The new Pirelli Scorpion Trail III is aimed at sport-adventure-touring riders who spend most of their time on the street, but still want the capability of riding on high-quality unpaved roads on occasion. Pirelli touts the Scorpion Trail III as a quiet tire to accommodate touring, while still providing grip levels on the street—wet and dry—that match sport-touring tires.
An update of the Scorpion Trail II used on the Ducati DesertX, the new Pirelli Scorpion Trail III was designed “with the aim of improving stability and riding precision,” according to a Pirelli insider. Pirelli tapped into the groove technology of the high-performance Diablo range when designing the siping. As a result, the Trail III puts more rubber on the road than the II. The profile of the Trail III is also sport-touring derived for improved street performance.
The Trail III comes in a mix of radial and bias-ply construction, depending on the tire size you choose, particularly in the front. The radials get new compounds, with the front and rear tires being 100 percent silica-based. The rear radials are dual-compound, with plasticizing resins on the softer shoulders for increased grip while cornering. Pirelli saves the hard compound for the center to increase mileage and stability. The rear carcass is stiff to control flex during heavy use. The front radials get a 0-degree steel belt for improved stability at high speeds.
Pirelli will be rolling out the different sizes of the new adventure tire throughout 2024, with the 120/70 x 17 front and 170/60 x 17 rear arriving last.
Pirelli Scorpion Trail III Tire Sizes
| FRONT | REAR |
| 120/70 x 17 | 120/90 x 17* |
| 100/90 x 18* | 130/80 x 17 |
| 110/80 x 18 | 140/80 x 17 |
| 100/90 x 19* | 150/70 x 17 |
| 110/80 x 19 | 160/60 x 17 |
| 120/70 x 19 | 170/60 x 17 |
| 90/90 x 21* | 180/55 x 17 |
| 150/70 x 18 |
*bias ply; all others radial
