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ADV Gravel Riders - What Tires?

Ride on! FYI, I put a TKC80 on my twin when I went to Durango, it lasted 350 miles and was shot. Not a single knob was more than 1/4" high (if it was still there)
 
Ride on! FYI, I put a TKC80 on my twin when I went to Durango, it lasted 350 miles and was shot. Not a single knob was more than 1/4" high (if it was still there)

Wow, I've never heard of one going out that fast before.
 
Ride on! FYI, I put a TKC80 on my twin when I went to Durango, it lasted 350 miles and was shot. Not a single knob was more than 1/4" high (if it was still there)



This is my TKC80 deep into River Road at BBNP after riding down from DFW. Not sure how many miles but still in pretty good shape. Alas, this is where the rear tire was sliced by an errant rock. We jammed in about a half dozen plugs and a can of Fix a Flat at Rio Grande Village. The subsequent 260 mile ride to Midland on <10 PSI was interesting. IMG_2024.jpg


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Thanks for all the help.

I'm getting a TKC80 rear and Shinko 804 front installed today.

I went with those mainly because I'm planning on going down to do some off-pavement stuff in the Hill Country next weekend and the guide suggested having these tires at least, considering I'm a newbie to off road and all.
 
Thanks for all the help.

I'm getting a TKC80 rear and Shinko 804 front installed today.

I went with those mainly because I'm planning on going down to do some off-pavement stuff in the Hill Country next weekend and the guide suggested having these tires at least, considering I'm a newbie to off road and all.

That combo will work very well on non-paved surfaces, and their on-road performance isn't bad (although you might tread gingerly towards triple digits). The vibration at low speeds on pavement takes a little getting used to, but once past 20 MPH, things smooth out nicely.

One note of caution: this tire combo won't eliminate that off-road "wiggly" sensation, but it will reduce it. Just let the bike float underneath you, and don't worry if the wheels drift off-line a bit. Have a nice, smooth application on & off the throttle; don't pin it or chop it. "Squeezing" the throttle with your fingers, versus rotating your wrist, helps in easing power to the rear wheel.

You're gonna have a blast!
 
That combo will work very well on non-paved surfaces, and their on-road performance isn't bad (although you might tread gingerly towards triple digits). The vibration at low speeds on pavement takes a little getting used to, but once past 20 MPH, things smooth out nicely.

One note of caution: this tire combo won't eliminate that off-road "wiggly" sensation, but it will reduce it. Just let the bike float underneath you, and don't worry if the wheels drift off-line a bit. Have a nice, smooth application on & off the throttle; don't pin it or chop it. "Squeezing" the throttle with your fingers, versus rotating your wrist, helps in easing power to the rear wheel.

You're gonna have a blast!

Oops, I should have read this sooner, LOL. I pick the bike up a couple of hours ago and have been riding it. I've had it well over a hundred couple of times already. It feels perfectly fine. In fact it actually they actually feel better than the stock tires did On Pavement which really surprised me. I assumed that on pavement riding would be something I would have to bear, but it's actually not like that with this setup. I like the way it feels on pavement as much or more than the starters did.

The thing that surprised me the most is that the front end of the motorcycle feels more Nimble now. I assumed a tire like this would cause it to feel more clunky but it's the opposite. I feel like I can easily throw the bike around in two turns. It makes me want to go hit some turns hard but I know that I need to break in the tires first.

The big difference is when I took it off road on the gravel roads near my house. The ice skating feeling was gone. I was actively seeking out the deeper sections of gravel in the center of the road and on the edges and the bike was staying planted. I was immediately able to go around corners faster than I had been able to on the stock tires. I also found a little dirt and a little grass and ran it through that and it feels very planted. The grass was much better feeling than ever on the stock tires.

Also there is no additional noise that I can notice so far. The shop that I got them from said the noise will come later though. I do notice a little bit of a bumpy sensation under 7 miles an hour, but when I get over that speed it's hard to tell any difference between these in the stock tires on the roads around my house. I did notice when decelerating from a hundred that it felt a little rougher than on the stock tires, but overall these feel like an improvement across the board at this point. I'll put a couple hundred more miles on them tomorrow and really give them a good test.
 
Oops, I should have read this sooner, LOL. I pick the bike up a couple of hours ago and have been riding it. I've had it well over a hundred couple of times already. It feels perfectly fine. In fact it actually they actually feel better than the stock tires did On Pavement which really surprised me. I assumed that on pavement riding would be something I would have to bear, but it's actually not like that with this setup. I like the way it feels on pavement as much or more than the starters did.



The thing that surprised me the most is that the front end of the motorcycle feels more Nimble now. I assumed a tire like this would cause it to feel more clunky but it's the opposite. I feel like I can easily throw the bike around in two turns. It makes me want to go hit some turns hard but I know that I need to break in the tires first.



The big difference is when I took it off road on the gravel roads near my house. The ice skating feeling was gone. I was actively seeking out the deeper sections of gravel in the center of the road and on the edges and the bike was staying planted. I was immediately able to go around corners faster than I had been able to on the stock tires. I also found a little dirt and a little grass and ran it through that and it feels very planted. The grass was much better feeling than ever on the stock tires.



Also there is no additional noise that I can notice so far. The shop that I got them from said the noise will come later though. I do notice a little bit of a bumpy sensation under 7 miles an hour, but when I get over that speed it's hard to tell any difference between these in the stock tires on the roads around my house. I did notice when decelerating from a hundred that it felt a little rougher than on the stock tires, but overall these feel like an improvement across the board at this point. I'll put a couple hundred more miles on them tomorrow and really give them a good test.



That's really good to hear. Maybe its the narrow 21" front wheel that appreciates the Shinko on the street, as my Multistrada's 17" was not as nimble with TKCs as with Bridgestones.
IMG_2003.jpg

The straight-line speeds were not an issue for my TKCs, as I seldom venture north of 100 MPH. However, I do take a more aggressive approach when cornering, where the TKCs offered less feedback than sport touring tires. Still, those blocky knobs performed better than expected in nearly every element. Maybe too good, as my bombing River Road not only resulted in a flat, but it completely dislodged the Multi's fairing from the frame. Nothing a half roll of duct tape couldn't fix.


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I don't intend to be going fast on these, I was just curious to know what it felt like in case the need arises.

One question though, what air pressure should these be at? Right now, its like this:

Front Shinko 804 = 35 lbs
Rear TKC 80 = 35 lbs

On my stock tires it was around 30 front and 40 rear.
 
I was immediately able to go around corners faster than I had been able to on the stock tires.

To be fair to the stock tires, you fell before the corner. :doh: Sorry Jarrett, I couldn't resist. Seriously, glad the new tires are such a positive experience. :rider:
 
Yeah, unfortunately new tires don't fix sporadic brakes.



I think that's commonly referred to as "ABS Fade" when braking characteristics change as the rear wheel senses varying degrees of traction. Not to worry, we have all been there/done that.

Nobody has all the answers. Team up with experienced riders and your knowledge base will grow exponentially.


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Gotcha, it hasn't happened again thankfully.

Maybe it only happens when following MacDaddy :)
 
Put 200 miles on the new tires today.

The off pavement sections were much better. Gave me a lot more confidence.

Also, I didn't feel any slipping on the corners on the pavement. Maybe I just don't turn hard enough.

I did notice a light shimmy around 75 mph only when on bad, rough chipseal roads. Really minor, but different feeling than stock tires. Everywhere else the new tires felt as good or better than my stock tires.
 
I don't intend to be going fast on these, I was just curious to know what it felt like in case the need arises.

One question though, what air pressure should these be at? Right now, its like this:

Front Shinko 804 = 35 lbs
Rear TKC 80 = 35 lbs

On my stock tires it was around 30 front and 40 rear.

That's pavement high speed stuff. Stiff and cooler on the tires. I take mine down to upper 20's off pavement. You will feel the softer ride and a bit more flex on the corners for just a little more traction over the rocks Those big blocks should be unstoppable especially in mud or sands.

The modern adv tires are really amazing, able to claw thru terrain and still lean and bite in high speed cornering.
 
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:tab I have never experienced any bad handling with the TKC 80s with my 1150 GS or either of my 1200 GSs when on pavement and pushing them at extra legal speeds in the twisties. Mind you, that was always on dry pavement, but I don't ride that way in the wet... ever... on any tire. I've even pushed them loaded down and riding two up. Never any unexpected wiggles or squirms. The Jesse bags on my 1150 had their lower leading corners ground through from dragging them in tight corners. I also rarely run them higher than 25-27 psi. I never run them at 35 or higher. I have ridden with them in the rain, but I ride the same as I would on any other tire and I've never had any problems... except in mud. But, I've yet to find ANY tire that helps me ride a big beast in any real mud :shrug:

:tab I did have some sliding on the Shinko 705s on dry pavement (I think that is the one that is similar to a Tourance/Anakee?) and I wasn't even really pushing. The front started to go, so I gave it a bit of throttle, which made the front come back, but then the rear started to slip. I went back and forth a few times between the front and rear sliding a bit. It wasn't major sliding, just that twitch feeling before it really lets go all the way. I was totally not expecting it but was able to nurse it through the corner and back upright. It happened more than once, so I got rid of those tires. The K60s never did that too me. The rear 805 has not done it either. I've not yet tried the front 805.
 
I did notice a light shimmy around 75 mph only when on bad, rough chipseal roads. Really minor, but different feeling than stock tires.

:tab That is interesting. We've got the chip seal stuff everywhere here around Huntsville. I have never experienced a shimmy even at close to 100mph (which I rarely do... seriously). I regularly hit 75-80mph on them though and have never felt anything unusual with them. They even do pretty well on the grooved pavement. I wonder if it is a difference in front tire sizes between the GS and the AT :ponder:
 
I've not yet tried the front 805.
:tab That is interesting. We've got the chip seal stuff everywhere here around Huntsville. I have never experienced a shimmy even at close to 100mph (which I rarely do... seriously). I regularly hit 75-80mph on them though and have never felt anything unusual with them. They even do pretty well on the grooved pavement. I wonder if it is a difference in front tire sizes between the GS and the AT :ponder:

Could be an aspect of the 804 front. Just to reiterate, its really minor. Just me trying to find something other than across the board better about these tires than the stock ones. Maybe I'll try the TKC80 front next time.

Bummer to hear about Shinko 70x sliding issues. I thought I might try those if I burn through these too fast.

Aaron (max flav) told me yesterday that he really liked the Mitas E07's as well.
 
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:tab That is interesting. We've got the chip seal stuff everywhere here around Huntsville. I have never experienced a shimmy even at close to 100mph (which I rarely do... seriously). I regularly hit 75-80mph on them though and have never felt anything unusual with them. They even do pretty well on the grooved pavement. I wonder if it is a difference in front tire sizes between the GS and the AT :ponder:



Same results here. The TKC 80s exceeded my expectations on the road, and performed surprisingly well in all environments. Admittedly I didn't push them to double-the-posted limits through corners (which the BattlAx's handle with ease), but that's not saying they cannot perform the task; it was more my survival instinct kicking in.


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The Shinko 804 / TKC 80 rear combo did great in the dirt/sand/granite/clay roads in the Texas Hill Country this weekend.

They saved my bacon. If I had been on my stock tires, I would have been down several of times. Especially in the sand, which is pure evil.

I did run it up to 107 mph going through the Three Sisters area and it got a little fonky at those speeds. I feel like 105 mph is the cap for me on these tires.
 
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The Shinko 804 / TKC 80 rear combo did great in the dirt/sand/granite/clay roads in the Texas Hill Country this weekend.

They saved my bacon. If I had been on my stock tires, I would have been down several of times. Especially in the sand, which is pure evil.

I did run it up to 107 mph going through the Three Sisters area and it got a little fonky at those speeds. I feel like 105 mph is the cap for me on these tires.

As they say, your outrunning your angels.
 
Sand is fun :-P

As long as the tires can run around 90-95mph for short spurts, like passing, I am good with that. I rarely, if ever, need to exceed that speed. I am glad that combo worked out well for you. Tires really make a big difference on the big ADV bikes when you get in the loose stuff!!
 
Cracked 1,000 miles on the new tires today.

Front Shinko looking good. Rear TKC80, no so good. It's wearing down fast.

Starting to consider next rear tire. I ride a lot of gravel roads lately. I shoot for 50/50.

What would work well with that Shinko 804 in the front, handle the gravel roads well and give me more than 2,000 miles a tire?

Shinko 705? Mitas E07?
 
Shinko 804 Front @ 1000 miles:

36064591_10214079445113617_8575184703642927104_n.jpg


New:

s-l300.jpg


TKC 80 Rear @ 1000 miles:

36222605_10214079444993614_1081486332934488064_n.jpg


New:

tkc-80-continental-dual-sport-motorcycle-tire-dime_3.jpg
 
Why not a shinko 805 on the rear. Ive heard good things about those.

Looking at what tires to buy makes my head hurt. My bike is 1 month old and I have gone down the "What tire to get" rabbit hole a couple times.

I have 1500 miles on my new vstrom Ive had for 4 weeks. I ride a lot and I know new tires will be needed by the end of the year maybe sooner. MY bike has the trailwing TW101/TW152 which is no longer made anymore. Now the vstroms come with battleaxe 41's which I dont like. My stock tires do great on the pavement. I recently was riding through the twisties in Arkansas 2up and I was leaning pretty far over with no sliding at all. Havent tried them on dirt but Im sure they are limited.
JaUbi5uh.jpg


I still dont know what tire I want next but I like to read threads like this to help figure it out.

If I were to get a more offload oriented tire I would go with the shinko 804/805 tires after the research Ive done. I do a lot of miles on pavement though so who knows what Il really get when it comes time.
 
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