Metzeler’s 70/30 adventure bike option, the Karoo 3 is aimed at riders of big ADV machines looking for a level of genuine off-road performance.
In their March 2016 issue, American magazine Dirt Bike fitted a pair to the Husqvarna Terra 650 to see how they performed both on and off-road on a section of the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route.
“The portion of the route that was left to complete consisted of 50-percent highway and 50-percent direct with a total of approximately 1000 miles on our out-and-back loop. The ride quality of the Karoo 3 was immediately noticeable when we jumped on the highway towards the first dirt sections. The tyre was extremely quiet, especially comapred to the Heidenau Scouts and Kenda Big Blocks that had previously been used on the Terra. Even the open-block design of the tyre provided much better traction in paved corners than the other tyres. We never felt the tyre squirm when leaned over with a full load of gear on board. Very impressive considering this tyre is expected to perform double duty. Once we hit the dirt portion of our adventure, we were a little concerned that the tyre could handle the varying conditions. Most dual-purpose tyres that work on pavement really suffer in the dirt. The rear hooked up well on the loose forestry roads, seeming to hunt for traction whether it was hardpack, loose dirt or rocky. Equally impressive was the rear tyre’s ability to drive forward in sandy conditions. The front tyre had a tendency to push before grip, and the dirt performance was better than the Heidenau, though sketchier than the Kenda.
As a multi-condition adventure tyre, the Karoo 3 gives up performance in certain areas. The front tyre really suffers in soft sand. It struggles to keep a straight line as it tucks and dives looking for a solid surface. Compared to a true adventure full knobbly, the Karoo 3s perform at about 50 percent in the dirt. Don’t expect these tyres to last as long as more pavement-biased tyres.
If you’re in the market for a new set of adventure tyres, we’d highly recommend the Metzeler Karoo 3. Apart from desert sand washes, these tyres performed outstandingly. After 1000 miles of 50-50 dirt/pavement, wear is minimal. Mounted on the Terra 650, we expect to get 3 – 4000 miles out of the rear and 5 – 6000 from the front.
If you’re not expecting pure knobbly performance in the dirt, we think you’ll be very happy.”
You can view the full range of Metzeler Karoo 3 sizes here.
