► Tyre choices and emergency repairs

14000 Miles on a TKC???

If this helps at all, We ride a 1200 gs and a 650gs single. The 650 twin is I'm told about 10Kg heavier than the 650 single.

IMHO (two years and 25000+ miles all weather riding on TKC's) the standard pressures are way too high for TKC's, even on a small bike.

I keep the fronts at; 27psi and the rears at 33psi for normal road use.

When carrying luggage or passengers I up the pressures to; 32psi front and 38psi rear on both bikes.

My reason for the same pressures is that the bikes seem to be happiest this way. The harder you have the TKC's the greater the tendency they have to walk in the bends (start to lose grip), and the more flighty they feel in the wet.

Off road I would drop the pressures again by up to 5psi in each (some people run the rears at about 15psi when its wet and muddy) Most of my off roding is very gentle (I'm a bit of a wooce off road) and only in the dry if I can help it, so often I leave the pressures as they are.

Yesterday we did a 100+ mile high speed A road dash two up on the 650. I didn't add any air to the tyres, just road it as is. We had no incidents or scares related to the TKC's in any way. I even got my right foot down in one of the bends. :D

Didn't tell her on the back though :augie


Val.

PS: If it helps I get 14000 mls from the front and 11000mls from the rear.

are you wearing them down to the steel?? I hear that most only get 3000 to 4000 miles.
 
Hi all,

I was doing some green laning today when I noticed the front wheel reacting a bit weird. I stopped to check... flat front tire!!! I tried to pump it up to see how bad was the damage and quickly discovered a big crack on the side of tire, the air coming at straight away. I had some repair tools but I doubt I could have fixed this one... apart from the fact that my bike does not have the center stand!(I regret not getting it when I ordered the bike..)

The fact that it was on a Sunday didn't help either! The only option I had was to get the bike home with the SOS recovery service (included in my insurance).

So I am planning to get the centre stand installed and finally changing the BattleWings for some TKC's at the same time at the dealer's.

I know the centre stand is about £80 plus labour but I have no idea of how much the TKC's are...I am hoping they are not very expensive so I can get it done now.

How much have you paid for them?? is it much cheaper buying them from a normal tire shop, or is it better to get it done at the dealer?

Thanks a lot! I will post a picture of the tire tomorrow.
 
How much have you paid for them?? is it much cheaper buying them from a normal tire shop, or is it better to get it done at the dealer?

Thanks a lot! I will post a picture of the tire tomorrow.

Don't get it done at a BMW dealer, they'll skin you alive. Find a good local independent place that can source them for you. I take the wheels off and take them to a local tyre centre and they fit them on rims for £134 back and front.

Hope this helps and good tyre choice. They'll feel a bit weird for the first 30 miles or so, but after that, you'll be loving them. Just go easier in the wet.
 
Thanks for the quick reply sijohnston, I had a look on the internet and I saw a couple of online shops that sell this tyres, also in ebay there's a guy that sells them for £60 the front one and £89 rear one.
The problem I have is that I cannot get the wheels of without a center stand... I have a rear side paddock stand but I cannot think of a way to safely use it to remove both wheels.

I will call Vines today and get a quote. Depending on how much Vines tells me it will cost I will decide what to do... has anyone have their tyres changed at a BMW dealer? If so could you tell me how much you were charged?

Thanks in advance.
 
Don't get it done at a BMW dealer, they'll skin you alive. Find a good local independent place that can source them for you. I take the wheels off and take them to a local tyre centre and they fit them on rims for £134 back and front.

Hope this helps and good tyre choice. They'll feel a bit weird for the first 30 miles or so, but after that, you'll be loving them. Just go easier in the wet.

I have just been quoted £143 at tadworth tyres, ride in-ride out service which I think is a good price.

Cheers.
 
Does anyone know of a shop in surrey where I can ride to and buy inner tubes for the 800gs? Or maybe a trusted online shop?

Thanks!
 
Dunlop Trailmax 607F

Finally got around to getting my Dunlop tyres fitted yesterday and as luck would have it, the sun came out this afternoon so I've had a quick 30 mile trip to scrub them in.

I haven't been scraping the pegs or anything, but first impressions are the bike seems a little more stable especially over white lines and road markings.
Turn in is a lot quicker also, but the front does seem to take a while to warm up compared to the back- never checked the Battlewing temps, so hard to say if this is different.

Overall, quite pleased with them but it will be interesting to see if they last longer than the Battlewings 4000 miles!

This was also my first time removing and replacing wheels in 20 years and I was pleased to find this was a doddle - 10 mins each wheel, so I feel alot more comfortable that if I ever need to use the puncture kit I carry, I now know what to do. :thumb
 
metzeler Enduro 3

I assume engineers calculate the best tire size according to engine power, clearance etc. anybody had special knowledge if it would be possible to install a 140/80-17 tire on the 800GS? considering that it is standard issue on the HP-2, a much more powerful machine?
 
Saharas work fine, just not quite as good hard over on tarmac as they have been on other bikes due to the slightly flattened profile. :thumb
 
Avon tires?

I have been told, by many people, that Avon tires are the thing to purchase. They claim that they wear...like iron.
Any thoughts on Avon tires?

Mr. Pete--->
 
H/D inner tubes

Hiya all,

I am trying to get hold of some heavy duty inner tubes for my 800GS, i have used Michelin ones on previous bikes which are 4mm thick and with Ultraseal are very puncture resistent.

However, Michelin or Continental do not make an H/D tube for the 17" rear on a GS. The front is fine as they do make this.

Any sugestions would be appreciated.

Many thanks
 
Errr yeah! thats what i was hoping for, reccomendations of other good 4mm thick H/D tubes for a 150/70X17 tyre.:thumb2
 


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