Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2
Discussion
Anyone with any experience of the Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2?? Good or bad.
Looking at new boots for the big KTM and considering these.
Usage will be about 90% road with the remaining being gravel and light trails. Nothing heavy so no need for TKC80 esque rubber.
Or any decent alternative to consider???
Cheers
Looking at new boots for the big KTM and considering these.
Usage will be about 90% road with the remaining being gravel and light trails. Nothing heavy so no need for TKC80 esque rubber.
Or any decent alternative to consider???
Cheers
I've got Conti Trail Attack 3's on my 1290 SAS. They're super, warm up really quickly, scrub in almost instantly. Loads of confidence riding quickly on the road - melted them up a bit in France last year. Local tyre place recommended them but said Conti are crap at marketing so no one really knows about them.
That said I like the Scorpion Trail 2s on all the Multi V4s I've tried… so I'd be happy with them too probably.
That said I like the Scorpion Trail 2s on all the Multi V4s I've tried… so I'd be happy with them too probably.
Thanks guys,
Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
Steve Bass said:
Thanks guys,
Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
If you haven’t already purchased then I’d wholly recommend the ST2s. They came as standard on my 1290 SA-R and are excellent. So much so that I’ll be breaking my usual Michelin habit and fitting another set of these when the time comes. Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
TT1138 said:
Steve Bass said:
Thanks guys,
Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
If you haven’t already purchased then I’d wholly recommend the ST2s. They came as standard on my 1290 SA-R and are excellent. So much so that I’ll be breaking my usual Michelin habit and fitting another set of these when the time comes. Good shout on the Conti's...
The TKC and Mitas E07 are a bit too dirt biased for my needs I suspect. I ran TKC 80's years ago on my previous 1190 and remember well the feeling on road once they'd started to square off...
The search is now between the Conti 3, the Karoo Street and the Scorpion 2's. With a $50 spread across the range I'm thinking the Conti's are the way to go...
Alex@POD said:
Just to throw it out there, I was also very impressed with the TKC70s I used to have on the bike. If you trust the tyre spec graphs on the Continental website, they were as good as the TA2s on the road, but better off road... I hear the TKC70 Rocks is pretty decent too.
This is actually a very good shout...I'm looking at the TKC 70/Rocks especially as the Scorpion STR isn't available in my size..
The PST2 were my favourite road-biased adv tyre for a long while - I think I've gone through at least 7-8 sets of them. They give brilliant feedback and allow you to push to the limit (and beyond) with confidence on the road. I've taken them across Dolomites trails and through Romanian forests and they've been fine on all the dry stuff - it was only in wet mud that they were useless - no surprise there. But on gravel/tennis ball sized rocks, it was all OK.
But I tried the Continental Trail Attack 3s (TA3) in Spain last year, and they were brilliant on the tarmac. I used them in Wales at the GS Trophy and ORS and they performed the same as the PST2 on greenlanes and in the damp. They were better than the PST2 in 3 ways, but worse in 2.
Better:
1) TA3s have a grippier compound than PST2, not much but slightly noticeable, and in the wet too.
2) TA3s last longer - this is only applicable to the V-rated tyre as the V-rated version comes with an extra 3mm (8mm) on the back tyre vs 5mm total on the Z-rated.
3) TA3s have more rigid sidewalls which allow you to run lower pressures off road.
Worse:
1) TA3s lack feel and feedback compared to the PST2. This means you have to trust the TA3 a bit more at the limit and let the compound do its thing, whereas the PST2 allows you to push harder to the limit and you can feel it breakaway gradually. (typical Pirelli really)
2) TA3s are heavier compared to the PST2, and they don't have quite the same agility side-to-side in tight/speedy manoeuvres. Their additional weight do make them feel more stable at speed however.
Most recently, I decided to re-try the Dunlop Mutants and took them on a cold and (sometimes torrential) trip down to the Ring and through the Eifel and Ardennes. I can say that the Mutants are fantastic and grippy in the wet like no other. They roll brilliantly. The very stiff sidewalls suit the heavier GS and allow you to run lower pressures - I find that you can run them upto 2psi less than normal and they feel even grippier. At full lean, the Mutants want for nothing - except they still lack feel and feedback compared to either the PST2 or TA3. The Mutants are also not lasting as long, but their grip is pretty superlative when damp. In the dry, the compound is as grippy/grippier than the TA3, but the smaller blocks introduce a tiny fraction of block movement when fully leant over in extremis. Not unnerving, but you can feel it whereas on the TA3 and PST2 it is non-existent. For gravel/offroad, the Mutant is better than either the PST2 or TA3. So apart from the mileage issue, I'll be sticking with the Mutant (for now) as an allround 85-15 tyre on the GS.
But I tried the Continental Trail Attack 3s (TA3) in Spain last year, and they were brilliant on the tarmac. I used them in Wales at the GS Trophy and ORS and they performed the same as the PST2 on greenlanes and in the damp. They were better than the PST2 in 3 ways, but worse in 2.
Better:
1) TA3s have a grippier compound than PST2, not much but slightly noticeable, and in the wet too.
2) TA3s last longer - this is only applicable to the V-rated tyre as the V-rated version comes with an extra 3mm (8mm) on the back tyre vs 5mm total on the Z-rated.
3) TA3s have more rigid sidewalls which allow you to run lower pressures off road.
Worse:
1) TA3s lack feel and feedback compared to the PST2. This means you have to trust the TA3 a bit more at the limit and let the compound do its thing, whereas the PST2 allows you to push harder to the limit and you can feel it breakaway gradually. (typical Pirelli really)
2) TA3s are heavier compared to the PST2, and they don't have quite the same agility side-to-side in tight/speedy manoeuvres. Their additional weight do make them feel more stable at speed however.
Most recently, I decided to re-try the Dunlop Mutants and took them on a cold and (sometimes torrential) trip down to the Ring and through the Eifel and Ardennes. I can say that the Mutants are fantastic and grippy in the wet like no other. They roll brilliantly. The very stiff sidewalls suit the heavier GS and allow you to run lower pressures - I find that you can run them upto 2psi less than normal and they feel even grippier. At full lean, the Mutants want for nothing - except they still lack feel and feedback compared to either the PST2 or TA3. The Mutants are also not lasting as long, but their grip is pretty superlative when damp. In the dry, the compound is as grippy/grippier than the TA3, but the smaller blocks introduce a tiny fraction of block movement when fully leant over in extremis. Not unnerving, but you can feel it whereas on the TA3 and PST2 it is non-existent. For gravel/offroad, the Mutant is better than either the PST2 or TA3. So apart from the mileage issue, I'll be sticking with the Mutant (for now) as an allround 85-15 tyre on the GS.
Edited by spareparts on Friday 9th June 09:52
spareparts said:
great stuff
Ade, that's fantastic, thanks again.So currently I'm erring more to the 60/40 split rather than 90/10 given it's Canadia and there's a LOT of gravel/muddy tracks.
So the list is currently the TKC 70/Rocks. Pirelli STR 2 (currently out of stock in my rear size) and the Dunlop Mutant (available and well priced)
I suspect the Mutant is a more 80/20 bias but that's not the end of the world. I discounted the Scorpion 2 (non STR) and TA3 as they're too much road biased for what I'm likely to ride..
Thanks all, very helpful exercise...
I’ve had the STR and it works great too. It just moves a little when leant over on tarmac, but it handles with loads of feel (typical of Pirellis) and it works well on gravel. It’s a lightish tyre too. In general, I’m a big fan of Pirellis as they make tyres that seem to emphasise feedback with slightly softer sidewalls.
Small update..
Wanted the Rally STR but advised that the 170/17 was out of stock and not expected to be available for a couple of months so....
Went for the TKC 70 Rocks rear and normal 70 front.
Currently fitting them up and using the balance beads and will report back once I've had a chance to give them a run.
Initial impressions though... easy enough to fit, carcass is not overly stiff and feels like grippy rubber on the shoulders but with a decent tread block design which should work nicely in gravel and moderate dirt.
These are replacing Shinko E705's which are ok but very budget. look ok but don't instill confidence in the corners and are a bit noisy. Don't mind Shinko's on my dirt bikes (using the 216 MX gummy on my enduro) but not too keen on a 150hp adv bike...
Hopefully I'll be finished servicing the bike this weekend (oil change, fluids, filters and pads)and will report back...
Thanks all for the responses, was very helpful
Wanted the Rally STR but advised that the 170/17 was out of stock and not expected to be available for a couple of months so....
Went for the TKC 70 Rocks rear and normal 70 front.
Currently fitting them up and using the balance beads and will report back once I've had a chance to give them a run.
Initial impressions though... easy enough to fit, carcass is not overly stiff and feels like grippy rubber on the shoulders but with a decent tread block design which should work nicely in gravel and moderate dirt.
These are replacing Shinko E705's which are ok but very budget. look ok but don't instill confidence in the corners and are a bit noisy. Don't mind Shinko's on my dirt bikes (using the 216 MX gummy on my enduro) but not too keen on a 150hp adv bike...
Hopefully I'll be finished servicing the bike this weekend (oil change, fluids, filters and pads)and will report back...
Thanks all for the responses, was very helpful
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