Intro
It has been a while since we last discussed the Reise TrailR Tyres. My Xpulse had to go through a significant overhaul, and after that, office work kept most of us at BikeWale extremely busy. But even then, I managed to clock a reasonable distance with the XPulse. The primary ride was to the office, which is about 120 km per day and on the weekends, I hit some trails this monsoon. The 3000km mark was completed in the last 75 days, and this is what I think about the Reise TrailR tyres after covering the distance.
On-road experience
I’ll start this section by saying the Reise TrailR impressed me as it barely emitted any sound on the tarmac. My daily route involves nearly 80 per cent of tarmac, and the rest are cemented roads and thus, it plays an important role when over 100km of riding is involved. I’ve had one terrible experience with a stock set of Honda Jazz tyres. So, I clearly understand the importance of tyres that churn out minimal noise.
The first few days with the Reise TrialR were scary, and the blame goes to the construction of the tyres’ shoulder. During turns, the Xpulse would tip in quite quickly, which I have never experienced with any motorcycle tyre. However, the moment I got used to this feeling was when I figured out the fantastic amount of grip these tyres have in the corners. The brand said that the shoulder groove has something called sub-depth, which allows the motorcycle to have high cornering ability. After a few days, I could gradually see an increase in speed around those corners. My confidence was up, and so was my spirit.
The TrailR tyres have a 50-50 bias towards on-road and off-road. The on-road performance is quite good when it comes to overall grip. There have been a few instances where I had to panic brake, and the tyres managed to help with safe stops. While I used the rear brake the most, the performance from the front tyre was quite good, too. Interestingly, the feedback from these tyres is excellent, which was a problem for me, as I could feel the change in tarmac conditions. For example, whenever I entered a wet patch from a dry one, I could feel the tyres operating differently. While the grip levels were good, that change in feedback alarmed me most of the time.
There’s another aspect of the Reise TrailR tyres I like, and that is the aesthetic element of it. The brand name is printed in yellow and honestly, that looks pretty cool. Then, the side wall has some designs, making the tyre look rugged and different.
Off-road experience
The TrailR was primarily tested on gravel, some loose dirt tracks, and sand, thanks to my proximity to many beaches. It took me a while to understand the grip level, especially on the gravel and dirt tracks. But once I figured out how and when to increase the speed, I started appreciating the TrailR. The grip levels and the feedback under heavy braking are great. The rear tyre was used the most because who doesn’t like to slide, correct? One thing I loved the most was the change in road conditions. The transition from on-road to off-road is seamless, and there’s barely any feel on the handlebar, which is a good sign.
What's next?
I’ll be touring on the XPulse 200, and a lot of time will be spent on the highways. This is also when the motorcycle will cover lots of distance every day. It has been a while since I took my Xpulse touring and I’m looking forward to this experience. You also need to know that there hasn’t been a single puncture in the tyres in my five months of ownership.
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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Hero XPulse 210 Right Side View
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