Metzeler presents the new Karoo 4, the knobbly tyre for adventure and maxi enduro motorcycles.
The new KAROO 4 enhances the know-how of the two-wheel focused brand to reach a new level of performance in the maxi enduro segment. Available from March 2022, it will replace the current KAROO 3.
Successor of the award-winning KAROO 3, KAROO 4 represents the latest generation of the METZELER product family: a knobbly tyre intended for the equipment of adventure and maxi enduro motorcycles, designed for on/off use.
The new KAROO 4 enhances even the most cutting edge, latest medium and large displacement enduro motorcycles that travel both on asphalt and off-road, working in tune with the most advanced rider aid systems. KAROO 4 is a highly versatile product that gives, compared to its predecessor KAROO 3, a significant improvement in off-road and on-road wet performance, even when fully loaded.
Who is KAROO 4 designed for?
METZELER KAROO 4 is the ideal choice for:
- Owners of adventure motorcycles, riders who use their motorcycles for journeys 50% on-road 50% off-road, looking for experiences without limits. They seek reliability and performance in different weather conditions, stability even at full load and mileage.
- Motorcyclists who want to test their skills and their bike’s capabilities, they value off-road performance in a tyre.
- Owners of ‘scrambler’ style machines, who require an aggressive knobbly look without sacrificing on-road performance, with particular reference to handling and safety in the wet.
The benefits of KAROO 4
The main benefits of KAROO 4 are:
- Exemplary off-road traction, thanks to the patented tread design.
- Significant on-road handling even at full load, thanks to the profile featuring METZELER MRC[1] technology that improves line holding despite the ‘knobs’.
- Extreme abrasion, cut and tearing resistance, thanks to the carbon black based compounds and footprint area optimisation.
- Top wet performance and integration with rider aids. The combination of the technologies featured in KAROO 4 allows riders to safely manage different weather conditions and road surfaces, including in case of emergency braking.
THE TYRE IN DETAIL
The tread pattern
KAROO 4 features a revolutionary patented tread design, which raises the tyre’s all-round performance levels on both asphalt and on different types of off-road terrain.
As for the on–road performance, METZELER engineers worked to improve in particular the overall handling and wet behaviour, developing a knobbly pattern that allows you to safely tackle certain lean angles even in wet conditions. In the off-road field, KAROO 4 increases the performance level especially on very soft surfaces, such as sand, mud and clay.
The KAROO 4 tread pattern features these main characteristics:
– Patented design DETRATEC™, composed of central spoon-shaped knobs, which are separated from the side knobs by a wavy longitudinal groove. The combination of these three elements has a dual function: at first it traps the terrain between the knobs to generate lateral thrust and secondly, it releases it thanks to self-cleaning properties.
– Multi-pitch design. The groups of knobs are repeated with an irregular cadence to mitigate the impact of the tread against the asphalt and improve rolling smoothness;
– Optimised footprint area that includes a greater number of knobs in the contact patch, compared to KAROO 3, to improve road handling and integration with electronic rider aids;
– Patented DYMATEC™ technology, a design methodology that preserve the functional geometries of the knobs and the tyre performance over time. In details, this technology features variable groove wall angles depending on their position along the tread band to maximise tread pattern solidity and wear uniformity.
The tread compound
The front tyre of KAROO 4 is a single compound. The radial sizes feature a carbon black compound with extreme resistance to abrasion, a direct evolution of what was used for KAROO 3. For cross-ply sizes, the engineers of the METZELER brand developed a new compound with the aim of reaching a wider operating range and greater adhesion to surfaces.
The rear radial sizes are bi-compound:
– The central compound is 100% carbon black, with remarkable abrasion resistance;
– The shoulder compound has an 80% carbon black and 20% silica formulation, to ensure thermal stability even under stress.
The profile
KAROO 4 adopt the METZELER MRC[2] technology, which features different profiles from the central band to the shoulder area. This increases ease of handling, improves traction and stability, even under full load. In the rear sizes, with a shorter and wider contact area compared to its predecessor, the profile of the KAROO 4 helps to reduce and even out tread wear for greater mileage.
The structure
KAROO 4 features lighter construction schemes than its predecessor. In particular radial sizes, thanks to the use of the zero-degree steel belt with INTERACT variable tension technology, guarantee a gradual riding response and a solid feeling of control.
The range
KAROO 4 will be available in the following sizes starting from March 2022:
Front
19” 100/90-19 TL 57Q M+S
19” 110/80 R 19 TL 59Q M+S
19” 120/70 R 19 TL 60Q M+S
21” 90/90-21 TL 54Q M+S
Rear
17” 130/80 R 17 TL 65Q M+S
17” 140/80 R 17 TL 69Q M+S
17” 150/70 R 17 TL 69Q M+S
17” 170/60 R 17 TL 72Q M+S
18” 140/80 – 18 TL 70Q M+S
18” 150/70 R 18 TL 70Q M+S
[1] MRC (Multiple Radius Contour)
[2] MRC (Multiple Radius Contour)
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