Hi Colebatch

What's the average wear like on those tyres ? Is it better/worse or same as TKC's ?

Heidenau are available in Alaska .
http://www.advcycleworks.com/

I don't have experience with the tyres or the dealer .
But this info might be useful to somebody .

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"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

First trip - (always planned to turn around at Coldfoot) - end of June 2005. Riding with company.
Bike: R1200GS
Tyres: Front - TKC80 (frequently get >30,000kms from them!)
Rear: Tourance (usually >20,000kms)
The weather was pretty good, warm, although a little windy in places. The worst areas were through the construction zones. Ended up with a hole torn in the rear tyre in one construction zone on the return journey. The pavement just south of the Circle was so potholed my topcase bounced off - both northbound and southbound! Do go over and visit the Arctic Interagency Centre on the western side of the highway at Coldfoot, if you're staying overnight. Very interesting, with presentations at night.

Second trip - to Deadhorse - 11th July 2008. Riding alone.
Bike: F650GS
Tyres: Front: TKC80 (usually >30,000kms!)
Rear: Tourance (usually >20,000kms) - it was almost bald when I left Fairbanks, as I couldn't source another in the timeframe!
I left Fairbanks about 10.30am. The weather was relatively good (overcast and cool) to Coldfoot, but was looking dubious northwards. It rained constantly for 4½ hours going north from Coldfoot, up and over Atigun Pass etc. Not pleasant, with all the trucks roaring past splattering me with mud and calcium as I slowly pottered along. The well-known 20 mile section of deep stones about 30 miles south of Deadhorse was a bit unsettling, but I managed. Arrived about 10pm, I think. I stayed overnight at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel ($125 for all meals and bed. No wifi, but satellite internet Pay-PCs available for $$$$.

The return journey was drier, although misty rain over Atigun.

The first photo is just north of Atigun, before commencing the climb.

One thing to be careful of :- Make sure your radiator doesn't get clogged with calcium!! Judicious use of drinking water and toothbrushes [with the assistance of 5 people on 3 bikes who stopped to help] cleaned it up OK.

Overall, it wasn't "as bad" as I'd expected. There was far more pavement than in 2005, particularly in the northern half, as I'd been told there was none in 2005.

Just potter along at your own comfort speed, be aware of everything around you, take care to get off the road or else stop when trucks are about to pass, ride carefully, gaze in awe and wonder at the stunning scenery, and make sure to dodge the animals, caribou and musk ox, in my case. It is NOT a race. Slow and sure is the better way to go, after all, it's virtually 24 hours of daylight up there!

If you want to go to the oilfields/Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay itself, you need to book 24 hours in advance, for security clearance. I missed out, as I hadn't booked - so will just have to go up again, one of these years!

It's a great adventure - just DO IT!!

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Margaret
"twenty grand and twenty miles don't make you a biker"
www.ridingtoextremes.com

Much better.

TKCs lose 2/3 of their tread in the first 3000 miles and then start to wear pretty well after that. Sure you can use them till there is almost no tread at all and scrape 7 - 10,000 miles out of them but the whole point of using knobblies is because you want the grip in the first place.

The K60s will offer you 50% or more of the tread for I reckon about 3 times as long as a TKC.

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This post couldn't of come at a better time.

I'm planning a trip up that way. I'll be leaving St Louis, MO on July 20th and plan to hit the Dalton Highway around the 1st or 2nd week in August. I'm timing all this so I can attend the HU meeting in Nakusp BC on August 19th-22th during my return trip.

My question is: Where's there's camping along the Dalton, is firewood available and are ground fires allowed?

thanx
daryl

apparently the Heidenau K60s are not being made at the moment and very little old stock left. this is due to some new law which made the rubber compound heidenau used illegal, so untill they can come up with a new rubber mix they have had to stop making them, lets just hope the new compound lasts as well and produces as much grip!

im doing the run to prudhoe in september, i was planning running metzeler tourances but may take a tkc.

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Take a snow shovel and heated gear as well as the weather will have changed by then

Cheers
TS

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Chris

Maybe I was lucky, but I hit Prudhoe early Sep 2006 and no probs, despite people here telling me it was too late! I was so determined I bought FULL Gerbings gear, (jacket, gloves, trousers and socks!), though never used the trousers and socks, eBayed 'em when I got home. Don't think it actually went below freezing. But a heated jacket is a lifesaver.

From what I'd been told I thought I might only just make it to Fairbanks or even Coldfoot.

Some pics here which are dated.

It was beautiful! Good Luck mate - can't be much worse than Aberdeen surely?

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thanks Ian, your right it cant be much worse that aberdeen.. haha.
some great pics you have, gives me itchy feet seeing them!
interesting what you say about your rear break pads wearing out because of the grit... think ill take spares now.

cheers
chris
Mainly Due South

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