17" tyres availability
 

Hi all,

I am leaving for my trip from Oz to Europe in November and was wondering if there are any problems in getting 17" tyres on the way.

Should I look in to updating my XTZ660 with a 18" wheel which is not easy in Oz...

Cheers,
Frank

If by "any problems" you mean like getting them in Europe or in Oz, then sure there are problems! But if you´re able to use just about any 17'', then may be it is easier to find them, but remember their quality can be different than ours.

Big bikes are rare, or extremely rare from around eastern parts of Turkey all the way to Thailand, then there are some (but not so many) of them in Thailand & Malaysia, and again very few in Indonesia. But you didn´t specify, which way you plan to travel.

Not saying they´ll be impossible to find (and we were carrying a spare set, so never needed to really find out!)... and if you´ve got time&money, then surely everything can be arranged. But I can tell you there wont be many bike shops like the ones you see in Oz, for thousands and thousands of kilometres in Asia. Lots of stuff for scooters and 100-150cc bikes, though, so engine oil, for example, was easy to find.

17"
 

Info I've found.

I found 17" tyres by MRF in India but didn't try them, I was quoted from a dealer in New Deli
Vee Rubber 221 90/90 - 21 @Rs.3850
Michelin Anakee 130/80 - 17 @Rs.10600

Tyres in the East of turkey are can be arranged through the continental tyre dealer outside of Istanbul (Bora Eris who is on the Hubb),it take's 3 days to delivery to boarder town. Money transfer is easy and delivery is even easier, and cheap. (I purchased my tyres in the west, and had them delivered to the east boarder town with iran so i didn't have to load them on the bike).

Andy

Well I was planning to take the "classic" route via Indonesia / Malaysia / Thailand / Nepal / India / Pakistan / Iran / Turkey

@Pecha
It is no problem at all getting 17" tyres in Europe, sometimes in Oz... but I was interested in the countries in between.

use the right tyres, take it easy
 

Use a long lasting tyre like an Avon distanzia, take it steady and hopefully get here on one tyre, I managed it a few years ago doing 20,000 km from the UK to Oz on Mitchelin T66, I carried a spare most of the way and fitted it in Malaysia because I got fed up with carrying it.
Mark