[joshuaf]

Hey everyone

I've got the original tyres on my 650 and I'am looking for a set that is more off road orientated, I find in loose gravel the front and rear tyres do a slight "S" weave which gets to be annoying especially at 80 to
100k :bom_rolleyes4: any help/advice/ideas would be muchly appreciated or is it best to go to a tyre place and ask?:headbang:

 

[happypuppy]

A very good review V-Strom DL650 Tires, Adventure tire options from Street to Dirt - YouTube

 

[johnnail]

google "Dualsport plus" and look at the Heindeau K60s

 

[KevinP]

It depends what you are used to, how aggressive you get off road, and how many miles you want it to last. As a rule, the best off road tires will wear the fastest especially the rear ... even more if you spin the rear aggressively off road.
Recommended combos:
A. Continental TKC80 front and rear (rear wears pretty quick). This combo is actually quite good on the street and a bit more stable off road in the loose stuff and passable in sand and mud at a reasonable pace. Looks pretty cool. The rear TKC looks very wide but doesn't hook up too much better than the regular Tourance. I ran a couple sets prior to my current combo (Combo B below). Least cost effective.

B. Metzeler Tourance EXP front tire with regular (non-EXP) rear. The regular Tourance rear wears like steel, grips well off road. With this combo the front and rear both wear out about the same rate. The EXP front offers sport-touring like front end feel yet grips off road better than it should (in dry). Out of the three combos listed this is the most road oriented. This is my current arrangement. Cost effective with sportier on road handling.

C. Continental TKC80 front with Metzeler Tourance (not EXP) rear. I haven't tried this combo but almost tried it. A very large number of Strom and GS riders love this combo as the front and rear wear at about the same time. If you want good confidence off road but want a rear the lasts more than 2000 miles (TKC rear) this may be an attractive combo. Supposedly it handl;es well on road too. Cost effective for more off road. If I were taking an Alaska trip this would be it hands down.

 

[Willdiesoon]

+1 on Heindenau K60s.

I am about 70% street and 25% fire service roads and 5% off-road (+ or - of course) and IMHO think the K60 is a great tire for this.

I have a little over 10k kms on them now (trip to Alaska in July) and there is still plenty of tread left on them. Will take a picture when I get home.

 

[Strominid]

+2 on the Heidi. I've only run the rear, but they last way longer and I find them much more settled on the road than the TKC and nearly as good off the pavement (exception in loose sand or soft mud).

 

[Willdiesoon]

Here is a pic of my rear K60 with a little over 11,000 kms on it. It still has 4/16th left on it. The front is in even better shape.

 

[Juan Tanamera]

C. Continental TKC80 front with Metzeler Tourance (not EXP) rear. I haven't tried this combo but almost tried it. A very large number of Strom and GS riders love this combo as the front and rear wear at about the same time. If you want good confidence off road but want a rear the lasts more than 2000 miles (TKC rear) this may be an attractive combo. Supposedly it handl;es well on road too. Cost effective for more off road. If I were taking an Alaska trip this would be it hands down.

This is what I run and really like it for both looser stuff and paved stuff.

 

[jokermtb]

When I first got my Strom, and would take it down gravel roads, I noticed how it would wander around. Depending on how much or how little gravel was on the road it sometimes got so weird that I couldn't even keep course - it was white-knuckle city! I thought it was the tires.

I picked up a Richland Rick's Fork Brace secondhand and slapped it on the Strom. I was shocked when I hit my next gravel road section. Instead of the front end wandering and deflecting all over, it kept straight. And, I actually had some feel for what the front wheel was doing - all this, using the way more street oriented [correct usage of word] Bridgestone Battle Wing tire.

As many have discovered before me, a fork brace will really let your bike handle better on questionable surfaces like gravel - no matter what tire you are using.

That said, I did pick myself up some Kenda Big Blocks, but haven't yet been motivated to remove my well worn Battle Wings and slap on my crazy street knobbies - and yes, the rear won't last long [how could it? I mean, just look at it!] - perhaps 3k miles at most.

 

[rjwinz]

Where are you guys finding the K60's for sale in the US?

 

[Willdiesoon]

I believe these guys bought the entire inventory that came in late May or early June.

Heidenau Motorcycle Tires Tires

 

[rjwinz]

Thanks. I'm always amazed at the price jump of any dual sport tire when the tire size is for the GS/Strom. I think we have BMW to thank for that.

 

[ockerstrom]

Where are you guys finding the K60's for sale in the US?

Hell, where can you find them anywhere

We are having trouble here in Oz trying to find them, some arrive and are gone almost before they are even off the docks. :fineprint:

 

[joshuaf]

thanx for that chiefs extremly helpful

 

[OydnaR]

I prefer Karoo Ts over TKC80s

imho, gravel performance is the same, but the Karoo perfoms better on pavement

 

[LAZ 1]

Heidenau mix and match ....

It depends what you are used to, how aggressive you get off road, and how many miles you want it to last. As a rule, the best off road tires will wear the fastest especially the rear ...
Recommended combos:

C. Continental TKC80 front with Metzeler Tourance (not EXP) rear. A very large number of Strom and GS riders love this combo as the front and rear wear at about the same time. If you want good confidence off road but want a rear the lasts more than 2000 miles (TKC rear) this may be an attractive combo. Supposedly it handles well on road too. Cost effective for more off road. If I were taking an Alaska trip this would be it hands down.

I just put a Heidenau front tire on my Weestrom, and left the near new Tourance on the rear. I have had GREAT results with the Tourance tires on two of my BMW GS 1150s, with great mileage, great wet OR dry handling on the hiway, decent handling in gravel and DRY dirt, and appalingly horrible handling in MUD!!!

The brand new Heidenau on the front of my WEE HOWLS like a Banshee at medium speed, and with 32 PSI in the front, the front end/ steering is noticeably "heavier". I'll give the "Howlin' Heidenau" a few more miles, try some runs with different PSI, [ the BMW shop recommended I try 36 PSI ] then do some dry dirt and gravel to see how "Combo D" feels.

I may stay like this till the monsoon season hits, then swap the rear Tourance for a rear Heidenau.

PS: I talked with a BMW 800 GS rider, who did the Dempster in the rainy season and he RAVES about how good the Heidenaus are. However, he did report that on the 800 GS, he gets about three Heidi rear tires for one Heidi front tire.
YPMMV
[;{)
LAZ 1

 

[PTRider]

Add the Mefo Explorer to the not-quite-knobby tires

 

[rjwinz]

I can get the Mefo for my DR, but can't find them in DL size. ?????