I was hoping to get some feedback from other riders who are running Kenda Trackmasters on their bikes, I just put a new one on my rear (110/100x18), I have about 200 miles on it now. I have heard complaints about it before on pavement, but I have had no problems at all with it there, seems about the same as the stocker to me. The problem I am having is on hard pack dirt roads, I just can't believe how sketchy it is. I feel like I'm riding on ice, always having to death grip the bars with the rear wheel feeling like it's going to skid out from under me, just while trying to go in a straight line. I've actually stopped to make sure the bolt is tight on the wheel a few times, it feels likethe wheel isjust on loose or something. Anyone else have this same experience? I'm running at about 22 psi now, and I've tried to go lower as well. Thanks in advance for anyone else's experiences here.

 

thats interesting..... never felt like that.... i have ran that tire on all kinds of surfaces..... to me feels pretty good on asphalt. But i have never felt that squirrley on hard pack, i run about 18 psi.

 

Don't know if it makes a difference, but I have a 120/100 back tire and run it off road at 16 psi (I run with front & back rimlocks......). I also have had no problems with it in any conditions.

 

Try dropping the pressure. I know at least on gravel with higher pressure, the tire tends to wander. Down around 15 psi or below it feels much better.

As for the road, their OK unless you push them. I've actually had them step out on me in a turn when I gave a throttle coming out of the turn. So I don't do that any more. Not on the road, anyway.

 

Spartan I have the exact same tire on my bike, I run 22 pounds in it and it feels squirlyon hard packed dirt roads, it's fine on the pavement and loose gravel.

Nothing scary it just feels like it's flat. And I have stopped to check it also.

I think it's because the lugs are so tall they bend all over on hard packed uneven road surfaces.

Don't keep a death grip on it just let it wiggle around and fahgedda bout it.

 

I don't know if I'm just lucky or looking for trouble but I run my Trakmasters @ 13 psi all around w/ rim locks and I have yet to have any touble. In fact, I have stated before that my skill level increased overnight with the Kendas.
I recently purchased a co2 cartridge tire inflator. I will boost it up to around 16-18 on road....and drop back to 12-13 off road.
22psi seems high to me for the trails.
-Dave

 

+1 on the 18 psi mark...yeah it may feel like it's flat, but it doesn't take long to get used to that..in a week or so, you won't even notice it..it's an awesome tire for dirt.

 

Alright cool, thanks for the replies. Sounds like I should drop my pressure down and try it, I'll give it a shot once I get the bike running again.

 

I love this tire over the stock ones. The stock ones seemed to bounce me all over the place. Ihave around 900 miles on them at 60/40 road to dirt. The only thing I have noticed is that they dont have a lot of traction mud. I try to run around 13psi in them.

 

Air pressure!

Try the stock tires at anything over 20PSI and you're looking for trouble. Hard pack was very unstable.

When I went to amaximum of 20PSI things improved a lot. I think the lightweight of the KLX-250Smakes them pretty sensitive to tire pressure.

At 20PSI, hard pack clay roads with small gravel or sand on top feels like I'm on ice and the KLX is going to squirm out from under me. I'm going to get rim locks and thought I might put them on with the stock tires. If I go to that much trouble, I'm going to new rubber. [:@]