
Seeing him riding made me smile: small guy big BMW with panniers, top-case, 2 huge tail-bags and a radio on playing Heimatsmelodie in a big cloud of dust. :laugh:
 
I'm not really sure why a narrow tyre would be better riding on gravel or even off-road (all-terrain bicycles have way larger tyres than racing bikes, so clearly there's a point where the "rule" reverses ;) ). But OTR isn't really the point for me, I stay on asphalted roads, but some are in bad shape, with lots of gravel on them. I guess one could call that adventure style riding: the riding technique isn't really different (just more careful), but the equipment may need to be adapted...
 
Narrower tyres really will do better, that's why the Stelvio NTX has a narrower rim at the rear and a KTM is way better off-road then a GS. It is just a fact that most of the modern Allroad bikes hardly ever get off road, like SUV cars, so the manufacturers fit wider tyres with an "off road" looking profile for road use.
Our bikes are doing way better on the tarmac I must admit.
 
Oh, I'm not saying wider rims are better, I just don't exactly see why narrower rims are better ... and whether or not there's a minimum...
 
Narrower tyres roll less sideways on gravel and sink al little more into softer surface giving better grip. Sure there is a limit. In really loose sand wider tyres are better for grip that's the reason why sometimes off roaders let off some pressure.

But now I have to go onroad again after 3 weeks holiday to move some milk up and down tonight. BTW tyresize of my Volvo is 295/80x22.5 Michelin XTE best for onroad use.... :p
 
Thanks, will look into that. But isn't that the sort of goo that's not too well appreciated by all tyre-changing people?

I do check for little stones and other bad surprises regularly, but after a ride. In this case, that would have been too late.
 
There are different kinds of tire goo. The stuff designed for use AFTER you get a flat (ie. Fix-@-flat) is generally not liked by tire changing people, but the flat prentative stuff is usually not hated. Just be sure to let them know it's in there BEFORE they start to work. I forgot to once and when they pulled the valve stem they were greeted with green slime spraying out of the tire.
 
I know. I forget the brand I put in, it was whitish and didn't look very gooey when it when it (more like foam). But I'm getting the tyre changed at my dealer's place, in part because he sold me the stuff himself ;)
 
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