Just how dumb an idea is this?

I have a streetfightered TL1000-S that I've been getting back on the road after some engine/fuel system work. I'm taking it in a...unique aesthetic direction, and I'm giving serious thought to mounting dual sport knobbies, like TKC80s or Kenda Big Blocks. The TKCs are OEM fitment on BMW GS Adventures, so they're not a totally outlandish choice for the street.

My riding will mainly be city commuting/hooning, with the occasional trip out to the twisty stuff near me. I don't know Thing One about off-road riding or where to find it, but I wouldn't be opposed to taking the TL to the dirt just for the pure helluvit. But I've only spent maybe 50 miles on a knobby-shod bike, and that was just a highway drone on a DR-Z400.

But just how dumb is this for a streetbike? I mean, this is a mainly aesthetically driven modification, which I usually scoff at. But they would look SO badass on this bike when it's done.

Oh, hell. I guess I could have found out if I CAN mount these tires before I decide if I SHOULD. Looks like they both only go up to 150 in the rear, and I need at least a 170 to use my stock rim. I'm not quite committed enough to this idea to go swapping wheels.

Check out the Avon Distanzia, not a knobby but chunkier than a street tire. I was considering putting them on my guzzi.

Makes about as much sense as slicks on a motocross bike...

stuart in mn wrote: Makes about as much sense as slicks on a motocross bike...

Much, much less, really. Slicks on a motocross bike get you a supermoto, basically.

Off-road tires on a streetbike get you damn near nothing, unless you get into the suspension, too. Then, you could be onto something...

More adventure bike, but still heavily worked is this "ThinStrom":

I'm not going to tell you that it's a good idea.

This is a terrible idea.

Heck, even those of us with dual-sports don't run knobbies if we ride more than 50% pavement. They make several good tires that do both decently well. Knobbies are for serious off road work; not necessary for lightly groomed gravel roads that a lot of us ride. Here's a Duro as an example of a dual-purpose tire:

In reply to Osterkraut:

The yellow bike... What is that?

Bad idea. But it WILL look full on bad ass.

BMW took a shot at the ISDT (International Six Day Trial or Six Days) back in the 1960's with a similar idea. I read an interview with John Penton where he says the guys riding them were all at least 6 feet tall and 225 pounds of solid muscle, because those were big horrible handling things.

I'd consider that a warning.

I think the yellow bike is a KTM. Damn sure looks tough, doesn't it?

Why was this the 1st image I thought of while reading your idea?

Yellow bike looks like a first gen SV650.

Curmudgeon wrote: BMW took a shot at the ISDT (International Six Day Trial or Six Days) back in the 1960's with a similar idea. I read an interview with John Penton where he says the guys riding them were all at least 6 feet tall and 225 pounds of solid muscle, because those were big horrible handling things. I'd consider that a warning.

Dude's got a pretty chubby face to be solid muscle!

rotard wrote: Yellow bike looks like a first gen SV650.

Correct, sir.

Grtechguy wrote: Why was this the 1st image I thought of while reading your idea?

Schwing!

This is a local guy who dual sported a CBR 125.

I think the tires are Kenda K270's

I hope this photo helps:

It was supposed to be an RC8 on knobbies, but I couldn't find it so I posted this instead.