difference . Also , on gravel I found that in Enduro Pro mode , if you dial up Max suspension height on the ESA ( Electronic Suspension Adjustment ), this raises the rear putting even more weight on the nose and aiding turn-in further , while firming up the suspension too . A total win in my book . The 19-inch front wheel is a good benefit on road too . The wider rubber footprint simply offers more grip and feel than a 21-front hoop on tarmac . To some extent it ’ s also a benefit on gravel too . Obviously it ’ s worse in deep , loose gravel where the front-end has less bite and is floatier because the wider rubber has less cut through , but on hard packed clean gravel , grip is excellent . For true off-road riding the 19-inch is a mainly a step backwards for the same reason – less cut through and bite unless on hardpacked dirt . So , on balance , considering the greater amount of road work most will do , the 19-inch front is a winner for an adventure bike . While we are talking tyre grip and cut through ,
now is a good time to talk adventure rubber . The Rallye comes with Michelin Anakee Adventure tyres . Tyre sizes are 170 / 60-17 rear and 120 / 70-19 front . These are 80 / 20 road tyres , which means they are mainly suitable for and excellent on tarmac and you CAN ride gravel . That 20 percent gravel part actually equates to bugger-all grip on loose gravel – they are certainly not knobblies . If you ’ re going to stump up $ 40k for a bike , you should be prepared to spend a little extra on the correct tyres for gravel if you intend to ride a decent amount of it . The improvement in grip is huge , resulting in much superior safety , control and rider confidence . And , after a little re-calibration and a bit of tyre squirm they still work surprisingly well on road - although wear is increased .
ELECTRONICS I ’ ve always been vocal in saying I think electronics on most bikes are a pain in the arse – and sometimes counterproductive in terms of safety and ease of use . That ’ s a bold
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