I swapped the Triumph Scrambler 400 X's OE tyres and instantly transformed its off-road performance

In my last update, I vowed to experiment with the Scrambler 400 X’s off-road capabilities after a frustrating first dabble on the dirt that included a low-speed hop-off on a sunny and dry green lane.

Read more

• Update one: Is the Triumph Scrambler 400 X powerful enough for a bigger rider
• Update two: Triumph Scrambler 400 X vs Speed 400
• Update three: Power and speed testing the Scrambler 400 X
• Update four: Taking the Scrambler 400 X off-road

Despite the issues I found with ground clearance, suspension travel and grip from the OE Metzeler Karoo Street tyres, the experience left me hungry for more. I decided to fix the easiest and cheapest part
I could think of first, the tyres.

I’ve ridden thousands of miles on Continental TKC80s in the past and have always found them to be a great blend of off-road chunk without sacrificing all road comfort. And, given the Trumpet’s low weight, power and speed figures, I didn’t anticipate the high-speed weave the Contis can give you on faster and heavier machines would be a problem.

• Related: Adventure bike kit tried and tested by MCN

Swapping over meant installing an inner tube on the front, but that didn’t really bother me as I still didn’t plan to spend loads of time on the dirt and wouldn’t be straying far from civilisation anyway.

I forgot how weird TKC80s feel when you first fit them and it took a bit of getting used to on the road. They made the bike reluctant to tip in and then slow to pick back up again on the way out of a turn and the Scrambler’s pin-sharp handling was dulled with a comparative lack of feel and block-creeping understeer. It sounds terrible and much worse than it actually is, after 10 minutes or so you adjust to the new normal and you’re zipping around B-roads almost as before.

As luck would have it, once the Contis were fitted I headed straight for a local airfield for an unrelated afternoon and was immediately distracted by shiny superbikes. My colleague Steve Herbert-Mattick took the Scrambler for a blast up the runway just for a laugh and reported that he had experienced no hint of a speed wobble right up to the limiter in top.

Off-road, the difference is palpable and immediate with confidence even on dry gravel greatly improved. The TKC80s spin up and slide with more control than the skittish and unpredictable Karoos I removed.

In the dirt, not only do you get more grip, but the blocky tread pattern also means they clear more easily, rather than collecting mud to emulate a racing slick after 10 yards. At a starting price of £239.99 a pair (Demon Tweeks), it’s a cheap upgrade given the difference it makes.

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