► Tyre choices and emergency repairs

[twisticles]

What is it you like about the lower pressures you have used?

Hmm on rocky roads the bike seems less sensitive somehow...dunno how to describe it except to say "less wibbly".

But the majority of my time is on tarmac at the moment, and I seem to be falling into the same lean angles I enjoyed on the battlewings much more easily and naturally than I did at 32/36psi. It's like the TKC80s need a little less air to perform on tarmac? Or am I dreaming?

 

[kalli]

I have been using 25psi for my TKC80 since it was installed.
I think it performs perfectly with that pressure the only risk I see is to damage the rims on the hard surface I am riding off road. We don't have so much of the muddy rut trails I have experienced during my visits to the ORS in Wales.
I am riding mainly on tarmac during the week and some gravel and rocky trails at weekends.

Cheers

 

[Malcolm Leick]

I've now done several hundred miles on road and a days off roading on these tyres.

Off road...great..especially when you drop the pressures. Mainly on dry stuff, grass and ruts. Not too much wet mud.

On road the front end is much more twitchy than the Battlewings above 70mph and at 85mph gps (90 on the clock) I start to get some very disconcerting twisty movements setting in and have to back off the throttle.

One of the tyres is only Q rated to 99mph anyway so maybe it's to be expected. It's my first set of knobblies so I don't know whether its par for the course.

Somewhat annoying but again, maybe there's no such thing as a serious off road tyre that's as stable as a road tyre on tarmac. The standard tyres are great stable flat out, but of course not so good when you hit the dirt.

If anyone else has any further suggestions then let me know. Do think the change in size is the problem or is it the chunky tread?

Malc

 

[Peds]

New tyres - Heidenau K60

Wanted something more purposeful than standard but less full on than TKC80's so having read a few reviews on various forums thought I would give these a try.
So far so good, did 80 miles on them yesterday, only tarmac, warm conditions and they performed very well. They certainly feel much more planted than my TKC's ever did and will supposedly last considerably longer.
Not very easy to find I ended up buying them on line from www.bitzforbikes.co.uk , £150 the pair, delivered. Good service, bought them Friday delivered Monday. It then cost me £34 to have them fitted.

 

[(RIP) Nakambale]

Timely post, cheers. I had a query on in the 1200 section.

 

[Greggers]

I like the look of those ... they appear to be the ideal compromise tyre - a bit like the Avon Gripster, sadly now discontinued (I think!)

G

 

[chrisjk]

Is one of them on the wrong way round? The chevron pattern in the tread blocks is pointing different ways on the two tyres.

I'll be interested to hear how they perform in the dirt.

 

[everywherevirtually]

Walter is using these on Sibirsky Extreme. Also branded as Mefo. I'll be replacing my TKC's with these next. I believe they don't do a 17" rear but the 18" will fit

 

[Peds]

I believe they are correct. As far as I have seen on others and in line with the directional arrows on the tyre wall the chevron pattern should point up on both front and rear.

 

[Peds]

Front is a 90/90 21 and rear is 150/70 17

 

[ILMV]

Thanks for sharing Peds, will certainly come in handy when shopping for shoes for my GS

 

[Klanky]

Write up here: http://www.bmwmotorcycleclubcape.co.za/tyre-report-heidenau-k60-tyres-r1200gs

I'm tempted to give these a try after I've knacked the TKC80's.


(EDIT)

Also here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42141&highlight=Heidenau'

 

[WoodWorks]

I've also just installed a pair of these. Though we Yanks can only get the 140/80-17 rear at the moment. Mounted them myself (the rear was a bitch), and they will be on the bike while (whilst, sorry, I'm an Amurkin) I ride the Continental Divide Trail, 2470 miles of mostly dirt roads that follows the spine of the Rockies from Canada to Mexico. I'm leaving next Saturday, and the trail should give me a good idea of how the tires handle rock, mud, and sand, and the long stretches of highway to and from Oregon. I'll report back here after I return.

David

 

[WoodWorks]

Walter is using these on Sibirsky Extreme. Also branded as Mefo. I'll be replacing my TKC's with these next. I believe they don't do a 17" rear but the 18" will fit

The Mefo is similar, but not the same tire. And it's true that Mefo doesn't (yet) have a 17" rear.

David

 

[Greggers]

Walter is using these on Sibirsky Extreme. Also branded as Mefo. I'll be replacing my TKC's with these next. I believe they don't do a 17" rear but the 18" will fit

But how would you keep the inner tube from blowing through the gap..?

G

 

[everywherevirtually]

But how would you keep the inner tube from blowing through the gap..?

G

I've never let hard facts get in the way of me spouting off what I think to be the truth

 

[Rob Farmer]

Not very easy to find I ended up buying them on line from www.bitzforbikes.co.uk , £150 the pair, delivered. Good service, bought them Friday delivered Monday. It then cost me £34 to have them fitted.

I bought a pair for my airhead (130 rear) from http://www.mynetmoto.com/ for £111 delivered. Fast service as well.

 

[shag]

More spiel here http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/index.php?topic=28816.0

Sound like a good tyre

 

[The Other PaulG]

Is one of them on the wrong way round? The chevron pattern in the tread blocks is pointing different ways on the two tyres.

Rememer the rear's doing its most difficult work on accelaration and the front's working harder on braking... hence the different rotational fitment.

Paul G

 

[santrix]

I agree looks like an extreme distanzia.... nice gap filled between TKCs and nobbly wobblies...