I got 7,700 miles of good wear from the last front tire I mounted on my Zong, a Dunlop MX51.
The MX51 is a very good front tire, but I decided to experiment with a different tread pattern for the next front tire on my Zong.
I very much like the Dunlop, D952 rear tire on my Honda XR650L. Therefore, I decided to experiment with a D952 front tire on my Zong. Searching the internet, I discovered the Shinko 524, front tire had a very similar tread pattern to the Dunlop D952. Since the Shinko 524 tire is priced about $20 less than the Dunlop D952 tire, I decided to give the Shinko tire a try.
So far I have ridden about 300 miles on the Shinko 524, front tire. I have ridden in nasty mud, rocks, and pavement. I'm pleased to report the Shinko 524 is performing superbly!
As I ride more miles with this tire I will certainly get a better impression of its performance. However, I couldn't be more pleased at this time with the Shinko tire's performance, and price.
The Shinko 524, front tire, has better pricing than the Shinko 525, rear tire. Therefore, I will probably stick with either the Kenda K760, or Dunlop D952, rear tires.
Also, the Shinko 525, front tire is probably too aggressive for the heavier weight, and higher speeds it would endure on my Honda XR650L.
However, for a 250cc or smaller, dual sport bike, such as my Zong, the Shinko 524, front tire is an excellent performer.
I'm very glad I decided to experiment with this tire.
Spud