Thinking about a Motoz Tractionator GPS next, anybody running one?
Kind of an old question, but this thread seems to be coming back to life.
I've got Motoz Tractionator GPS front and rear on my 2011. Mounted them on a warm sunny day in May this year. In spite of this being my first ever tire change, absolutely no problem putting them on with 3 decent spoons. As measured tread depth: 7mm front, 12mm rear. Rear mounted in the 50\50 direction.
Once scrubbed in and starting to trust them I could feel no difference on dry pavement from the much more road-oriented Kenda K761's originally on my bike. Off pavement was an entirely different story.
Lots of people say that it's the rider not the bike. Well, all I can say is if you take a mediocre rider and put good tires under him, it will make a huge difference! I was loving these tires within the first kilometer of gravel. I was immediately going places with confidence and control that I know I could not have with the Kendas. The rear has never disappointed me. I have washed out the front a few times, though that is likely an indication of my low skill more than the tire's performance. Even with the bike heavily loaded, these were fantastic on packed dirt and gravel, big broken rock and shallow mud, loose gravel and shallow sand. Deep sand, gravel and mud are more challenging for me, and probably the tires too. They've come through in every water crossing, though I've had complete traction failures (or lapses of common sense) on steep wet grass and a very smooth, wet wooden bridge deck.
In the 5 months I've been riding these, I've put 11,500 km on bike. I'd say 3000 km gravel\dirt, 2000 km on chip seal in Yukon (seems to eat tires) and the rest on pavement. Of this, about 8500 km has been heavily loaded for touring. Tires now measure 5-6 mm tread front and rear so I'd guess I will have to change the rear at about 18-20,000 km. Looks like the front will outlast me.
I can hear them if I go on the highway without ear plugs, but even then it is nothing compared to the wind noise. I'd definitely buy another rear and maybe another front.
