[superfunkomatic]

The distributor in Canada (MX1 Canada) received their shipment of tires from Mitas. While I'm not going to install the MC23 Rockrider on my AT, I am going to put a set on my CRF250L and try them out this summer ($208 shipped for a front and back - what a deal!).

I decided to try out the E12 Rally Star from Mitas instead on the rear. In chatting with MX1 they suggested that this could be a really good gravel and offroad tire with similar longevity to the E09 from Mitas. I'm going to use the Michelin Anakee Wild on the front since the matching front tire (E13) hasn't arrived in Canada yet this year.

I'll share my findings when I arrive back from my Western Canada and Alaska trek in July.

 

[superfunkomatic]

The trip went well and so did each of the tires. I traveled 5,500 kilometres - about 1,000 gravel/dirt and 4,500 pavement.
The Michelin Anakee Wild on the front still has about 40% of its life left, which is amazing.
The Mitas E12 did really well considering it is a 20/80 (offroad/road) tire. It still has about 500 -700 kilometres (maybe a 1,000 for street) left (started with 15-16mm of tread and is down to about 5-6mm).

I was really impressed with both. They both are surprisingly good on the highway even when pushed on twisty pavement. Both good in rain and muck. I'd buy both again.
IMHO, the Anakee Wild has better offroad and onroad performance than the 804/805 Shinko - the Michelin replaced a set of the Shinko's. I really liked the Shinko tires but the Michelin seems to offer more across the board.

As for the MC23 Rockrider, I have put a set on my CRF250L and they are really good. 500 - 700 kilometres of use (60% pavement use / 40% gravel) and they have barely taken the nibs off them. I may try the 140 80/18 on the Africa Twin at some point to see if it measures up to the performance of the E12.

My stock front tire is about done after 12500+km. Just wondering how the anakee wild front performed for you on your trip? I am planning to replace OEM front with something more dirt capable. The front runners now are TKC80, shinko 804 and the anakee wild. Any feedback would be appreciated.
I replaced the OEM rear with a shinko 705 that was available locally on short notice after just over 7000km because I didn't think it would last my trip to the black hills, NW Ontario and back across the prairies. The 705 rear is at about 50% after 5400km. Had been debating putting a mitas E07 on rear but I am curious how the E12 held up also. I cant complain about the 705 it has been predictable. Not much gravel riding on it but with a better front tire I am sure it would be fine on gravel roads.

 

[superfunkomatic]

Mitas E12 was an excellent all-round tire. I'm impressed that a really meaty knobby tire went 6,300 kilometres. Took it off today. If I had to ride on the road only it probably had 500-700 kilometres left but was no longer grabbing in gravel. Put on an MT21 which is eerily similar to the MC23 Rockrider from Mitas.

The MC23 tires are doing great on my CRF250L over 1,000 kilometres and the first millimetre is all that has been worn off the rear and the front still looks like brand new. Really good tires in gravel and dirt and acceptable road performance so far even in the rain.

 

[superfunkomatic]

1,600 kilometres on the CRF250L. The front tire hasn't worn a bit - barely taken off the nubs and indentation pattern from being new.
The rear has worn about 2mm and still has about 14-15 mm left. Should go a good long time.
It's quite a hard tire compound and you can feel that it is a bit hard on the street but excellent in gravel and dirt.
I think this would make a comparable tire to the Pirelli MT21 that is on the rear of my bike right now (AT) - similar pattern, greater longevity from the looks of things, and equally cheap to fit to the bike. I'd recommend it. So far I've only found the 140/80 - 18 tire size but that hasn't been any issue with any of the tires I've put on the back of the AT.

 

[superfunkomatic]

About 5300 kilometres on the front/rear combo MC23 tires. Still plenty of tire left probably another 2-3,000 kilometres if you pushed it. A bit of scalloping on the front tire. Rear tire wearing like most knobby rear tires should. Switched them out for a dual-purpose ride for Kenda Trakmasters. I'll put them back on when the Kenda tires are done.