Pirelli MT43 vs. Kenda Equilibrium

KENDA EQUILIBRIUM

Having used up 3 Pirelli rear tires and being lucky enough to have my buddy Montana John offer up his CRF 450X with a brand new Kenda Equilibrium rear tire for comparison, I am almost through his rear tire!

I was so impressed with the grip of the Kenda I purchased one of my own and installed it on my KTM 500 XCW. I wanted to use more than one of the same tire on two different bikes to be truly objective.

 

The Kenda was equally impressive on both bikes showing the same traction on the Honda or the KTM. It also showed the same wear on both bikes. I am almost through both Kenda tires and each one will last approximately 700 to 800 miles before being considered worn out. You have to remember I am Cheap so it will be really worn out! Conversely, I have averaged about 1700 miles on the Pirelli MT 43 rears.

I would give a slight nod to the Kenda grip when new, but the same bite seems to come from both tires with a little time and a few miles. I would give a slight advantage to the Kenda in sand but never had occasion to use it in the mud. The nod then goes to the Pirelli as it continues to provide the same traction while reaching closer to the 1700-mile life span than the Kenda’s 800 miles.

The Pirelli is a 400-18 while the Equilibrium is labeled a 450-18. The Kenda is marked ‘not for Highway use’ while the Pirelli has a DOT label, so if you plan to use it as a dual sport tire, as I often do, that may be a consideration in your selection.

Both tires work great and priced within a few bucks of each other where I buy them. So the deciding factor for me is the mileage between tire changes.

#33

“We tend to get what we expect”