How much more grip from a TKC80?

[andy123]

Took my recently purchased Dakar out for a nice lunchtime run today and ventured down a local byeway which turned out to have a short flooded section [no problem] and then a 'soft' section. Rather than 1. end up in the flooded ditch due to over-estimation of my abilities and 2. do too much damage to the track I hauled it around and came back ... at least the bike has now got some genuine mud on it rather than just crap off the road.

What I did notice was that there was significant sideways movement on the back (front was all right) ... the bike came with Metzler Enduro 3's front and rear and I was wondering just how much more grip a set of TKC80's would provide as I'd like to venture off-road a bit more on bye-ways? [also realised that I could gain a lot from an off-road skills course]

 

[komatias]

in the dirt the difference is astronomical. Especially when the TKC's are new. They are a good dual sport tyre and wear relatively slow. They are also not bad on the tarmac either.

However faster than 70mph and you get a bit of a wobble and alot of road noise.

 

[Flipfly]

However faster than 70mph and you get a bit of a wobble and alot of road noise.

That's not the tyres matey, it's ya riding and a screeming passenger on the back

 

[rockchunk]

However faster than 70mph and you get a bit of a wobble and alot of road noise.[/QUOTE]

regularly cruise 80-90 on the 1150 never noticed that

 

[Dansin]

However faster than 70mph and you get a bit of a wobble and alot of road noise.

regularly cruise 80-90 on the 1150 never noticed that

Maybe it's just the 650. I was trying to follow a landy a couple of weeks ago that was doing 70. Any closer than a hundred yards or so and it felt like the bike was going to chuck me off. Must have been the combination of the tyres and turbulance from the landy. Although that was on Karoos I wouldn't have thought TKC's would be much different. And you can't hear yourself think over the road noise.

 

[John Armstrong]

regularly cruise 80-90 on the 1150 never noticed that

The 650 has a nice 21 inch narrow wheel which even with Tourances on feels less stable than the 11xx with the same type of tyre. Though the tube inside might not help either.

 

[will]

Used them on Africa twin no probs did few trips and green laning don't think you can get much better dual sport tyre

 

[andy123]

Thanks for the replies, think it may well be a worthwhile investment for the winter,

Andy

 

[BurtieBoy]

Andy, The TKC's will be OK on and off road. If you venture off road soften the tyre up by letting them down a bit from road pressure.

Also with 21" front wheel you should have a wider range of off road tyre choice.

Burt

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

If you're serious about dirt.................then Pirelli MT21's

 

[Two wheels good]

MT21's

I agree - MT21's are probably a better choice.

TKCs are great..on dry(ish) tracks and surprisingly good on tarmac but they clog with mud..well with Sussex clay anyway.

 

[will]

If you're serious about dirt.................then Pirelli MT21's

They are good offroad but wear quickly and crap on road