Dirt and Trail AUG 21

• it eventually gets quite hot and is easier to tear).
• Your rims are more prone to damage from rocks and the like
with softer pressures and the tyre puncture easier as well
The biggest problem boils down to laziness, very few adventure
riders actually increase tyre pressures once back on tarmac
and then want to ride at 240kmh to the next dirt section, lower
pressures = lower speeds. Then they want to do warranty claims
when the tyres fail and get all bent out of shape when the claim
is repudiated. Running tyres at low pressures is abuse of the tyre
and has a very unmistakeable and unique effect on tyres that is
easy to spot by the tyre people, so theres no way to bull-dust
your way out of it.
Right! Back to the TOURMASTER’s:
Most adventure tyres have a 6mm tread depth whereas the
TOURMASTER has an 8mm tread depth. This means that they
should last a bit longer.
Then, like KFC’s 11 herbs and spices and Coca-Cola’s recipe,
their ratio of silica to rubber (no carbon black) and other ingredients
in their compound is a closely guarded secret, but we are
assured they have been carefully designed for exceptional grip
and handling in wet and dry conditions without compromising
the durability needed for the harshest African riding conditions.
All with a weather eye on affordability in our market, we are told
that a set will sell for a little over R3,000.00 odd rand fitted and
that is a great price.
The BATT TOURMASTER leans more towards tarmac riding
(70/30 equals seventy percent tar, thirty percent gravel) with the
larger wider block design on the crown and the wider groove
spacing providing more rubber contact patch ensuring maximum
traction on tar making it easy to dissipate water, providing more
grip and confidence in wet weather riding. The deep tread, with
wider spacing and medium compound ensures more traction
and damping capability when off-road riding especially at high
speed on loose gravel. They tell us that the unique tread pattern
also helps to fling the mud off when you hit the slippery gravel.
The tyres overall construction gives this more on road tyre a rugged
off road look suitable for any street orientated dual purpose
bike.
With all of this mind we decided to test them on a couple of the
most powerful street oriented adventure bikes on the market,
which also happen to be two of the bestselling adventure bikes
in South Africa. From KTM South Africa we got the absolute latest
1290 Super Adventure, a freaky bike with proper ghost rider
capabilities with its adaptive cruise control, you just have to go
and ride one of these to feel the freakiness. Then from Rodney
and the team at BMW Motorrad Fourways we were loaned a
BMW R 1250 GS – HP, (for Horse Power), and Man Oh Man that
front wheel loves to get high.
So, two heavy weight and muscular tyre shredders with all the
mod cons and just for good measure we got the two chunkiest
okes in the office, both north of 100kg’s each to really put the
BATT TOURMASTER’s through their paces.
After about 300 KM’s of urban running in (read our bit about the
heat cycles), we took the bikes on a grand ride out into the Ver
Verlaate Vlaktes…
Our route took us out of the East Rand through Nigel and into
Balfour and then onto Greylingstad, Standerton, Perdekop to
a quick lunch in Volksrust before heading to our overnight digs
just outside Wakkerstroom, just on 300km’s and mostly high
speed tar all the way which we took full advantage of wide open,
sweeping bends and quiet roads with not much in the line of
obstacles like big trucks, potholes and law enforcement giving
us a great opportunity to really test the top speed limits of the
tyres for long stretches.