Wilsons Sandbox

One of the tires on the top of my short list for riding Baja roads'trails this summer is Maxxis 6001's. The tire sizes on their page don't directly correspond to the KLR sizes. http://www.maxxistires.com/moto/offroad/m6001.html For the front they list both 3.00x21 & 3.25x21, can I use the 3.25 tire? Anyone have experience doing this? If so, that would make a big difference to the KLR in soft terrain. Also, the only rear 17" is a 5.30x17, does this correspond the the stock size? I'm sure I've seen this tire on the rear of a KLR so it must be. Am I right or wrong? Thanks! Karl

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "wilkins5773" wrote:

> > Anybody have experience with Maxxis C6006 tires. Dennis Kirk has > them for $52 front and $62 rear. My stock rear is slick in the > center at 3700 mi. > > Steve

They are generally good dual sport tires; however, after running probably five sets of them and then two sets of Metzeler Karoos, I'd have to say I prefer the Karoos. Not everyone would feel the same way. Karoos make more noise, but have very impressive traction on pavement or any kind of dirt (you particularly notice this in sand). Maxxis are less grippy in sand or most any type of dirt. Maybe a little better on twisty pavement than the Karoos, but certainly not a whole lot different. Karoos have a super stiff carcass, upon which you may ride a long distance without any air in the event of a flat tire; can't do that with the flimsy sidewall of the Maxxis. Karoos didn't cup much on my KLRs, but the Maxxis's really did. Maxxis rear will wear fast and get bald in the center; Karoo, if driven at somewhat less than full bore, will last a long long time. Karoos are cheaper by a couple of dollars. I go with the Karoos, probably will put them on my DR and also on my KTM 950, when either one needs new skins. I like them. Especially the run- flat capability. Some people won't care for the noise. I just turn my hearing aid down, and everything is groovy again.

Steve I have a set of C6006 Maxxis mounted on my KLR but don't have enough miles on them for a good analysis. I primarily a sport bike rider today. Used to ride off road Enduros competitively but to old for that rough stuff now. I do however still remember how to ride the dirt. So far the Maxxis have performed well off road (mostly National Forest two tracks and some very rough trails) They grip well on the rocks here in the mountains but don't work very well in the mud. They are not full knobbies and you can tell. They do work quite well on the road. I can run the KLR basically wide open in the twisties. When riding aggressively on the road the rear tire sort of feels like it's rolling out from under you. It's alarming at first but once you make a few turns and get used to it they seem to grip quite well. My riding buddy has the Karros on his DR and likes them so I think I will try them when the Maxxis tires wear out. Good report from Wilkins5773 below. Doug in NC ---------- At 01:15 AM 11/17/04, you wrote:

> Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 06:13:22 -0000 > From: "monahanwb" >Subject: Re: Maxxis Tires > > > >---------- >--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "wilkins5773" > > > Anybody have experience with Maxxis C6006 tires. Dennis Kirk has them > for $52 front and $62 rear. My stock rear is slick in the center at 3700 mi. > > > > Steve > >---------- >They are generally good dual sport tires; however, after running probably >five sets of them and then two sets of Metzeler Karoos, I'd have to say I >prefer the Karoos. Not everyone would feel the same way. Karoos make >more noise, but have very impressive traction on pavement or any kind of >dirt (you particularly notice this in sand). Maxxis are less grippy in >sand or most any type of dirt. Maybe a little better on twisty pavement >than the Karoos, but certainly not a whole lot different. Karoos have a >super stiff carcass, upon which you may ride a long distance without any >air in the event of a flat tire; can't do that with the flimsy sidewall of >the Maxxis. Karoos didn't cup much on my KLRs, but the Maxxis's really >did. Maxxis rear will wear fast and get bald in the center; Karoo, if >driven at somewhat less than full bore, will last a long long >time. Karoos are cheaper by a couple of dollars. I go with the Karoos, >probably will put them on my DR and also on my KTM 950, when either one >needs new skins. I like them. Especially the run- flat capability. Some >people won't care for the noise. I just turn my hearing aid down, and >everything is groovy again.

---------- Doug Pippin 828-684-8488 dpippin5@... ---------- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I only got about 2300 out of the Maxxis rear. I bought the bike used but the Maxxis was new on the bike when I bought it from the dealer. Won't be buying that again. L.D. wilkins5773 wrote: Anybody have experience with Maxxis C6006 tires. Dennis Kirk has them for $52 front and $62 rear. My stock rear is slick in the center at 3700 mi. Steve @ /\,) ------- _-@ -\~(*) --- --\ \,) (*)~ - (*)'~(*) List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Meet the all-new My Yahoo! Try it today! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "wilkins5773" wrote:

> > Anybody have experience with Maxxis C6006 tires. Dennis Kirk has > them for $52 front and $62 rear. My stock rear is slick in the > center at 3700 mi. > > Steve > @ > /\,) ------- _-@ > -\~(*) --- --\ \,) > (*)~ - (*)'~(*)

Yes, I have run a set of them. I don't care about the price of tires that much. First and foremost I want a tire that will do what I want it to do. What do you want your tires to do? I want my street tires to grip well enough for me to lean the bike over till I'm scraping the footpegs, and I want them to hold my line while doing so. I also want them to stay planted while leaned over and rolling over cracks and imperfections in the road. I ride off and on road (more on with street tires) and so I want a tire that would allow me to go down dirt roads and the occasional trail too. The Avon Gripster is the only tire that I have found that will allow me to do that. On road grip is unreal in the twisties. I tried the Maxxis to see if I could get the same road grip and maybe get a bit more traction off road. It did well on road, but I could not lean the bike over till I'm dragging a peg. I could get close to that point, but the back end would start to slide a bit. I did get a bit more traction off road, but not much. I would say that for street traction they are one notch below Gripsters, but they are also one notch above Gripsters off the street. So for mostly street I'm sticking with Gripsters. For off road tires I wanted something in a full knobbie, but I also still wanted to be able to ride pretty damn aggressively with them on road. I found the Dunlop D606's to fill that nich quite well, as others have found too. They are awesome off road AND I can't believe how well they will do on road. I won't mention the milage that I get out of my tires because it all depends on how hard you are on your tires. The harder you ride, the faster you go, the faster your tires go away. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "monahanwb" wrote:

> > Karoo, if driven at somewhat less than full bore, will last a long > long time.

Bill, what do you consider a long, long, time? I running my first set of Karoo's. I put them on just before ESRII at the end of September. I'd say that for off road use the rear was pretty much shot at 2K. It looks I might get 3K out of it simply using it as a commuter. And, I'm a conservative rider. I do have to agree though, other than the wear factor the Karoo has been a great tire. I just need to get more than six or seven weeks out of a tire. I'm trying the Dunlop 606 next. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I hope to get more than 3k out of this tire. I've really been impressed with the road handling capabilities of the two 50/50 tires I've tried so far (IRC GP1 & Karoo). I'd sure hate to have to go back to 80/20's just to get a bit more mileage. Matt

>I'm trying the Dunlop 606 next. Maybe I'm being > optimistic, but I hope to get more than 3k out of this tire. > > Matt

I'm betting that you don't. 3K miles (or slightly less) is exactly what I get out of D606 rears. I'm on my second one now. On the other hand, Jake went from Utah to Pa and back, then another 5000 miles out of them. He got 10,000 out of em. How? He aired up to the max 36 psi, left redlights and stop signs with great care, never wheelied, didn't rev the bike past 4500 rpm, didn't go over 61 mph going down the road. Like I said, the faster you go, the faster your tires go away. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

And while people are talking about spokes, I have a question that I keep forgetting to ask: What size spoke wrench fits the KLR wheels? I can't seem to find that info anywhere. erik

> > > What is the correct procedure for tightening spokes as far as spoke > sequence goes? I imagine that you should not work sequentially > around the wheel, as that would tend to push the wheel out of true, > would it not? > > Is there a general sequence one should use? 1, 4, 7, etc.? > > Randy > > > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >