New rear Anakee 2, and my 85,000 miles of 12GS tire history

[mistercindy]

Last Saturday I had to replace my nearly new rear tire because I ran over a screw. I rode it with a plug for a couple of weeks, then got it replaced. It was an Anakee 2, and I replaced it with another Anakee 2.

Here's the tire history for my 2005 R12GS (I bought it used with ~12,050 miles on it):

Rear tires:

• Bridgestone BT020 (new tire when I bought the bike on 10/22/05) - 6,843 miles
• Bridgestone BT020 (installed on 05/05/06) - 6,632 miles
• Avon ST AV46 (installed on 3/10/07 ) - 7,891 miles (should've been replaced 500+ miles earlier)
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 10/31/07) - 7,387 miles
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 6/23/08) - 10,616 miles (should've been replaced 1000 miles earlier)
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 2/13/09) - 7,035 miles (premature death because I ran over a screw)
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 7/25/09) - 8,242 miles
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 2/5/10) - 5,174 miles (probably had another 1,000 miles on it)
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 5/21/10) - 5,160 miles (flat as I ran over something)
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 10/7/10) - 9,398 miles (should've been replaced 500+ miles earlier)
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 4/21/11) - 10,027 miles
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 12/21/11) - 815 miles (flat - ran over a screw)
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 1/28/12)
  

Front tires:

• Bridgestone BT020 (new tire when I bought the bike on 10/22/05) - 6,843 miles (stupidly replaced it when I replaced the rear even though it had a lot of tread left on it)
• Bridgestone BT020 (installed on 05/05/06) - 10,833 miles
• Avon Roadrider (installed on 05/06/07) - 21,693 miles (good tread left - replaced due to weather cracking)
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 2/13/09) - 20,451 miles
• Metzler Tourance (installed on 5/21/10) - 13,558 miles (lots of good tread left - replaced due to weather cracking)
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 4/21/11) - 10,027 miles (lots of tread left, but replaced due to bad cupping)
• Michelin Anakee 2 (installed on 12/21/11) - ~900 miles and counting

 

[windypoint]

Thanks for the information. I will be needing a new rear soon. The Karoo that came with the bike is evaporating. It ihas 3200 miles (mostly pavement) and will need to be replaced in the next 500 miles. What do you think of mixing a Karoo front with a Tourance rear?

 

[mistercindy]

Thanks for the information. I will be needing a new rear soon. The Karoo that came with the bike is evaporating. It ihas 3200 miles (mostly pavement) and will need to be replaced in the next 500 miles. What do you think of mixing a Karoo front with a Tourance rear?

I can't speak for the Karoo, but I have no problems with mixing tires. If my current front Anakee 2 suffers a premature death from cupping like my first front Anakee 2, then I think I'll go with a Tourance front and Anakee 2 rear.

 

[akbeemer]

Grant, Good info, but I'd be more interesred in your opinions, conclusions and lessons learned.

 

[167702]

Anakee 2

I am on my second set of Anakee 2's and I wouldn't stray outside of this type of tire except for a set of knobbies. I have gotten great mileage out of both sets of tires I am on my third rear tire. But am very satisfied with on road and off road(Fire Roads). I understand about the cupping on the front tire. I live in florida 6 months out of the year and the roads are very straight and very pitched so thats quite normal for any motorcycle down here.