Load up your bike and hit the trails with these capable tires designed for adventure
From my high desert home in Southern Arizona, through mainland Mexico, across the Sea of Cortez, and all the way up the Baja peninsula, my winter ride would have been the ultimate proving ground for any ADV tire. This February, I chose Motoz Tractionator RallZ tires for my KTM 690 and, needless to say, they got the full review treatment: rocks, sand, and a solid dose of highway miles to tie it all together.
Full disclosure, this is not my first set of MotoZ tires and I always choose knobbies when off-road is on the menu for any ride. So I knew what I was getting into with these dirt-centric tires wrapped around tubed wheels on my 690: stellar off-road performance with a touch of sacrifice in the longevity department.
MotoZ is an Australian company who made a name for themselves by launching some seriously aggressive ADV tires in the US market a few years back. The Tractionator lineup includes a range of dual-purpose tires that run the gamut of off-road/on-road use from 90/10 to 50/50. The RallZ leans deep into the dirt (and sand and rocks) with an 80/20 split — perhaps a bit aspirational for my ride, considering the amount of pavement I’d end up taking to complete the 2000 mile trek in under three weeks.
From the fast backroads between Sonora and Sinaloa to the loose climbs along the Cabo Pulmo cliffs, the RallZ rear delivered consistent, confidence-inspiring traction. This tire digs in and feels absolutely planted, even with full luggage and long days in the saddle.
The front tire tracks confidently across hardpack and the ever-present Baja sand. The rear tire performs equally well, delivering solid grip and stability in virtually every terrain. But what really impresses me is how composed they feel on pavement. For a tire this aggressive, the RallZ handles remarkably well on the road. It corners predictably, holds a steady line through curves, and stays planted when braking — even at highway speeds on skinny 690 wheels. Together, the RallZ made the transition between dirt and pavement seamless, and I never felt like I had to tiptoe on the tarmac just because I was running knobbies.
Which brings me to longevity. Let’s be real, this isn’t the tire you buy for long highway slogs— maybe try the Tractonator GPS for that. The RallZ is designed for dirt-first adventures, and it shows. The Baja peninsula is 775 miles long and pavement days are par for the course if you have limited time south of the border like I did. Without measuring tread depth, by the time I got home, my front tire looked to be approaching its half-life and the rear still looked to have a handful of local rides left in it.
I hate to state exactly how many miles you’d get on a set of these, as every bike and every rider is different. Personally, I plan to go through two rear tires for every front I replace and the RallZ seems to be on par with my metrics. Perhaps the RallZ is not known for going the distance on asphalt, but it’s also not trying to be a 50/50. What it gives up in tread life, it makes up for in pure off-road performance.
The Motoz Tractionator RallZ was right at home during this trip and I would more than recommend it to friends. Whether you’re eyeing a BDR (Backcountry Discovery Route) or just looking for an extra dose of confidence-boosting traction, the RallZ is built for real-deal adventure riding. It’s the kind of tire that I’d run time and time again, because it does exactly what an ADV tire should: it takes a beating in the dirt, stays composed on the tarmac, and keeps the ride fun no matter where you’re headed. If your adventures skew more rugged than refined, the RallZ will certainly rise to the occasion.
MSRP: $132-$307
