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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 21 Jun 2011
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michelin desert tyres?

anyone tried these on the xt 600 (mines a 1vj tenere)? been looking on the internet and the only rear size they list is a 140/80-18. the michelin website says that this is the same as a 120/90-18 (i think). i just wanted to make sure that they will fit. cheers. karl.
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  #2  
Old 22 Jun 2011
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I´ve an rear Michelin Desert in my garage and don´t fits the rear arm.
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  #3  
Old 23 Jun 2011
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I used to have a 3AJ Tenere and the rear desert fitted on that ok. An awesome choice of tyre. The front can be a bit entertaining on the road and they're tough buggers to fit, but superb off-road with a heavy bike. A set of heavy duty tubes and deserts fitted to your hoops - punctures are rare.
Well, probably not now I've said it - !
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  #4  
Old 23 Jun 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pera View Post
I´ve an rear Michelin Desert in my garage and don´t fits the rear arm.
Well, on 3TB and 4PT the rear 140 don´t fits.
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  #5  
Old 23 Jun 2011
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Compared to TKC80's what would you go with for 50/50 road/off-road on either gravel or sand.
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  #6  
Old 23 Jun 2011
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I think TKC80s are really 50%/50%. Michelin T63 are 50/50 too.
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Old 24 Jun 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pera View Post
I think TKC80s are really 50%/50%. Michelin T63 are 50/50 too.
Yep, but T63 is altogether better tyre, for me, much better tyre...
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Old 24 Jun 2011
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Originally Posted by AnteK View Post
Yep, but T63 is altogether better tyre, for me, much better tyre...
Yes, for me too. I´ve been using T63s since I can remember in my XTs. I´ve put TCK80 once in a BMW R100GS and gave me a good impression.
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Old 24 Jun 2011
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But in an XT the TKCs must make many, may km. I´ve done 4000 km. with the rear TKC in my ex-R100GS PD (about 240 kg.) with load and an elevated tempo on and off road. Perhaps in a XT will last double ??

My impresion is that TKC goes well everwhere (as T63): water, rocky trails, rapid saharan pistes...
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Old 7 Jul 2011
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metzler mce karoos are good off road, ok fully loaded on road. not sure if they do a size for the tenere...
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  #11  
Old 20 Jul 2011
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MT21s

I still rate the old favourite Pirelli MT21 - widely available in Tenere sizes, and on a recent Morocco trip after 6000kms of about 40/60% offroad/road the rear was about 2/3rds gone (admittedly with a few big chunks missing too - some of the rocks are really sharp). Front was less than 50% worn. They feel a bit strange on the road when new, but in the dry they are great.
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  #12  
Old 21 Jul 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboCharger View Post
Compared to TKC80's what would you go with for 50/50 road/off-road on either gravel or sand.
Personally, I would rate the TKC80 as an 70 - 80% on road tyre, 20 - 30% off road.

The Desert is a rally tyre. Its designed for off road, but is road legal. Most of the bikes in the Dakar run Michelin Deserts. Almost all the victories in the history of the Dakar have been on Michelin Deserts. (none have been on TKCs). Its a 70-80% off road 20-30% on road tyre.

In fact I have never even heard on anyone riding on TKC80s in the Dakar rally. They dont last as long as a Desert. They dont ride off road anywhere near as well as a Desert. However, they are much better on road than a Desert. Especially on wet asphalt = so if you live in wet asphalty areas, the TKC is your tyre. If most of your travel is going to be on asphalt, with some off road thrown in, choose the TKC or a Mefo SuperExplorer or Heidenau K60. All much of a muchness. I use the SuperExplorers and Heidenaus where 60-70-80-90% of the tyres life will be be on asphalt.

If you want a tyre that handles dry, rough, off road conditions extremely well, has maximum life, very puncture resistant and is still road legal, then go for a Desert - cause thats what it is designed for.

I use the Desert for sections where the vast bulk of my travel will be off road (80-90%).
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Old 1 Aug 2011
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ive had a definate reply to the effect that a michelin dessert wont fit in the swing arm without modification....
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Old 16 Aug 2011
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If the swing arm dimentions on the 4pt etc are the same as the 1vj then I suspect that Deserts will fit those bikes. I know two people who have fitted them to their 1vj's, and though there wasn't much room they were fine.

I plan to test this theory soon as I'm going to pop over to see one of them and test fit an old Desert on my 4pt (18" rear rim fitted), with a view to using them in Mongolia next year. I'm trying out a K60 at the moment for the journey there.

Dan
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Old 17 Aug 2011
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\\\check this post

This would seem to surgest that Deserts will fit.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ok-140-a-26144

Dan

Quote:
Originally Posted by mavis cruet View Post
anyone tried these on the xt 600 (mines a 1vj tenere)? been looking on the internet and the only rear size they list is 140/80-18. the michelin website says that this is the same as a 120/90-18 (i think). they will fit. cheers. karl.
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