Pirelli Scorpion Pro FIM/DOT Front....Booooooo!

[Bandit9]

Just thought I was pass along some info to you guys. I took off a perfectly good Pirelli MT 16 b/c I wanted a softer terrain front, looking for a little more bite with the front end. I put on a Pirelli Scorpion Pro Front tire. The one that is DOT legal and looks like a copy of the Michelin S12 front. I figured since the tread was almost identical, it would perform close enough to what I was used to in the past. Anyway, brand new tire, 1 90 mile Enduro at Cloudcroft, NM this past Sunday and about 75% of the knobbies are chunking and all the knobs are rounded off like the tire had 4 races on it. I didn't even ride that hard, I was just trailriding. The S12's would hold up much better in the rocks. Like 10 times better. It never felt good riding on the Scorpion Pro either. I never had any confidence in the front end all day. I wouldn't use this tire again even if it was free. Pirelli makes good stuff, I've never had this happen before with any of the other Pirelli tires. In fact, the MT-16 front has been on my bike since I bought it last year and looks and performed WAY better than this new Scorpion Pro piece of crap. So I'm not against Pirelli, just this particular Scorpion Pro front. I guess it could have been a bad day at the factory in Brazil when this tire was produced, but I won't be taking another $80 chance to see if it was just a bad batch.

It's junk.

[Slick_Nick]

I run the Scorpion MX's (non DOT) on my KDX, and I really like them.

[SXP]

Just thought I was pass along some info to you guys. I took off a perfectly good Pirelli MT 16 b/c I wanted a softer terrain front, looking for a little more bite with the front end. I put on a Pirelli Scorpion Pro Front tire. The one that is DOT legal and looks like a copy of the Michelin S12 front. I figured since the tread was almost identical, it would perform close enough to what I was used to in the past. Anyway, brand new tire, 1 90 mile Enduro at Cloudcroft, NM this past Sunday and about 75% of the knobbies are chunking and all the knobs are rounded off like the tire had 4 races on it. I didn't even ride that hard, I was just trailriding. The S12's would hold up much better in the rocks. Like 10 times better. It never felt good riding on the Scorpion Pro either. I never had any confidence in the front end all day. I wouldn't use this tire again even if it was free. Pirelli makes good stuff, I've never had this happen before with any of the other Pirelli tires. In fact, the MT-16 front has been on my bike since I bought it last year and looks and performed WAY better than this new Scorpion Pro piece of crap. So I'm not against Pirelli, just this particular Scorpion Pro front. I guess it could have been a bad day at the factory in Brazil when this tire was produced, but I won't be taking another $80 chance to see if it was just a bad batch.

It's junk.

I run the Maxxis Desert SI for the same reasons you state. It holds up quite well and performs well too:thumbsup:

[Bandit9]

Yes, the Desert SI does hold up well. I've used them in the past.

[Just_a_trail_rider]

I happen to love that tire. Its kinda tough. I run it with a UHD tube at 14lbs in some pretty rocky stuff. Never had a problem with it. It does in fact, chunk the outer knobs really easy, but that's it. The rest of the tire holds up ok and it lasts me quite a few rides.

Rider preference, I guess....

[2in2out]

I didn't experience the chunking, but the instability and lack of confidence I did experience. It went when I sold the bike, and now I'm looking for new DOT tire set.

[Bandit9]

I happen to love that tire. Its kinda tough. I run it with a UHD tube at 14lbs in some pretty rocky stuff. Never had a problem with it. It does in fact, chunk the outer knobs really easy, but that's it. The rest of the tire holds up ok and it lasts me quite a few rides.

Rider preference, I guess....

Well I guess I'm a weirdo, I prefer my front tires not to chunk on the first ride. I need those outer knobs. Now the rear tire get's abused, so I expect it to be chunked up after riding in the rocks. But the front?

I'm on vacation and our camera is on the fritz, otherwise I would post a pic.

[KennyMc]

I didn't experience the chunking, but the instability and lack of confidence I did experience. It went when I sold the bike, and now I'm looking for new DOT tire set.

Try the Kenda Parker-DT on back and the Pirelli XCMH (old MT18 HD) up front. Both DOT

[Bandit9]

I fully endorse the MT 16 front and rear as well. DOT and work really well for a "do it all" type tire. Long wear life too.

[Shred Jesse]

Well I guess I'm a weirdo, I prefer my front tires not to chunk on the first ride. I need those outer knobs. Now the rear tire get's abused, so I expect it to be chunked up after riding in the rocks. But the front?

I'm on vacation and our camera is on the fritz, otherwise I would post a pic.

Maybe you know something I don't but...

Why would you get a soft tire, and be surprised it didn't hold up in intermediate terrain?

Now I don't know anything about the tire, but if it's meant for soft terrain, presumably wet terrain or very light sand... and ran it across rocks, you shouldn't be hte least bit surprised it didn't last!

[Bandit9]

Maybe you know something I don't but...

Why would you get a soft tire, and be surprised it didn't hold up in intermediate terrain?

Now I don't know anything about the tire, but if it's meant for soft terrain, presumably wet terrain or very light sand... and ran it across rocks, you shouldn't be hte least bit surprised it didn't last!

B/c I have used more tires than I can count and ZERO fronts have ever done this. Most of the fronts I use are soft terrains.

[YamaLink]

One of my most trusted front tires of all time is the Scorpion Pro but one of my least favorite of all time is the Scorpion Pro XT.

The SP would hook up even when rounded in the edges.

The XT would send me off the trail without notice.