1100Gs Tyre choice

[BrianR]

Hi all

Final touches to our planning for the big adventure see http://www.1a-2j.co.uk It is time for tyre choices. I have a BMW R1100GS and looking for recommendations for a duel purpose tyre for the Canada Alaska part of the trip. We won’t be doing any serious off road, mainly paved and graded (gravel) roads. Two up all the way,

What should I fit


Thanks Brian and Sandra

 

[(RIP) ugg]

fitted a set of Michelin Anakee to my 1100, did a trip around to Bulgaria and back , some dirt n gravel roads in Romania.
handled ok

went through 12" of sloppy mud a month ago..3mm tread on front
4mm on rear

they have done 10,500 miles, n now need changing (squared off) as handling a bit naff when throwing into corners

good in wet n very gripy in dry...


this is a bike used loaded up for trip , and used to throw around country roads n long motorway trips too.


so id say very good value for money, £160 delivered from Round and black of ebay



ugg

 

[motobiker]

or 'original' Tourances or Conti trail attacks.

Tsiklonaut swears by heidenau's and I believe used those for his recent Chilean adventure.. two up fully loaded on his 1100.

 

[tolski]

or 'original' Tourances or Conti trail attacks.

Tsiklonaut swears by heidenau's and I believe used those for his recent Chilean adventure.. two up fully loaded on his 1100.

What is the problem with the latest Tourances? Do I assume that if I order a set of Tourances I wouldn't neccessarily be supplied with the "originals?"

 

[MattW]

What is the problem with the latest Tourances? Do I assume that if I order a set of Tourances I wouldn't neccessarily be supplied with the "originals?"

I've been looking for new tyres myself and wondered the same thing about the new Tourances (EXP's?).

Reading up on here it seems that many people don't rate them and prefer the originals. That said, it looks like the originals are still made and most of the tyre dealers have them in stock. In fact a couple of dealers when asked for tourances, said 'non EXP's?' almost as if they didn't expect me to want the new ones....

 

[John Armstrong]

What is the problem with the latest Tourances? Do I assume that if I order a set of Tourances I wouldn't neccessarily be supplied with the "originals?"

The perception backed up by road tests in Germany is that they wear much quicker than the original Tourances. As the original is probably better than most riders, then having a stickier tyre that wears quicker is only good for the tyre makers bank balance.

One test is here: http://www.conti-online.com/generat.../links/news/testsieger_motorrad_trail_en.html no prize for working out why Continental have it on their site

 

[motobiker]

The EXP version has a reduced tread (plus maybe a softer compound) when compared to the original tyre.. comments on this site and advrider are that the mileage/life span has been halved or thereabouts. though the tyre is otherwise excellent.

Result - this reduction in the life of the tyre has made it less attractive to the distance riders which I suppose explains why the original tourance continues to be produced.

 

[Brewers Whoop]

Got Continental Trail Attacks on mine. These appear to essentially be road tyres, with slightly more and deeper grooves. Consequently they are excellent on-road (wet or dry), OK-ish in gravel, but utterly useless in anything slippery. My house is down an unpaved, often-muddy track.

I'll be going back to TKC80's next time (I changed because the last rear TKC I had on wore out in about 4000 miles).

 

[tolski]

Didn't mean to hijack the thread but thanks for the info guys.

BTW getting 10000 miles out of Tourances comes as a pleasant surprise , I'm used to getting 3,000 out of anything I fit to my Ducati

 

[CHANGELING]

Heidenau k60`s every time. 20,000kms upwards every time and as cheap as chips to boot.

 

[motobiker]

I've gone for 100% road tyres. BT020's at present. in future I'll be looking at possibly the new 021 version or either of the Conti 'attacks' or Michelin Pilot Roads. All of which are highly praised.

I've had tourances in the past and wasn't overly inspired.. good 'workhorse tyres' but not much more than that. If a rear tyre (of whatever sort) lasts me a year or maybe 2 summers then thats excellent. I rarely if ever go on motorways so squaring isn't really a huge issue.

 

[davegs]

tyres

If your doing Alaska and I've done it, put a Tourence on the back for the milage and a kc80 on the front that will keep the front end in line. If your doing the Dalton Highway this is the only way to go worked for all of us no
probs, even doing 80mph down gravel roads!.
Dave gs.

 

[Steve]

As an alternative to the Tourance, try Pirelli MT90 Scorpions.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Heidenau k60`s every time. 20,000kms upwards every time and as cheap as chips to boot.

I concur, sir.

 

[asnore]

For me K60 has too less grip on wet highway and it's quite noisy, but offroad it is really great and on dry tarmac also. I can corner it safely hi speed till the crashbars . Also loosing grip seems to be controlable. Interesting that after my alps/croatia trip (from belgium) front tyre weared out while rear still is in great shape. Now I think i will change front to something more like to tourance.

 

[the civil one]

There are Two Mainstream Choices.

Metzler Tourance original . And the Michelin Anakee 2 both Compare.
The Exp has a grippier compond and less wear/miles ratio.

only from my own experiance.
There are other options , but i believe your Choices are the two on top.

 

[CHANGELING]

Yeah OK K60 is a bit loose in the wet when you push them hard, but I found that if the temperature is high enough they still grip. If it is less than about 10 degrees celcius then I won't push them on wet tarmac. Offroad they are capable and I always wear earplugs for the noise but they are real headturners at 80kph