I have the K-60's on the 1200GSA and did a 4K trip to Montana and back. Great tires, perfect for me in that they handle the dirt roads well and seem to last long. The K-60's do seem to make a whining noise right between 60-70mph, and it can be louder on some grooved freeway surfaces. I don't take the GSA on single track, but when it gets rough the K-60's have enough bite for me. I think for the 630 though I would stick with the knobby's because for me I tend to take this bike on more single track, riverbeds, etc. so I will be looking for a knobby that will last. The stock Karoo's are almost worn down and I have only 700 miles on them??? I have been using the Ride On tire sealant in my big bike. Mainly because I want to reduce the risk of a flat tire as much as possible, I suck at fixing things especially on the trail. I was told the Ride On will automaticlly balance the wheel. Seems to work well on the tubeless GSA wheel. Has anyone used this stuff, or similar product, on their regular dual sport with tubed wheels?
http://www.moto-amore.com/heidenau/index.html The weird part if that he started out as a scooter shop and sold Heidenau scooter tires then got into the MC part of it a few years ago. He would rather you order for your local shop but you can order from him directly......by phone. No automated internet shopping store.
And Dave buys them from Moto Amore.........that's my point. These guys (moto amore) are the USA's exclusive importer.
The thread pattern for the smaller tires are different then the big bikes. The nomenclature doesn't help because there is a "K-60" and a "K-60 Scout". The thread blocks used to be the same for all the bikes but over the last couple years they changed the grooves for the big bike. I agree with you, dirt bike tires work best, but for the guy who'll ride the bike on road more than 60% of the time I think the K-60's will be well worth the money......not to mention your time not changing the tires so often.
I ended up in some mud on the weekend. Well , basically a swamp when i found a bridge was out on a old rail line. The Super Explorer was a bit disappointing. I was at low speeds and it just turned into a mud ball giving almost no traction at all. I was very disappointed in the performance in the mud but i guess you cant have it all. With about 2,000 KM on it it is showing little wear and remains great in all other areas. Randy
I read that mud would be the Mefo Super Explorer's weakness. It is not a full out dirt knobby tire so that's expected. I bought the rear Mefo for its claimed long tread life and good overall on/off road performance. I'm happy to hear your pleased with the Mefo otherwise.
I just found out this morning why my experience with the stock tires is so different than others. I have 1500 miles on them so far and the rear is only about half worn. I don't do a lot of dirt, just easy single track with some rocks/roots and I haven't had much to complain about offroad. I checked the tire pressure this morning - I've been running around with 11 psi front and rear. I bumped it up to 24 and noticed how much easier it is just pushing the bike around in the garage. I'll probably get several more mpg now, but it will be interesting to see how fast the rear wears. At least it explains the decent traction I was getting offroad...
Just be very mindful of low pressure without a rim lock. If the tire spins on the rim it is likely to pull the stem out of the tube...BTDT. Will ruin a good day of riding.
It wasn't on purpose, I was just being totally clueless. Unfortunately I have no scenery around these parts to make a nice day of riding out of anyway.
I've been running ~ 11 to 13 lbs for offroad use on a variety of tires with the TE630 and have yet to have a problem without a rim lock. I was hesitant to run this low of pressure fearing the tire would slip but no problems as of yet. I also run 19-20 lbs on the street.
I just got my bike back from the service. A new set of MT21s, never had them before but they look terrific & am happy with the 140s. Also put on some rim locks front & rear, to be on the safe side.
I used a K60 on my 610, cant say I was that impressed. They werent shocking, but I decided to try something else when it became time. IMO they dont really suite the bike which is very capable off road, but the Heidie's are only adequate off road as long as its dry. The bike deserves a tyre thats more capable off road IMO. They are almost useless in thick mud and long grass. They are also very hard, which gives great tyre life but less than great traction in some cases. The side walls are really stiff so you can ride with a flat safely which is something positive I suppose. They are more suited to a big 1200 or something that is much heavier and that wont spend as much time on really technical stuff
Goibg to more dual tires, has anyone try the Metzeler Enduro Sahara 3? Going into winter here in north Italy, I need for more feeling on wet streets.
T63... Just back from Death Valley, did about 400 miles, 75% dirt. My buddy had a new D606 on his XR for the trip, knobs are quite a bit taller. Looks like the T63 is a quarter worn out when new in comparison. But then it's 25% less in cost so I guess it's a trade off. I doubt the 606 will last 25% longer but certainly worth a try. It is vastly superior to the Karoo Traveler they come with. Hooks up good, rides great on the road. Very predictable, great traction, very happy with it. It has rounded off the front of the knobs but height doesn't seem to have changed much. Good profile, good on road curves. It hums pretty good at about 40, but never noticed 'till riding around the block after the washdown after the trip. Wind noise with my MX helmet on the hiway drowns out even the exhast note - can't hear a thing. Based on mileage so far it looks like it will easily go over a thousand miles. I don't expect really long life out of it though so 12-1500 would be a real bonus. I would also prefer a 140mm tire but it's fine. Maybe try the Tractionator or Scorpion rally next time. EDIT: BTW, I just looked at MCSS on the 130/90/18 D606 and they are $95 now. That means it's 50% more than the T63...ouch! Michelin Desert - $142..ouch again. Scorpion Rally in 140/80 is $97.
Sounds pretty good and from your photo after 400 miles it does look like it will easily go over 1,000 miles. Post back your final mileage and photo. Can't go wrong for $60 so I think I'll order one now to have on hand for next change.
I just mounted the MT21. It's a little too early to say anything about tire life. Price was good, around $90. They match the stock 140 width and that's a plus. I like to lean things over in turns (who doesn't right?) and the stock Karoos seemed real sticky on the street. Was worried that these would be a little more skittish on the street but haven't noticed this at all yet. They seem to stick about the same. One thing popped out big time though in comparison to the Karoos. They are louder, much louder. On the freeway I feel like I'm riding on 4, 37" mudders. So far this is my only complaint and it's not much of one since I normally wear ear plugs for the commute.
I've got a rear MT21 that was extremely noisy until I returned from the San Juans. With about 25% tread remaining the sound emitted from the tire on pavement has changed and it is no longer as bad as when it had more tread.
I see no one got back to you on this. The Sahara is a highly regarded tire by the BMW riders. Long life, good road manners. It doesn't see as much popularity for the dualsport crowd because it's way behind the others in offroad performance. For mostly road it should be a very good choice. I would also look at the Kenda 270. Good cheap tire. There's a 5.10-18 that should fit pretty well for the 630.
