The best off-road motorcycle tyres

The Dual Sport from Maxxis is a road tyre from the off-road specialists and will deliver good grip in wet weather while its semi-knobbly tread pattern will also provide excellent grip and traction off-road (rear tyre here). Intended for large dual-purpose bikes to allow them greater off-road ability than adventure-sport tyres, they are one of the best off-road motorcycle tyres intended for use on all types of surface.

Continental TKC 80 Twinduro is described by the manufacturer as the King of the dual-sport market and intended as 60/40 off-road/road. Its large tread blocks give excellent traction in wet and muddy conditions and generate great traction. The large spacing means they will clear mud and gravel away from the tread-block edges, allowing them to continue to allow the bike the steer and drive forward (rear tyre here)

Designed for going the distance on both on-road and off-road for big adventures, the Trailmax Mission is a large-block tyre with defined edges to provide grip and stability on-road but generate traction and clear loose gravel and mud away from sealed surfaces. Wrap around edges help to prevent the wall from damage while off-road and they are said to be good at climbing out of ruts.

Estimated to be 60/40 road/off-road and intended for hard-packed surfaces, the Karoo 3s feature a blocky design but not as much as a knobbly, meaning better on-road performance with good off-road grip and traction. The V-shaped tread blocks give traction in varying conditions and the grooves help clear loose material away from the tread. A good option for primarily road riders who want some proper off-road ability as opposed to a token opportunity.

Similar-looking to the Metzeler Karoo 3s but with larger blocks and spaced more like a familiar off-road tyre, the AX41 is, by Bridgestone definition, a tyre with an off-road bias though it has been designed to offer excellent grip on and off-road with traction generated by the large blocks and edges. It is a rigid construction to offer a combination of stability and performance.

Designed to offer a combination of on and off-road ability, the Michelin Anakee Wild features large tread blocks with wide grooves to clear loose gravel and mud and allow the blocks to generate grip and traction. They are intended to have a long life and be resistant to high operating temperatures, as you would expect to find on-road while resisting damage off-road.

Designed to be used on-road on the way to off-road adventures, the Scorpion Rally STR is a blocky design with reasonably wide grooves to dissipate gravel and mud and allow the blocks to generate grip on-road while also providing traction on the loose. On-road heat is dissipated to prevent damage to the blocks and a high silica content helps with mechanical grip on all surfaces.