Streetbike tyres not great on gravel?

Just got back from a weekend away, riding windey roads including the Oxley highway in NSW, and lots of gravel. Still grinning from ear-to-ear like an idiot this morning!!

The rear tyre (Bridgestone Battlax BT014R) was what I guessed about half worn when we left. Attached is what was left when we got home after 800km. 8O

Apparently that tyre it is meant for streetfighter applications - it certainly was sticky. Can't remember it stepping out at all on the Oxley. I think it must have been the gravel that killed it. It did about 140km from when we first saw the steel to the photo.

Any recommendations on a tyre that will survive gravel? My mate has a dualsport thing on his GasGas that he was told is used on GS BMWs. It barely looked worn after the trip.

Between 32 to 35PSI and yep I'm surprised it didn't pop too - was waiting for it the whole time! Probably did well to get home. It does have an extra thick tube in it so I didn't think it would have leaked flat.

I tried to ride it as gently as possible once we noticed the cables and kept kept a very close eye out for fraying strands. There are a few hairy ones, but really it held up better than we thought it would. To be honest, I did not realise road bike tyres had steel belt in them at all. The steel does seem to do a good job protecting what is inside when it has to.

Thanks heaps for the tyre suggestion. A set of them would be perfect. They certainly look good!

Freaky said:

32 to 35psi sounds a bit much to me for a light bike on supermoto wheels. I run 24psi which is a good feel. At that kind of high pressure you will wear the centre of the tyre out quick, as you have found.

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Thanks for that - I thought the same.

Before we left I set both tyres to just over 20PSI. About 150km later before we hit any dirt road I felt the rear tyre & it was lots hotter than those on the other bikes, and you could see lots of wear around the centre with the rubber starting to spall a bit. Pretty much everyone told me that you gotta run at least 30PSI in road bikes or it chews the centre of the rear tyre up. It was then that I scurried off, tail between legs & pumped both to 35. Don't really know if it helped or worsened the tyre wear but it did seem to run cooler.

At the higher pressures, the bike seemed to handle much better on the road.

The front, a Michelin Macadam, seemed OK at either pressure but?

Azza said:

.... what about Karoo's,....

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Thanks. Had a look at the Metzeler site but they look awful chunky. Their Tourance would probably be better for our use.

They also don't seem to list a 17" front for either? Is this size in a dualsport tyre peculiar to motards?