Tyre choice for adventure riding? (Mixing road and off-road)

[warewolf]

kinda expensive tho aye? are they the 'best' kinda tyre for big bikes- I know the newGS guys seem to ride them, or is it a bit like if you buy a Ferarri don't bother about the price of petrol?

Very expensive for what is otherwise a very ordinary tyre. Continental do some (mostly?) budget stuff, but perhaps the willingness of the BMW crowd to buy them seems to have kept the price of these things silly high. It's not like they are new and need to recoup R&D costs, they've been churning them out for 20 years or sommat. Although the parent company is Cherman, like everybody else they have manufacturing plants worldwide in all the cheaper labour markets, including Korea where TKC80s are made.

If you read/listen to a lot of comments about them, people replace near-slick things like deathwings with the TKC80, marvel at the extra off-seal grip from a more open tread pattern, and without trying other comparable tyres they rave about how good the TKCs are. Bottom line is: they work for some people, they don't work for others, and they'll sting you in the wallet no matter what. I've tried them on three different capacity/style bikes now, and I've never been impressed enough that I'd buy a second set - especially given the price per km.

[Padmei]

Yes interesting points Ww & oscar.
I was the same changing from the stockers on the KLR to MT21s, marvelling at the extra grip. I however wouldn't go backto them as they just wear out tooo fast for this tightarse.

I wonder over those 20 years how much the ingredients have changed?

[Oscar]

Yes interesting points Ww & oscar.
I was the same changing from the stockers on the KLR to MT21s, marvelling at the extra grip. I however wouldn't go backto them as they just wear out tooo fast for this tightarse.

I wonder over those 20 years how much the ingredients have changed?

I use the TKC on the rear for it's all around grip & predictability, particularly on the road. I have used a Heidenau on the back was very impressed - I'm currently using a T63 rear (which is waay more expensive and not that much better) So I reckon that a Heidenau K60 on the back with a TKC on the front is the best combination I used so far.

[Padmei]

I use the TKC on the rear for it's all around grip & predictability, particularly on the road. I have used a Heidenau on the back was very impressed - I'm currently using a T63 rear (which is waay more expensive and not that much better) So I reckon that a Heidenau K60 on the back with a TKC on the front is the best combination I used so far.

Do you need or prefer the wider knobs on the front? I always shy away from them thinking the smaller sharper knobs would cut thru the gravel a bit better, hence my favouring of the D606.

[Oscar]

Do you need or prefer the wider knobs on the front? I always shy away from them thinking the smaller sharper knobs would cut thru the gravel a bit better, hence my favouring of the D606.

I like the TKC front for its grip and profile on the road - off road, any old knob would do. I think because the TKC has a more rounded profile like a road tyre, it gives more confidence on seal. The T63 feels like it's flat and wants to fall over all the time.

[tri boy]

Quick tyre update on the Kenda Trackmaster rear,and Mich AC10 front.
Both excelent in the slop that was the Naki Liquidwhatever ride.
T/master at 12-14psi made a pretty tricky task of pushing through clay alot easier.
AC10 was as helpful as any tyre could be that is DOT rated.

Both twitchy/nervous on seal, but Iride like a nanna on the road anyway, so no big deal there either.

2000k and the Kenda is about half gone.
AC10 is fine.

[Rosie]

Update on my knobblier-than-usual tyre combo:

My Veerubber MT-21 ripoff (VRM 147, from memory) did well in the clayey mud, and is non-scary on wet tar. And its wearing really well.

The T63 rear is starting to look a bit worn, and wasn't the best in the mud, I wasn't getting a lot of traction, and it tended to slide sideways really easily. Next time I need knobblier tyres I'll be trying out a D606, or another veerubber to match the front.

[Horney1]

I'm coming to the end of my Heidenau I think. That's a 20c peice in the photo.



I've done about 8,200km on it now. It's been a good allrounder tyre and handled my ways Although I've not taken so much care on noting mileages in the past I think this is the first time I've got anywhere near this mileage from a rear on the 990.

I paired it up with a TKC80 front (which obviously has limitations). It felt like a reasonable combo.

Early on I was a bit nervous about the rear grip cornering at speed on seal but I lower the pressures which felt a bit better (& hence the squaring off - the passenger also had an input in that matter to I think). My nervousness seems to have settled down over time and now I'm back at about 36psi. The difference between then and now may be due to the tyre now having shorter worn nobs but as you see the sides aren't too worn. It's the frst time I've had a tyre on the 990 that I haven't really touched the edges too much with.

I'll probably give another one a go and this time use their front as well (although I still like the front Conti)...

Cheers


C

[dino3310]

Hey Nordie whats the Shinko 705 like on the front?

[cynna]

did a search of this thread for fullbore tyres - has anyone tried them

according to advrider they are pretty much the same as shinko 705s and even made in the same factory

bit short of money so couldnt complain at $119 for the rear on the tenere. mainly using it to go to work on so it should do the trick

[NordieBoy]

Hey Nordie whats the Shinko 705 like on the front?

Good .

[dino3310]

Good .

i got a set cheap as cuz
only prob is the fronts a 2.75 so not sure how the smaller profile would preform as i normally use 3.00

[NordieBoy]

i got a set cheap as cuz
only prob is the fronts a 2.75 so not sure how the smaller profile would preform as i normally use 3.00

Front should be a 90x90x21 about 3.5"?

[warewolf]

Front should be a 90x90x21 about 3.5"?

Nah, they don't quite translate mathematically. 3.00x21 is usually a tad larger than 90/90-21.

[bart]

I get confused with tyre conversion stuff. This might be usefull:

http://www.weeksmotorcycle.com/tire-...ion-chart.html