I have had good results with certain sizes of Heidineau K60's on the rear. The 17/130 was great - good grip, flat resistant, ok mileage (12,000kms mixed riding on a loaded DR650). Front was excellent on the pavement and seems to last forever, but washes out in loose surface. I think acceptable if you looking for a mileage oriented front that can handle some dirt if the speeds are low.


I am currently running a mixed setup of a Mitas 07 rear (17"/130) that I can't comment on yet, and an IRC TR8 battle rally front in 3.00/21" - only size available, so not a viable choice for the larger bikes running 19" fronts. I've been really impressed with the TR8. It is acceptable on the pavement with much less howling then a pair of similar MT 21's I have tried. On any kind of dirt, gravel, sand, or mixed surface it is the best tire I have used. I am expecting around 10,000+km's from the front, so it should change out about the same time as a less aggressive rear like the K60's or Mitas 07. that would be ideal for me, as I prefer to change tires at the same time. I have been paying $50-$60, which puts it in the 'cheap' category for me.

My personal theory is to run a 50/50 or more pavement oriented tire on the back, and a more aggressive front. On a loaded 'adventure' bike, rear grip doesn't seem to be as much of an issue, but tire life and puncture resistance are. I am fine with my rear 'drifting' a bit in corners, or spinning, but when the front starts to wash out, I get uncomfortable. A more open knobby tire on the front seems to bite through the sand/ gravel that is on the surface of most trails/ dirt roads, and grips the harder base surface. On the rear, an open knobby seems more likely to get cut by rocks. Just my thoughts.

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Michelin T63's Fr + Rr on a DR650, got about 8,000 kms out of the rear, but its done, maybe another 1500 kms left in the front, they have been pretty good on asphalt too, not quite as planted as a TKC 80 front on pavement, similar performance on dirt, but a lot cheaper.

The TKC80 and D606's are both quite expensive now in Canada compared to the T63's

Timo, have you used TKC 80/T63/D606 fronts ? how does the IRC TR8 compare?

Ive used MT21's on a KTM Adventure and Yamaha TTR250, they were pretty good, but wear quickly and found them squirrely on wet (British diesel covered) pavement


Im spooning on some new T63's today, but might give the TR8 a go next up front

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Gipper,

No, I have not tried the TKC 80, the D606 or the T63's. The T63's were out of stock 2 years ago when I left for the CDR trip. From what I have heard about the TKC 80 it is a good tire - for many the go-to tire for any sort of dirt shenanigans on a larger ADV bike. However, I've always been put off by the price/ mileage prospects. From what I gather talking with people, I think the TR-8 offers very similar performance with maybe a bit better longevity, and it is 1/2 the price. As I am fairly convinced that running a more closed in rear is the way to go, my main concern is finding at front that will last as long as a good 50/50 rear (so 10-12k Km's) cuts through sand and gravel to give some grip in corners, doesn't howl on the hwy, and doesn't scare me on wet pavement.

I'd like to try the D606 - although friends have reported that the front cups and wears quickly, and the rear wears out pretty fast as well. Guys coming from pure dirt bikes seem to really like this tire, but it is expensive as you point out.

I heard that the T63's are not as good as they once were? not sure if that is true - some change of manufacturing. I like the look of the tread pattern, although I still feel that the rear is to open a knobby for loaded traveling bikes.

At any rate - no such thing as a perfect tire setup, just choices that have trade off's. My main point was to introduce the TR-8 as it seems to be an obscure and perhaps overlooked option that has worked well for me at a very good price.

I think the same way. Knobs on the front, durability on the back. Can get hairy on wet roads though, depending what you run.

Eyeing up Mitas for the next ride, but will look at TR8.

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I'm curious about the Mitas 07 front as an option. It has a very similar 'chevron' pattern to the Heidineau K60 and the Metzler enduro 3. However, the 07 pattern has a steeper angle to the radius of the tire, and so looks like it might provide more side bite in gravel or sand, which is my main complaint about the others. Anyone have comments about this?

I've tried some different tyres on different bikes;

R1200GS(A)
- Metzler Tourance: I ended up doing ~100.000km on these tyres, and got everything from 16.000km to 25.000km on a set. It was only until I was the last set I decided that they where not really me (I sometimes take a long time to learn), as the front of the bike started to wash out in tight corners. They are ok in rain, but anything more than gravel might be come an adventure.

- Continental TCK80: I never got on with them, I think my breaking point was going down the Pyrenees on a slightly slippy motorway with a truck at my numberplate... I didn't like them much, probably a "between the ears" issue.

F800gs
- Pirelli MT60: Most fun tyres, sticky on tarmac (also in rain), works ok off tarmac. Don't last long though - I got ~12.000 out of them. And they are reasonably expensive. These tyres will enable one to drag the alu pannies

- Heidi K60: Started out liking them a lot, good tarmac trip, not bad at all off tarmac, but as they started wearing (+10.000km) the solid stip on the rear started to give the tyres some really interesting characteristics in high speed corners (sides were wearing faster than the middle of the tyre), also the front was wearing reasonably fast. They are ok in rain.

- Mitas E-07: Good tyre, sticky, works ok in rain. Very predictable, will give notice when before silly things happen (high speed corners). Good wear; I'm not around 17.000km and the rear is at approx. 40%. Front is a "bit" nervous on gravel.

G650 xChallange
- Mitas E-07: Same as on F800gs, but as the bike is ~50kg lighter will allow to carry higher speed through corners (I do love roundabouts, and fast gravel roads), works ok off road, deep sand is possible, but is interesting. Front seams to be more predictable on gravel than on the F800gs. Don't know about wear as I change to:

- Mitas E-09 (rear), Pirelli MT21(front): he,he, fun... can carry corner speed on tarmac, works find in sand, etc. Rain/wet tarmac not bad, better than TCK80's - wear is ok, looks ok after 1500km.


My favorite are the Pirelli MT60's, but they are too expensive, so I'll just stick with Mitas E-07 for normal use and E-09's (possibly the MT21 front) for other stuff.

Tyre choise is very personal, what I like might not be what you like.

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I used an E07 rear on a recent trip, and am very interested in using the same front (I had serious issues with the E10 front). I need a tyre that is good in the wet; above you said they're ok - how would you compare them to a 90-95% road tyre? Potentially not as good, but how close? It would be great to just have A tyre, and not keep swapping them when I head off on a trip and the terrain demands different tread (I use my bike all year round - no car for me!).

Go for it.

Wear will be less, but they are a very capable tyre on road and off road if it's not too muddy

I have them all year round on 2 of my bikes - front and rear

Last time I had anything which most people would grade as road tyres was 3 years ago and it Tourance .... I find the E-07 better, and more stable incl. in the wet. Also they are ok off road, just don't do wet grass, or mud.

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I bought my 1200 Super Tenere and it had the Metzeler Tourance (80/20) tires. On the road these are great, good grip, helps fuel efficiency, quiet, off road are useless on such a heavy bike. If all you were to do is gravel roads or smooth dirt roads these would be a great tire. If you want to go into the rough, the Heidenau K-60 scout (50/50) are superb. These do not act like a 50/50 tire, more like an 80/20. After mounting the K-60's the bike suddenly seemed to be designed for off-road use rather than merely enduring it. Fuel efficiency fell off (as expected) but the road feel is great (a bit noisy, less grip at serious peg-grinding lean angles). Because this is a tank with two wheels, there are no inexpensive tires made for it (or the GS) but the tires will make or break the ride depending on how you use the bike.
My old beater DR350 has had IRC, Shinko, unnamed made in China tires, etc and I have just mounted Pirelli MT21's which are, essentially, an off-road tire. They sound like a full knobby (wailing, and howling down the road) and ride in the dirt like a full knobby.
Shinko 244's were a nice balance of on/off road but the tread is a bit too close (I ride in a lot of clay-heavy mud which turns these into slicks making the ride "interesting").

Just did 20,000kms on a R1200GSA with a set of K60 Scouts. Rode around 85/15 tar/dirt and they could have kept going for a few thousand more, still above indicator lugs. Good price for replacement in Guatemala so I bought new ones. I've completed over 50,000kms on K60 Scouts with no scary moments on any terrain incl. the wet. No punctures at all.

I ride light with <30kg of gear in soft bags and I don't scrape pegs or get much above 120km/h. For my riding I wouldn't use anything else.

PN

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Mitas E 07 trail tyres on a BMW G650 XCo run for 5000 miles, including a month in Morocco.

Previously tried Heidi K60s and these seemed similar: hard wearing East European tyres but much cheaper and closer blocks. Just £100 for the pair delivered from Oponeo.

Great tyre for what I did: mostly road and some rocky piste. Good enough off road in the dry - and no probs at all on the highway or in the rain.
Really improved the agility of the bike over the previous Tourances and now only half worn. Pic below is rear 5000 miles in.

As for the HUBB discussion here about cracking on these tyres. I can only see 'wrinkles' on mine (as on the K60s at same-ish mileage) but the 650 is light, was lightly loaded and I keep the tyres at road pressures at all times as there is little sand in Morocco + avoids punctures.
Few seem to mention it in that post, surely bike weight + power, payloads, tyre pressure and speeds have a lot to do with a tyre breaking up. I recall the same dramas over K60s 'losing knobs at 160kph on a hot day...'

Longer version of Mitas with more pics.

Ch

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On my 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 650, I got 14500 km (9,000 miles) from a set of the original Bridgestone Trail Wing tyres. Its was almost all rough tarmac roads and fully laden.
Both front & rear wore at a similar rate, and arguably they would have gone another 1-2k !

The state when they were removed.

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Old but unused Heidenau K60 on the front
Golden Tyre GT201 150/70 R17 TL 69V on the back.
Both on BarTubeless converted TL rims

No complaints as expected, though the stiff and huge 201 recommended by Rally Raid felt like overkill for the little, 47-hp Honda. Five thousand miles in, the rear GT looks less than half worn and the front K60 less than that. Much of this must be down to tubeless at high pressures as well as the engine’s velcro-like traction rather than arm-stretching torque.

Would use both again.

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Mitas MC23 Rockriders (formerly Sava) are dead cheap but I was a bit disappointed how quickly the rear wore on a light, 28-hp 250.
Maybe I've become used to K60 type 'do-it-all' adventure tyres.
Great grip on road, trail, rain, rock and sand.





Did I mention this?
• Adventure Motorcycling Tyres - Do-it-all
• Adventure Motorcycling Tyres – Road
• Adventure Motorcycling Tyres – Off-Road

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Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 8 • Morocco Overland 3 • Overlanders Handbook 2 • Twit