Inspired by Devin's Master Paint Thread, we get enough questions about tires that a master thread on them makes sense. Please share an image, tire size, and any pertinent comments.

1972 CT2 175cc, OEM Tires. Rubber hardened 47 years after production, terrible traction now yet probably pretty decent when they were supple.


1972 CT2 175cc. Shinko 244 Tire in 18" 3.5 rear and 18" 3.0 front. Visually smaller than stock, performance not as good as hoped compared to "correct" style trials tires.


1972 CT2 175cc. Shinko 241 Tire in 18" 4.0 rear and 18" 3.5 front. Larger than stock. From certain angles almost too much of a Big Wheel look, yet they are growing on me.

Shinko 241's, 3.50 x 19 and 4.00 x 18. The front 3.50 looks a little fat compared to the original 3.25. Over all I'm happy with them.

Pirelli MT43

rear 4.00 X 18
front 3.0 X 21

They look good, I assume they'll perform as well.

You will like them. I have them on my RT3.

FWIW...pics of Cheng Shin 3.00-19 front and 4.00-18 rear on a DT1C. Not sure they are still sold, I bought these a few years ago when the originals wouldn’t pass NYS inspection

Shinko 241's on my XT500E, 3.00 x 21 and 4.00 x 18.

Ok not the most classic, unless you consider the first year Serrow old enough to be classic. Anyhow, Tusk DSport Adventure 90/90/21 on the front and Tusk DSport Adventure 120/90/18 on the rear. For a cheap street legal knobby tire the front would fit on most of the older bikes if they have a 21" rim, the rear tire is pretty big, it's a very tight squeeze on the XT225 with the stock chain.

Kenda K270 Dual Sport, great all around tire, dirt/street. On my DT360,
4.50x18, 3.25x21, make sure to get a 3.25, they run narrow.



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Is it just me or despite the very similar looks, people seem to like the Kenda 270 but not the Shinko 244? Mostly for their different front tire performance in the dirt.

I'm pretty sure the IRC GP-1 is the original tire that Shinko and Kenda copied. I've had all three. Even though they look the same, GP-1 seems the best. Shinko second, Kenda third in my completely unscientific based on my impressions, opinion.

I put Shinko 244's on my 79 DT175 monoshock... first bike I had seriously ridden in decades... after reading many rave reviews on another Yamaha forum about what a great dual purpose enduro tire they are. The bike was "squirrely" and I fell a few times on the trails... struggled at other times... thought it was just me. Then I tried some DOT legal knobbies. Bike was totally transformed! I even got comments about how my riding improved. (Don't tell anyone... It was the tires, not me. )

It might have something to do with the bike itself... I've ridden older twinshocks with the Shinko or Kenda and they didn't seem nearly as squirrely as my DT175 was. I also have IRC GP-1's... the Yamaha OEM tire... on one of my DT50's and they seems great on and off road.

My 2017 XT250 was also super squirrely in the dirt. Front end would wash out without notice. Played with tire pressures... only a little improvement... swapped to DOT knobbies and they transformed that bike too.

DT175's and XT250 have limited clearance for a rear knobby... Kenda makes a good DOT rear knobby in smaller sizes than most. My current favorite combo for the smaller bikes is a Pirelli MT21 90/90-21 front and a Kenda Trakmaster II 100/100-18 rear