Hi guys, just bought a 2003 XT600E for trip to North Africa. Any opinions on best tyres to fit for the trip would be appreciated, as they will need to cope with long tarmac section to get down there and desert terrain when there. Michelin T63s maybe? Good Choice?
Many thanks for any help.

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Brad XT

Avon Distanzas seem quite popular here in the UK.

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Tom

GSXR 1100 Streetfighter
CG 125 Cafe Racer Track Bike

Not very RTW

I run Heidenau K60's, which have a similar pattern to Metz Enduro 3's.Great value and they last well on tarmac - sand is an unknown quantity for me on these.

Cheers guys, thanks for your input. I run Avon Distanzas on my 1987 XT600Z 1VJ Tenere and whilst they are good road based tyres, from my expereince, I don't think they will cope well with desert terrain. My research also seems to show the Michelin T63 has been superceded by the Michelin Sirac. Does anybody have any experience of the new Siracs on an XT600E please?
Many thanks guys.

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Brad XT

Sirac is >80% road biased. I love mine on the twisties, but I couldn't imagine going into the desert with them. I've got another set of wheels with Michelin Deserts for that :-)

Thanks XT Frog for the observation on the Michelin Siracs. From what I know Michelin Deserts won't really cope with the long tarmac section down to the desert and I am trying to avoid carrying spare tyres. Somebody else has suggested Trail Wing 42s would be a good choice??
Anybody have any experience of these on tarmac and in desert terrain please??
Many thanks.

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Brad XT

I met plenty of folk in Kenya who had ridden down from Germany etc on one pair of Deserts, still with some tread left - they are a pretty hard compound, to cope with rock attack etc.

I suppose it depends on your priorities - Deserts will be OK on dry tarmac but distinctly squirrely on wet roads, and don't even talk about their behaviour on white paint , but, boy, will you love them when you get off road.

Plus they are virtually unpuncturable - after repairing the fifth acacia-thorn-induced flat in a day, this is a big plus, believe me.

Personally, I wouldn't go to Africa with anything else

This sort of repeats what is said above, but here goes anyway.

I have Trailwings on the XT600E. Great on the road. Useless in mud or anything slippery. The treads clog and become slicks in the blink of an eye. Had Siracs on my XT660R - same. I regard both as road tyres with semi-trail styling, not as trail tyres. I'm not sure that the compromise you are looking for exists, but in your position I would go for a decent mud/sand tyre and put up with it on the tarmac. Poor tarmac performance is a nuisance; poor performance in the sand could ruin your trip.

I liked the rear T63 that i used in West Africa. Ok it won't as long as the likes of the Avon Distanzia, but it grips in dirt.

I met a couple of germans in Cape Town who come down through East Africa (from Europe) on one set of T63s! Quite how i don't know. I went through 3 tyres down west coast. I am quite lazy though as adding air when i get back on to the black top

Can you do the chris scott trick of riding down there on an old set and then putting the knoblies on when you hit southern Morocco.

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www.onabikeinafrica.blogspot.com

Go for the T63's.

They would be my choice. Good off road, and very good on road, wether it's dry or wet. (for a knobbly)

Make sure you add pressure for the road miles, as they do wear a little quick. Not only will this minimise the wear, but it will improve the handling no end.

I must admit I don't change my pressures, and she's stable enough up to 70mph without being too hard for the trails. (Mostly rocky, Peak district, but also muddy, 'cos it's the UK.)

I never thought a tyre could be so versatile.

Cheers hurcomb and Angus To You, I have taken the plunge and ordered a set of Michelin T63s. There's no going back now and thanks for the advice re tyre pressures. T63s seem the best all round choice. Many thanks to all who contributed to this thread. Cheers guys.

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Brad XT

Very good choice, my favourite tyre! Do not thing that Siracs are good offroad tyre,
Siracs are usable but only if you are riding calm, traction of front wheel on higher
speeds is terrible with Siracs, especialy on loose terrains. T63s are still avaliable,
information that Siracs replaced T63 is wrong !

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AnteK

Hi guys, just fitted the Michelin T63s to my new XT600E and I am currently running the standard manufacturers pressure of 22psi front and 33psi rear. I have to say they are awful on tarmac, the bike feels like I am riding on oil and is weaving all over the place at anything over 55mph. The bike is mechanically sound i.e. shock, wheel bearings, head bearings etc are all OK. I will experiment with tyre pressures, but does anyone have any thoughts on this issue please, as these tyres seem to come highly recommend for use on tarmac. I took off a part worn set of TCK80s which were poor on tarmac, but the T63s are even worse! I have yet to use them off road and whilst I don't envisage any problems on the dirt, I have a long way to ride on tarmac to get to the desert!
Any help, clues or observations as to the possible problem would be much appreciated. Many thanks.
Cheers.

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Brad XT

I use an 18" rear and get good grip on and off road with my TKC80s.

I have a Michelin Desert for the next trip.

For sale I have a new Pirelli MT21, if anyone's in Surrey? I wanted to take two spare rears through Africa but now the girlfriend's on the back of the XT, I've a lot less carrying capacity. She ain't big, so no big butt jokes guys

I love the TCK80's, excellent off road and good on tarmac (there are better tarmac tyres). it depends how much offroading you plan to do. TCK's do feel terrible on the road until they are scrubbed in. Andy