Mitas Terra Force R Score
The Mitas Terra Force-R is a robust, road-focused adventure tire designed for the rider who spends 90% of their time on asphalt but wants the freedom to tackle light gravel and dirt tracks. Tested on the powerful KTM 1290 Super Adventure S, it proved to be a high-stability workhorse that offers premium performance at a more accessible price point than its German or Italian competitors.
The Good
- Excellent Price-Performance Ratio
- High-Speed Stability
- Predictable Road Handling
The Bad
- Vulnerability to Punctures in Grooves
- Aggressive Mileage Decay on Rear
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Grip Dry
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Grip Wet
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Warm-Up
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Handling
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Mileage
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Value for Money
The Mitas Terra Force‑R is a universal adventure‑touring tire that is supposed to work well in all situations. With its striking enduro tread pattern, it already hints at what it was designed for: riders who like to venture off the paved roads from time to time, but still do not want to give up sporty riding on the street. How the Mitas Terra Force‑R performs on the KTM 1290 Super Adventure is what we found out for you in this Mitas Terra Force R review.
Table of Contents
Application Area of the Mitas Terra Force‑R
The Mitas Terra Force‑R is a tire primarily designed for the road, making it perfect for riders who spend most of their time on asphalt. With its 90/10 profile, it offers optimal performance and stability on the street, making it ideal for long tours and daily use. At the same time, the Terra Force‑R is robust enough to confidently handle light off‑road terrain such as dirt roads and gravel tracks. This makes it the perfect choice for anyone who rides mostly on solid ground but still wants to venture off‑road occasionally.
Mitas Terra Force R Review
We were personally only able to ride the Mitas Terra Force‑R for around 800 kilometers and gather experience in different usage scenarios. Friends who rode the tire over its full lifespan continuously reported their experiences to us. Although 800 kilometers is not a long‑term test, we believe we were able to gather enough experience with the tire to evaluate it. How the 90/10 tire performs in the individual categories can be found in the following Mitas Terra Force‑R test.
Grip on Dry Roads
On dry roads, the Mitas Terra Force‑R was able to convince with a very good grip level. Even under demanding conditions and at high speeds, the tire showed very good traction, enabling safe and controlled riding behavior. The performance is particularly remarkable considering that it was tested on the powerful KTM 1290 Super Adventure S with 160 hp. Despite the enormous power of the bike, the Terra Force‑R offered stable and trustworthy traction that ensured a high level of riding fun and safety both during sporty riding and relaxed cruising. Even during hard acceleration out of corners, there were no slips during our test.
Off the paved roads, we tested the Terra Force on gravel and moderate dirt tracks. Even there, the tire was able to convince with good stability and guidance; the grip level was impressive for a tire with so little negative tread in off‑road use.
Grip on Wet Roads
We have not yet personally tested the Mitas Terra Force‑R in wet road conditions, but numerous user reports indicate that the tire also offers solid performance in rain and on wet surfaces. The few damp forest roads we rode were no problem. Some riders particularly praise the reliable traction and safe handling even in adverse weather conditions. Overall, the Terra Force‑R is therefore a solid tire on damp sections and, according to customer experiences, also in real wet conditions.
Braking Characteristics
The braking characteristics of the Mitas Terra Force‑R are overall very good, especially on paved roads where it offers reliable and precise deceleration. However, on unpaved roads such as gravel tracks, the picture is somewhat different: here the tire needs a bit longer to come to a stop compared to the ContiTrailAttack 3, which performs slightly better under such conditions. Therefore, it is advisable to ride with foresight on unpaved terrain and take the longer braking distance into account. Nevertheless, the Terra Force‑R remains controllable and safe even in these situations.
Riding Comfort
The Mitas Terra Force‑R offers good self‑damping, which ensures a pleasant riding experience. This characteristic contributes significantly to the tire providing solid comfort not only on paved roads but also on unpaved surfaces such as gravel roads and dirt tracks.
Since the tire has a somewhat stiffer carcass, comfort is also good on gravel roads. Through effective absorption of vibrations and bumps, the Terra Force‑R ensures a smooth ride even when the surface becomes rougher. This makes it ideal for riders who occasionally go off‑road without wanting to sacrifice a comfortable riding feel. Personally, we were not off paved roads very often. Occasional detours over dirt roads and light gravel sections were part of our test, however.
Info: We had the electronic suspension mostly set to “AUTO,” which automatically adjusts damping on different surfaces. This worked very well and certainly contributed a bit to the good riding comfort.
Tire Wear
The Mitas Terra Force‑R shows a nice wear pattern and wears evenly overall, indicating a well‑balanced rubber compound. On our test bike, which was used mostly on straight roads in touring mode, slightly stronger wear in the center of the tire was observed, despite the multi‑compound mixture where the center is harder than the sides. However, this is not a typical wear pattern and should hardly occur with a balanced riding style that includes various road conditions and twisty routes. Overall, the tire shows good durability and even wear, making it a solid choice for different usage scenarios.
Mileage
In terms of mileage, the Mitas Terra Force‑R shows a fairly even wear pattern after 4,000 kilometers of use on the testbike. The front tire still has about 3 mm of tread left, while the rear tire has between 4 and 4.5 mm of remaining tread on the contact surface. On the sides, it is even around 5 to 5.5 mm.
User reports in forums and from our customers indicate mileages between 7,000 and 10,000 kilometers, which roughly matches our experience and our calculated value. The mileage of many of our tested tires and further details can be found in our ranking list. However bis bikes like the 1290 Super Adventure can make the rear tire melt…
Riding Stability / Cornering Stability
In terms of riding and cornering stability, the Mitas Terra Force‑R was fully convincing. The tire conveys a high level of stability on the road and thus creates a confident riding feel, both in straight‑line riding and in corners. Even at high speeds, it remains calm and precise on its line, which is especially advantageous on long tours. On gravel roads, the tire shows somewhat less grip as expected and tends to slide slightly or not hold the line quite as well as a dedicated knobby tire. However, this is not a point of criticism, since the Terra Force‑R is not primarily designed for such conditions but clearly plays out its strengths on the road.
Agility / Turn‑in Behavior
In terms of agility and turn‑in behavior, the Mitas Terra Force‑R is not among the most agile tires. It requires noticeably more effort when turning in, and quick direction changes do not go as smoothly as one might wish. There are definitely tires on the market that perform better in this discipline. However, this is not as dramatic as it may sound, because the Terra Force‑R scores with high stability. This ensures a solid and safe riding feel, especially on long straights and at high cruising speeds.
Uprighting Tendency
The Mitas Terra Force‑R shows little to no uprighting tendency, which contributes to a very stable and pleasant riding feel in corners. Even during strong braking maneuvers in lean angle, the uprighting tendency remains minimal, so control over the motorcycle is largely maintained. This makes the tire particularly trustworthy for dynamic riding on twisty sections.
Tire Pressure
We rode the Mitas Terra Force‑R with the standard recommendations. On the 1290 Super Adventure S, we used 2.5 bar at the front and 2.9 bar at the rear and were completely satisfied on the road. In off‑road use, the pressure could be lowered slightly if necessary.
Mitas Terra Force‑R Experiences
Overall, we are very satisfied with the Mitas Terra Force‑R. While the appearance may not entirely match our personal preferences, the tire convinced in all other aspects. Whether on the road or in light off‑road terrain – the Terra Force‑R offers solid performance, good stability, and balanced mileage. As an affordable all‑round adventure tire, it is a reliable choice for anyone looking for versatile tires that perform well in most riding situations.
Long journeys and adventure touring with a predominantly road‑focused share are the specialty of the Mitas Terra Force, where it can definitely be recommended.
Mitas Terra Force‑R Available Sizes
The Mitas Terra Force‑R is available in a total of 11 different sizes. All common adventure motorcycles are covered, both small and large machines.
Front:
- 90/90‑21 54H
- 90/90‑21 54V
- 100/90‑19 57H
- 110/80R19 59V
- 120/70ZR19 60W
Rear:
- 120/90‑17 64H
- 130/80‑17 65H
- 140/80R17 69V
- 150/70R17 69V
- 150/70R18 70V
- 170/60ZR17 72V
- 170/60R17 72W
Alternatives to the Mitas Terra Force‑R
There are several good alternatives to the Mitas Terra Force‑R. However, you should first ask yourself which type of tire you want: more road, more off‑road, or mixed? Below are the best alternatives along with their intended use (value 1 stands for road, value 2 for off‑road).
- Continental ContiTrailAttack 3 (90/10)
- Continental TKC 70 (60/40)
- Dunlop Trailmax Mission (50/50)
- Michelin Anakee Adventure (80/20)
- Metzeler Karoo Street (70/30)
- Pirelli Scorpion Trail II (90/10)
- Pirelli Scorpion Trail III (90/10)
- Bridgestone A41 (90/10)
