2011 Honda Crossrunner Gets Pirelli Scorpion Trail Tires

Enduro-street riders who plan to buy the new Honda Crossrunner have to know that Pirelli Scorpion Trail tires, introduced to the market in 2008, have received both a range and technology enhancement to better answer the performances of this machine.The Scorpion Trail tires come with a new dual-compound on-road sport fitment of 120/70-R17” and 180/55-R17” with a rugged aspect, and have been developed in collaboration with Honda.

“The objective was to create a new kind of motorcycle with the attributes of both a naked performance machine and an adventure bike – one that can effortlessly adapt to many different styles of riding. The new Honda utilizes aluminium twin spar frame married to a liquid-cooled, 90-degree 782cc V-Four engine producing 102 horsepower,” a company statement reads.

The Scorpion Trail family grows with new 17” diameter 120/70 front and 180/55 rear sizes, positioned in the Enduro Street range between the Sport Touring segment of Angel ST and the Scorpion family.

The new tires adopt Pirelli’s patented 0° steel belted radial structure for both the front and rear. Profiles are derived from the Supersport line: the front tire takes on that of Pirelli’s Diablo sport tires, while the rear profile’s 180/55 sizing makes it slightly less rounded than traditional sport tires.

The tread pattern design of the Scorpion Trail for the Honda Crossrunner is characterized by a patented solution. “The crown area’s directional V-shaped footprint helps the Scorpion Trail keep its main edge working on less than smooth road surfaces, maintaining traction in all conditions. Furthermore, the Scorpion Trail is the first tire in this segment covering one whole tire revolution with just 4 repetitions of the design (patented),” Pirelli explains.

The tread groove depth decreases from center to shoulder to keep traction on rough road surfaces (deep grooves on straight) and maximum grip at lean (thanks to its slick-like contact patch). The tread blocks’ heights are slightly shorter than other radial sizes of the Scorpion Trail, increasing the tread’s strength for better feeling at high speeds and lean angles.

Finally, the Pirelli’s III Zone Compound rear tire offers the best performance for varied conditions. The central zone compound is derived from the existing Scorpion Trail radial tires, whereas the wide shoulders adopt a softer compound taken from its Sport range of tires. Scorpion Trail offers sport grip starting from approximately 30° lean angles.