On dry pavement, the Trailsmarts deliver remarkable grip and confidence. Driving hard out of corners, the rear never hinted at breaking loose and the front tracked as if on rails. My only nitpick is high steering effort (although my Super Ténéré isn’t exactly quick-steering to begin with). And once a turn is initiated, the prescribed lean angle holds until a counter effort is applied to straighten. Very stable, but it takes some getting used to. In rain, Trailsmarts shine as much as the wet pavement. A high silica content compound and the XGT tread pattern combine to provide impressive wet traction and feel, even on the tire’s edge or under threshold braking. more >>
