michelin T63 or Continental TKC80
 

I am about to buy new tires. I have doubt between michelin T63 and Continental TKC80. I am driving 60:40 on road and off road. 1. Can somebody recomend according to his exporience? 2. Is it possible on xt660z to be used, maunted Rear Tire 140/80-17 (TKC80)? Have somebody expirience with wider 140 rear tire? Thanks in front...

I've used TKC80's on a 640 Adv and a Honda Dominator on trips to Morocco and I'll use them again on my Tenere for a similar trip next year.
Can't comment on the Michelins as I've not used them.
I don't recommend using a 140 rear tyre, stick to the 130.

I've used both and, although tyre choice is very much down to personal preference, I found the T63 to be marginally better off road and the TKC marginally better on road. Otherwise they're very similar. However, it is worth noting that the rear T63 wore out even faster than the TKC, and TKCs don't exactly last long! This for me is the deciding factor, and why I would just give the TKCs the nod in a head to head decision.

Yes it is... but I wouldn't both unless it's just a more macho look you're after. If you are serious about off road use then the narrower size is always going to be the better bet. I personally found the 140s I've tried made the handling a bit odd and wore out/squared off quicker than 130s; generally they cost more too!

Read this thread where I wrote a comparison of the different sizes and speed ratings of TKC80 in available fitments for the Tenere - I've tried them all! ;)

At the end of the day, you've just got to bite the bullet, buy a set of tyres and try them out. You never know what you're going to like (or suits your needs) until you give them a go. If they turn out to be useless, put it down to experience and cross them off your list. If they're great, buy them again!

Tyres
 

Hi I would recommend TKC80 for the front tyre I have currently done 5000 miles on my front tyre and it still has loads of tread on it. I am going to stick with the TKC 80 front as the tyre has very good grip on tarmac wet or dry and have had no moments even when banked over a long way.

For the rear I am using a Hiedenau K60 scout 130/80 and am very impressed with the longevity of the tyre. The grip off road is good but not as good as a TKC80 and on road again i have had no slides/moments upto now in 2500 miles wet or dry. I would say the K60 is a very hard tyre and would be wary of fitting one on the front particularly in cold temperatures
Again i am going to stick with these as my rear tyre as i find the handling of this combination excellent much much better than tourances. the only down side is they are a swine to fit to the rear wheel (see my post in tyres).

T63's
 

Klasic

The TKC's are very popular but also very pricey.

I just completed 1500 km off road on the T63 on mud, gravel, water , rivers and found them to be just fine.

I also did around 500km on the tar in the stinking wet and found I could push them more and more.

I'm running 130/80/17 on the rear but a 150/70 fits as well as its the same diameter.

For the extra money I don't think the TKC's are worth it

Marc

Hi Pleiades, just re-read your break down of the various sizes / ratings and thoughts on the TKC 80's. What does the Q rating stand for...? And are they a tyre you can feel confident on the road ...? Just thinking of a change! Steve


....

Q is the speed rating for up to 99 mph, which is perfectly acceptable for the Z. Even if you were to go faster than that, the likelihood of you doing it for a sustained period is highly unlikely! However, be wary the 140/80 Q wears out a lot quicker than 130s in S (112 mph) and T (118 mph) ratings.

As for handling/confidence. In my opinion they're fine. Be aware that some people (me included) find that TKCs can induce a front end wobble on the Z, nothing scary mind, over 70 mph, particularly accelerating with a lightly loaded front tyre. This I found to be much worse with the 140 rear fitted and gets worse as the rear (both 130 and 140) squares off. Fiddling with pressures doesn't seem to cure it either. Don't expect them to handle, or last anywhere near as long as your Distanzias on the road!

I don't know if you have heard of Motoz Tractionator Tyres, but they do seem to becoming popular in Australia talking to a few other riders. There are a couple of different tread patterns to fit the Tenere, or an R. Have a read of this.....

http://maschine.com.au/motoz-tractio...e-tyre-review/

I have seen them on eBay through the MX Store.

Oh yeah & I forgot to mention that some of the Tractionators can be fitted in both directions. One way round to suit 50/50 road/off road or the other way round for I think was 70/30 road/off road use.

Cheers Pleiades and Desert Racer. ...I'll do some research. I love the awesome grip on the road come rain or shine that my Distanzia's give, but it's a bit nerve racking at times off road. I was drawn to the TKC 's when I heard the words 'soft compound ' and 'great road manners '. I'm not so worried about longevity of the tyres....I would sacrifice that for grip any day!. Maybe I should just get the Distanzia's replacement, the Trail rider and hope for the best when I'm following Jo75 down a trail!...we shall see! Steve

Maybe you should give the TrailRider's new sibling a try - the TrekRider. It is supposed to be the same compound as the TrailRider but with a more off-road bias tread. Avon reckon its a 50/50 tyre, but I have my reservations looking at the tread? However, it should definitely be an improvement off-road compared with the TrailRider.

http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/news/avon-tyres%E2%80%99-new-trekrider-tyre-gives-adventure-riders-best-both-worlds

Thanks Pete....I like the look and spec of the Trekrider. ..I hadn't heard of it surprisingly. I reckon it's definitely worth a try. ...I'll shop around and order some and report back! Steve

I wait with baited breath for your in-depth analysis... ;)

I WILL bore you with all the details!!