Pirelli MT21
 

I fitted MT21s recently mainly because they are reasonably priced and I've covered many miles with them on other bikes.At first I was rather dissapointed in how they feel on tarmac, certainly nowhere near as good as when I had them on a DRZ.
After playing around with the pressures and dropping from 30psi to 25 they felt better.

Whatever, much better than the motorcross front I had fitted previously:toothy10: where the phrase ' handles like a pig on stilts' comes to mind.

Offroad I can't fault the Pirellis and conversely they suit the Tenere better than the DRZ. Possibly down to the extra weight and smoother power delivery, getting very little wheelspin and less front end slithering at low speed in really sticky mud despite running higher pressures than I would normally.

But given that I'm doing a fair bit of road riding also, sometimes with a pillion, they are too 'offroad' and spoil the Tenere's handling on tarmac.

Good job I have a very large tub of tyre soap.

Here's a pic below for anyone who hasn't seen the Pirelli for comparison with the TKC posted in the other thread.

Now after a few hundred miles they have improved vastly on tarmac.They still spin up easily in the wet and the front starts to 'wobble' above 80mph but both can be avoided with a gentler throttle hand.The wobble may be because I still have the old balance weights fitted.................. must remember to prise them off.

I'll report on wear at a later date :) overall I'd say they do the job well.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/...25968c9d52.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/...50ebc79c45.jpg

gregor,

The best 50/50 road / off road tyre you will get. I have used them for years now for my enduro/green lane fun i have in the winter months.

Enjoy

WB

Brilliant tyre ,i use it when doing adv rides up north so there's a few road miles to do before the lanes and they are fantastic but dont be suprised if your changing them before the 1,000 miles mark

I've used both MT21s and TKC80s on my Tenere, and I have to say the TKCs are far better (more predicable) on the road, and just as good in the dry off-road - in fact they are better on the front end as the Ten' tended to wash out a little on loose dirt with the MT21 and I could never truly trust it in the same way.

For info, I tended to run 25psi both front and rear in both sets of tyres, and would certainly agree that the MT21 needs to be significantly lower than the factory 30psi to get the best from it.

The TKCs also lasted pretty much a thousand miles more - 3500 vs 2800 for the rear Pirelli, that's mixed highway and dirt/road off road use. (The cush drive is worth something then...)

TKCs cost more it's true, but in my opinion, they really are the best tyre on the Tenere for on/off road 'dual-sport' style riding and usage.

xxx

Hey hey Jmo, how are you going to spend your Xmas and where? Yours truly is still waiting for pics and reports..... 'member? ;)

Have a good one:blow kiss:

Jmo, must be going round in circles, all those days and still at N39�00.395' W120�14.666'. bigwink

Loved the second installment in TBM

Enjoy your Christmas where ever you are.

I'm back in Vegas, baby... where better to spend Christmas than the city of excess?!

Actually, the place is snowed under - they had about 8 inches of snow here (right in the city) for the first time in years... in fact the whole of the south west was deluged in a mighty storm this past week or so - I've been utterly soaked and frozen... and it was surreal to see cactus in the desert covered in snow!

I've just passed the 10,000 mile mark this afternoon, and the bike is going better than ever! I will need to put a new chain and sprockets on before I head east in the new year, and new front tire... (TKC again of course x)

I've also come up with a rather nifty way of losing the rear indicators (that is until Clear Alternatives get on the case) and have chopped the tail properly - looks much better! I'll get some pictures up in a day or two...

Best wishes to you all this festive season...

Jenny xxx

Hee hee - believe me, if you get that far, it's damn difficult to get out again!

xxx

I have a set of wheels for my super tenere with MT21's on. Quite a few of the lads from xtz750.com use them. On a wet and muddy ride we did in December they were better than those riding with TCK80's. The TCK's clogged up where as the MT21's gripped better and cleared the mud from the knobs.

Well I have changed the rear after 1200miles, there is still plenty of life left for road riding but not for off road in Winter.Now it has squared off a bit the handling betters the Tourances in the damp, which is all the time at the moment.

Despite saying I would try the TKC I have opted for another MT21 because they are nearly �30 cheaper.

The new one feels excellent from the start so it must have been the front that was giving me the heebie jeebies on tarmac.

Started with 23psi this time and have marked the tyre and rim to see if there is any slippage when I drop the pressure right down.

Size Pirelli MT21???
 

The MT21 is only in 130/ 90-17.
Is this not a problem???

No problem Schiptje - there is plenty of room for a slightly taller tyre...

xxx

Thanks for the respons!
:notworthy:

You guys tried AC10's, or would they be a bit too aggressive for the majority of road riding with a little off-roading. They work well on on Yam WR but its more off-road than on-road.

WB

Not tried them, they don't look like they'll last long.

Fitted a pair of tkc80s today, very nice on tarmac more 'rounded'than the Pirellis and without that falling off the edge feeling .

As to wear on the MT21 the front still has a bit of life left after roughly 4000miles and the 2 rears roughly 2000each but that is 'down to the bone'.

�130 for a pair of tkc versus �90 for the MT21s.

What has surprised me is how fast the Tourances went off and the awful feel in the wet. The front is still usable but the rear is mullered after 3000ish miles.

Obviously all the milages are guestimates as the tyres have been swapped more times than I care to remember.

And if another person( not you chaps) suggests I get a spare set of wheels....GGGGrrrrrr

Hey Gregor

Really appreciating your input here awaiting the longevity of the TKC's

But I cant help thinking... you know how convenient a spare set of rims would be?

Hi Gregor - I think the Tenere would destroy an AC10 in a very short space of time, the blocks are very open and narrow, and the Ten' is a big old heffer...

Also, as I recall, the 17 inch rear AC10 was not a road legal one? - presumably for smaller off-road only bikes or something?

I think if you are after off-road grip, then the MT21 (or Dunlop 606 is you can find them) is probably the way to go, but for all round use, the TKCs others have said...

Regarding a second set of wheels for anyone... I might have a brand new pair for sale in a few weeks...

xxx

Here I'm again! What were the pressures used on the MT21?
On- and offroad?

I found the MT21s worked better at a slightly lower pressure than standard - around 25psi made then seem more surefooted, both off and on road. Running them at 30psi on the road makes then feel very ponderous...

Bare in mind the Tenere is a big heavy bike, so dropping the pressures to much less than 20psi means you might damage your rims (front especially) hitting rocks/washouts at any sort of speed.

xxx

Thanks again to share your experiences, Jmo!
I put them on today myself. And made a testdrive. Front 2 Bar and after 2.2 Bar.
Hard indeed. Spinning mor than Heidenau K60 on gravel... Dropping the pressure and some more tests on my programme the next few days! Great!!!!

A peacefull delivered MT21 before...

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3231/banden001.jpg

And after... (both tyres still don't know what happened... ;) )

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7185/banden002.jpg

But works fine! So far!
Greetz!

I also mounted the mt21 tonight and have them at 1.5 bar front and 1.6 rear. tomorrow I'll go for a test drive. Don't you've trouble with the slightly higher rear tire?

I had now problems so far, Biking.
Just find out the right pressure.

Great 50/50 tyre.
Only the fronttyre might be more agressive in deep sand.

Can anyone suggest a seller for a pair of MT21's? Dirtbike bitz are �121 for both.

Hi Rich.....Thats who I use-
http://www.dirtbikebitz.com/

Good price and great service.

Sorry...double post.

is there a discount code for them Andy?

Don't know about that,but when I was looking for my last set,they were by far the best price and very quick delivery.

Sorry, I was editing as you were posting!


Does anyone know of any other major tyre vendors?

Alice Springs is that too far?
 

I paid $125AUS 4 a MT21 front in July!!