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more agressive tires for R12RT trip to Mexico

73308

New member
Any suggestions for tires as all the other riders will be on GSs and will want some off pavement travel. I have had Avon Distanzias suggested but will have to use a 160/60R17 instead of my current 180/55-ZR17. Suggestions? Robyn
 
Dunlop 616 is my first choice. Pirelli Scorpions my second choice. I have used both on my R12R for trips in AK. The rear 616 has been a little hard to find lately, but a friend just got one for his RT from the Motorcycle SuperStore.
 
I do ride on graded gravel often, even when it is a little muddy on a r1150RS. No lowers. I use the Shinko Ravens, they have a deeper tread and a little wider grooves. The Raven front has a center groove, good for gravel, but wanders a bit on grooved pavement. Not enough to be a problem, unless a bike moving a bit under you freaks you out, in which case you should not ride off pavement at all. When going to fish or camp, I have been on single track, with mud, or on wet cow pastures with grass. So far I have always made it and they wear decent too. I am just an average rider (except in my dreams). I ride slow, 40 ish on gravel, less in other cases, but make it no problems.
Rod
 
Dunlop 616 is my first choice. Pirelli Scorpions my second choice. I have used both on my R12R for trips in AK. The rear 616 has been a little hard to find lately, but a friend just got one for his RT from the Motorcycle SuperStore.

+1, Gunny; the Dunlop 616's served me well on my BMW R1150RT for my trips into Mexico. But I also agree with ragtoplvr on the the Shinko Ravens, I was running these tires when I rode my BMW F650GS Twin to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico last year.

IMG_2849.jpg
 
+1, Gunny; the Dunlop 616's served me well on my BMW R1150RT for my trips into Mexico. But I also agree with ragtoplvr on the the Shinko Ravens, I was running these tires when I rode my BMW F650GS Twin to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico last year.

I can buy a pair of the Shinko's for the price of one of these. I have never had a problem with them, I did have one nail but after the Joplin Tornado just one flat is very lucky, or very good. The sidewalls were stiff enough to warn me without crashing me. They dropped thousands of nails on our roads.

Rod
 
I've run Shinko Raven's / 009's as well as the 616s and Scorpions. The Ravens are a decent road tire, but not the equal to the 616 on dirt. None of them are great in sand or mud so don't get your expectations too high. They do make a TKC80 in 120/70-17 and 180/55-17. TKs actually do okay on pavement as far as grip, not something to go canyon carving with, but okay. A TKC80 just on the front combined with a 616 on the rear would give you pretty good off road ability for an RT. The TK on the front will give you increased control of the front end which is more than half the battle in the lose stuff, and you should get moderate wear on the front as well. I'm estimating 5k miles... maybe. Just remember you are trying to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear... so to speak. (Not trying to deride the RT, I had one and thik it's a great bike, just not an off pavement star)
 
R1200RT Tires and Alaska

First, thanks for all the knowledge sharing on tires and the RT.

I'm heading to Alaska in May with some friends. I want to buy the GS and do it right, but to maintain domestic tranquility, I've opted to stick with the RT. I'm starting out in the Washington, DC, area, meeting friends in Chicago and then heading to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

I am planning on running the stock tires until we get to Watson Lake, Yukon, where I will switch to the Cont TKC80 on the front and Dunlop 616 on the rear based on several of the posts.

2 Questions: (1) It appears there are a couple of speed ratings available for the TKC80 - Z, Q or B. Any insights or thoughts on which speed rating is best, (2) Any thoughts on mixing the TKC80 (bias ply) and the D616 (radial)?

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,


Thomas
Thomas.Varney@ieee.org
 
First, thanks for all the knowledge sharing on tires and the RT.

I'm heading to Alaska in May with some friends. I want to buy the GS and do it right, but to maintain domestic tranquility, I've opted to stick with the RT. I'm starting out in the Washington, DC, area, meeting friends in Chicago and then heading to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

I am planning on running the stock tires until we get to Watson Lake, Yukon, where I will switch to the Cont TKC80 on the front and Dunlop 616 on the rear based on several of the posts.

2 Questions: (1) It appears there are a couple of speed ratings available for the TKC80 - Z, Q or B. Any insights or thoughts on which speed rating is best, (2) Any thoughts on mixing the TKC80 (bias ply) and the D616 (radial)?

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,


Thomas
Thomas.Varney@ieee.org

Thomas, Why the switch to the "dirt" tires so soon? Unless you plan to run the Campbell, Canol or Top of The World roads along the way, there is no reason to run anything but road tires as far as Fairbanks. There is a great place to do tires in Fairbanks. They are open 24/7 in the summer and will either hold tires for you or even accept something you ship or haul to them. About the cheapest place around in that part of the world as well: http://www.advcycleworks.com/
 
Thomas is running the Campbell and Dempster too

Whether he wants to or not! :laugh

We shall see how the street bikes do - I'm just an average rider so compensate with a GS. :thumb
 
Thomas, Why the switch to the "dirt" tires so soon? Unless you plan to run the Campbell, Canol or Top of The World roads along the way, there is no reason to run anything but road tires as far as Fairbanks. There is a great place to do tires in Fairbanks. They are open 24/7 in the summer and will either hold tires for you or even accept something you ship or haul to them. About the cheapest place around in that part of the world as well: http://www.advcycleworks.com/

Kevin: Thanks for the tip.

Do you have any thoughts or insights on the speed ratings or mixing the TKC80 (bias ply) and the D616 (radial)?

Ya know, I remember my mom telling me to never put a plastic over my head as you would surely die and my dad saying NEVER mix bias and radial because you would surely die :)

Thanks.

Thomas
 
Kevin: Thanks for the tip.

Do you have any thoughts or insights on the speed ratings or mixing the TKC80 (bias ply) and the D616 (radial)?

Ya know, I remember my mom telling me to never put a plastic over my head as you would surely die and my dad saying NEVER mix bias and radial because you would surely die :)

Thanks.

Thomas

Mixing radial and bias...? I don't know.

As to the speed ratings, I doubt it will be an issue at the speeds you are likely to ride, but in any case the lower rating will apply to the entire bike.
 
FWIW I ran a TKC-80 on the front and a Trail Attack on the rear of my GS for many years. The TKC-80 is fine (if a bit rough) on the street. I think the tire was rated to 99 MPH which was fast emough for my use. The world didn't end. On the other hand it didn't stop the bike from taking occasional naps in the dirt, either. Don't think you want to take an RT to a place where dirt naps are likely.
 
I have opted to run with TKC80's on front and rear as the Dunlop 616 is no longer available.

A wise friend asked and I will put this out to the Sage's here on BMWMOA - do you know if I will have any issues with running the TKC80s (front and rear) with the stock fender and fender/tire clearance?

Thanks.

Sincerely,


Thomas
 
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