TKC80

neatbik · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Karma :

Wasnt sure wether to put this here or general bike chat... Thinking

TKC80's - Any good? My riding is generally 75% road, 25% offroad. The greenlanes i use are dry at the moment, but i can imagine they will get pretty muddy when we start getting rain again.

I realise choosing tyres will be a compromise, im erring towards the Conti's, but im curious as to what people reckon.
Cheers Thumbs Up

tatters · Exxon Valdez Joined: 04 Jan 2004 Karma :

Very good 50/50 dual sport tyres, l use them on my KLR650 and R100GSPD both have seen some serious offroading and the rear normal lasts 3000-5000 miles, not very good in loose sand or deep mud though.
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

TKC80s are hideously optimistic regarding road range. They are quiet on the road though this maybe due to the way I turned mine into slicks on me big trip.

I destroyed my TKC80s before getting to Turkey and it was like riding on cobblestones.

Metz Karoos are also good, but only the T varient which lasts much longer, but pretty expensive.

There are some left field choices for you to try

Mitas E09's which are an ADV fave as they have an agressive tread pattern and last a very long time, though good luck finding a UK supplier.

Also trellebourg army specials, I took a tyre from Turkey to Irkutsk via road about 4500-5000 miles, 2300 of those road, 1000+ of those knee deep mud gravel and conditions which made me psychologically break down.

Then it got to Irkutsk where Tony took it to the artic circle (2500 miles) then to Magadan(+2000 miles) via sand/gravel/rock roads... and the tyre still had knobs on it.

He told me in Vladivostok the tyre saved his life.......

However it was horrible on the road, it was noisy as hell and would squirm all the time.
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Klause · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Karma :

On my trip round Morocco my Michelin t63 tires lasted alot longer than tkc80's on my friends bike, both TTR's both fully loaded both new from the start. Thought it would of been the other way round. They turned into slicks quite quick.
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Current bikes: 1960 Triumph 5ta x2, TTR600RE, KTM200EXC, Cagiva Elephant 900ie.

neatbik · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Karma :

What are the Michelins like on the road Klause?
And how many miles did it take to kill them compared to the TKC's?

Cheers Thumbs Up

neatbik · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Karma :

Well i went for the TKC's in the end. Fitted them today and only done about 10 miles on the road.

They feel very different to the worn out Siracs i had on before Shocked

Klause · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Karma :

TKC didn't last the trip of 6-7k (Illegal before we got home) but the Michelins went on right back to the UK with legal tread. They felt fine on the roads. But are much better offroad than the TKC's in my opinion.
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Current bikes: 1960 Triumph 5ta x2, TTR600RE, KTM200EXC, Cagiva Elephant 900ie.