Michelin Anakee

Greg Masters

Greg Masters

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Having read elsewhere on the board that the Michelin Anakee is going to be an OE fitment on the 2003 GS, I thought that I'd do some checking.

Michelin have run tests (on a Beemer) against some of their competitors. Against the Tourance, the Anakee offers better dry grip, both light and loaded, marginally better wet grip, marginally better rear longevity and significantly better front longevity.

I have placed an order.

Greg Masters
 
Greg Masters said:
Michelin have run tests (on a Beemer) against some of their competitors. Against the Tourance, the Anakee offers better dry grip, both light and loaded, marginally better wet grip, marginally better rear longevity and significantly better front longevity.
Click to expand...

Funny that . . . I was expecting Michelin to say, "we're very disappointed because we just can't get it to compete with the Metzeler Tourance":D

Hope they're right Greg . . . I want some too! Where you ordering from?

Simon

PS Look here for more info . . .
http://www.michelin.co.uk/moto/trailbikes.html
 
Simon

Of course I recognised the 'they would say that, wouldn't they?' factor, but the guy from Michelin that I spoke with was clearly proud of his new product, and I was convinced that he was convinced that they had a winner. He was also clear about the improvement over their own product (the T66). BMW have also been convinced, hence their OE fit decision.

I've ordered mine from Chaseside Tyres in Enfield (carefully avoiding another recently publicised dealer in the same area). Call Dean on 020-8342 1242 (usual disclaimers).

Greg
 
Price please Greg? Are they available now? When's he getting them in? Should phone 'em really I guess? Are you testing them on your Sahara jaunt?

PS Are they going to be "an" OE fitment or "the" OE fitment, cause currently they use three different OE fitments and its pot luck what yours turns up with unless you specify with order.
 
Simon

I rang Dean at about 4pm this afternoon. He'll have my tyres in by tomorrow. It seems that they are not in the ridiculously short supply that Metzelers (Enduros and Tourances) are.

I didn't ask price, but he was reasonably competitive when he quoted me for Tourances. Given Malky's experience, I'm prepared to pay a few pennies extra to get a good job done!

I understood that the Anakee was going to be an OE fit, not the definitive.

Greg
 
Good luck Greg. I guess you are Mr Ankee tester for us all. Will watch this space with interest.

Have done about 200miles on the Tourances all in the dry and I have to ask "Can it really get better than this ?"
 
The one big problem with Michelin is their attitude to their customers whenever there is a problem with one of their tyres. They never accept that they make the odd faulty tyre, and use any excuse they can to avoid settling the issue. I found this out when I bought their original radials (A59's) and found the front was shot after 5000 miles ( fitted to a GPZ900). This was half the mileage I was getting from Metzeler ME33's. Michelin told me that the problem was my bike, the head bearings were knackered, the forks incorrectly set, and this accounted for the rapid wear. I pointed out that the replacement tyre was wearing as it should with no adjustmemts made to the bike at all, apart from swapping the tyres. They still said the bike was the problem.

I later found out from my brother in law, who worked in the tyre industry for over 20 years, that this was typical of Michelin. They never admit their mistakes.

I have voted with my feet and not bought a Michelin tyre since, and I don't intend to now.

Bob Southgate
 
OK, the Anakees were mounted this morning by Dean at Chaseside tyres.

Not the cheapest (about 185 notes), but meticulous attention to detail. Not a mark on the rims, beautifully balanced and not an air-wrench in site. (No stripped wheel nuts either.)

Call Dean on 020-8342 1242.

Greg
 
OK, Greg - waiting for your feed back reports.

(I will need a set probably before the Spring is here...)

Somewhat wary of Michelins after the T66 episode last year, although I had good experiences with the A59s on my GPZ, so prepared to be open-minded.:confused:

(as long as someone else can try them out first:D )
 
Mich Anakee. Quote:- Yes they're better than anything else on the market.
Anyone tried Avon Distanzas? 'cos the staff on the Avon stand on the NEC a couple of years ago said the very same thing to me.

A pinch of salt needed here I think.
 
Anakee in the UK

Seeing as there only appear to be Bridgestone's readily available at the moment I had a pair of the new Anakee's fitted at Tekmotive in Welham Green on Wednesday morning (who did an excellent job).

Having ridden back and forth to work through the lanes a couple of times now and scrubbed of most of the mould release compound my initial impressions are that they are a good grippy tyres. Its early days yet and a little difficult to be that objective since the Torrance's they replaced had frankly seen better days.

As Greg posted they are a more expensive tyre - I paid £200 ride-in-ride-out (£186 loose). This compares to Bridgestone at £170 odd and Tourances £180 (should they have been available).

Phil
 
Tourance

Rear Tourance fitted and balanced etc £88.00
Front even cheaper!
National Tyres in Barnsley always have at least 5 sets in.
Must be cheaper "Up North"?
 
With a further 200 back lane twisty road miles on them I'd say that they offer slightly better grip than the Tourance, though the bike seems to be a little more 'bouncy' with them. This may be due tyre pressures so I'll be experimenting to see what works best.
Wear, of course, is a bit unknown.

Phil
 
Bashplate / Greg

I have tried to get the Anakee in Australia without success. The importer is not sure when they will be released here.

I fitted a T66 front last week and could not believe the improvement over the Avon that was replaced. I rode 300km on Saturday, a combination of gravel and hard packed dirt with some bitumen, the feeling was nice and direct.

I also look forward to your reports on the Anakee.

Mick
96 R11GS
 
OK, following reasonable feedback, and due to needing a new set of tyres with no Tourances easily available - I have sprung for a set of Anakees.
First impresssions -
I see what you mean by "bouncy" - the steering is noticeably lighter than with the Tourances, possibly tyre pressures need adjusting. Running 34F/38R at the moment, loaded.
Wet grip is at least as good as the Tourance, dry grip fine. They are now reasonably well scrubbed in - got a toe down on a wet road today (round Parliament Square...:D ).

More feedback to follow... OK so far:)
 
Hpward queried thus:How much £££?

£189 for the pair, fitted to the bike, Sidcup Motorcycles Tyres.

Took ages, as the balancer spindle got stuck in the front wheel, then bent the speedo drive on removal.
To be fair, Steve did straighten everything, and told me to send him the bill if anything needed replacement.

Did you post this before you went to bed, or after you got up for work?:eek:
 
....its a few months later now. How have the Anakee´s been?
 
Quite a lot of months later...

The rear Anakee is history, and has been replaced by a Tourance.

The bounciness never got any better, even with lots of fiddling with tyre pressures.
Once the tyre got fairly worn (12k miles) (4mm tread left) the handling deteriorated to the downright nasty. I was actually thinking that the rear shock had given up (ref the "exploding Ohlins" thread), then I got a puncture, and figured that I didn't have that much value left in the tyre, so replaced it with a Tourance, as they are available again in numbers.
What a difference!
Handling is now back to normal, wet grip is great, and it feels like a GS again, rather than a shopping trolley with a stuck wheel.

Oddly enough, the front Anakee is still there, wearing slowly and with no great ill-effects. T'will be replaced with a Tourance as and when it wears out, but gets an honourable discharge, rather than the firing squad deserved by the rear tyre

:mad:

//Rant mode off//

Regards
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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