Metzeler Tourance EXP Great Tires
Metzeler's Tourance tires has been around since 1998, so after 20 years it's about time it was finally changed. Big trailies have grown both physically and in terms of power output so while the Tourance still works, it was never designed for the weight and performance of today's 100 horsepower power bikes.While looking ostensibly the same as its predecessor, the EXP now benefits from features Metzeler's 0 degree steel construction in the front tire together with a rehash of the block pattern and compound. So the EXP, while remaining a long distance tire will now do performance riding much better.
Without an immediate back-to-back comparison, I couldn't say I felt any difference to the Tourances I rode a good 20,000 kilometer on a year ago. Yet while the individual can't feel much of a difference, the fact Metzeler got 40-odd journeys from South to North, East and West parts of Thailand on some of the twisted and beaten up roads in Thailand without so much as one crash or adverse incident, when most of the time the journeys were typically riding like hooligans, shows clearly the EXP is a very capable tire.
The toughest day was for us was riding from Chiang Mai all the way South to Phuket. Something like 1400 kilometer or so, but in reality 12-hours of almost non-stop bends, making for never ending gear changes, shredded toe sliders and frazzled brains. Never have such tired journeys arrived at a hotel, bereft of powers of communication and some of humor, too. It was a properly hard day. Regardless, the EXP's kept us falling into the sides of touring buses.
