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2012 GSA - time for 1st set of replacement tires - suggestions?

OfficerImpersonator

Seattle-area Rounder
I've worn down the first pair of Tourances after 10,500 miles. I'm now in the market for a set of replacement tires.

In a perfect world, I'd have unlimited income, and thus the ability to purchase a second set of rims and thus the ability to easily swap street tires for knobbies and back again as my rides required. Not having unlimited income, I need to find a compromise.

I've been very happy with the life expectancy of the Tourances, but I've felt "naked" and vulnerable when riding off-pavement. I'd consider replacing the Tourances with the TKC-80 or equivalent, but I have concerns with the tread life of knobbies, and I'm concerned about knobby tire traction on wet Seattle winter pavement. I think I'd ride off-road more if I had a more capable tire, but I still need a tire that works well on pavement, as I need to be able to ride to the dirt on pavement and back home from the dirt on pavement.

What all-around tires do you run on your GSA? What type of life expectancy are you getting out of your choice? What are your suggestions?
 
Heidenau K60 Scouts. I've worn two complete sets on my GS with respectfully 14,000 and 15,250 miles. Excellent tires and very smooth on the highway. You won't be disappointed. For grins and a change, currently on Anakee III tires which are excellent on the highway and in water, only so-so in the dirt. However, they're quite expensive and with 11,000 miles on the front, it's about worn out. Rear still has about 2500 miles left on it. Heidenaus are a better value with better off road traction.
 
If you use the bike off road even occasionally, then the Heidenaus are a great choice. They fill the gap between the Tourance type tire and the TKC80 level of knobby. If it is essentially a road bike, then stick with the Tourance.
 
Avon Distanzias..best tire I ever run...works great off road...good street manners..

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bksgsvegas/4010071409/" title="Untitled by vegas1200gsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2593/4010071409_ed52a865f4_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"></a>

Works like a charm..
 
I have buddie with K60 scouts on his yammie super tenere. It sounds like a jacked up 4 wheel drive swamp truck when he pulls alongside of me on the highway. Super loud. Michelin PR3 Trails are very quiet and good mileage. Tourances to me are a good middle ground choice of on and off road. Just my 2cts worth.
 
I think I'm going to go with the K60 - looks like the perfect compromise between dirt and tarmac.

As long as you don't mind noisy tires that are meh in the wet and have a profile that is so flat you can feel the corners when you turn after not too many miles, sure. They do last a long time if you can put up with them.

I disliked them so much I took my rear off at 5K miles and threw it away. The front wasn't as bad, but I still tossed it with a little life left. Not everyone dislikes the feel as much as I did.
 
Had Heidi K60s on my previous GS. As others have said they do generate more road noise but they are great in the dirt. I never had an issue with them but some have experienced slow loss of pressure - probably a fair bit posted on AdvRider.
 
Tyres

Think next time I may try Conti trail attacks on my GS. I really didn't care for the Avon's noisy ride and vibration. And since 99.5% of my riding is on pavement I don't really need the Hideneau tires although they look like a good compromise if I ever get to do the Alaska vacation we have been trying to go on for several years.
 
K60 and noise!

I'm on my 2nd set of K60s and WOW, great tires. Way over 10000m on rears and fronts and the noise question is there. New, they make no noise, but once about half thru their life, the front tire gets noisy. A TIP; More air in the front one keeps the noise LESS or gone. I run 40 in my fronts to avoid this and the tires have been perfect. SO MUCH better than the 90/10 Tourances and the like. All the talk about slippery in wet conditions is just not true! These riders would slip with ANY tire. I just spent ALL Summer in Alaska, 12000m all over that state on mud/dirt and snow and the K60 tire is my go to tire from now on:). Just NO compare. Only better traction comes from knobbies as in TKCs, but life of the tires is short.
 
My two cents

It is interesting to read how varied people's experiences with tires are. Obviously, the "right" tires are a very personal choice. My '09 R 1200 GSA came with the Tourance. They rode well on the street and I even did a RawHyde off-road clinic with them. The instructor told us to drop the pressure (I think it was to 20psi?) and the tires worked surprisingly well on a dry moto-x course and through wooded trails including rocks, leaves, and stream crossings. I got about 10k out of them. The last 3k was on a trip across the mid-west. It was very hot, I was heavily loaded, and the long sections of straight road wore the centers almost bald. I replaced them with the TKC's which, naturally, gave great traction off-road but were noisy with a lot of vibration on pavement. I did a weekend tour of Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway on the TKC's. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as I would have expected on the tight twisties but I was definitely being conservative on the throttle. I replaced the TKC's with the Heidenau K60 Scouts about 18 months ago and like them very much. I'd guess about 80% - 85% of my riding is on pavement but I live on a farm with a 1/2 mile long unpaved driveway so every ride begins and ends with at least that brief off-road experience. Just FYI, another alternative that's between the K60 and the TKC is the Sava MC 60. I have not tried this tire but if you go to the RawHyde Adventures website, they are now using that tire on their adventure bike fleet and I think are also an exclusive US dealer. Might be worth a look if you want a more aggressive tread but with a longer life span than the TKC.
 
Conti trail attack 2 ???

I run 90/10 hwy vs gravel roads.
Through the years, I have run tourances, annakes, and this spring I put on my first set of trail attacks2.
I made the decision based on the article I read in your magazine in which a comparison was made using most tyres available for our GS. I was impressed with your reviews on the contis so i thought i would give them i try and....after 10,000 Kms, they did not disappoint...they performed very well on paved roads (wet or dry). And they seemed to hold their own quite well on gravel and forestry roads. Not so sure about the mud trails.....I would rather have a set of tkc for those.
Happy trails ..rob.
 
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