Margus,

Thanks for that.

Good information.

Any thoughts on road tyres?
Are Metzeler Tourance's good?

I'm need road tyres for the now and might use them on the European leg of the trip.

Gilles27

Heidenau's K60 everytime ( on my R1200GS) in 150/70/17 (the correct size for the rear - and 110/80/19 front) size
Can't speak about high mileage yet but done 4000ish on them and ...they look brand new!
Fine on tarmac - fully loaded but 1 up- I tend to cruise at 60mph- Excellent grip on compacted earth and gravel- not tried sand on them yet- bit more care on wet roads but that's to be expected-
Seems to be the best choice for 'go-almost-everywhere' tyre with added longer life (from reports)
I'm sold on these and have discarded the rest-

Hi

My experience is that a Conti TKC front and Michillin Anakee rear is the best combo for my GS. (I´ve done more than 250,000kms on two 1150 GS´s)
I´ve tried all sorts of tires, and none gives me the durability and grip like these two (haven´t tried the obove mensoined tires). They typically last 20,000kms (Front) and 16,000kms. I mostly ride slow, below 120km/h, to get these milage. I´ve tried the Cont TKC at the rear, but it only lasts for 8,000 - 10,000kms with all my weight (Two-up)

Johan

That's intersting Johan - I needed a new rear TKC on the way back through France a couple of years back and the only tyre I could get for my R11GS was an anakee so I rode the last 250km home on the mostly motorway with exactly that mix - Anakee rear TKC front and although nervous at first with such a mix it behaved remarkably well. I kept them on for a few weeks before getting an Anakee on the front too. It was the first experience with the Anakees and I like them on the road a lot.

Regarding off road - give me TKC80 everytime. I don't want to run with undersized tyres on a big heavy BMW and no doubt if I ask Continental to change the rubber mix on the TKC for me I'm sure they would too

__________________
...on the road to nowhere...

Biking roads by bikers for bikers www.bestbikingroads.com

Johan,

what's your secret trick geting such mileage out of them, or those were the older "Made in Germany" TKC80s?

I got barely less than 10 000km from the new "Made in Korea" TKC80 front and I'm also two-up full gear like you. Rear one wore out way too quick, I'd say even if you're being light on the throttle they are completely worn between 6000-8000km. Good thing the new TKC80s aren't so bloody expensive anymore though!

Margus, I think I'm a very relaxed rider (80-100km/h) compared to most other riders, especially on such long joyrneys. Back home on weekend rides it is a different story.

I just checked, my current TKC (front) tire, its made in Korea. I fitted it in Medellin, Colombia and drove down to Usuaia, and back up again to where we are now, Salta (Northern Argentina). That will be exactly 22,000kms. Will ad another 1500kms to it till I get to Santiago (Chile) to fit a new one. I've done many gravel roads with this tire, not sure if that helps the milage. Rest of the time I was on the straight sections through the Atacama, Patagonian roads as well as the ever so boring Ruta 3 between Ushuaia to Buenos Aires. The tire still looks ok.
I also rarely get punctures in the front, in fact only once in Kenya due to a sharp rock. Most punctures for me hapenes at the rear with the Michillen?

With my last two tires I changed the direction of the tire on the rim at about 12,000kms, seems to wear off more evenly on the knobbies and give me an extra 2,000 - 3,000kms. If I were to cruise at 140km/h or more I would probably not do this, but like I said most of my speeds are below 100km/h. I also keep the tire pressure high (38PSI) when I'm on good roads. Going down to 20PSI on loose gravel etc. (this is for two-up, lots of lugguage)
Handling seems fine for me and I have no probs with grip. Been through the twisties in the French Alps, Scotland, Rockies, Andes etc with this combo and it works for me.

I know most people like to use the same kind of tires front and rear, and Ive been like that too, but the gravel road ability of 'road' tires in the front just suck for me. Thats why I keep to an 'off road' front, even if I only do 5-10% gravel compared to tar. On the tar roads, I realy dont feel any difference in handling.

Johan

Where do you get them from?

Regarding that Conti TKC, below is a photo what it looked like after 23,000kms on the front of my 1150GS.


Johan

hi - me and my husband have used Conti TKC80s for our entire trip so far....almost 7 years on the road and no - we are NOT sponsored by Conti!!

we have found them to be the best dual purpose tyre. we have used them in all types of terrian.. and find that they last long miles both on and off road.
my husbands bike is an R1100GS, mine is an F650GS both are fully laiden.

go have a look at our site if you want to check out the type of terrain we have been using them on.

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Lisa
www.2ridetheworld.com

Hi Lisa. What milage does your husband's 1100GS get on his rear wheel tire?
I've never run a TKC till its end on the rear, so are not sure?

For European leg Tourances are probably the best bang for the buck tires around. One of the longest lasting tarmac tires I know for DS bikes.

If you are looking for durability then don't buy the new Tourance EXP version though - they last considerably less than the original Tourance (non-EXP) which are still made because it's still a very popular tire (no wonder, since it really lasts - good for long distance tourers). And here in America I hear people almost have stopped buying the new Tourance EXP since they're dissaponted in them being used to the original Tourances.

I currently have EXP in the rear and the original older version Tourance in the front. Rear indeed wears too fast for my liking, but yet in the sharp corners the EXP does feel more planted while the front wants to wash away - and while most of the weight is in the rear. So the EXP seems to be kind of compromise tire - more grip with the cost of durability.

With fully loaded bike you don't go to road racing or footbeg scratching curves anyway, so original Tourance seems to make more sense in that case.

But yet if you go touring with a big money wallet and thus with a litte or no gear on the bike then I'd pick Tourance EXPs over the original Tourances tho - they are just more grippy tires and thus more fun in the corners with a lighter bike .