Tyre Dilemma

[BOIRCHE]

Pricing around for tyres at the moment, i am trying hard to try out something different like the Heidenau K60 but as i have never used them i am reluctant to steer away from the trusty Tourance as they handle fairly well and return good mileage... I Know a few of you on here run the K60s and would appreciate a bit of feedback on how they handle in comparison and also wet grip/ mileage....

Cheers Tom.

(and i know they're feckin black and round)

 

[Giles]

The K60 is a tyre for for a proper dirt road. (Bilco's TAT expeditions and the like). It's reasonably aggressive tread is on a par with a TKC and will cope well with compact tracks.

But I question your 'I've tried Tourances and thought I'd try this? ... '

What sort of riding do you do on yer bike?? Tourances are ultimately psudo off road tyres that are really only good on the road - and even then they're a compromise over 'proper' road tyres. (Roadsmarts, pilot roads etc etc).

I can't understand why people who never come off pure tarmac (not saying that's you ... don't know what sort of riding you do..) put on any of the 'adventure tyres' on their bikes.

 

[BOIRCHE]

90% tarmac, but most of the roads i use (if you have experienced Irish roads) are crap gravel strewn and maybe even grass in the middle (no i don't stand up on the feckin pegs) i have tried various tyres over the years on various bikes, the more road biased tyres ie sports touring i found to be twitchy, ...just afraid to shell out a couple hundred quid and realise i should have stuck with the Tourance.

 

[Giles]

Yeah ... as I was writing I was picturing gravelly Irish B roads So I can certainly picture the scene (which by the way, is very much my cup of tea).

I still reckon you'd be better off with an 'adventure tyre' rather than a K60.

The TKC's and K60's will move around a lot more on the tarmac (the larger blocks will squirm a lot more) and will arguably wear down a lot quicker. I was a big fan of the Dunlop TR91 - I thought it was a cracking tyre but the tread is not as agressive as your Tourance. (Very very good in the wet though).

Happy B road hooning ..

 

[Timolgra]

Different tyres suit different people and much of it's in the head

 

[BOIRCHE]

Different tyres suit different people and much of it's in the head

being a tight hoor i want good mileage for my bucks Tim and as in only rains for 9mths of the year here i want something that wont have me gripping the seat with my @rse in a corner, and yes it would be more Dalkey than Dalton highway

 

[Giles]

I think Tim was probably having a dig at me!! (Only 'cos he plods around on TKC's most of the year... ).

If it really is that wet, seriously - try the TR91's. They are blinding in the wet ...

 

[Timolgra]

I think Tim was probably having a dig at me!! (Only 'cos he plods around on TKC's most of the year... ).

If it really is that wet, seriously - try the TR91's. They are blinding in the wet ...

I wasn't, honest

If I lived in Ireland I'd be using Continental trail Attacks or Tourance.

Wet, black, shiny tarmac takes no prisoners when you're chasing Aidan around Connemara.........hold on come to think of it, I think he was using a Dunlop something and swore by it on those roads.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

I've been using nothing but Tourances on my GS's for about 12 years..... At least a dozen pairs in that time.

I did a run to Morocco a couple of years ago and had a set of Heidenaus fitted in Spain the night before arriving in Africa. They were very impressive in gravel, sand and mud...
But I have nothing to compare them with, as it was my first time off Tourances. All I know is, I would have binned the bike at least a dozen times if I'd tried the same terrain on Tourances.

I did aout 2500 miles on them.. Basically just Morrocco and then home.

Though Spain, France and Ireland they were ok, no issues, but not the same feedback as the Metzelers.

My lasting memory was when I was less than 10 miles from home, returning from the big trip, got a bit cheeky and realised I was doing 80 or 90mph on the Westlink towards the M2 into that nasty off camber left hand bend in the wet. The bike was fully laiden with a very chunky rider, enough luggage for a family of 4 including camping gear and spare parts. My nerve held out for cheeky lean angle on the Heidenaus in the rain and the bike never moved at all.

I changed the bike back to Tourances as they were already bought and waiting for my return.... The Heidenaus were donated to another member of the forum looking something for a bit off offroad, so I don't know what they were like in the mileage department.

I would say my riding is also 90% road and have another couple of months before I need new tyres. But I have recently found a wee bit of a playground where I may be able to enjoy the other 10%. I dont think I will be getting the regular Tourances next time. I'm torn between the new Tourance Next tyres or another set of Heidenaus.

 

[BOIRCHE]

I've been using nothing but Tourances on my GS's for about 12 years..... At least a dozen pairs in that time.

I did a run to Morocco a couple of years ago and had a set of Heidenaus fitted in Spain the night before arriving in Africa. They were very impressive in gravel, sand and mud...
But I have nothing to compare them with, as it was my first time off Tourances. All I know is, I would have binned the bike at least a dozen times if I'd tried the same terrain on Tourances.

I did aout 2500 miles on them.. Basically just Morrocco and then home.

Though Spain, France and Ireland they were ok, no issues, but not the same feedback as the Metzelers.

My lasting memory was when I was less than 10 miles from home, returning from the big trip, got a bit cheeky and realised I was doing 80 or 90mph on the Westlink towards the M2 into that nasty off camber left hand bend in the wet. The bike was fully laiden with a very chunky rider, enough luggage for a family of 4 including camping gear and spare parts. My nerve held out for cheeky lean angle on the Heidenaus in the rain and the bike never moved at all.

I changed the bike back to Tourances as they were already bought and waiting for my return.... The Heidenaus were donated to another member of the forum looking something for a bit off offroad, so I don't know what they were like in the mileage department.

I would say my riding is also 90% road and have another couple of months before I need new tyres. But I have recently found a wee bit of a playground where I may be able to enjoy the other 10%. I dont think I will be getting the regular Tourances next time. I'm torn between the new Tourance Next tyres or another set of Heidenaus.

Did you see the new Karoo 3 ???

 

[Wizard]

Hi, Brioche, did ye try Smokin Slicks? Maybe not get him out to you, but if you met him closer to the smoke......

 

[frank1200]

I find Tourance ESP very good as the standard Tourance seems to move a lot under me on Tarmac
It you don't really do off road they might be worth a try but doctors differ etc

 

[GS TRV]

Hi, Brioche, did ye try Smokin Slicks? Maybe not get him out to you, but if you met him closer to the smoke......

Tourances for the past 10 yrs for me too.

Smokin has decent prices on them too

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Did you see the new Karoo 3 ???

Ohhhhh! That's the first I'd seen or heard of them them.

I'd def be giving them a serious thought when the time comes. Thanks for that

 

[ozziesda]

I recon I'm gonna give the Michelin Pilot Road 3 Trails a go on my 1150GSA next.

I had them on my Varadero and they were savage in the wet and dry and held up very well with no hint of them squaring off after 4K miles of use when I sold the bike on.

Even though the feedback on here about Tourances is usually very good, I personally hate them. The front wears and scallops so unevenly that it destroys the feedback from the front end and the rear squares off into a car tyre profile in no time, and I'm not afraid to lean my bike over either!

Just my 2c

 

[beatmeier]

I run the third back and second front of heidi's for the past two years and had tourances before. .They are not as precise as the metzelers but really cope with all roads and dirt too . . You get used to them quickly and realise that even when you slip a bit that they will catch you again ..they feel just a bit softer ......but I still get 5, 5 k of a rear and over 10 k out of the front. Milage far beyond what I got out of tourances.
I ran once a flat rear for about 5 miles witout trouble. .eg the sidewall is very strong and protects the rim. . . . ( pothole ability ) a irish must.

Unfortunately the price is not a argument anymore. ..the fecking thing got to popular and the boys are pushing it up

 

[Dean]

Pricing around for tyres at the moment, i am trying hard to try out something different like the Heidenau K60 but as i have never used them i am reluctant to steer away from the trusty Tourance as they handle fairly well and return good mileage... I Know a few of you on here run the K60s and would appreciate a bit of feedback on how they handle in comparison and also wet grip/ mileage....

Cheers Tom.

(and i know they're feckin black and round)

Its a personal choice, tyres are a bit like a shape code 99 to most people

As said I think it depends on your riding needs. and handles possibly a bit different on different bikes.

For me I went from tourance to K60 - next it will be tourance suits me best

Lord Vador from this parish has a 12 GSA and swears by the K60 think he's on his second set.

I agree K60 is a hard Tyre with tough walls, takes a bit of getting used to and It's a good tyre, off road comes into it's own

each ties their own way depending on the need, slash, hairpin, crown, ring etc

 

[Dakar]

Just changed to k60's on the KTM.. So far so good.. Massive thread on abr site worth a read...

 

[EyeCake]

I have used Tourances for the last 7 years with 1 set of EXP's which I found wore quicker and were not as good on gravel.
I have been reading a lot of good things about new Michelin Anakees3 for my type of usage and was wondering could anyone recommend the best place to buy between Belfast and Dublin for when my bike returns from its winter travels in 2 weeks

 

[Den]

I fitted a set of Tomahalk remoulds once. Probably the best tyres Ive had.
Are they still made?

Dont knock em till youve tried them.