Long Distance Touring Tires

[switch]

At the end of August, I'm departing on a 7500 mile trip. I need some good touring tires that will last the whole way. Any suggestions?

 

[sail2xxs]

Heidenau K-60s will cover that distance with tread to spare.

Chris

 

[Bigbore4]

If you are going to be tempted by any gravel or dirt, My .02 is the Battlewings. I just removed a front with 10K on it yesterday, got close to that from a rear. They are decent on pavement and gravel.

If you are certain it will be 100% asphalt, Michelin Pilort Road 2 or 3, both are awesome. I have been getting 10 k out of those on my FJR with a heavy right hand. Great in rain, handle great, just an all around awesome sport touring tire. I have not put a set on the Super Tenere yet, but if I know I have a 100% pavement trip, I plan to.

 

[Ramseybella]

Long winded quick review Heidenau K60 on ADV: ::017::

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487217

 

[EricV]

The Heidenau K60s will last. I rode the Iron Butt Rally on them. I consistently see 12k from the rears with mostly pavement riding. That said, if you know all your riding will be pavement, the Michelin Pilot Road 3s, or a PR3 in front and PR2 in the rear will also hold up long enough for your trip, if you avoid excessive high speeds in hot conditions. PR3s don't like over the ton and heat and will disappear quickly under those conditions. Likely not an issue for your trip.

 

[Bigbore4]

The Heidenau K60s will last. I rode the Iron Butt Rally on them. I consistently see 12k from the rears with mostly pavement riding. That said, if you know all your riding will be pavement, the Michelin Pilot Road 3s, or a PR3 in front and PR2 in the rear will also hold up long enough for your trip, if you avoid excessive high speeds in hot conditions. PR3s don't like over the ton and heat and will disappear quickly under those conditions. Likely not an issue for your trip.

Your opinion on the pavement handling of the K60? I have yet to try them, don't do any serious off road. The battlewings and their ilk work for me on gravel and the little 2 track I have done, but I love playing with this thing on the pavement too. So far really happy with the Battllewings.

But as time goes on I feel like getting more adventurous and would need a better tire for that, your thoughts?

 

[avc8130]

If you are going to be tempted by any gravel or dirt, My .02 is the Battlewings. I just removed a front with 10K on it yesterday, got close to that from a rear. They are decent on pavement and gravel.

If you are certain it will be 100% asphalt, Michelin Pilort Road 2 or 3, both are awesome. I have been getting 10 k out of those on my FJR with a heavy right hand. Great in rain, handle great, just an all around awesome sport touring tire. I have not put a set on the Super Tenere yet, but if I know I have a 100% pavement trip, I plan to.

I got 4800 out of Battlewing rears...twice. I wouldn't "trust" it for 7k.

ac

 

[EricV]

Your opinion on the pavement handling of the K60? I have yet to try them, don't do any serious off road. The battlewings and their ilk work for me on gravel and the little 2 track I have done, but I love playing with this thing on the pavement too. So far really happy with the Battllewings.

But as time goes on I feel like getting more adventurous and would need a better tire for that, your thoughts?

I'll try to be as helpful as possible. If you like large throttle movements and find yourself 'grabbing a handful' often, you probably won't enjoy the K60s. Especially in the wet. You probably won't see 10k from a rear tire, ever, either. If you prefer to accelerate out of corners, especially 'hard', you won't like the K60s and the TCS light will be flashing. If you don't ride with earplugs, the tire noise of the K60s may annoy you.

If you are generally smooth with the throttle and don't make abrupt changes, but like to go thru the corners at a nice pace, the K60s will go as fast as you want to go and be fine. I have found no limitations in riding with the K60s. If I had to change my riding style to use them, I wouldn't. You can romp with them pretty hard on dry pavement, especially when they are worn, and the worst you'll see is the TCS light flashing a bit. But they are noisier than more street oriented tires, especially when worn, and do add some vibes at <25 and >75 mph. The middle range seems to be pretty smooth, to me. No worse than full street tires.

One of the great things about the K60s is the ability to depart pavement at speed and go explore that gravel or dirt road and not worry about it. It's not a great tire for rock climing or digging in the dirt, but it's a pretty darn good tire for all round riding and holds up very well to pavement touring and long days in the saddle. When new, be careful in the wet, as it will slip on wet paint lines, but other than that, I didn't notice any issues in the wet. And I covered a fair number of miles in torrential rain, at interstate speeds, during the IBR. The tires never slowed me down.

 

[thfraser]

Your opinion on the pavement handling of the K60? I have yet to try them, don't do any serious off road. The battlewings and their ilk work for me on gravel and the little 2 track I have done, but I love playing with this thing on the pavement too. So far really happy with the Battllewings.

But as time goes on I feel like getting more adventurous and would need a better tire for that, your thoughts?

They are harder tires and grip well enough for me. Traction wise, on dry pavement they are fine. When it gets wet, the TC can light up pretty easy.

If you really push it hard on the street, there are better tires. But for a tire that lasts and has ability off road, these work well. I did some gravel with them along with some two track and they did really well, for me. But I will admit I'm not a real aggressive rider. I currently have 14k + on my K60's and they still have life left in them. Most of that is commuting miles, which in itself aren't hard miles on a tire.

The K60 is a great compromise tire that has an excellent lifespan. I like them and will probably continue to use them.

 

[switch]

I've got the Shinko 705s on the bike now. I'm happy with them, but they do produce a little vibration. Do the K60s produce vibration as well due to the tread pattern?

 

[Ramseybella]

I've got the Shinko 705s on the bike now. I'm happy with them, but they do produce a little vibration. Do the K60s produce vibration as well due to the tread pattern?

Having the 18"x21" Woody's on my Tenere limits me on the choices of Dual sport tires, the 21" is not as much as an issue as the rear 18".
I have ran Shinko Raven 009's on my Tiger 1050 for it's 46000 mile life and loved them for the price and would like to try the Shinko 700s or 705s on the Tenere but they don't make 140/80-18 just 130's.

Still waiting on updates on the Karoo 3's and have my eye on the K60's my mechanic recommends I try the pirelli scorpion xt but they don't look to aggressive and experience with Pirelli tires have been low miles.
I live in the west so I ride a S*it load of road miles to get to other states and New Mexico roads are like a belt sander for tires.

 

[Dallara]

~


How did the OP's original question in this thread about "Long Distance TOURING tires" devolve into a discussion of off-road tires and near-knobbies like the Karoo 3? :question:


::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025::


Personally, I used nothing but Metzeler Tourance EXP's on my Super Tenere until just recently, but the best I ever got of one of the EXP rears was 5,800 miles. More often it was more like 5,000 miles, with one going only 4,800. Right now I have a set of Michelin Anakee 3's on there, and judging from how they look right now with 3,650 miles on 'em I'd say they *MIGHT* make it to 7.000 miles, but I wouldn't count on it until I've actually done it. Only problem I can see with them is it looks like the front is wearing as fast as the rear. With the Metzeler Tourance EXP's I would get 10,500 to 11,000 miles out of a front tire.

As some others have already suggested, if I were looking to put a pure street *TOURING* tire on there to try and go a long distance then I'd have to vote on a set of Michelin Pilot Road's (isn't it the Pilot Road *TRAIL* in the Super Tenere sizes?). If I wanted to have a tire go 7,000+ miles and be off-road capable, too, then it seems folks have sure been happy with the Heidenau K60's.

Dallara



~

 

[snakebitten]

~


How did the OP's original question in this thread about "Long Distance TOURING tires" devolve into a discussion of off-road tires and near-knobbies like the Karoo 3? :question:


::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025:: ::025::


Dallara



~

Cuz it's a tire thread?

We just can't stop ourselves.

 

[switch]

Motorcycle Superstore has the Pilot Road 3. I don't plan on doing any off roading on the trip, as the guy I'm going with is on a Kawasaki Concours 14.

Any thoughts on the Road 3?

 

[markjenn]

I'd go with standard Tourances (not EXP's or Next's).

- Mark

 

[~TABASCO~]

Overall mileage for your trip.... K60.... Then you can double your trip in miles before your next tire change... or almost... ::008::

 

[Ramseybella]

Motorcycle Superstore has the Pilot Road 3. I don't plan on doing any off roading on the trip, as the guy I'm going with is on a Kawasaki Concours 14.

Any thoughts on the Road 3?

I Tried PR3's on my Tiger 1050 I was an aggressive rider on that bike and they lasted the longest 6500 miles on rear heavy loads and sand paper New Mexico roads.
Th only issue I have with dual compound tires is the strange ware pattern I always inflated them as required it just may have been the weight I hauled when I traveled; never the less they stuck like glue and was spot on in rain.
I switched to Shinko Raven 009's when money was short no issues way less price but single compound, not as sticky lasted 5000 push to 6000 may last longer on the Tenere.

As far as the question changing I was fishing!! ;D

 

[coastie]

K60

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[avc8130]

I'd go with standard Tourances (not EXP's or Next's).

- Mark

I just rocked a set of those. The rear went 6k miles until the tread was even with the base rubber.

ac

 

[Bigbore4]

@ EricV,
Thanks for that, nice description.

@ Dallara
cuz everyones idea of "touring" is different here.

@ OP
Good luck with whatever you choose!