...eventually.  And I'm not complaining...

On Friday night I finally replaced the rear E-07 Dakar on the Tenere.  To say that the Dakar version has impressed me is a bit of an understatement.

This tyre has done just under 10,700km.  The previous E-07 (not the Dakar version) did just under 9,000km and the one I replaced on the Vee made it to nearly 8,500km.  6,500km of this tyre's life was on last year's TT2000 trip where the bike was loaded up to the gunnels and hammered around the South Island on coarse chip and hard packed gravel roads.

You can see how the centre has gone but there is still a bit of meat left on the sides.  I don't think that this is because I'm afraid to crank the old girl over - it is possible to scrape the pegs on these tyres...
That remaining meat has meant that it's only just lately (in deep gravel) that the tyre has struggled.  I had no problems on the Waikaremoana Road where things were a bit damp and sloppy in places.  It was even still behaving on wet tar - perhaps traction control helps a little there.

Anyway, fresh is best so after the usual wrestle, the new one is on and the bike is road legal with a WOF and everything!

But hang on, what about the front you say"

Well, it's still hanging in pretty damn well.

I have a new one sitting waiting in the shed but I reckon this tyre is going to easily do its second TT in about a months time.  Maybe it'll be worn out by the time I get back, ma...