Last Updated on: June 5, 2025

Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR are tires you find on many new adventure motorcycles. Some hardcore offroaders don’t like them.

I’m not a hardcore offroader but more of a mainstream adventure rider. Needed a predictable set of tires for various conditions, weather-wise, road surfaces, or both. Something better offroad, or on gravel and dirt than, for instance, Michelin Anakee Adventure. A tire that would do the job on long summer adventures, see me safely through the riding I do.

Having fun in the woods with the GS & new tires.

Decided to go for something I knew from before. Might seem a little un-creative, the choices are after all many. But I have my reasons. Rally STRs worked very well on two KTMS, a 890 Adventure. and a 1290 Super Adventure S.

So I was fairly confident the choice would not be a disaster on a 2022 BMW 1250 GS.

Rally STR & 1250 GS, first impressions

Close-up of the tires.

Riding off after tire change I immediately noticed familiar things. Like the stability these tires give, directional predictability, and noise. Or rather singing. Specifically from the front tire, on pavement. Many owners experience noise on BMW GS and GSA’s with a variety of tires. It travels up the front fork shaft. It’s a different story on the KTMs.

Fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR the singing isn’t there all the time. Mostly present around 50 – 60km/t, less at 70 and 80 km/h. Interestingly, some kilometers above those speeds the singing fades. Good thing then the speedo shows ca 4 km/h too much.

If you’re after totally quiet and vibration free tires, then these are not for you. Vibrations are there, at some speeds, but not all the time. Vibrations are always a trade-off with these kinds of tires.

On the first real gravel test. Such fun!

The resonance likely has to do with, aside of the above, a combination of front weight and design pattern. The engine block could also play a part. Finding absolutely quiet tires that are this much offroad biased, for a heavy adventure motorcycle, is difficult. Some noise there will be, at some speeds.

The grip of the STRs is phenomenal. Seldom have I had tires in this class that behaves so well, on any type of pavement. Wet or dry, rough or smooth. In Norway you need this, plus tires that warms up quickly. Based on experiences on two KTMs and riding late fall I can say these do!

Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR is supposedly not good in mud. My experience riding in deep mud is limited. Not something I enjoy. But soft wet ground, some mud, grass and rocks on once was roads, no problems at all.

A longer “test”

An old abandoned “road” that offered the full menu

A week later on the last day of May 2025 the weather gods were in a particularly good mood. Not happened too often this spring. Turned out to be the longest and most fun ride this season. On various types of gravel and dirt roads. The sort of “road menu” that explains why the BMW GS is a dominating motorcycle in Norway.

On the way out of one road system, off to the next.

At times it was a hilarious experience. I can clearly say that the Enduro Pro mode on the GS is tailored for these types dual sport tires. It steers better, and handle better when you’re riding into curves. No rear ABS and much less traction control allows the bike to self correct. While the rear steps out in a way that gives the feeling of much better balance control.

So the combination of the tires, and the less intervention by electronic aids, proves to show how well designed this big motorcycle is, when it comes to alternative riding.

On the way out of a little side valley.

The journey continued on various surfaces in various valleys. On the way home in the evening I chose a gravel and dirt road I often test bikes and tires. It was a convincing experience.

A conclusion, this far

Mentioned earlier I’ve had several sets of these tires. They work as well on the 1250 GS and allows you to do things you cannot do with more road biased tires. Or not with the same degree of confidence and safety at least. But such also comes down to skills. Which is hard to develop or utilize if you don’t trust the “shoes”.

On the other bikes I’ve had Rally STR lasted about 10-12.000 kilometers. I expect about the same on the 1250 GS. Made the choice partially with a Norwegian ride vacation in mind. But could as well end up riding south. Time will tell.

If you aren’t noise sensitive, don’t get hung up on it, and/or use good ear plugs, then it’s hard to see how anyone can go wrong with these tires. Mud explorers should choose a more block oriented tires. But will have to sacrifice quite a bit vs road performance. Dry or wet.

I’ll be back sometime past summer with an update.

See also

• Scorpion Rally STR, second set reflections (August 2023)
• Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR review
• Metzeler Karoo 3, a tire surprise
• Anakee Adventure, gravel, dirt and offroad review
• 10 000 kilometers on Michelin Anakee Adventure
• Michelin Anakee Adventure review & first impressions
• Michelin Sirac, a tire for allround usage
• Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 reflections
• Metzeler Karoo Street on BMW R1200GS Adventure
• Karoo Street on a 2016 Honda CRF1000L (AfricaTwin)
• Update review on Karoo Street  (July 2018)