Which tyres?

A lot also depends on what kind of offroad riding you do. If it is gravel roads and the occasional tame tweespoor, you can get by on dual-purpose tyres like the Maxxis Presa Detour or on Anakees or equivalent (these are the ones that are more road-oriented, with deep, wide groves to deal with offroad. If you would like better tyres for more tricky offroad (sand, mud, rocks), then go for a more knobbly tyre. The problem is that they wear out quickly if you do mostly tar. But, there are options: * My son has Maxxis knobblies on his F650 and he commutes. The Maxxis are good value and last well. Annie also used them for years. * I have Heidenau K60s: they are knobbly but ride well on tar, are cheaper, and last about 3 times longer than the TKC80s. This is a perfect commute-on-tar-during-the-week, go-bossies-on-dirt-over-the-weekend tyre, and suits the pocket of the weekend warrior who can only afford one bike for all his travel and play. One other plus of the K60 - it is not too knobbly to be disallowed from the track. So I get to do track days on the same tyre I commute with. Website Administrator [http://honeybadger.net Honey Badger IT Services]

Metzeler Tourance, I have a set for sale which i bought for Cindies bike before upgrading and never used them. Available for R2000 neg. Cheers F800GS (mine) F650GS (hers) X-Challenge (mine) Honda XR250 (hers) Motorcycle Rider Training http://www.twowheels.co.za

IMO I'd say Heidi's is the best tyre for your'e money on the market.

Metzeler Tourance or Michelin Anakee

It does depend on what you want them for, and what kind of riding you do/want to do. On the other hand, if a good set comes your way at a good price, try them and let that inform your decision of what tyres you want to spend your time and money on. So, I started on Maxxis PD (similar to Anakees or Tourances, but a lot cheaper). Then I got some free unwanted TKC80 knobblies, and then I bought the Heidenau K60. Now, I own a TKC80 back tyre to fit for things like Matroosberg or the dune course, and I ride long tours and day-to-day commuting and weekend-warrior stuff on the Heidenaus. Cost effective and a compromise that suits me and my pocket. Website Administrator [http://honeybadger.net Honey Badger IT Services]

Go for Max's offer - -it sounds like a good deal.

Pirelli Scorpions more tar but awesome on gravel for general dirt & Heidis for more aggressive dirt riding & cool on tar. So far:-) One has to use up a few tyres to see what you want. Try the Heidis & you might find yourself on dirt more often!

Thanks to all for your excellent advice.

Hi Afrikaan, my husband (800GS) and I (650GS Twin) both still have the standard Bridgestone Battlewings the bikes came out & have found they are (a) excellent on tar, especially in the wet (b) excellent on good gravel roads. We have just done a 3800km trip pretty much around SA, using these tyres on fully laden bikes; roughly half tar and half dirt, and we had no problems with the Battlewings - not even on the very rough/corrugated sections in the Eastern Cape; the rocky sections near Naude's Nek or the sandy sections near Mt Fletcher. However, the Battlewings don't like mud, as we discovered on one section near the southern Drakensberg ;-) So far, it also seems as though the Battlewings are giving us both very good mileage (given that, during the week, the bikes commute on tar). Having said that, when it is time to change tyres, we'll both take a good look at the Heidenaus.

Bella, With the Battlewings, I couldn't keep the tail end of my 650twin from slipping and sliding in the mud. Great on tar. Now I have Heidi front and rear. Will test them out on this 5 day Verneukpan off-road trip. Shah

Heidenau K60. Awesome tyre.. very good off road and last looooong on tar! This is what they look like (fitted to my old F650GS) MAN I miss this bike :-( Heidenau K60 Regards, Corné

Afrikaan & Belia, User report. The Heidi performed beautifully on my 650GS twin for the 5 days 1600 km ride. It took a lot of abuse over a variety of terrain (tar, gravel, sand, salt plain). I even came down a steep, wet mountain pass with mud, ruts, and all. I ran them at 1.5 bar (F) and 1.7 bar (R). P.S. Any "off" was due to my riding ability and not due to the tyres.

Michelin Anakees would be my reccommendation. Give you great mileage, excellent on tar and quite good off-road. They will be my next tyres, for sure! Also value for money. Reasons for my suggestion: Metzlers are nice but expensive Maxxis great value but you will go through them like underpants. K60 realy cool but have no idea of mileage and price. TKC80 is expensive and wont last with 80% tar. I have over 16 000km (just did 4500km last week) on my Anakees and am very happy. Plenty gravel and they were good. Use it. Don't use it. You know.....whatever.

Bit of a contradiction here - 'great value' implies that for the price you get good mileage. They cannot be great value '''and''' not last long enough. Truth it they ''are'' great value, because they are cheap and are good for at least 10 000km. Ask Andy and Annie (who are renowned for seeking out best value alternatives). I did 14000km on my last K60 back tyre, and it cost me R1200 fitted. That mileage included a daily commute, a weekly wheelie practice, 3 track days, one motard day, a sand course, several long offroad trips, lots of elephant turn and powersliding practice, a Matroosberg trip. Now you have an idea. Website Administrator [http://honeybadger.net Honey Badger IT Services]

Sorry for confusion, "great value" in that they dont do too badly roadholding wise (whether gravel or tar) at the price and give mediocre mileage. 10 000km though? Impressed. Wow! Thanx for info on Heidis! Seems like I will have to rethink.... Use it. Don't use it. You know.....whatever.

No danger - we might even be talking about different Maxxis here: I'm talking Presa Detour 17" 150/70 for the 1150GS. My son has a very knobbly Maxxis on his Funduro which may give different results. Website Administrator [http://honeybadger.net Honey Badger IT Services]

Are there any Heidenau back tyres available around Cape Town? I've been trying to get one to replace my balding Karoo since November. I'm leaving for Malawi via Mozambique in 3 weeks - Tracmac can fit a TKC80 for R1750, should I just go with that? Apparently Mozambique tracks  can be quite sandy. 

 

Biketique in Diep River has got.