The Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard is a (sometimes) DOT-approved knobby tire with consistent performance, good wear characteristics, and solid resistance to cuts and pinches. If you ride mostly off-road and tie the ride together with limited pavement, it’s a strong choice.

The compound comes from Pirelli’s Scorpion MX32 motocross line, and the XC Mid Hard shares the MX32 Mid Hard knobby pattern. The carcass is reinforced for stability and resistance to cuts and punctures. The knob layout is designed to maximize grip on hard surfaces by keeping as many lugs as possible in contact with the ground.

We tested it on a Honda CRF450RL. Typically, dual-sport bikes come from the factory with tires designed for quiet running rather than ideal off-road performance. The stock IRCs on the CRF450RL are no exception. As it worked out, the Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard turned out to be a winner, and not just on hardpack.

The Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard spent quality time in the desert, on mountain trails, in some winter mud, and on the paved roads between trail systems.

We used Pirelli Heavy Duty tubes when mounting the XCs, though we have to remind you that those tubes are not DOT-approved. We didn’t suffer flats during the test, so that’s a win. Note that mounting the rear 110/100-18 XC is not a pleasure due to the stiff sidewall. The 80/100-21, the only available size for the front, went on much easier. The one caveat is that Pirelli’s 21-inch offering for this tire is not DOT-approved.

When pavement wasn’t on the menu in any significant portions, we dropped the tire pressure to about 10 psi in the front and 8 psi in the rear for dirt-oriented performance.

On rocky mountain trails, the XC Mid Hard is a solid performer. The tire grips well on loose rock, shale, baby-head rocks, hardpack, and dusty trails. The knobs do not chunk out easily. Instead, they wear evenly and hold their shape.

The reinforced sidewall that Pirelli built into this tire is a double-edged sword on technical trails. It makes the tire resistant to cuts and damage from sharp rocks, which is a real advantage. However, it also makes the tire stiffer than softer-compound alternatives.

Stream crossings were drama-free, with the tires always providing the traction needed to get through the rocky streams, even when some of the rocks were slick.

On-road, the tire produces noticeable knob noise, especially at highway speeds. The knobs have the expected squirm in the canyons, though they’re impressively predictable. It’s no surprise that the more pavement time you put on the tires, the more quickly they’ll wear out. That wear is accelerated if you like to ride hard on the pavement, supermoto-style, as some of us are wont to do.

If you’re running 13 psi, as we do on fairly long road sections, the stiff sidewall is stable on the pavement. However, once on the trails, the higher pressure can cause the tire to deflect off rocks. When traction conditions were ideal, we didn’t feel a need to drop the pressure.

While not a soft-terrain tire, and the Mid Hard name warns you, the Pirelli held its own in mud and sand. Sandwashes on the CRF450RL were predictable, though we didn’t try any massive high-desert hillclimbs at meccas such as Jawbone Canyon, Bean Canyon, or Baldy Mesa.

We hit some mud on the powerline roads between Southern California’s San Francisquito and Bouquet Canyons, and it was some fierce goop. On a long stretch of mud during a solo run, I was contemplating whom to call to help me get the bike out. Impressively, the Pirelli XC Mid Hard tires hung in there, letting me cross-rut my way out of a difficult situation and onto some temporary side-road traction. Had I been running the stock CRF450RL tires, the bike might still be there. While I already liked the feel of the XC Mid Hard tires, their performance in the mud made them a winner for dual-sport riding, where conditions can change quickly.

We put 1,000 miles on the tires during our test, and there was still enough rubber left to do some more riding. Literally, though, your mileage may vary.

While the Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard is a purpose-built off-road tire, and stock on the Honda CRF300F off-road trail bike, its superpower is DOT legality in certain sizes. Durability and predictability are impressive. While any legit off-road tire is a huge upgrade for the Honda CRF450RL, these sorta DOT-legal Pirelli knobbies are a versatile choice that won’t break the bank due to excessive wear.

Action photography by Kelly Callan

Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard Tire Sizes/MSRP

Front: 80/100-21 ($171; non-DOT)

Rear:

• 100/100-18 ($152; non-DOT)
• 110/100-18 ($162)
• 120/100-18 ($176)
• 140/80-18 ($210)

Note: Tires are often sharply discounted from MSRP

Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid Hard Tire Review Photo Gallery