soon to leave for mali from uk. can only get Michelin T63''s or Pirelli MT21's where we want to change them for Moroc. (we will be changing them in gibraltar) I always stress about tyres before a trip and this one is no different. Which of the above two will last longest. I am guessing the t63 but may well be wrong. i am on an xr650r and my partner is on a dr650se. i hope to make gibraltar to timbuktu and back on one rear. we will avoid tarmac where poss. all opinions welcome
cheers
oz

Hi Oz

Never used T63s but I've got through a fair number of MT21s and tbh I would have thought you'd struggle to get from Gib to Tim and back on one - particularly on a loaded 650R and spending a lot of time off road.

Both of my trips down there have been using Mich Deserts and I reckon to get about twice the mileage out of a Desert compared to an MT21. A Desert rear would probably be ok for that distance but I'd also be concerned about the front. On my last trip it wore out well before the rear - the extra weight stressed it more under braking.

well not as easy to tell...
this tyres are made for whole different purpose...

Have used both on my LC4 for travelling and home runs... and had a very bad slip on the tarmac with the T63 regarding there narrow width and roundish shape on the back, the M21 is way wider "140/80-18" and gives a better footprint on lose ground, better traction, better warning before it slips on the road compare to the T63.... that's my opinion...
a pity, the M21 front wares out unevenly very fast on tarmac, I usually need two front tyres to one on the back, yes the T63 last much longer and wares out evenly, gives a comfortable ride.. I found it dangered too, well it doesn't mater so much, but it looks lost on the rear wheel.

I personally would never ever buy a T63 again unless there is nothing else around, just to get me further or out of the place, would rather use a TRC80 for the long howling roads and a M21 or ED660 for the fun stuff.

Tried the T63 on sand and thought what a wast on money, any other tyre is cheaper and performs better.

My mate who was riding the T63 on two journeys on his XR250 around Swedish dry gravel back roads was fine but no good on lose and muddy ground at all.
Next trip he will use some thing else but not a T63 any more. He only used the T63 regarding that he had this wildly used MoD rubber very cheap.... yes the MoD runes the T63 on there Amstrong-500 and Harley-350.....

My conclusion is that the T63 is a road tyre for small cc-size bikes, the M21 slows you down on the road but is fun on lose round and the rear rubber outlast the front by two to the front. I get 2000km on the front and 4000km on the back by caring to have the right pressure for any tyre is important anyway.

spooky

Hi Guy's!

The T63 will last longer. Our best result on the T63 is 15 Tkm on the rear front was 18Tkm. That's on travel speed on 2 fully loaded 2V GS's most on rough tarmac in OZ.
The MT21 has a good grip but won't last that long. My best one on GS was 7Tkm.

Better to get the Desert on the back!

Werner

Just a note: I had a DR600 (mainly road use) and got a new set of Twinduro Conti's (TKC 80) which performed well on road, good in wet too.... but the rear wore rather quickly!!!!!! They were half worn in just under 1500 miles.....

Just to add a bit to what I posted earlier, I found this picture I'd taken a few years ago. Both of the tyres have done about the same mileage - roughly 3500 - 4000 miles. The one on the left is a Desert, the one on the right is an MT21

thanks for the replies, collective experience is way better than my guesswork. deserts it is if i can get a 17inch rear for the dr. will get onto quick fit in gib and get them ordered.
cheers
oz

hi oz, glad to see your off again. i used the desert last year and it lasted well. i have a 17" rear on the AT and if i'm correct i got the tyre from paul green tyres in glyneath south wales.
Paul Green Tyres Glynneath South Wales Off-Road
he knows his stuff also if you speak to him. good luck and good trip.