When I moved to adventure riding on DR650s early this century there were bugger-all tyres available for a 17-inch rear rim. I remember my choices were pretty much a Pirelli MT21 or a Bridgestone Trail Wing. Those tyres had their limitations, but that’s all there was and I made do.
Now there’s a huge range of tyres available for 17-inch rear rims, and they seem to be incredibly specialised. We can even pick and choose between tyres rated for a given percentage of road/off-road use.
It’s wonderful, and as the bikes have increased in weight and horsepower, tyre selection has become a critical – and expensive – facet of performance.