New found ways: Heidenau K60 Tyres

[Tsiklonaut]

Jep, confirmed, a bit more than average noisy they are. Sounds like a Su-27 fighter plane flies past you on idle

As more weight you put on the bike, the more noisy they are. Went to Iran two up full of luggage, the noise was noticable a bit more. Most of the noise seem to come from the front tire though, have you noticed the same? The rear seems to be almost completely silent to me. The noise also fully depends on the road surface - on the very smooth aka the "wet sliding" tar they are the noisiest, here on Estonia where most of the tar is with "rocky-coated" tar for the ice, snow etc, here they do very little noise. On gravel and offroad they make absolutely no noise, just flying rocks hit the bike as usual

 

[DavidHale]

Well I'm glad it's not my bike making the noise! Mine are around 600miles old, and it is a weird wiring noise they make. Grip, so far, seems on a par with Tourances in the dry and it hasn't rained yet so no comments about the wet handling. They move around a lot more than Tourances on overbanding and white lines. Wear rates are low so far - it took 300 miles to get rid of the mounlding nipples on the centre line!

They were dead cheap from Tsiklonaut's supplier in Germany, highly recommended . Linky

But when I had them fitted the tyre fitter was very unhappy about fitting them because they're apparently not a reccomended BMW fit - can anyone shed any light on this? He was so unhappy that he wouldn't take any money from me for them

 

[wildbeeste]

Je. Most of the noise seem to come from the front tire though, have you noticed the same? The rear seems to be almost completely silent to me.

Yes I think the noise comes from the front. I also recently fitted a fender extender which seems to slightly increased the noise.

 

[wildbeeste]

Enroute update with the heidenaus.
Now covered over 5000 kms on tyres. Used them through France and Ireland and all forms of roads. The noise has now completely gone. (took about 1000 miles).
The tyres are wearing square - lots of high speed motorway as well as lots of twisties. They have about the same life in them again. The front and back will wear out about the same time so have a spare rear is now proving to be a false economy. Most tyres wear out the rear much faster than the front.

The banding effect on white lines has slightly increased with the wear. - I know - do not ride on them...

They generally corner brilliantly but there is a nagging doubt overwhat happens when braking or accelerating hard. I have followed friends who are are Tourance shod and they have sailed over road imperfections with no effects and I have had slight (I stress slight) bobbles. This means that the bike can feel unsettled (not unstable) and hence affect your confidence over braking or accelerating hard at that moment.
The tyres are a trade off against a more road orienetated tyre. That may be stating the obvious but having said that they can keep up with and frequently beat any other make or tyre on almost any road. I do ride quite fast apparently.
I will be buying a more road orientated tyre next time as I do almost no green tracks or off road now.
I would still recommend the tyres

 

[snoopy]

Update on my second set at 500km

I've had the front turned around the "wrong way" and the noise is significantly lower. I've also noticed the front takes more punishment before locking up in the wet.

 

[wildbeeste]

A further update. The front tyre is now nearly a write off. It was fitted the right way around. It has "cupped" very badly. (Do a search on this site and find out what cupping is)
The tyre pressures are all ok and so it must be the riding style.
The rear will last a couple of thousands more miles.
It is wearing nicely (unlike the front).
I will be changing them soon.
I will be moving to tourances or continentals for the winter.
(I have a brand new spare rear heidenau tyre that is free to anyone who collects it - PM me) (Hove near Brighton )
Paul