I got almost 11,000 miles on mine. I ride gravel pretty regularly, and they work pretty well. Nothing I've ever used works great on gravel.

NOTE: I use a 120/90-17. Wears much better.

https://www.klrforum.com/posts/846035/

 

I got almost 11,000 miles on mine.

That’s a thing of the past. Shinko has since changed their rubber compound and you’ll be lucky to get half that.

I always managed to get 4,000mi from a rear 705. I’m VERY hard on tires. My last 705 was completely toasted @ 1,500mi. They’re now on my 💩 list.

 

I had 705s on my KLR. I REALLY liked them.

I’d characterize myself as a very proficient off-road rider, and my KLR was generally a pavement commuter. I keep a bonafide dirtbike for dirt stuff. I live in Phoenix, so my experience is dry desert and sandwashes.

From my perspective, the 705s were competent on flat dirt and gravel, assuming you are comfortable letting the KLR be a little loose under you, riding with the lower half of your body, and not prone to riding with a tense deathgrip on the handlebars

I’d be reluctant to ask too much of 705s going up hill, or holding a line going down hill or off camber. Being skilled enough to carry momentum and know precisely where you can apply power or brake within the traction capabilities of the tires will be relatively critical if you venture off of flat dirt/gravel with 705s.

For instance, you’ll have to see & know that you need to need to carry extra speed to hold a specific line going down hill and braking won’t be an option until you hit the flat at the base. Also, if you want to climb a hill you’ll need to start with more momentum, commit, and rely less on grunting your way up.

Whereas a better off road tire will be more forgiving, let you brake or accelerate more in the above scenarios.

The 705 will have a lower friction coefficient at the rubber/road interface off road, versus a true knobby. You won’t be able to ask as much of the 705 as you would a true knobby. BUT, you can alter your riding style to minimize what you ask, by maintaining momentum, etc.

You gotta decide whether your intended terrain and skillset makes the 705 a viable option for you.

I loved the 705s, but I asked very little of my KLR off road, and I have a couple decades of experience racing AMA national harescrambles, the WORCS series, BITD, etc. I never dropped my KLR or worried enough to put crash bars on it. I had no illusions about the KLRs power/weight ratio or suspension limitations. My KLR weren’t no KTM. Why even bother with knobbies? BUT a KLR on 705s can shred the urban jungle like no other… around traffic, over curbs, through potholes, over road debris, with excellent sight lines from a high vantage point. The 705s were happy and smooth doing WOT for hours on the I-40 for 500 miles a day.

If I lived in the backwoods, and had to travel 6 miles of rutted dirt road to get the mail every day, then I’d have a KLR on knobbies with a milk crate bungeed to the back. Perfection for that scenario, but It wouldn’t be going on the interstate though, and it would still be crappy on trails by true dirtbike standards.

A set of 705s is pretty cheap. If they look good to you then give ‘em a go. I’ve wasted more than the cost of a set of 705s on a first date that didn’t put out. You can do a lot worse for your money.

 

@MarkMac77 That is pretty much a perfect description of Shinko 705's on a KLR.

 

Back when I was younger. I used the 705's for street and "Oh look! there's a cool looking gravel, dirt road to explore!" But when I was headed for places like Big Bend....I spooned on a set of 804 Shinko Big Blocks. BTW, still use 705's on my '89 TransAlp. I converted my KLR to a Super Mono style...Pirelli Street and Track tires on it now.

 

I did 1,100 miles on my new 705s in 48 hours and they showed no appreciable wear.

The OEM rear was near fully cooked in 1,700 miles.

 

I did 1,100 miles on my new 705s in 48 hours and they showed no appreciable wear.

I'll ask all of you guys as to whether your Short Lived E705 Rears were they the 130/80-17 Tubeless Capable tires or the 130/90-17 Tube Type ONLY rear tires? And what is its DOT# last 4 digits production date?

And to the guys currently getting the Higher mileage out of their E705 rears the same questions?

I do know that the 130/80 Tubeless version is Less Expensive MSRP than the 130/90 Tube Type version. And that most KLR riders are possibly 'too frugal' or short legged and don't want the extra Height of the 130/90.

 

I am closing in on 7k on my 705s. They need to be replaced soon. I ride about 80% highway and the rest is gravel or "unimproved" / dirt. I'm going back with the 705s because they handle my riding. The 705 is slick in mud. I don't ride through rivers or in the mud. The case for sand is it will bog you down. I am quite certain the 705 would dump you in sand due to its less aggressive nature. I absolutely avoid sand in my personal life. I don't go to the beach to play, I'm not riding sand dunes. Sand gets in places it ain't supposed to be, and I'm not just talking about wheel bearings. They are perfectly average for most terrain. Mud tires, sand tires, etc. are all made for specific riding. I feel like the Shinko 705 is the "all-terrain" street tire for the motorcycle.

 

I found the gen-3 KLR to be unrideable in sand.

The power/weight ratio of the gen-1 KLR with the skimpy bikini fairing made sand riding possible for the brave. I could hammer Arizona sand whoops on the gen-1 until my ankles screamed uncle. It was stupid fun.

I briefly tried hitting sand on the gen-3 and the heavy bulbous front end immediately plowed… and no amount of weight shifting or knee squeezing was going to stabilize her.

“I’m positive there is a speed the new KLR will begin to plane out on sand at… BUT given a fixed/limited amount of floatation the front tire can provide, AND the increased weight of the 3rd gen KLR (especially the front end), I think that speed is likely beyond performance envelope of the engine and suspension.” - Graham Jarvis

 

Yeah I did mine is sand dunes recently (gen2)
Not exactly what I consider fun riding.
More like just barley holding it together and wondering when your falling over

 

I'm in the high mileage group. I use a 120/90-17 (your suggestion and thanks again!) and it's the tube type only. The second one I've put on now has 3000 miles and still has plenty of tread. I got 11,000 miles out of the first one.

Here is DOT number. I don't know how to get production date from this (maybe 4/4/24?):

 

I'm in the high mileage group. I use a 120/90-17 (your suggestion and thanks again!) and it's the tube type only. The second one I've put on now has 3000 miles and still has plenty of tread. I got 11,000 miles out of the first one.

View attachment 59890



Here is DOT number. I don't know how to get production date from this (maybe 4/4/24?):

View attachment 59885

The DOT dates codes are read like this; 44 is the week, the 24 is the year. Thus, this tire was built in the 44th week of 2024. That's a fresh baked tire, hot out of the oven....

 

I forgot to mention, I bought it in March of this year.

 

I have the Shinko 804-805 also on my KLR couldn’t be happier. They just seem made for the bike. I would buy them again. Good luck what ever you choose.

 

I ride moderately and seem to get 8k front and 4k rear with the 705s. I like the tires though. I got a lot more miles out of the K60 Scouts I had before these, but those weren't available last time i needed tires.