► Tyre choices and emergency repairs

[Blobby]

1) Ultraseal will NOT prevent a fast blow-out, it will only prevent slow or medium speed punctures.

2) as mentioned above in this thread, Ultrasel can also mask a puncture that has caused significant damage in the structure of the tyre, by preventing it from going down....this in itself is MORE likely to cause a big, sudden failure, leading to your feared scenario.

3) Ultraseal is a pain in the arse for tyre fitters, its messy and unpleasant, and if you ever decide to save some pannies and learn how to do it yourself, you'll never fit it again for that reason, once you've changed one with ultraseal in.

Far better, IMO, to carry and know how to use a decent repair kit...then at least you'll KNOW what's going on with the tyre.

1. Preventing slow/medium speed punctures more than sells it's benefits to me.

2. Fair comment re masking punctures, but I am happy that my daily before ride check of any damage to my tyres will minimise this risk.

3. I am never convinced by the tyre fitter argument. A tyre fitter who is in a grump because of my Ultraseal gunk inside my tyres is far better than it not being there and me having an increased risk of puncture at speed. For me, there's no contest.

I know the pros/cons have been debated over & over on here and there is probably no perfect answer. I think we agree that you are anti Ultraseal (and similar) and I and pro Ustraseal.

 

[STUBBS]

the only time it wil shake or vibrate is if you over fill it follow the instructions and youll have no problems you can still carry a repair kit if you want

ive been using it for atleast 10 years with no problems and no moans from the tyre fitters i use

 

[Greggers]

I slimed up and spent ages trying to balance my wheels, got a few weights on which looked ok . a few thousand miles later I noticed my balance weights were gone but have never noticed any out of balance vibrations in the wheel ...

Personally I think it's a good products and am happy using it and am equally happy being able to fix a puncture with a kit if needed...

Belt and braces

G

 

[Adventure Boy]

I know this is an old thread but have just seen it whilst at work
TKC 80s are great tyres on the road and hard packed dirt but get them into real mud and they clog up really fast and have no grip at all
Im using a set of MT21s 90/90/21 front and 130/80/17 rear they work great in mud and real dirt not as good as tkc80s on road but far better offroad,

a MT21 in a 130 is as wide as a 150 TKC80 ive measured them both up side by side, the 130 seats properly and the lean angles are almost identical, ive run this combo since ive had the bike and theres no issues with fitting the 130rear at all

 

[letsplaychicken]

TKC80's on F800GS

Looking through the threads, it appears that most riders use 90/90/21 on the front and 150/70/17 on the rear? Anyone have an opinion about these sizes? They need to perform in Morocco, the road miles will be leisurely so road performance is secondary.

Also, anyone know the cheapest places around London for these?

Thanks, Matty.

 

[Tim Cullis]

I've used Watling Tyres in recent years. Get some other quotes then see if they beat them.

I've used TKC80s for the last five years and ~200,000 miles on R1200GS, R1200GSA, F650GS twin and Tenere, much of this in Morocco.

 

[fireman]

Looking through the threads, it appears that most riders use 90/90/21 on the front and 150/70/17 on the rear? Anyone have an opinion about these sizes? They need to perform in Morocco, the road miles will be leisurely so road performance is secondary.

Also, anyone know the cheapest places around London for these?

Thanks, Matty.

Done many happy miles on tkc,s both on and off road, if you have never used them before you may find them a little strange when the tarmac turns wet but the hold the road very well. if i had one negative thing to say about them, its that the rear does not give you great milage. i am just trying out a rear K60 which seems to be as good as the tkc. Also rated to wear much better and is also a lot cheaper. People say you get what you pay for but the k60,s are made at the same factory as the tkc,s.
read a few reviews and make your own mind up mate. At the end of the day they will both perform well. tkc rear 3000 miles then scrap

 

[Tim Cullis]

What's important on the TKC in sand and mud is the side knobbles, so you can actually run them lower than you might think. The TKCs on my Tenere have done 6,700 miles and are not down to the wear indicators.

Riding carefully, most on tarmac, I did Senegal and back (9000 miles) on TKCs on my 1200GSA though they were comprehensively shagged at the end.

 

[Adventure Boy]

Ive used TKC 80s on loads of bikes however on the XT660R and XT660Z tenere I found them useless in any type of mud they got clogged up and gripless this caused me to sell the Tenere, my mate fitted a set of MT21s and it transformed the bike
Ive fitted a set of MT21s on My 800gs had to use a 130 read which is the same width as a 150 TKC80, it seats fine on the rim and really is a better tyre if your thinking of riding in any type of mud, you cant push them on road as much as the TKC80s but its all a compromise as we all grow to know

 

[sijohnston]

Mitas E09 Dakar

Just ordered a Mitas E09 Dakar rear to accompany a TKC front on a big trip (will be carrying them for the first several thousand miles). £58 a rear and they're more capable than the TKC I've heard (not too difficult though), so seems reasonable.

 

[GEm]

new tyres for the F650GS

My little F650 ('58 plate) will need some new tyres shortly. I have battle somethings on at the moment which are fine and which will do me for 8500 miles by the time they need changing but I am being asked what tyres I want fitted as replacements. I'm tempted to say 'Same as on there' but I was wondering if anyone else had a recommendation.

Thanks

Gem

PS - you will have gathered by the technical terms in the post above I am not particularly "engineer" material

 

[thomo57]

My little F650 ('58 plate) will need some new tyres shortly. I have battle somethings on at the moment which are fine and which will do me for 8500 miles by the time they need changing but I am being asked what tyres I want fitted as replacements. I'm tempted to say 'Same as on there' but I was wondering if anyone else had a recommendation.

Thanks

Gem

PS - you will have gathered by the technical terms in the post above I am not particularly "engineer" material

It depends on your type of riding road / offroad, I'm 95% on road & just fitted Conti Trail Attack, they came out No.1 on a German tyre test, and get good reports, as do Metzeller Tourance.

 

[GEm]

Thanks Thomo - I am 100% off road (only go off by accident or when hubbie has programmed my GPS and ticked no highways as an option and I end up going up farm tracks in France!)

I am also quite a "gentle" rider - according to my husband. I don't do sudden braking or sudden speeding up. Hence the life of the current tyres. They are also still very round (apparantly I throw the bike into corners - I dispute this but I was shown video evidence which did appear a bit damning!)

 

[ide508]

Why don't you try the Michelin Anakee's ones ? I had them on my 1996 650 funduro and replaced the BW which came with the new 8gs after 4.000 km.
BW are perfect on tarmac but not worth a pence anywhere else...

Just perfect... for my needs, they will take you safely "almost" everywhere

 

[Greger]

Tyres - again

My little F650 ('58 plate) will need some new tyres shortly. I have battle somethings on at the moment which are fine and which will do me for 8500 miles by the time they need changing but I am being asked what tyres I want fitted as replacements. I'm tempted to say 'Same as on there' but I was wondering if anyone else had a recommendation.

Thanks

Gem

PS - you will have gathered by the technical terms in the post above I am not particularly "engineer" material

Hi, I am having the same thoughts but for the 650single. Have Anakees at the moment but don't like them much. Am thinking Tourance or Distanzes for mixed use or Pirelli Sport Demon or Avon Road Rider for full road use.

Am favouring the Pirelli at the moment as there have been some good reports from the road only users around here.

Check my other post about tyres as there are some interesting responses.

Cheers.

 

[GunZenBomZ]

Metzler tourances are v,nice intermediate's.

I've ordered the Anakee 2's for my F800 as I've not try'd them & others say they are good.

 

[GS Biker]

I have a pair of an Anakee’s on mine, I am happy with them, 80% road and 20% off the beaten track (and a little snow). Although they are not a pair of TKC’s they seem to be ok off road (in my opinion anyway).

 

[v8legend]

I had Tourances on my 650 single, and couldn't really fault them, so replaced with the same.

I'll be replacing the tyres on my 800 soon with Trail Attacks.

 

[KeeF650]

Avon Azaros. AV-45 ST on the front and AV-46ST on the rear.

 

[GEm]

Thanks folks - have printed out thread and given it to he who sorts out all that sort of thing with my choice highlighted. Whether I get them or not depends I suppose!

Mind you if he wants to eat supper........