Welcome to the Ultimate Adventure Bike Tyre Guide. This complete resource explains everything you need to know about adventure motorcycle tyres —from tread patterns to reading markings, tubes, pressures, sizes and setups. This guide will help you choose the right tyres for your riding style and travels…
Contents
Adventure Bike Tyres Explained: How to Choose, Understand and Use Them
By Ace Carleton
Canadian adventure bike rider
What this guide covers and how to use it
Adventure bike tyres can be confusing—sizes, types, tread patterns, pressures, tubes, conversions… it’s a lot. This guide breaks it all down into manageable sections. You’ll learn how to read a tyre, understand the different types on the market, compare tubed vs tubeless setups, and get practical advice for choosing the right tyres for your adventure ride or travels.
Here’s how this guide works:
We’ll start with the easy and fun stuff – the different types of tread patterns, adventure tyres and the terrain they’re suitable for. We’ll then dig deeper into the technical side by decoding tyre sizing and anatomy so you understand what the specs mean and how they affect handling and performance. After that, we’ll explain tubed vs tubeless systems and finally cover durability, puncture repair, the essential tools you’ll want in your kit and our thoughts on popular brands.
By the end, you’ll know exactly how adventure bike tyres work and how to choose the right ones for your motorcycle, the terrain you’re riding, and trip—whether you’re on a weekend adventure ride or riding round the world.
Adv Bike Tyre Tread Patterns and Ratios
Adventure bike tread patterns and ratios explained
First, what’s an adventure bike tyre? It’s a motorcycle tyre designed to handle a mix of on-road and off-road terrain. The trick is choosing one that matches the kind of riding you want to do—whether that’s mostly tarmac, gravel trails, or technical off-road—with enough grip, durability, and confidence to suit your pace, conditions and needs.
Adventure and dual-sport (DS) motorcycle tyres are often described using percentages—such as 50% dirt and 50% road, or simply “50/50.” You might also see ratios like 90/10 (90% dirt, 10% road) or 10/90. But what do these numbers actually mean? Do they refer to the percentage of time spent on dirt, or the percentage of mileage?
In reality, most 50/50, 60/40, and 70/30 tyres perform well on tarmac, gravel, and dry hard-packed trails. Some, with softer sidewalls and compounds, also handle rocky terrain effectively.
Where many tyres begin to struggle is in sand and mud—this is where more aggressive 80/20 or 90/10 tyres excel. Many 80/20 tyres still perform acceptably on-road, while some 90/10 tyres tend to wear quickly when used extensively on pavement.
Choosing the right tyre for your ride and trip
In my opinion, it’s best to choose a tyre based on the worst terrain you expect to encounter. Almost any tyre will cruise along on tarmac without issue.
To explain, I’ll use a famous adventure route. A good example of a route that can be tackled with both 90/10 and 10/90 tyres is the Dempster Highway in Canada. It runs from Dawson City in the Yukon to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories.
The road is gravel, treated with calcium chloride—a compound that hardens the surface like concrete when dry. In dry conditions, it’s easily rideable with a street-oriented tyre (10/90). However, calcium chloride is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. When it rains, the surface transforms into a slick, slippery paste 4–6 inches thick, making it nearly impossible to ride with a street tyre. In those conditions, a full knobby tyre is strongly recommended (90/10).
My advice for anyone planning a Dempster ride is to choose tyres based on how much time they have. If you’re on a tight schedule and may have to ride through wet, muddy conditions, go with a proper knobby. If you have the flexibility to wait out the rain and ride once the road dries, a more road-focused tyre will suffice. Which tyre and ratio you choose depends on the conditions you’re potentially going to ride in.
Personal preference
Personally, I prefer tyres with tread patterns that feature biting edges perpendicular to the direction of travel. I avoid tyres with a large, solid centre strip or those with tread angles at 45 degrees—like a tractor tyre.
But what works for one rider might not work for another. You’ll hear and read a million different opinions and preferences online. Test as many tyres as you can to get a good feel for what works for you. I’ve listed my personal favourites and opinions on some of the most popular tyres on the market at the end of this article.
The Continental TKC80 and Mitas E09 and XT+ tyres are good examples of a perpendicular biting edge. I far prefer these for grip.
The Mitas E-07 or Heidenau K60 Scout are examples of tyres with angled tread patterns. They don’t work for me, but they might for you.
Adventure Bike Tyre Categories
Adventure bike tyre options
Now we have an idea of ratios, for ease, let’s split adventure bike tyres into the four categories listed below. We’ll provide example tyres to go with each category so you can get a feel for which rubber is suitable for what terrain.
- Road focused
- All-round off-road
- Aggressive off-road
- Sand and mud
Road focused adv bike tyres
With occasional light off-road use
Off-road adv bike tyres
All-round multi-purpose tyres for road and off-road
Aggressive adv bike off-road tyres
Challenging off-road terrain
Mud and sand adv bike tyres
Tyres specifically for loose terrain
Mad or Nomad’s choice
A note from Mad or Nomad: “On our round the world trip, we use Continental TKC80 tyres. We’ve used these whenever we can since leaving in 2018, and first started using them 15 years ago. Proper dual 50/50 tyres are a must. Check out our Conti TKC80 Review“
Tyre Pressures for Adventure Bikes Explained
Under pressure
The pressure written on the sidewall of the tyre is the maximum cold pressure. All tyre pressures are based on the tyres being cold. If your tyres are hot, they will often read 3–5 psi higher than their cold pressure. This is not the recommended operating pressure.
To find the best tyre pressure, start with the motorcycle manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure. Some manufacturers list one pressure for solo riding and a second for riding with a passenger or luggage—this is a good baseline.
If riding on gravel or off-road terrain, you may want to lower the pressure slightly to improve traction and allow the tyre to flex and conform to roots, rocks, holes, and other obstacles. However, if the pressure is too low, you risk a puncture from hitting a rock or kerb. You also risk the tyre spinning on the rim, which can tear the valve stem off the tube on a tube-type (TT) wheel.
To prevent valve stem damage, it’s best to position the outer valve stem nut against the valve cap, not against the rim.
So how low is too low?
This depends on several factors:
- Bike weight
- Rider weight
- Luggage weight
- Engine power
- Riding style (throttle and braking aggression)
- Speed
Example
For example, let’s use the Honda CRF300L to look at what pressures you could be running. It has a recommended tyre pressure of 22 psi front and 25 psi rear.
- A 150 lb (68kg) beginner riding slowly on trails may be fine at 10 psi front and rear.
- At intermediate speeds with aggressive braking, 10 psi may not hold the tyres on the rims without rim locks.
- A 200 lb (90kg) rider would be safer at 15 psi, which is unlikely to cause damage from roots, rocks, or kerbs at a novice pace.
- At intermediate pace, with good technique, 15 psi should still be safe.
- 18 psi and above is generally safe for all riders at all speeds off-road.
On pavement, you need higher pressures to keep the tyre seated on the rim without rim locks. Emergency braking at low pressure can cause the tyre to spin on the rim, tearing the valve stem. A pressure of 20 psi front and rear is generally safe for both pavement and off-road use.
Lower pressures will always run hotter on pavement, causing faster tyre wear. But too much pressure can wear out the centre of the tyre prematurely, before the rest of the tread.
Note, big adventure bikes with tubeless wheels need much higher pressures to keep the tyre seated on the wider wheel and to not damage the rim.
Recommendation
Experiment with tyre pressure by adjusting in 2–3 psi increments. This will help you find what feels best and suits your riding style. Keep in mind that switching to a stiffer or softer tyre will significantly change how your bike feels at your preferred pressure.
Tyre Sizing Explained and How to Read a Tyre
Tyre sizes
Printed on the side of every motorcycle tyre is the size, load rating and speed rating. Normally, this is written like this: 90/90-21 54Q
- In this example the 90 is the tyre’s width in millimetres.
- The second 90 is the tyre side wall height as a percentage of the width. So, 90% of 90mm =81mm.
- The third number is the rim diameter in inches. In this example, that’s 21 inches.
- The fourth number is the load index if the tyre is run at its maximum rated inflation pressure. In this example 54, which equals 212kg.
- The letter is the speed rating, in this example Q= 99mph.
Rim sizes
Stamped into the side of every motorcycle rim are the diameter and the width (in inches).
- Most small dual-sport bikes come with 21×1.6 front rims and 18×2.15 rear rims. Most large adventure motorcycles come with much wider rims.
- In the example of a 90/90-21 54Q tire, the total height of the tyre can be calculated by taking the width of 90 mm and multiplying it by the 90% aspect ratio to get 81 mm.
- Multiply this 81 mm by 2 (since there’s 81 mm of tyre above and below the rim), which gives 162 mm.
- Add the rim height: converting 21 inches to millimetres gives 533.4 mm. So, 533.4 + 162 = 695.4 mm.
- The total tyre height would be 695.4 mm.
Speed and load
When choosing a tyre for your motorcycle, it’s best to select one with a speed rating equal to or greater than the speed at which you typically travel. It’s also advisable to choose a tyre with a load rating higher than the total weight of you, your motorcycle, and all your gear.
Remember, your motorcycle has two tyres that share the overall load. Typically, the rear tyre carries around 60% of the weight, while the front handles approximately 40%.
Speed Rating Code – Maximum Speed
- F – Up to 50 mph (80 km/h)
- J – Up to 62 mph (100 km/h)
- K – Up to 68 mph (109 km/h)
- L – Up to 75 mph (121 km/h)
- M – Up to 81 mph (130 km/h)
- N – Up to 87 mph (140 km/h)
- P – Up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
- Q – Up to 99 mph (159 km/h)
- R – Up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
- S – Up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
- T – Up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
- U – Up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
- H – Up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
- V – Up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
- Z – Over 149 mph (240+ km/h) (used historically; now often paired with W or Y)
- W – Up to 168 mph (270 km/h)
- (W) – Over 168 mph (270+ km/h) (used with ZR-rated tyres for ultra-high speed)
- Y – Up to 186 mph (299 km/h)
- (Y) – Over 186 mph (rare, for extreme performance tyres)
Load Index – Weight Limit (kg) – Weight Limit (lbs)
- 21 – 82.5 kg – 182 lbs
- 22 – 85 kg – 187 lbs
- 23 – 87.5 kg – 193 lbs
- 24 – 90 kg – 198 lbs
- 25 – 92.5 kg – 204 lbs
- 26 – 95 kg – 209 lbs
- 27 – 97.5 kg – 215 lbs
- 28 – 100 kg – 220 lbs
- 29 – 103 kg – 227 lbs
- 30 – 106 kg – 234 lbs
- 31 – 109 kg – 240 lbs
- 32 – 112 kg – 247 lbs
- 33 – 115 kg – 254 lbs
- 34 – 118 kg – 260 lbs
- 35 – 121 kg – 267 lbs
- 36 – 125 kg – 276 lbs
- 37 – 128 kg – 282 lbs
- 38 – 132 kg – 291 lbs
- 39 – 136 kg – 300 lbs
- 40 – 140 kg – 309 lbs
- 41 – 145 kg – 320 lbs
- 42 – 150 kg – 331 lbs
- 43 – 155 kg – 342 lbs
- 44 – 160 kg – 353 lbs
- 45 – 165 kg – 364 lbs
- 46 – 170 kg – 375 lbs
- 47 – 175 kg – 386 lbs
- 48 – 180 kg – 397 lbs
- 49 – 185 kg – 408 lbs
- 50 – 190 kg – 419 lbs
- 51 – 195 kg – 430 lbs
- 52 – 200 kg – 441 lbs
- 53 – 206 kg – 454 lbs
- 54 – 212 kg – 467 lbs
- 55 – 218 kg – 481 lbs
- 56 – 224 kg – 494 lbs
- 57 – 230 kg – 507 lbs
- 58 – 236 kg – 520 lbs
- 59 – 243 kg – 536 lbs
- 60 – 250 kg – 551 lbs
- 61 – 257 kg – 567 lbs
- 62 – 265 kg – 584 lbs
- 63 – 272 kg – 600 lbs
- 64 – 280 kg – 617 lbs
- 65 – 290 kg – 639 lbs
- 66 – 300 kg – 661 lbs
- 67 – 307 kg – 677 lbs
- 68 – 315 kg – 694 lbs
- 69 – 325 kg – 716 lbs
- 70 – 335 kg – 736 lbs
- 71 – 345 kg – 761 lbs
- 72 – 355 kg – 783 lbs
- 73 – 365 kg – 805 lbs
- 74 – 375 kg – 827 lbs
- 75 – 387 kg – 853 lbs
- 76 – 400 kg – 882 lbs
- 77 – 412 kg – 908 lbs
- 78 – 425 kg – 937 lbs
- 79 – 437 kg – 963 lbs
How Tyre Size and Construction Affect Handling
Narrow vs wide
Narrow tyres turn in more quickly, while wider tyres tend to tip in or turn more slowly. Wider tyres can offer slightly better straight-line stability, whereas narrow tyres can make a motorcycle feel much more nimble.
In mud, narrower tyres often cut through more effectively, finding traction at the bottom. In sand, wider tyres help to float the motorcycle on top of the surface.
Some tyres are significantly heavier than others. This can create the illusion of increased traction, but in reality, the heavier tyre is robbing power and making it harder for the motorcycle to spin. This is particularly relevant for small-capacity, low-powered dual-sport and adventure bikes.
Tall vs short tyres
Taller tyres roll over obstacles like kerbs and roots more easily. If you could fit monster truck tyres to your motorcycle, you’d be able to roll over cars with ease. However, it’s not as simple as “bigger and taller is better.” Taller tyres tend to be heavier, and they will definitely affect the bike’s geometry, handling, and overall gearing.
Most front tyres are roughly the same height, and you likely won’t notice a dramatic difference unless you change wheel sizes. A shorter, smaller front wheel will turn more quickly—not just because of its reduced diameter, but also because it lowers the front end and alters the bike’s head angle.
Rear tyres, on the other hand, come in significantly different sizes. Take, for example, a bike with an 18-inch rear wheel. Check the drop down below to see how the tyre sizes range in height.
- 3.50-18 – 25 inches tall
- 4.10-18 – 25 inches tall
- 110/80-18 – 25 inches tall
- 120/80-18 – 25.5 inches tall
- 100/100-18 – 26 inches tall
- 110/90-18 – 26 inches tall
- 4.60-18 – 26 inches tall
- 130/80-18 – 26.5 inches tall
- 110/100-18 – 26.6 inches tall
- 120/90-18 – 27 inches tall
- 140/80-18 – 27 inches tall
- 4.50-18 – 27 inches tall
- 5.10-18 – 27 inches tall
- 130/90-18 – 27.5 inches tall
- 120/100-18 – 27.5 inches tall
- 5.30-18 – 28 inches tall
Shorter tyres – Shorter tyres have the added bonus of allowing shorter riders to touch the ground more easily. They also tend to be lighter—and lighter tyres stop, accelerate, and turn more quickly. A tyre that is shorter than stock will lower the rear of the bike relative to the front. This slackens the head angle slightly, making the bike more stable at speed.
Taller tyres – A taller rear tyre will raise the rear of the bike significantly, steepening the head angle and making the bike turn more quickly. A bike with a tall rear tyre may feel as though it has more weight on the front wheel, as the chassis has been tipped forward.
Rear tyre on gearing – The rear tyre can effect overall gearing. A larger and taller tyre makes the final gearing steeper, robbing torque and reducing engine braking. This can be corrected by adjusting the sprockets. A great resource to see the effects of tyre size on your bike is gearingcommander.com
Sidewall height (the forgotten variable)
Rear rims typically come in 17, 18, or 19 inches, yet overall tyre heights remain largely consistent—usually between 25 and 28 inches, regardless of rim size. So why use different rim sizes? It comes down to sidewall height: the height of the tyre excluding the rim.
For example, a 26-inch tall tyre on a 19-inch rim will have a sidewall height of 3.5 inches on both the top and bottom. The same 26-inch tall tyre on a 17-inch rim will have a sidewall height of 4.5 inches top and bottom.
The less sidewall you have, the greater the risk of the rim striking rocks, roots, or kerbs—but the tyre will respond more sharply during acceleration, braking, and cornering. The more sidewall you have, the more comfortable the ride will be over bumps, rocks, and obstacles, as the tyre can flex and absorb impacts more effectively.
This is why many adventure bikes use 17-inch rear wheels, while dirt bikes designed for track use favour 19-inch rims. The compromise between comfort and performance is the 18-inch rear wheel commonly found on trail bikes and enduros.
However, with the wide range of 18-inch tyre sizes available, you can tailor your setup: opt for a taller tyre to gain the cushioning of a larger sidewall, or choose a shorter tyre for the sharper handling characteristics of a dirt bike.
Stiff (tubeless TL) vs soft (tube type TT) tyres
This section refers to the tyre carcass—not the rubber compound used in the tread. Adventure bike tyres will often have stamped on the sidewall whether they are “Tubeless” or “Tube Type”.
Modern large adventure bikes are heavy, and they often use extremely stiff tyres to protect the rims from impacts with potholes, rocks, and kerbs. Tubeless tyres are always stiffer than tube-type tyres. Stiff tyres can be a real challenge to mount and dismount; if you’re running tubes inside them, they can be especially frustrating to remove when patching a puncture.
One advantage of a stiff tyre is that it can sometimes be ridden at 0 psi—completely flat—at low speeds, allowing you to limp to the next town or back home for a proper repair using workshop tools.
Smaller, lighter dual-sport (DS) bikes often benefit from much softer, lighter tyres. A soft carcass tyre is far easier to mount and dismount, making trailside repairs more manageable. In my experience, Kenda tyres have the softest carcass—often so pliable they can be pushed onto the rim with minimal effort, barely requiring tyre levers.
Soft tyres also conform better to roots and rocks, absorbing impacts rather than deflecting off them. However, if a soft tyre goes flat, it’s more likely to come off the bead if you attempt to ride it home.
In general, it’s best to keep DS tyres on your dual-sport and adventure tyres on your adventure bike. I’ve tried running adventure tyres on my DS, and the extra stiffness just didn’t suit me.
Tube vs Tubeless: What Adventure Riders Need to Know
Tube vs tubeless
As mentioned in the previous section, motorcycle tyres come in two main types: tubed and tubeless.
A tubed tyre has a separate inner tube inserted between the tyre and the rim. This tube holds the air and is inflated independently of the tyre casing.
A tubeless tyre holds air directly within the tyre itself, using an airtight seal between the tyre bead and the rim—no inner tube is required.
Most dual-sport bikes come with spoked wheels, which typically require tubed tyres, as traditional spoked rims aren’t airtight. Many larger adventure bikes, especially those with cast or sealed spoked wheels, come equipped with tubeless tyres.
Tubeless tyres are generally reinforced and stiffer, which helps protect rims from impacts with rocks, potholes, or kerbs. This stiffness also makes them harder to mount and dismount—especially if you’re running a tube inside a tubeless tyre on a lightweight bike. While it’s perfectly acceptable to run a tube inside a tubeless tyre, the added stiffness can make trailside repairs more difficult.
Tubeless and punctures
Tubeless tyres offer several advantages when it comes to roadside puncture repair, but they also come with specific limitations.
One of the biggest benefits is the ability to perform quick repairs without removing the wheel or tyre. Small punctures can often be sealed using bacon strips (plug-style patches), making tyre levers and bead breakers unnecessary in many cases. Simply plug the hole, inflate the tyre, and you’re back on the road. If the tyre or rim is damaged beyond a simple plug, tubeless setups can often be converted to run with a tube as a backup solution.
However, tubeless systems aren’t foolproof. Large punctures or gashes may require removing the tyre and patching it from the inside using an automotive-style plug or patch. If that fails, some riders resort to placing duct tape on the inside of the tyre and installing a tube as a temporary fix to get home. Sidewall damage, on the other hand, is generally unrepairable—requiring either a full tyre replacement or fitting a tube to limp back to civilisation.
Running low pressure off-road introduces additional risks. On rocky terrain, the bead can unseat, causing sudden air loss or rim damage. Since tubeless setups rely on a perfect bead seal, rim integrity is very important. A dented or cracked rim may prevent the tyre from holding air. If that happens, you might need to hammer the rim back into shape or install a tube to bypass the bead seal entirely.
Tubed and punctures
Tubed tyres have the drawback of requiring the wheel to be removed from the motorcycle for repair. However, tubes are cheap, simple, and highly versatile. Tubes can be patched or replaced multiple times, and you can continue riding even if the tyre itself has dozens of punctures—provided the tube is intact and the sharp objects (thorns, cactus spikes, nails, screws) have been removed from the tyre casing before installing a new tube.
In my opinion, every traveller should carry spare tubes, whether their bike runs tubed or tubeless wheels. Tubes are a reliable backup in remote areas and can be used to convert a damaged tubeless setup into a rideable one.
Should you use tubed or tubeless? just run whatever your bike came with from the factory. Don’t stress it.
My preference
My personal favourite is regular tubes. They work. You can run them at low pressure with rim locks, or at standard pressures without locks. Patching a tube is straightforward, and installing a replacement is also easy.
Tube-type tyres are often lighter, with a softer, more pliable carcass—offering better performance and comfort. You don’t need to patch the tyre itself after a puncture. Just remove the nail you rode over, replace the tube, and you’re on your way.
Tubed tyres are a great option for motorcycle travellers and those on lightweight adventure bikes.
Tubeless conversions and alternatives
There are retrofit and DIY kits available to convert tubed rims to tubeless. This process typically involves sealing the spoke holes and using a slime-style sealant to maintain an airtight system.
Tubliss
One popular option is Tubliss, a small red high-pressure inner tube that seals the tyre onto the rim and also seals the spokes. It creates a second air chamber between the tyre and the red tube.
Tubliss must be perfectly installed to function correctly. You’ll need to carry a high-pressure pump (100 psi) to maintain the red tube’s pressure, which should be checked daily. If the system fails, it’s often best to have a regular tube on hand as a backup to get you home. The key benefit of Tubliss is that the second, low-pressure zone that inflates the tyre can be run at ultra-low pressures—even near zero psi—without the tyre unseating from the rim, thanks to the red high-pressure tube holding the bead in place.
Mousse
Another alternative is mousse inserts—foam rings that replace the inner tube entirely. They come in different densities to simulate the feel of running at 5, 10, or 15 psi. Riders can customise them by cutting donut-shaped inserts and adding extra mousse balls to firm up a soft or worn mousse. While mousses don’t hold up well to extended highway use, they offer the major advantage of never going flat and never failing until they’re fully worn out. They’re most commonly used by desert riders or those tackling rugged, rocky off-road terrain.
Choosing tubes: street, heavy duty and ultra heavy duty
The internet loves to tell every motorcyclist they need HD or UHD tubes in their bike. In fact, most of my local shops don’t even stock standard street tubes anymore. But I only use standard street tubes now.
So what’s the big deal?
- Standard tubes are 1–2 mm thick. They’re lightweight and pack easily into your luggage.
- Heavy-duty (HD) tubes are 3–4 mm thick. They’re much heavier and bulkier to carry.
- Ultra heavy-duty (UHD) tubes are 4–6 mm thick—and now you’ve got no room left for your shoes.
The theory is that thicker sidewalls resist pinch flats and damage from tyre levers better than thinner ones. And that’s partially true. In my experience, if you’re careful with your spoons when mounting a tyre, and you’re not doing extreme enduro at pressures below 15 psi, you won’t pinch flat any tube.
Regular street tubes also have the benefit of running much cooler on the highway, which can significantly improve tyre life during long stretches of pavement. They’re also much lighter. Less rotational mass means the motorcycle accelerates, decelerates, and turns faster. It frees up horsepower and improves fuel economy.
Tyre Repairs and Maintenance in the Field
Durability
Durability varies depending on how aggressive you are with the throttle and brakes, and how much horsepower your bike produces. Running tyres at low or ultra-low pressure will reduce their lifespan because it increases heat—and heat is the enemy of tyre longevity.
High speeds and long days on pavement also shorten tyre life, as they generate more heat within the carcass. Even heavy-duty (HD) tubes contribute to increased heat and accelerated tyre wear.
I used to be able to stretch most tyres to nearly 10,000 km, but as I’ve become more aggressive with my riding, I’m now wearing out rear tyres in 6,000 km. Some riders can get 20,000 km out of a set, while others might only manage half that on the exact same rubber. It’s entirely dependent on your riding style, terrain, and the tyre construction.
Tyre tools
When you’re dealing with adventure bike tyres, especially out in the field, you need tools that actually work—not just look good in a kit. Tyre irons are essential; go for two or three with good leverage and rounded edges so you don’t pinch the tube.
A bead breaker helps with stubborn tyres, although you can use your sidestand or a clamp-style tool to pop the bead. This is where going for softer rubber helps as with a soft tyre you can push down or stand on it to break the bead. Rim protectors are optional but useful if you care about scratching your rims.
You’ll need a valve core remover, a reliable pressure gauge, and something to inflate the tyre—either a compact compressor, hand pump, or CO₂ cartridges as backup.
For tubed tyres, always carry spare tubes, a patch kit, and tyre lube (a small container of dish soap that you can dilute works well). For tubeless setups, a plug kit with rubber worms and a reamer is a must.
Don’t forget you’ll need axle tools and spanners or sockets that fit your bike to remove the wheels. And a small torque wrench or digital torque adapter if you want to get everything to spec. If you don’t have a centre-stand, you can use a trail jack, or simply lay your bike on the ground. The goal is to be able to fix a flat anywhere, without relying on luck or a lift.
I recommend practicing changing your tyre and tubes in the comfort of your own home, driveway or garage before you head out. That way you know exactly what you do and don’t need and will know what to do should you get a flat on the road.
Here’s a few more articles on Mad or Nomad that’ll help with selecting tools, building your tool kit and field repairs.
My Adventure Bike Tyre Recommendations and Opinions
Favourite tyres are always bike-specific, and as mentioned earlier on in this guide – tyre choices are subjective. What one rider loves another might not get on with. It’s about finding what works for you. But it can be tricky knowing where to start, so here’s my thoughts on some of the top brands and what works for me.
For small-capacity, low-horsepower dual-sports, I prefer short, skinny, lightweight tyres. The Kenda K270 is excellent for 50/50 riding. It can feel a bit squirmy on pavement when pushed hard, as the tread blocks are small and not linked. Generally, I’ll pick a Kenda. They have soft sidewalls that make mounting easy, and they flex and conform well to rocks and roots.
The Dunlop D605 is also a 50/50 tyre. It doesn’t last long, but it has a very rounded profile and tips into corners beautifully on tarmac. It feels almost like a sportbike tyre on pavement, with excellent grip—and it’s surprisingly capable off-road too.
The Kenda K257D is available in a 4.10-18 size and is great for shorter riders wanting a solid trail tyre. The knob depth isn’t very deep, which makes it decent on pavement as well. It won’t last as long as the K270, but it’s a popular pairing to run the K257D front with the K270 rear.
For mud and sand, the Kenda K760 and Dunlop D952 are fantastic budget options. I still managed 5,000 km out of a rear 110/90-18 D952 with 50/50 pavement use.
The Dunlop D606 is a very popular tyre, but I’ve stopped using the rear—it’s too big and heavy for smaller bikes. I prefer the 120/90-18 size on 450cc enduro bikes.
The Mitas E09/XT+ can be a good choice for long-distance use on smaller bikes, especially in the 110/80-18 size. On a small, low-horsepower bike, you can get up to 10,000 km out of a rear.
The Mitas XT+ front has deep tread, but the knobs can move around at speed, giving the front end a vague or wobbly feeling above 65 mph.
I don’t recommend the Shinko 244, as the speed rating is very low on certain sizes. The Shinko 700 has a 45-degree tread pattern—it looks cool but offers worse traction and less mileage than the K270 or Dunlop D605.
All the Tusk tyres use super-hard rubber and have very stiff sidewalls. I generally don’t recommend them—they’re heavier and taller than comparable tyres from other brands, and the stiff rubber doesn’t grip as well as softer compounds.
Tyres like the Bridgestone AX41 and Dunlop Trailmax Raid are excellent on pavement for big bikes. They have short tread depth and feel very planted at speed. However, they don’t last long due to their soft rubber.
Motoz adventure tyres are very aggressive, with super-deep tread. They can feel uncomfortable at highway speeds on pavement because the knobs move around. That said, they’re excellent off-road, and the deep tread lasts a long time.
I should mention that I get a lot of my tyres off Facebook Marketplace, as many riders are convinced the OEM tyres aren’t good. The Kawasaki KLX300 comes with the Dunlop D605, the DR-Z400 comes with the TW42, and the CRF300L comes with IRC tyres. I often find used take-offs for less than half the price of new tyres. These are great for pavement, trails, and backcountry discovery routes.
Mismatching tyres is perfectly fine. I prefer a more aggressive tyre on the front, as I’m happy to let the rear slide in the dirt. When running dirtbike tyres on the street, I usually test a rear first—it’s more forgiving if it washes out in a corner due to knob movement. I’d rather lose traction at the rear than the front.
These are the tyres that work and don’t work for my riding style. Let us know in the comments which tyres you swear by, which ones you avoid, or if you’ve got questions about setups, terrain, or pressure. We’d love to hear from you. Good luck choosing your adventure bike tyres—and enjoy the ride.
Ace
About the author
Ace Carleton
Ace is an adventure motorcycle rider from British Colombia, Canada. He’s well known in the dual sport world for his knowledge on all things dirt bike and mechanics.
He has a passion for all things mechanical and has experience building race cars for rally, drift, autocross and drag racing applications. He’s always willing to lend a hand or a bit of advice to help fellow motorcycle travellers.
Get in touch with him via email or Facebook here.
- Facebook: Ace Carleton
- Email: theacecarleton@gmail.com
Read more on motorcycle preparation
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Are you choosing a new adventure bike tyre? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
First to comment! 😀
Great article, information and adventure biking resource for all of us!!!! Thanks team
Jeremy