Am looking at purchasing the Pirelli MT43 tire for my vintage Ossa. Was wondering what would be a suitable match for the front. Also, may sound stupid, but how important is the front tire, as far as performance and $ are concerned? You can spend $25.00 - $100.00, for a front tire. Just curious what you folks think.

I would put a mt43 on the front also, my 247 montesa handles fine with them and a good front will stop you sliding sideways on a sharp up-hill turn

Dave

With what I would call old fashioned riding styles, which presumably is what you will be using on such a machine, there is an opinion that the front tyre is perhaps more important than the rear in that grip at the rear is no use if you can't steer the bike in the right direction.

A rear MT43 is an acceptable tyre in terms of providing an adequate level of grip but it's old technology so it is not as good as a modern Michelin/Dunlop/IRC in any conditions other than snow or ice where its harder compound bites in better.

Same for the front really - they'll grip ok, but a Michelin is probably the best all rounder on the front.

In the end, depends how serious you are as to how much you want to spend. The pirelis will be adequate, no more.

Go for a Michelin.

With what I would call old fashioned riding styles, which presumably is what you will be using on such a machine, there is an opinion that the front tyre is perhaps more important than the rear in that grip at the rear is no use if you can't steer the bike in the right direction.

Well said ! If you can't turn well , you really can't ride twinshock/no stop trials well ... And hopping a ossa around would take way to much energy!

Glenn

Dunlops D803 are dirt cheap if you shop around,seem to work quite well enough(my old Fantic twinshock amazes me the places It hooks up) shouldn't pay more than $130 for front and rear plus shipping

Just because your bike is vintage doesn't mean you should handicap yourself with a dualsport tire,Plus the MT43 cost almost as much as the Dunlops

I would put a mt43 on the front also, my 247 montesa handles fine with them and a good front will stop you sliding sideways on a sharp up-hill turn

Dave

I would if I could find one, here in the states. Plenty of 4.00 - 18's, but can't find a single 2.75 - 21. I've had very good luck with the Dunlops. I just thought I would like to try something else. I certainly don't want a hard compound, and didn't realize the Pirelli's were.

Thanks for all the advice.

I've got a pirelli on the front of my TL - hard as iron compared to the michelin on my scorpa!

are the dunlop's available as a tubed tyre ? the mich tubed tyre is nothing like an X11, only good tubed tyre I know of (hope someone can put me right on this) is the IRC, I have used a tubeless vee rubber on a tubeless rim in the past and thought that it was good value, a new one of those is better than a worn IRC, mich etc, I have been told these are available as a tubed type but have not been able to source one, any one know if this is true or not ?

Dunlop rears are not available as tubed type and their tubeless rears are incredibly difficult to keep on the rim of tube type rims at trials pressures.

No idea about Vee Rubber tyres

I ride only twinshocks with tube type rear rims and happily use IRC tube rears and fronts and Michelin fronts. All three are readily available and work fine. If Michelin made decent tube type rear tyres I would use them too.

The front tyre brand does not have to match the rear tyre brand for the bike to work well, but on a twinshock the performance of the front tyre is important for the steering to work well.

I reckon Pirellis MT43s are woeful compared with modern tyres for trials competition use. Of course if I was riding a trials bike on the road much it would have Pirelli or MITAS tyres as they wear out more slowly than proper competition tyres.

I have an Ossa and a Yamaha with Tube Type D803's on both front and rear, original stock rims. Not sure what is available in your area, but Tube type Dunlops are very common here. I run 4 pounds in the rear and 6 pounds in the front and have never had a problem.

I saw a write up on the Pirelli saying how great it was for trials. I'm glad I posted this before I bought one. Now I'm back to IRC or more Dunlops.

Don't overlook the IRC TR011F Trials Winner front as they work well and are the least expensive of the lot. I would say to match your rear with the front that goes with it.

Part 2 of your post...where to get tires????? I have great luck with Tire Xpress (Competition Accessories Tire warehouse) in Ohio. They have IRCs and Michelins in stock.

I had MT43