There are various considerations when selecting the ideal tyre for travel. Your decision depends entirely upon what experience you hope to enjoy while driving.
Pirelli Scorpion ATR tyres delivered excellent wet weather handling with minimal aquaplaning, providing excellent gravel grip while remaining relatively affordable.
Wet Handling
When planning a road trip to Joshua Tree or any national park, having reliable wet weather tyres can make all the difference in safety and gas mileage. These types of tyres feature large tread sipes to cover more surface area for improved grip on wet roads; solid center ribs offer stability at high speeds with enhanced braking capabilities; plus their low rolling resistance improves gas mileage even further!
If your ride takes place primarily on rough inner city streets, a puncture protection tyre may be more suitable than one designed to deliver speed or weight benefits. On smooth, debris-free roads however, lightweight racy tyres offer good speed and grip in wet or dry conditions.
Vittoria’s Corsa Graphene tyre is an outstanding example of an excellent wet weather tyre, featuring a revolutionary new Graphene compound to reduce rolling resistance, increase grip, durability and puncture protection. Available as both clincher and tubular options; tubulars may be especially advantageous in remote locations where changing tubes is an inconvenience.
Dry Handling
Maintaining control of your vehicle on dry roads at higher speeds requires that the tyre be able to absorb road vibrations efficiently, due to its compound and casing absorbing them as much as possible. For optimal results, select Glasgow tyres with soft casings with thin treads; these will reduce rolling resistance while increasing speed; however they may not be puncture-resistant or last as long.
Touring or grand touring tires typically provide all-season traction and offer high levels of comfort and dry handling, making them suitable for long drives. They are often quieter than other road tires with their asymmetrical tread patterns which help ensure smooth operation on dry pavement.
In our dry handling test, the Goodyear Eagle RS3 emerged victorious due to its quick steering responses and excellent grip. Toyo and Pirelli came close behind with slow reactions to steering inputs and instability issues; budget Travelstar came last with intrusive pattern noise at speed without feedback or feedback at all.
Off-Road
For adventures into the wilderness, all-terrain (AT) tires may be your ideal companions. These specially-made tyres feature deeper grooves than regular ones to channel dirt away from their tread and offer increased traction on uneven surfaces like gravel.
Off-road tires may be heavier, but they provide better puncture protection and ride quality than road-oriented options. Although their fuel economy might suffer slightly in exchange for this tradeoff, many drivers still opt for them because it provides greater puncture protection and better puncture resistance.
When searching for an AT tire, look for one with an optimal balance of grip, tread life, and road manners. A great example is the Dunlop Mutant tire; its design incorporates elements from sportbikes, powerful cruisers and ADV bikes for confident handling on rough roads.
Serious off-road enthusiasts frequently air down their tires prior to hitting the trails, in order to increase surface area that comes into contact with non-paved surfaces and increase traction. But this process can be tricky to execute correctly – too much air pressure could cause your vehicle to lose control and get stuck in muddy or sandy areas, so it is advisable to consult a specialist first. Luckily, there are numerous resources online which can assist with finding out your tyre pressure for off-road driving.
Comfort
It’s also essential that the tyre you select be suitable for long distance drives. Highway/touring tyres may be best, whereas all-terrain tires might provide greater comfort on off-road driving conditions and sandy conditions. Reviews mention their excellent wet weather handling with low aquaplaning resistance, excellent dry braking and gravel performance, noise levels being kept to an absolute minimum and low aquaplaning resistance levels; however they fall short during extended wet braking or deep mud conditions.