The Shinko 505...Cheater Tire?

SHINKO 505 CHEATER TIRE

  I have been seeing ads and people endorsing this tire for some time now. Since I have become a Pirelli MT 43 convert for off road riding, I couldn’t help but wonder just how good is this “Cheater” tire.

So I went out and purchased one just to test for the MX43.com readers. After all we wouldn’t want you to spend your hard earned cash on some hyped up junker now would we!

The tire is a SHINKO 505 and is actually labeled “Cheater” on the side wall.  It is sized as a 110/100-18.

I have had it on the back of my KTM 500 xcw for about a week now and it is right at the 400-mile mark. Most knobbies are pretty well used up in this type of rocky terrain. I am pleasantly surprised at how well it is wearing and most of all not chunking or having sidewalls starting to tear off. That has been my issue with most of the knobby tires I have run in very rocky terrain. The brand does not seem to matter, by 300 to 400 miles on most brands the tire is well worn and the sidewalls are beginning to tear off!  This ‘Cheater” tire is doing above average in the durability category. The tire is wearing down of course but at a decent rate with No torn knobs yet. Outstanding.  My crystal ball is predicting this tire is going to go 500 to 600 miles in the rocks. I may get another Cheater and run it only in real dirt just to see what it can do. My guess is that it would make 700 to 800 miles without too much problem.

The grip/traction is on par with the more expensive tires I have tried in this same rocky terrain, so there is really no reason to spend more money on other brands.

I will continue to push the Cheater tire until it no longer provides adequate traction or just wears out completely. I will let you know how many miles I could squeak out of it.

For now, it is my new favorite ‘knobby’ tire at a mail order retail price of $62!  But I am still a Pirelli MT43 rear tire guy for off road, considering traction, price ($71) and mileage of approximately 1700 miles per tire.

#33

‘Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest’