Eurogrip Trailhound SCR Tyre Review: Introduction

Gallery Why the Trailhound?The Trailhound Story The Specs The Plan

Why the Trailhound?

Eurogrip Tyres has been delivering some strong products recently. Its range of Protorq Extremes is one of our favourites for well-paved twisties and track use. More recently, we tried out the Roadhounds on the Royal Enfield Guerrilla, and not only were these better than the stock tyres, but they also elevated the whole riding experience on the Guerrilla.

So, when Eurogrip announced the launch of its on/off-road tyres, the Trailhounds, we knew we had to test them. We did have a short go on them last month, which only whetted our appetite for more. We have opted for the 100/90 - 19 for the front and the 130/80 R17 for the rear. These will go on our long-term Triumph Scrambler 400 X.

The Trailhound Story

Trailhound, as a tyre model, comes in two versions - the SCR and the STR. The latter, too, is meant for adventure motorcycles, but it is more road-focused. One can do some trail riding on them, but these are more touring tyres that won’t feel at sea come an unpaved section of road. And given the sizes for the STR, Eurogrip is clearly focusing on the big ADVs with a road-bent of mind with this one.

The SCR, on the other hand, is more for the mass market. We will see them as standard fitment on the upcoming TVS 300cc adventure bike, but the SCR is also designed to work with the likes of the Suzuki V-Strom 250, KTM 390 Adventure X, Royal Enfield Scram 440, and, of course, the Scrambler 400 X. The SCR is also designed to handle more serious off-roading. The tread pattern is more ‘blocky’, which Eurogrip says helps with better traction off-road. But, it does add ‘light’ to off-roading, which in our book would mean hard-packed trails rather than slush, sand, or gravel.

Eurogrip adds that the SCRs are designed to work very well on the road, too. The high silica content in the tyres improves grip on cold and damp roads; the high-quality synthetic fibres help improve comfort and control; and the profile of the tyre has been designed to make cornering quick, but seamless and predictable. We will, of course, put all these claims to the test in the next three months.

The Specs

As mentioned, we are running the 100/90 - 19 size for the front tyre and the 130/80 R17 for the rear. The 19-inch front is a cross-ply tyre. There is a radial option available for the front as well, but it is restricted to 110/70 R17. The rear we have is a 17-inch radial. It is a slightly different size compared to the stock 140/80 - 17 the 400 X comes with, but we found it the best fit in terms of overall rolling circumference compared to the stock tyre.

Unlike the Protorq Extremes and the Roadhounds, which are light for their respective sizes and types, the Trailhounds are more par for the course. The front tyre weighs a little over 5kg, while the rear - given it is a radial - weighs just under 6kg. These figures are on the lower side when compared to other on/off-road tyres, even though the road-going Eurogrips are lighter.

The Plan

We will now mount these tyres on the Scrambler 400 X, and use them for commuting, touring, and a bit of trail riding. We will then come back in three months’ time and tell you how they fared.

Product Details

Make: Eurogrip Tyres

Model: Trailhound SCR

Type: On / Off-road tyres

Price: Front - Rs. 4,400 ; Rear - Rs. 6,700

Availability: Through Eurogrip’s official website and tyre dealers

Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi