Sometimes a press release includes a small detail that makes a big difference. A few months ago, I received one about a new tyre brand from Gujarat. While that would normally glaze my eyes over with boredom, there was one little detail in there that widened them with excitement instead. The brand was going to be called Reise (German for journey), and the exciting bit was that this was a tie-up with a European company called Mitas, which is hugely popular in the international off-road riding scene.
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Mitas not only makes motorcycle tyres, but is also big in the off-highway commercial vehicle sector – think agricultural, industrial and mining applications. That’s where the connection with Gujarat-based Mahansaria Group comes in because they are one of India’s biggest tyre manufacturers in the off-highway tyre space. Mahansaria has a huge export business as well where it rivals Mitas in many markets.
This collaboration is solely for motorcycle tyres and Reise plans to sell numerous Mitas-based tyres in India. We got to try out the TrailR on/off-road tyres, which are based on the highly acclaimed Mitas EO7. Reise tells us that they are very similar with a few small changes to the compound and carcass to make them more suitable to our conditions. Reise says that the TrailR is the first locally manufactured 50-50 (designed for 50 percent road and 50 percent off-road use) motorcycle tyre. We got to try them out on a rocky and relatively challenging off-road trail on a Royal Enfield Himalayan and, simply put, these tyres were noticeably better than any of the India-made options I’ve tried so far for off-road riding.
The tyres were immediately more feelsome than what you normally get on the likes of the Xpulse and Himalayan and they bit into the dirt in a beautifully communicative way. It was almost like they felt softer and thereby more willing to find grip with whatever was underneath. The feel through talcum powder fine dust was particularly nice, but the tyres also did a great job of dealing with rocks and loose surfaces. When traction did break, it was always in a smooth and predictable way.
For off-road performance, these tyres really are unmatched at this price, but the on-road aspect is equally important. We weren’t allowed to try them on the road at the launch event, but Reise has sent us a set for our long-term Xpulse 200. As you would expect, all that off-road ability comes with some compromises on the road.
The good news is that grip under the brakes is quite good and you won’t feel much compromise there. The tyres also deal with bumps and road imperfections better, and they help the suspension create a slightly more pliant and absorptive ride comfort. However, like with most off-road focused tyres, you will have to get used to the way the bike leans. It’s nowhere close to as bad as on a fully knobbly tyre, but because of the shape of the tyre, it feels like the bike wants to fall into a corner faster than you’d expect – almost like it’s rolling right off the edge of the tyre. At first, this is quite strange and most street riders will not like the feeling. But you will get used to it, and as you do, you’ll find that there is enough grip for handling not to be a serious concern. But yes, your bike will not corner as nicely on these tyres as it would on something more road-biased.
There’s a lot to like about the Reise TrailR tyres – not only for their off-road ability, but also because they come at a pretty palatable price of between Rs 7,000-8,000 for a set. Size availability is currently limited to the Xpulse 200 and Himalayan, but the company says it will have more options for popular ADV bikes soon. If you’re largely a road rider, you don’t need tyres like these, but if off-road riding is something you like to do alongside typical road usage, the TrailR tyres are worth going for based on what we’ve experienced so far.
