Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)
-   Yamaha Tech (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/yamaha-tech/)
-   -   Conti TKC80 (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/yamaha-tech/conti-tkc80-28990)

tufty 2 Sep 2007 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by mollydog (Post 149047)
Did you guys know the TKC is made in Korea? :rofl: Probably made in the same factory with Duro's, Kenda's, Maxxis !

As long as they aren't subbed out to the factory that makes Ching Shens...

*Touring Ted* 10 Sep 2007 20:09

Iv ridden with TKC80's and Anarkee's.

TKC's are a great tyre if you want to regularly ride the rough stuff but if your riding is mostly tarmac then think again.

I currently use anakees as I ride about 80% tarmac. They are fantastic on the road where the TKC's are sketchy on wet tarmac.

The anarkee's are fine on dry grass, unfinished roads and hard packed soil but not really any good on gravel or harsher offroad riding.

Think Anakee for mainly road with light off roading or TCK's for a 50:50 road/ta combo.

motorbike mike 11 Sep 2007 17:02

Hi Bonfireboy,
Did you put TKC'c on yer bike? if so how are you getting on with them, I'm thinking of putting them on mine and have been quoted £125 per set fitted to loose wheels. If you can get them cheaper let me know, it may be a good excuse for a ride down to Bognor !
Cheers Mike

edteamslr 11 Sep 2007 17:40

Tkc
 
I've got some spare TKCs for Africa Twins which are left over from the preparation for our trip to Africa. Send me a message and I'll send the sizes.

motorbike mike 11 Sep 2007 20:44

Hi,
TKC 80 - Continentals
front - 90/90-21 54S
rear - 120/90 - 17 64S

Would be interested (depending on price and where you are )
Feel free to email me mike.carson@hotmail.co.uk

cheers Mike

Bonfireboy 11 Sep 2007 21:24

Not fitted the TKC's yet they will be going on as soon as I wear the last bit of tread off my current back tyre. Going to check this week on a price fitted will get back to you!

edteamslr 12 Sep 2007 11:22

Sorry..
 
Africa twin tyres are..[below] only selling as a pair.:(

front tyres 90/90 21
rear tyres 140/80 17

laters,
Ed

daveg 12 Sep 2007 21:17

I'm on my first set of TKC 80s on my DL650. I just finished a 2000+ mile trip through Mexico and it was the perfect tire. It does great on the road (under 80 mph, more on that later), and when gassed down a little, great offroad. I only have slight noticeable wear on the rear.

Over 80mph.. wooo.. It is crazy. It starts oscillating a little... then more .. then more..... and if you keep giving it speed (like when you HAVE to pass on the highway), it starts to completely fail. I almost lost it the first couple of times it happened as I didn't realize that my tires were at fault.

I'm planning a SA trip next year and I'll prolly put on a fresh set of TKCs before I leave, but will probably return to a more street oriented tire for my usual commuting and USA touring.

MikeS 13 Sep 2007 11:12

I got 16k miles out the front and 9.5k miles out the rear of one set on my 1150GS in the Americas. I found that the gravel/dirt really ate them up quickly and after 2 days (Copper Canyon and then down to Choix) the rear was pretty well scrubbed but it did last on the tarmac after that for quite a while. It was very good at getting the bike out of loose sand/gravel as I've had the bike burried up to the proverbials in deep sand on more bald tires.

Since I came back to Europe before getting home (only last night, whaaa!), I found the lack of grip on wet tarmac (especially in the Alps) was pretty lethal and rather scary but generally ok on dry twisty tarmac.

Unbelivably my bike got straight through its MOT the other day so the tread must have still been ok even though I've done about 7k Miles on the rear. This last set I just fitted them myself, its not that hard once you know how.

*Touring Ted* 13 Sep 2007 12:13

The TKC's are good tyres but I feel people get a little obsessed with them. It just seems to be fashionable to recommend them to anyone as soon as they mention "overlanding"

There are loads of tyres out there and all suit bikes and applications in their own way.

On my XT600, i found Metzeler Sahara 3's work much better on road than TKC's and only marginally worse off road.

On my XR650, i found the TKC's unpredictable and unnerving even in the dry... In the wet was terrifying.

Its amusing how many riders who ride 99% on tarmac, dont go for a more street biast tyre...

Redboots 13 Sep 2007 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedmagnum (Post 150390)
Its amusing how many riders who ride 99% on tarmac, dont go for a more street biast tyre...

Thats because it dosn't look 'ard enough:innocent:

However, I just used them on an 18k km trip with mixed surface - desert/rocks gravel/tarmack and found them AOK. A little nervous in the wet on crap roads.
Also got 18000kms out of the back and it could have done another 2 or 3k.
The fronts deform (cupping) very badly unless the pressure is spot on so they were swapped out at 14000kms.

John

Dingo 13 Sep 2007 18:36

TKC80's
 
Hey guys,

Just my 2 bobs worth too! I had a set of Anakee's on my R1200GS which had done 5200km 2 up with luggage in the Middle east. They are only about half worn and I took them off to fit a set of TKC80's for a trip down through East Africa. Fitted the Conty's in Salalah (Oman) and travelled 2000 km tho Al Makha west Yemen. The rear is now nearly shagged! Has about 25% left on it! No this has been one up with luggage on a big bike and the ambient temp has been from 39C up to about 47C. So you can see that these tyres do not last in the heat or with weight. I have used them before in Australia on a R1150GS ADV and found the same with them there as well in Central Australia. Did a trip from Cairns to Cooktown (1000 km) then directly west to Alice Springs and by the time I got to Cooper Pedy the rear was again totalled.

Personally I do like the Anakee and they do hold on well and wear well and yes the 4 ply side wall is much better. I have had no trouble with either sliding on asphalt but I do wear my tyres in before I go crazy in the corners.

Ok guys, hope this helps as well.

Cheers
Ivan

Bonfireboy 13 Sep 2007 20:59

I think everyone has made a lot very interesting points on this subject. I have spent ages doing research and asking loads of questions a lot of people have got good and bad experiences to share which is great and what this forum is all about. You pay the money you make the choice! We all ride on different terrains and in different ways. It almost makes me want to buy another XT so I don't have to choose which tyres to fit. I am going to try the TKC's as my next set and see how it goes I will report back, coming from a sports bike background I personally think tyres for the XT are quite reasonably priced so will just change them to the Anakee if I don't like them. Thats if I can make my mind up!!!

XTfubar 14 Sep 2007 02:44

I've been following this thread and decided to jump in. Originally I had MT21's on my XT. I found them quite noisy on the hiway and the front wheel pulsed annoyingly.Since these tires were getting...well...tired.I swapped them for Kenda's 761s since I ride mostly to work at speeds up to 110kmh. Altho the front feels loose at this speed it's predictable.The Kenda's have been offrroad once..gravel, mud and loose rock. The loose rock was bad..very bad...fell twice:oops2:.I'm considering these TKC tires as a decent compromise. All the info here has been very interesting. Since I'm not a particularly aggressive street rider maybe these are an option.

Also, if anyone has some experience with loose, smooth rock about the size of baseballs, let me know.I had my tire pressure down to 18lb , down from 24lb.

underbeing 14 Sep 2007 18:25

My opinion .....

I don't go for this get the tyre that suits the majority of your riding idea.

If you enjoy riding offroad (even if its just 5% of your riding time) then you MUST HAVE KNOBBLY tyres or its not going to be much fun at all.

So for on road you have to ride more carefully.

I find TKC80s to be good offroad and really quite good on dry clean tarmac BUT much care is needed on wet or "gritty" tarmac.


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 15:09.


vB.Sponsors