Kenda Equilibrium tire = ANY long term opinions?

[hawaii-rider]

Any long term runs on this tire by anyone?
I know Kelly had a review earlier this year, curious if anyone has had one and really run it hard and long (miles) and how it is holding up, traction etc.
Buy it again, recommend it, stay away ???

Thinking about getting one for winter/wet in western washington (currently run both a Michelin S12 or a radial trials tire depending upon when and where)

Im more of a pick my line and go rider off-road now vs slam and spin (I save the latter for vintage motocross)

thanx !

HR
2015 TE-300

 

[Norman Foley]

I've been running one on my Husaberg TE250, since early June and have about 400 miles on it now and it still has life in it. It was the wettest June and July here in years and it performed well in the wet. It's been a mix of rocks, roots, mud, grass track wet and dry and a good bit of dirt and paved road. It works better in the mud than I thought it would and corners well. It's been spun some doing trail work.... You stop on a rocky, rooty uphill, to staple an arrow up and you spin some on take off. When it's fresh, it really hooks up and then it just keeps working as it wears.

I ran it at the Rattlesnake National Enduro on my TE125 and it worked great on the rocks and roots there, but it's just too big for the 125 motor. My "go to tire" for the 250 now. I wish they made a smaller version.

 

[racemx904]

Nice to know.... hadnt decided on GT both ends of mix and match

 

[MikeB]

On my 250 smoker in 19" with a tube and 11-12psi the Equilibrium is an interesting tire. You can squish the knobs with your fingers and the tire is soft which makes it really easy to mount but you'd think it would wear out in an hour ..... WRONG I don't know how they did it but with 4 days of hard play riding and 1 mean, nasty, rocky, dry endure where the tire gave me a huge advantage, I've got a couple hundred miles on mine and the leading edges are getting rounded but it has lots of life left and still hooks up like crazy. In normal desert riding when dry the tire makes so much more traction than a front that you have to adjust. When dirt is perfect it is one of the easiest to slide into and out of turns with complete control. In rocky nasty shit it is soft and gives awesome traction and cuts down on bounce and deflection. (I've paired mine with a Kenda Wahougal front which is my 2nd favorite all around front tire and works well everywhere I ride - 90/100 at 8 psi with tubliss give me great traction, extra cush in rocks, and it gets up on top of sand to give better steering without slowing steering too much - I pull the forks tubes up a bit and run a steering damper.)

I expect the Equalibrium too work well all the way down to the nubs - maybe 500 miles - and I'm pretty picky and replace tires often. (It's also VERY cool of Kenda to support a number of racing series and give racers a discount)

 

[hawaii-rider]

Kinda Equilibrium arrived just a bit ago, will mount it up and see how she does on the TE-300 tomorrow in the single track.

Observations:

1. Knobs are very flexible - akin to the Michelin Trials tire. Pinching them and twisting them is NOT an issue.
2. Trials type knobs are taller and wider than a standard trials tire
3. Spacing between the trials type knobs are 2x of a trials tire, no different that if a row of knobs are missing on a trials tire.
4. Side knobs are tall and large = taller than some pure knobby tires and shorter than others. These knobs are at the beginning of the shoulder of the standard knobby tread pattern (center) where a trials tire knobs stop and wrap around the edge.
5. Thats my thumb on the last photo, easily inserted between the trials center patch and the side knob - Im 6'3" and have huge hands....just for reference.

Based on the various reviews out there - Im going to run the tire at 8psi for starters. I am running the Tubliss system on my Husky - so the standard 100psi on the inner tube.
Will report back on what my impressions are. Been a long time (10 year + ) fan of radial trials tires here in the Pacific NW - but they have their limitations but the straight drive and traction in rocks and roots for me was worth the trade off. I currently have a Michelin S12 on the rear which was good at 7-8 PSI and allowed me to moto it a bit on some calmer vintage focused tracks tire wise.
HR

 

[Cosmokenney]

I'd like to see a picture of the tire mounted and inflated to get an idea of the profile. I'm guessing with it being so soft it rounds-out a bit.

 

[hawaii-rider]

If my aged brain allows me to remember I will do just that here in a bit...

HR

I'd like to see a picture of the tire mounted and inflated to get an idea of the profile. I'm guessing with it being so soft it rounds-out a bit.

 

[gots_a_sol]

I'd like to see a picture of the tire mounted and inflated to get an idea of the profile. I'm guessing with it being so soft it rounds-out a bit.

10 psi.

I just mounted up the Kenda along with a Goldentyre fatty on the front to try out this weekend (mancation, 5 days in a row, woooo)

 

[Cosmokenney]

Awesome looking profile! Have fun on vacation!

 

[hawaii-rider]

All mounted up and ready to go

Here are some photos
I pulled a michelin S12 off to mount the Kenda

The Kenda side knobs are larger than the same ones on the S12
Also, I measured the knob height between the full up knob and the Kenda
S12 center knob heigh was right at 13-14mm
Kinda was 11-12mm

Also the last photo is a new MT43 comparison to the Kenda Equilibrium


Kenda mounted up on my TE300 at 8psi





Kenda on the right mounted and inflated and a Michelin S12 on the left (one ride)




MT43 left and the Kenda Equilibrium on the right

 

[Jimmy250]

I am tempted to try that tire its looks great!