tyres for south america

**nikb** · #1 27 Jul 2005

Hi,

Looking for recommendations for tyres to fit 1200 gs for south america. I guess i will be riding mostly tarmac but want the option to gio off road a bit!

Heard the TKC-80 is a good tyre? At the moment I run on Michelin Anakee, great tyre for raod use and wet but off orad I don't know?

Cheers

Boz

**Margus** · #2 27 Jul 2005

Forget the Anakees on offroad. Not good enough on gravel too.

For GS-offroad the ultimate tyres are Mezeler Karoo. Then TKC80 and then Heidenau K60.

Metzeler Karoos are the best offroad because having the most offroad-oriented knobbies, but they also have the softest materials, which giving them huge con - they last very little on driving on tarmac. But they aren't that expensive as TKCs though.

Continental TKC80 last very well for a knobby-tyre on tarmac, though they aren't that good as Karoos, but i'd say they're next to it. Con for TKCs is their high price.

Heidenau K60 is the only tyre for oilhead GS measurements, that fills the gap between knobbies (Karoo, TKC) and dual purpose [read: strict tarmac] (Tourance, Enduro 4 etc). So i think it's only the few tyres deserving the real "dual-purpose" name are TKC80s and K60s. K60 are CHEAP, but very high quality for that price. Knobbies aren't that agressive as TKCs or Karoos, but they're considerably more agressive than those "pseudo-dualpurposes" Tourances, Scorpions etc have, they are excellent on gravel and have considerably more traction on dirt than any street tyre. K60s last more than 12Kkm on my riding style that's mostly two up and not fondling my bike, front goes 15K+.

So if you plan to do mostly only offroad and gravel - Karoos are the best choice by far. If doing more tarmac, but want some bang on gravel and bit dirt, then K60s or TKC80s, depending on budget. If tarmac only then any "dual-purpose" (as we know wrong - Tourance, Scorpion, Enduro etc etc) will do it.

Hope this helps, Margus

**richardb** · #3 28 Jul 2005

I would just add that if you want specific tyres - take them with you. When you need to replace a tyre in South Am. - and buy it there - you will just have to go with whats available. Tyres for a big bike like a 1200 will be more difficult to find - very few bikes out there are much bigger than 250s

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Richb
http://www.postmaster.co.uk/~richardbeaumont/60684/

**nikb** · #4 28 Jul 2005

Much appreciated guys, really helpful.

Boz

**nikb** · #5 28 Jul 2005

Does anyone know where I can order a set of Heidenau K60's tyres in the UK?

Boz

**PatOnTrip** · #6 20 Aug 2005

Hi Nikb!

What is important is a good front off-road tire. The rear one can be more street oriented. You have the weight of the luggages that will give you more traction.

But I would suggest dirt oriented tyres for Peru and Bolivia in the rainy season or to go play on the sand beach or course.

Otherwise, a rear street-oriented tires will make it fine in south america with a proper front tire for the offroad riding.

For exemple, I meet a Brasilian guy and his son on the same bike riding a Yamaha Vmax on ruta 40 with street tires. They were coming back from Ushuaia. But for me I didn't see any fun riding a bike like that in gravels and under strong winds.

Patrick