Maxxis Presa Detour Motorcycle Tires Review

Review by James Parchman

[This Maxxis Presa Detour Motorcycle Tires Review was originally published in the April 2008 issue of Rider magazine]

Check out a tony eatery like Mr. Chow of Beverly Hills 90210 or Rabia’s Ristorante in Boston’s North End on a weekend evening, and you’ll likely find the parking area holding many dual-sport machines. All manner of Euro, Japanese and an occasional American-built await the return of their resplendently logo-covered owners, eager to fire up their deeply treaded mounts for a brisk ride back toward home in the upscale ‘burbs. Note that the dual-sports we refer to here are the four-wheel variety. The closest any of these are likely to get to gnarly off-roading are a Lindsey Lohanlike climb over an unseen curb at the local Nordstrom.

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Same is often true for two-wheeled dual-sports, of which we are an unapologetic fan, but it’s nice to know they can be taken off the pavement when the need arises. Touted often in these pages, adventure-touring and dual-sport motorcycles provide perhaps the best combination of comfort, performance and handling of any bike category.

We’ve tested a variety of dual-sport tires but a recent offering from Maxxis got our attention. Branded the Presa Detour, this tire combines relatively deep tread depth with a semi-sporty tread design. We evaluated a set of Detours on a Triumph Tiger recently, from mile one until the point where they squealed “enough already.” We came away with a positive view of the tire, but were less impressed with its longevity.

The Detours required tubes on our wire-wheeled Tiger, but mounted easily and gave the bright yellow cat an impressive stance. Riding conditions included back road and super slab, wet and dry weather, and a bit of dirt/gravel. The Detour test occurred during the heat of the summer, which accelerated wear. Our prior generation Tiger was by no means a screamer but its three-cylinder torque could spin a tire and provided snappy takeoffs, both of which contribute to premature wear. We experienced no flats and less than normal air leakage.

That said, the rear Detour was toast at 5,000 miles. And toast means not a single additional mile was advisable. Cautious riders would have replaced the tire 500 miles beforehand. The front tire was 50 percent, which means the Detour may be a twofer–two rear tires for every front. Owner reports indicate aggressive riders getting as few as 3,000 miles on a rear.

No complaints on the way these tires handled; we liked the stability, and traction was good in all conditions. The Detour carcass seemed a bit stiff, but the tires did not ride harshly or become noisy as they wore. No complaints on the pricing either, Maxxis lets its dealers set retail, and we saw numbers in the $200 per set range, a real value. The real problem may be in sizing, as Presa Detours are currently only produced in sizes to fit Suzuki V-Strom, BMW GS and Triumph Tiger models.

You might recognize Maxxis International by the name of its parent company, Cheng Shin. This Taiwanese company has come far since its founding in the late 1960s, and is now an OEM supplier to auto companies and several motorcycle manufacturers including Yamaha and Suzuki.

A good portion of dual-sport motorcycle owners never venture to where the pavement ends, but they could if they wanted to. For those who want a tire with Baja-ready looks while saving a few bucks, the Maxxis Presa Detour is worth considering.

For more information see your dealer or contact Maxxis International USA, 545 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, Georgia 30024; www.maxxis.com

4 COMMENTS

  1. I’m using Presas on my Yamaha supertenere. No complaints if speed is under 150 km/h. Over that, the vibration is SO STRONG that makes impossible to mantain the speed. Once slowed down ( again under 150), calm returns to the riding.

  2. Kurt
    I recently fitted Maxxi’s to my V Strom and had an odd feeling from the word go. Thought it was the sticky layer which needs to be driven off, but the “loose” feeling from the front wheel has increased to a steering wobble. Had the tyres re balanced which showed that they were incorrectly balanced when fitted. the problem has however remained. I had the wheel bearing, shocks…everything checked, and no fault could be found with the bike. Is there any advise on this problem. The supplier is now saying that the tyre and rim needs to be sent to Maxxis’, which most likely will take a few months just to get an answer that it is not the tyre!!

  3. Reasonable price. Look smart on my 2005 955i Tiger. I found they gave a slight wobble feeling at walking speed. Just a shimmer that never got worse. More pronounced when new. It still does this mildly at 3000 miles on. Agreed on tyre wear. But it’s definitely the tyres as never had this with Dunlops. The rear will need replacing around another 1000 miles. I ride hard though. Almost sports bike like. I’d buy these again as all weather grip is good.

  4. Maxxis Detour MA-PD
    150/70 R 17 69V TL

    Bike with one month and 1600 km. I found that they gave a slight sense of wobble in speed. But definitely the rear tire
    it had loosened pieces of the floor. I would not buy again as I have lost confidence in the Maxxis brand.

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