When I was young and broke, I’d stretch the mileage of a knobby on my Honda SL100 or XL250 by reversing the tread when the knobs began to look like ramps. Not the brightest thing to do, but did I mention I was young and broke?
I bring this up because the Motoz Tractionator tires in this review – a Tractionator GPS rear and a Tractionator Dual Venture front – are both reversible per the manufacturer. Motoz rates the GPS as a 50/50 off-road/street tire when mounted in the normal position and a more dirt-oriented skin when reversed. The 70/30 Dual Venture front tire’s non-directional tread allows extended use when turned around, which could be handy on a long journey.
Brian Cornelius at Pacific Powersports, the Motoz U.S. Distributor, assisted me in choosing this setup after I confessed that, like most ADV riders, I spend more time on the pavement than off. However, I will gladly give up some street cornering for better off-road grip at the front. The knobby Dual Venture fulfills that requirement while still allowing plenty of cornering fun on the tarmac.
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Motoz is an Australian company that specializes in off-road and adventure tires, which have been manufactured in a privately owned factory in Thailand for 40 years. The company states its bias-ply Tractionators use a proprietary ply material of a higher denier than used by other tire makers to create a stronger tire. The tread material is a hybrid of silica-enhanced natural rubber and other components for good all-weather performance. Both tires have four nylon plies each for tread and sidewall and are rated M+S, meaning in general that they have widely spaced tread blocks.
It was relatively easy to mount the rear 150/70B18 TL GPS ($239.99) on my Yamaha Ténéré 700 in 50/50 mode, after which I enjoyed excellent traction throughout several days of wandering the Mojave Desert. Through sand, gravel, dirt, and rocks, the Motoz GPS handled it all well. They were fun on the pavement too, with good grip in the corners allowing spirited riding. We didn’t have mud, but I’ve ridden the GPS in the rain with no problems. Center tread depth is down from the Motoz spec of 12.5 mm to 7 mm after 3,500 miles of mixed – but largely highway – use.
Related: Yamaha Announces Updated Ténéré 700, Other Returning 2024 Models
Likewise, the 90/90B21 TL 54Q Dual Venture ($137.99) kept the front of the Yamaha planted on pavement, hard dirt roads, and sloppy desert gravel. It also took some big hits as I slammed through numerous dry, hard-edged water channels, testing the Ténéré’s forks to the max without complaint from the tire. The middle knobs have a slight rear-side chamfer now, so it may be time to turn it around.
Overall, I’m a fan of this Motoz pair and consider them a great fit for most adventure travel. Though if expecting mud, I’d consider slipping a 70/30 Tractionator Adventure onto the rear.
