Handling on TKC's

[PIGGLET]

Just fitted a set of TKC's to my 1100 last night and after a short ride last night and the blat to work this morning reckon theyre a bit

Had metz enduro 4's on before, the rear of which was getting a bit worn and they were much more neutral by comparison. The TKC's seem to be very unstable.

Is this the norm when you fit them on a BM? do they get a bit more predicatable as they wear?
I didn't notice this on my Africa Twin when i fitted some last month but wondered if the extra weight of the BM was to blame?
Reckon I'll get used to it OK just a little un nerving at the firsc couple of corners when i found myself heading into the Apex

 

[MMC]

Reckon I'll get used to it OK just a little un nerving at the firsc couple of corners when i found myself heading into the Apex

[french shrug mode] C'est normal [French shrug mode/off]

You'll get used to 'em, and they're just fine after that. You should see Vern on 'em

 

[rocks]

Good as tourances in the dry..

I have found them almost as good as the tourances in the dry.. HOWEVER in the wet they are little worse, and wet white lines and metalworks need a bit of caution. Adjust your riding style to suit. Avoid heavy accelerating/braking and they will last longer. Ride and enjoy!

 

[PIGGLET]

Yeah, was hoping that was the norm
Running 38 and 40 psi respectively?
At least theyre nowhere near as bad as the deathwings that came with a PD i had. They really were

 

[Fanum]

Have a play on them and you might well find the 'unstable' feeling is only the tread blocks moving around......they feel like they're squirming and about to let go but there's a way to go after that

And yes, once the sharp edges of the blocks have worn off, they will feel more stable....at the moment, you'll be riding on the edges of the blocks.

 

[PIGGLET]

Cheers Fanum, Thats exactly what it feels like, just more exagerated than my KTM i'm assuming coz of the weight

Now I'm re assured the back wheel isn't about to make a bid for freedom I'll get on with scrubbing the edges in

 

[Clive]

Running 38 and 40 psi respectively?

Hmm, seems a bit high to me - I usually run 32/36 "onroad" and 25/29 "offroad", although the lower pressures don't seem to make a great deal of difference onroad.

 

[Mutley]

You just need to trust them

As MMC suggests, try following Vern for a few miles

I tried it on Tourances and lost, badly

I'm now a complete convert. They are plenty sticky in the dry, you just have to get used to the feeling of the blocks. Peg scraping is perfectly possible, especially 2 up with luggage on the road ride at Llangollen In the wet they are 'progressive' so you get plenty of warning and then they slide gently. The only down side is the wear rate, but you can pick them up cheap enough and they are still cheaper than sportsbike tyres

 

[earthmover]

Just taken my TKC's off (rear was nearly worn out) and put Tourances on, which I've had for a few months now. They (Tourances) make the front feel heavier and slower to turn, although the ride is now smoother. I usually run at 30-32, but I am a skinny runt.
The TKC's were fairly worn (3000 miles) but I wasn't intending to take them off just yet. Did a couple of hundred miles at the weekend, and in the wet things didn't feel quite right, but put it down to being unladen for once. Followed a mate down the Cat & Fiddle, late on, in the dry, "enthusiastically" shall we say, and didn't have any problems. Tyre looked a little black, then noticed the nail in it, then checked the pressure, 11 psi.
Excellent tyres, will be putting them back on next.
Mark

 

[PIGGLET]

Excellent, thanks for the reassurance guys. I'll also have an experiment with the pressures and see if that makes much difference, they might be a bit hard for my "starvin marvin" like build

 

[Timolgra]

I've done over 5,500 miles on my current set of TKCs including much off roading. the wear rates vary but i wouldn't say I 'nurse' mine, just go easy on acceleration and braking and they last well.

changing them for a fresh pair tomorrow in time for Rosedale.

They feel unsure for the first few hundred miles as fanum says but that soon disappears. The initial wear rate is at first alarming but after 800 miles or so it reduces to the point where it's hard to 'finish them off'. Of course the handling worsens as they wear to this extent.

 

[sycomoto]

fine upto.

Just fitted a set of TKC's to my 1100 last night and after a short ride last night and the blat to work this morning reckon theyre a bit

Had metz enduro 4's on before, the rear of which was getting a bit worn and they were much more neutral by comparison. The TKC's seem to be very unstable.

Is this the norm when you fit them on a BM? do they get a bit more predicatable as they wear?
I didn't notice this on my Africa Twin when i fitted some last month but wondered if the extra weight of the BM was to blame?
Reckon I'll get used to it OK just a little un nerving at the firsc couple of corners when i found myself heading into the Apex

had them on my 12adv and were fine upto 80mph, felt like any other tyre, over 80mph and they start feeling strange as in it feels like someone has rubber mounted the handlebars. my bike came with them fitted and a big sticker on the bars saying Not to exceed 100mph at 110 it feels like your riding on ball bearings

 

[matt_bailey]

My 1150 wears TKs all the time and they're fine... except when executing an emergency stop. Front squirms a bit on tarmac.

Matt

 

[GORDY GSA]

I got 2400 miles from my tks on my 1200 gsa,scrapping the centre stand a few times along the way.(in the dry)

 

[Rob Farmer]

I've never really got on with TKCs on the road. I did have a rear a few years ago that turned dark grey on the contact points of the blocks and peeled away at an alarming rate. It was identified as being faulty, sent for analysis and never heard of again

BTW Vern rides like a puff

 

[robbie c]

cant fault them, my boots are wearing out as they hit the floor just before the pegs
however it's the tipping in feeling that takes a bit of getting used to, oh and the wear rate, rather alarming, oh and sounding like a landrover, oh yes and the bump, bump, bump of the blocks at slow speeds
come to think of it I'm off to put my other set of wheels on, oh no I can't as I'm off roading tomorrow

 

[VAL. H.]

Just fitted a set of TKC's to my 1100 last night and after a short ride last night and the blat to work this morning reckon theyre a bit

Had metz enduro 4's on before, the rear of which was getting a bit worn and they were much more neutral by comparison. The TKC's seem to be very unstable.

Is this the norm when you fit them on a BM? do they get a bit more predicatable as they wear?
I didn't notice this on my Africa Twin when i fitted some last month but wondered if the extra weight of the BM was to blame?
Reckon I'll get used to it OK just a little un nerving at the firsc couple of corners when i found myself heading into the Apex

Hi Pigglet, check out this thread. The same subject is being discussed in the 1200 forum.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107665

I've just got my 1200 back after a two week absence for some essential maintainance.

When I got off the 650gs I'd been using for the last fourtnight and on to my 1200 I very nearly dropped the thing on the floor right outside the entrence to NOG Even though I'd done about 600 miles on the TKS in the dry and the wet, I was still caught out by just how light they make the front wheel 'the whole thing felt quite odd for several miles' I had to stop and let some air out of the front.

As Clive sais It seems the TKC's don't want any thing like the pressure of the Annakee's and tourences.

I think the most important thing with TKC's is to be as relaxed as possible, especialy in the wet. Oh, you'll find that metal manhole covers are leathal, even when hardly damp.

Val.

Slimbo said to me the other day: You have to learn to trust the TKC's.

 

[Underwatergoat]

I used to run my 1100 on twinduros on about 15psi front and 20 rear. I used to ride with the back end hanging out leant right over on power, and I always thought they were awsome tyres exept for the short life. Never felt scared when passed wheel slip threshhold. might go for a set on my 12 soon. Dodgy dunlops (seem bad in wet) are nearing end of life.