PRODUCT REVIEW
THE GREAT BITS Firstly , I ’ m pretty happy with how they ’ ve worn . Over 6000km of abuse on the rear is great , especially considering how versatile they are . They look pretty cool too with their big block tread pattern and , even while the rear is starting to show signs of squaring off , it transfers from side to side with no issues at all . Possibly more importantly they ’ ve been reliable in both the amount of grip I can expect from them with the ‘ mighty ’ 250 chugging away , but also in a sense that I ’ ve had no punctures or damage to the tyres themselves , despite the varied conditions I ’ ve ridden in .
THE NOT SO GREAT Honestly , I have very few complaints about the E804 and E805 . I ’ ve had the occasional butt puckering moment where the front has felt like it was going to wash out mid corner on a gravel road , but I ’ d expect this from almost any tyre considering the conditions and speeds I ’ ve had this happen . The fact that it has never let me down and the bike has always remained upright is a testament to how controllable these tyres are . It ’ s the same at the back end with the E805 . While lateral grip can be lacking thanks to its tread design , the low power of the Rally means this is rarely a problem . Yes , they ’ re compromise tyres with their near 50 / 50 split personality between road and dirt ability , but on a bike like the 250 Rally , so long as I ’ ve had air in them , its been a case of set and forget . They ’ ve just been easy to live with .
BANG FOR BUCK I ’ m stoked with the bang for buck I ’ ve got out of the E804 and E805 . While they ’ re not perfect , they balance my needs of road and off-road nicely for the typical gravel-based adventure riding found in New Zealand , and with good tyre life and predictable handling ( at least on the low power CRF250 Rally ) they are incredible value for money .
Model : Shinko E804 / E805 Sizes : Most popular fitments Price : Front : 90 / 90-21 ( tube type ) $ 92.00 ; Rear 120 / 90-18 ( TT ) $ 130.00 Buy here : https :// bits4bikes . co . nz / search ? type = product & q = e804
106 KIWI RIDER