I'm looking to replace an MT21 on the Z's front with something that grips better on rocky single-track. The 21 wants to wash out on hard dirt roads, too.

I'll be riding the Alpine Loop and Moab later this season, so I'd like to get a tire that handles all of these, if possible.
Minimal asphalt (just for lunch/fuel/errand runs).

Pirelli Scorpion Pro and Pirelli XCMH are the best front tires I've run in dry, rocky desert conditions.

Edited by ptgarcia, 21 June 2012 - 12:42 PM.

if you want DOT legal, the pirelli XCMH hands down.

if you don't care about DOT, probably still the XCMH.

The XCMH is at the top of my list.

The Dunlop MX71 also was appealing, at least on paper (for a non-DOT tire)

The Bridgestone ED77 Desert terrain tire was is a contender based on cost/reviews, but two things weighed against it:

1. No DOT certification (for when the "ambitious" Utah LEO stops me in Moab). (Time to hone the OODA loop)
2. It's from the company that created the OEM Deathwing.

All considered the XCMH seems to have a lot going on for not much more $$ than the less expensive tires.

How much different will this 80/100 tire be from a 90/90 MT21?
I can do the basic math on tread-width/sidewall-height. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced the difference.

Edited by John Galt, 01 July 2012 - 08:47 AM.

I need to correct my above choice as these guys jogged my memory. Its the XCMH I like, not the MXMH! I'll fix my post above.

Have you guys tried the Maxxis IT front?
I run that tyre and find it works great & wears very well.
M7304 Maxxcross IT Front



There's also a desert version too...

Dunlop MX 51 intermediate

Another vote for the Pirelli Scorpion Pro, holds very well.   I have the XCMH on the rear.    I had MT21's on a DR650 and I never felt confident in the front.

Okay, I saw the Pirelli XCMH today and I am disappointed. The spacing between the tiny knobs is huge. Not a good formula for rocks, nor any slickrock/roads. This tire leans more toward the mid, less toward the hard terrain, IMO.


I'm going to give the ED77 and other "desert" tires a second look. After all, Moab and CO front-range are, by definition, deserts. I know I'll be trying the ED78 when the D606 is "retired" (hah), so why not try it's little brother?

John Galt, on 29 June 2012 - 06:52 AM, said:

i dunno. i use it on the street year round and it handles wet pavement pretty well. we don't have lot of rocks around here...some, though, and lots of slippery roots...it handles that stuff great, too. i have also ridden it on very hard, rocky trails down at hatfield mccoy (the quads strip all the dirt off the rocks down there), and it did great there as well. we don't have slickrock like moab or anything, though.

John Galt, on 29 June 2012 - 06:52 AM, said:

You can't just look at a tire and know how it works. I've had several that "looked" good yet totally sucked.

The XCMH I have now has more than 600 dirt miles, all in the CA and NV desert (hard pack base with decomposed rock and larger loose-rock top surface), and several hundred street miles and its been the best front tire I've owned.

ptgarcia, on 29 June 2012 - 07:52 AM, said:

One can often draw valid conclusions from initial impressions, e.g.: a FJ "looks' like it would probably be a better rock-crawler than an Outback.

ptgarcia, on 29 June 2012 - 07:52 AM, said:

You can find many rave reviews on here for the MT21. I found it wanting.
You ride (I assume) low desert. I ride high desert and alpine.*

Different tools for different tasks.

You found the right tire for your environment and riding style.
My search will continue.

Thanks for taking time to share your experience.

Sincerely,
JG

* In the days I lived in CA, I rode near the town of Mojave. A more open tread design was a must for that terrain. I'm sure the XCMH would excel there.

John Galt, on 29 June 2012 - 08:30 AM, said:

I find the MT21 to be crap, too.

I get your point about riding conditions, but I've had my bike from the floor of Death Valley up over mountain passes exceeding 9,000 ASL and the XCMH excelled at both extremes and everywhere in between. It truely is an excellent tire.

Good luck with your search!

Another vote for the Maxxis. I shit canned the Pirelli I was running up front. It wasn't totally worthless; the MT21 had phenomenal grip while on the road, but was worse than the deathwings off the pavement. I couldn't throw it away fast enough.

ran a super rocky harescramble yesterday. my pirelli XCMHes (had them both front and back) worked great on the rocks. passed quite a few people in the rock gardens.