Dunlop D605 Adventure Dual-Sport Tires Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

A Surprising Value in Budget Tires

The world of adventure and dual-sport tires has exploded in the past five years. Unfortunately, the budget tire segment doesn’t see as much innovation… but that’s changed with Dunlop’s new D605s which represent a great value for less than $100 a set.

Many of us are familiar with the rock-solid performance (and sidewalls) of Dunlop’s more off-road-oriented D606 tires. While great in the dirt, the D606 can be rough street riding and downright scary on wet pavement when they become squared off. The D605’s slightly softer sidewall and asymmetrical tread pattern do a better job at filling in the voids and provide a smoother rolling experience for both front and rear.

Off-road traction is great as long as you stay out of deep mud. The D605s performed well on our project Royal Enfield Himalayan in a testing track. Everything hooked up from rutty downhill slides to short, steep climbs and hook up better than the stock Pirelli Scorpion MT60s when the going gets gritty. And we ran them over some small jumps and couple 6- to 8-inch thick fallen branches without incident, flats or loss of traction.

On-road manners were not as predictable as the identically-sized Pirellis, which come standard on the Himalayan. The D605’s taller profile and deeper lugs definitely made the bike turn faster and more like a dirt bike. There is some expected road noise in the 50 or 60mph range, but nothing out of the ordinary for a tire of this type, and definitely more manageable than a more aggressive dual-sport tire like the D606. Wet roads were no problem either. The rubber compound feels like it has a good amount of silica and remains sticky in the rain but, like any tire of this type, aggressive cornering on cold wet pavement is not recommended.

Tread wear is minimal on our over 420 lb. test bike with almost 1,500 miles of mixed riding. We estimate that lighter bikes could see over 5,000 miles per set depending on riding style and terrain. Other tires of this design and price point to consider would be Shinko’s 700 and Kenda’s K270 series tires, both of which use serviceable but more dated tread patterns and possibly compounds.

At a street price of under $100, it may even be worth having a set around for spares, to help out a buddy in a jam, or revitalize worn out tires on a bike you’re looking to sell. Dunlop’s D605s feature good quality rubber, solid build and a functional modern tread pattern that should take you anywhere you want to go, at a price anyone can afford.

MSRP: Front $52.95 | Rear $69.96

DunlopMotorcycleTires.com

• Solid value for the price
• Quality construction and good rubber (made in Japan)
• Perfect for small or mid-size bikes
• 60/40 traction with reasonable road noise

CONS:

• Don’t push the tire too hard in corners on wet and cold pavement
• Limited sizing (no 19-in. front)

Where to Buy:

 

 

 

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