spare tires?
 

just a question: how many of you carry along a spare or two? I've occasionally kept the old tires when I bought new ones, as backups (unless the old ones were completely spent). I have a few odds and ends floating around and am considering bringing along either a complete second set (high mileage street oriented), or another rear (Karoo, currently running TKC80's), or even a complete second set of Karoos (was given a nearly new set). Or... I can skip the tires and depend on luck. Obviously I'm not talking about travel in developed areas where tires are everywhere. I'm considering the Vlad-Mongolia-'stans-Turkey route, and don't expect much selection... So (sorry for the long post): bring along a spare rear, spare set, or trust the gods?

Tires
 

Hi,
at our small familystay in UB we get a lot of bikers and many just send us the spare tire via mail and when they arrive they will change. For the postadresse please contact me at naadam90@yahoo.com

Terrain considerations
 

On my BMWf650 I am running on Heidenau T60 (true 50/50 tyre) on the front and Metzler Lazer on rear. This is great for hardtop, but not so good for gravel roads. Since I shall be covering about 1000miles of gravel in Labrador, (Labrador Highway) I figured to take a rear Heidenau T60 to change on to when I reach the end of the tarmac at Pinware River.

When I get to Baie Comeau, Quebec, I'll change back to roadies until I get to Dawson City, where I can change for the 1000ml round trip up the Dempster Hwy. to Inuvik. Swapping tubed tyres is not difficult, and only takes 1/2 hour or so.

I expect that I will need a new road tyre by the time I get to Dallas, but a lot of the USA will be on The Great Divide Trail, so it maybe I will change both, but I will always travel with both types of rear, as carrying one spare tyre is not difficult, and the added grip when on gravel is a big bonus to me, not being very good at it:(

I know I can get Heidenau Tyres in the US, but am not so sure about South America. Maybe get someone to bring them out for me.

On my 1100gs i made a rack extention plate out of a bit of alloy plate i found inthe skip at work & as i only had a single seat on it put 2 tyres on that .It makes the bike a bit top heavy but i found it ok even on some off road sections in the desert . I then put my Small tent sleeping bag & exped matress in side the tyres.
Kev