Written by Utkarsh Sood | Photos provided by manufacturers. Posted in Gear
If you’re an adventure motorcyclist seeking high-performance tires without breaking the bank, you’re in luck. The market offers a variety of budget-friendly ADV tires that deliver exceptional performance on both pavement and trails. Whether you’re navigating gravel roads, tackling muddy paths, or cruising on highways, there’s an affordable tire tailored to your riding style. This guide highlights top-rated, cost-effective adventure motorcycle tires to help you make an informed choice.
Each of these tires offers a unique blend of performance, durability, and affordability, ensuring that you don’t have to compromise on quality. Consider your typical riding conditions and preferences to select the tire that best suits your adventure needs. Prices may fluctuate over time or even geographically. Moreover, what’s consdered “budget” has changed alot in recent years due to inflation. That said, these are some of our favorite choices worth thinking about.
Did we miss something? Feel free to suggest your own and share your thoughts and experiences. Simply drop us an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the model name plus short write up. We’re happy to look at adding it to the list and give you credit for the contribution.
1) Dunlop D605
Price: $80 – $120
This is perhaps one of our favorite true budget dual-sport tires mostly available in sizes for small and mid size bikes. We have run a couple sets of Dunlop D605’s (reviewed here) on our first gen Royal Enfield Himalayan and have had nothing but positive experiences with it, both on and off-road. The asymmetrical tread pattern does a great job on a variety of terrain. The asphalt cornering inspires more confidence than it’s venerable big brother, the D606, which can become tricky on wet pavement when it’s squared off.
What’s more, at the time of writing, you can still get a set of Dunlop D605’s for around 200 dollars (front and rear) A few years ago you could get a set for a little above 100 bucks, which made them such a great deal, we purchased two sets. Also, the sets we got were manufactured in Japan, although now they can also come from Indonesia. Tires are available in 16, 18, 19 and 21″ variants. Overall, this is a great tire for your small or medium size dual-sport worth checking out if you’re making big plans on a small budget.
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2) Shinko 705
Price: ~$200 per set
Shinko’s 705 is a long-standing, go-to, budget tire for a wide range of riders and bikes. Although the tread pattern lends itself to more of an adventure touring application, it can still hold its own on gnarley gravel roads. Much earlier versions reported some tread separation, but nothing in the past few years. Our review of Shinko’s 705’s found them easy to install, with lots of available sizes and long lasting for an 80/20 tire.
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3) Shinko 804/805 Crossfly
Price: ~$250 per set
If you’re looking to a more agressive 60/40 tread pattern, check out Shinko’s 804/805 block style tires. These followi n in the footsteps of the next tire mentioned in this article and provides more off-road grip than the 704’s but may sacrifice tread life and smooth rolling on pavement. It’s a great compliment in Shinko’s tire line up for those who want to spend more time in the rough stuff. Great news is they are also available it a wide range of sizes and a full set (front and rear) can be purchased for around $250 at the time of this writing. For more images and a full review check out our Shinko 804/805 Adventure Trail Tires review.
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4) Continental TKC80
Price: $115 – $250
The TKC 80’s are one of the OG’s in the adventure riding scene and have a long history of reliability. And while they once came at a premium price, they are now about the same, or even less than some of the more boutique competitiors. It’s no secret that most dedicated off-road adventure riders are frequently seen rolling on Continental‘s venerable TKC80 “Twinnies.” These are trusted 60/40 tires with blocky knobs that make them excellent off-road, yet their compound still provides respectable traction on roads. But if you were looking for even more roadworthy TKCs, the TKC70 Rocks might be a better option for you.
A good adventure tire has to offer a good mix of grip, braking power, and traction throughout a wide range of terrain from loose to hard pack. That’s all that the TKC offers. For 2025, this tire comes upgraded with a casing composed of a new rubber composition for enhanced durability.
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5) Mitas E-07+ Enduro Trail
Price: $120 – $290
Another great set of 50/50 tires coming from Mitas. These combine solid, reliable off-road performance with a wide chevron-style block pattern and independent shoulder knobs for optimal handling and wear on the tarmac. It comes in a variety of options — E-07, E-07+, E-09, and E-10 — depending on the pattern and your style of riding.
We reviewed the Mitas E-07 Enduro Trail a while back and we were mighty impressed with how it performed. Generally speaking, Mitas is a reliable brand, with the Enduro trail series generally better suited for large adventure bikes that come with heavier weights and bigger power.
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6) Pirelli Scorpion Trail II
Price: $135 – $285
The Pirelli Scorpion Trail II are 90/10 tires designed for modern adventure and sport touring motorcycles, with a focus on touring more than off-road expeditions. They’re a pair of versatile tires that deliver excellent traction and stability at high speeds – one of the many reasons they’re one of the most popular choices for adventure and sport touring motorcyclists.
Equally dependable on lengthy journeys and twisty routes, the Trail II tires perform well in a range of settings because of their improved wet grip and compatibility with different high-performance bikes. Its shortened profile encourages even wear for stable performance, and its dual compound design guarantees increased mileage without sacrificing cornering capabilities.
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7) Michelin Anakee Wild
Price: $150 – $290
Michelin’s Anakee range has been around for a good time. And for a good reason too. These are 50/50 type tires that give exceptional traction in a variety of conditions, including gravel, mud, and even rocky trails. Their distinctive tread pattern, which includes aggressive lugs and broad, deep grooves is a big factor for their versatility.
Perhaps the only shortcoming I can pinpoint about this rubber is that it’s a tad bit noisier compared to others. But if you can look past that, this tire has all the assurance you need to traverse a variety of terrain. And for all of its off-road qualities, it performs admirably well on paved roads. For long-distance touring or commuting specifically, these tires provide a solid and comfortable ride. Check out our review of the Michelin Anakee Wild.
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8) Dunlop Trailmax
Price: $150 – $285
Last but not least, we have the Dunlop Trailmax tires. There are two of them – the new Trailmax Raid tires and the older, well-liked Trailmax Mission tires. Although it is widely advertised as a 60/40 tire, it’s more of a 50/50 rubber and that’s because it’s equally good at handling trails as concrete roads.
These are a great option for both heavy and middleweight ADV bikes. They offer excellent mileage and outstanding handling and comfort, all thanks to the extremely dispersible high surface area silica in its rubber composition. This compound, which is composed of a variety of carbon black and resins, which aids in performance both off and on-road.
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Personally speaking, no tire’s 100% perfect. A lot of these options are hugely subjective to personal taste, riding styles, and bike capacity as a whole. All of these options listed here offer a good blend of value and overall performance – with the backing of trusted brands behind them. Although these are just a few ideas mostly geared towards bigger adventure bikes, we recommend dingo your own research on the kind of rubber you’re after.
And don’ forget, if you have some favorite tires to add, let us know the model and share your thoughts/experiences at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We’re happy to update an article with compelling thoughtful informattion. Until then, ride safe and have fun!
Having over 15 years of experience traveling and documenting his adventures, Utkarsh Sood lives and breathes all things motorcycle. His quest to travel, write, and create films pushed him to quit his fancy advertising job to live life on his own terms. Or so he thinks. When he is not writing about bikes, he’s busy riding his trusted Royal Enfield Himalayan and creating content for his project ‘Silence & Stories‘.
