Tyres - The Definitive List

[iswoolley]

Seeing as every biking internet forum has a tyre thread started every week, I thought it might be as well to generate a comprehensive list of tyres that fit the Africa Twin. Then we could put it in the Tech Data section, and refer newbies to it.

So here's a rough guide for us to build on;

Road Oriented

Avon Distanzia AM43/AM44
Bridgestone BattleWing BW501/BW502
Bridgestone TrailWing TW101/TW152
Continental Escape
Dunlop Trailmax D607
Kenda K761
Metzeler Tourance
Michelin Anakee
Michelin Sirac
Pirelli Scorpion MT90

Dirt Oriented

Continental Twinduro TKC80
Metzeler Enduro3 Sahara
Metzeler Karoo
Michelin Desert
Michelin T61
Pirelli RallyCross MT21
Trelleborg Army Special T644


Websites

Avon - http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/
Bridgestone - http://www.bridgestone-eu.com/
Continental - http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/contibike/
Dunlop - http://www.dunloptyres.co.uk/bike/
Kenda - http://www.feridax.com/ - http://www.kendausa.com/
Metzeler - http://www.metzelermoto.co.uk/
Michelin - http://www.michelin.co.uk/
Pirelli - http://www.pirellimoto.com/
Trelleborg - http://www.trelleborgtyres.co.uk/

[africatijn]

Good idea!

Especially when everybody also posts their thoughts/experiences with the different tyres.

Dry/wet grip, handling etc etc.

Cheers!
Tijn

[Unmutual]

Tourance rules! Nuff said!

[Northy]

I use real road tyres ( never go off road - DRZ for that ) the limiting factor is the front tyre the rear will take a mixture of sizes and types

Front
Pirelli MT75 ( H rated ) but good ( my only choice for front tyre now )

Rear
Pirelli sports demon - Grippy - wears out too quickly - too soft
Bridgestone BT092 – SOFT ! so much so you get the rubber graining on the outer edges (eat that sport riders) surprisingly good in wet conditional - heats up well and retains it
Macadam 50 - allround good tyre – never available in the right size ! no matching front - use once but with T66 up front - rear felt OK , front naff

Others used

T66 - No didn’t like them – stepped wear on front , rear squared off

Continental - Enduro pro , or escape – cheap but OK - still had the step wear on the front – acceptable at the price - My Winter tyre

Trailwing – stepped wear on front , let go too much , twitchy in wet , costly for what you get

Tourance - Never been able to get a matching set either a rear , month later a front ,pricey too much hassle .Still had that sliding feeling when cranked well over ( tread blocks moving )

I'd rather have grip rather than question mark over grip levels or my botty on the deck

Northy

[rossco]

Might be a new addition to that list coming up, allegedly ( Bike Magazine) bridgestone are making a new big traily tyre called a battled wing. Looks similar to the tourance in tread pattern.

Only available now in a 110/80 R19 (BW501) and 150/70 R17 (BW502) maybe they will make a 21" one.

Would be nice to have a tourance alternative.

Rossco

[rossco]

For some fun here is the autmatically translated (by babelfish) german description of the tyre

On the Intermot 2004 Bridgestone presented the new Battlewing BW501/502 for large volume Reiseenduros. With a high negative profile portion, a new rubber mixture and diagonal basis grooves Bridgestone does not aim to a trip at drivers, who move their gs mainly on bitumen, into light area however is averse. The BattleWing will replace the Trailwing TW101/152G.


Doesnt make any sense but worth a laugh piccy of the tyre here

http://makeashorterlink.com/?G14821E6A

[robelst]

Avon Distanzia missing here: Pretty good, neutral, safe feel in the wet. They wear quickly unfortunately (not much "distanzia" in them )

[Lord Stig]

Good idea! Avon fitments can be found at http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/us/en/Fitments.asp.

I'm happy with my Tourances for what I do. n.b., I somehow managed to do slightly over 10,000 miles on my last rear Bridgstone TW152. Best I've done on one of those yet.

Stig

[samih]

Michelin T-63 for mild off-roading. I have a 90/90-21 at front now for the past 6000 miles and it's fine on dry/wet tarmac as well.

Steering is getting very heavy on low speeds now and and the tyre is very noisy on tarmac. The noise levels started to go up within 100 miles of installation.

Knobblies: I have heard people who do lots of dirt tracks swear on Maxxis tyres. They are cheap but handling characteristics are (erm) interesting on wet tarmac.

[Muckybill]

My favorites were Michelin T66x.
Don't like Tourance move around to much and had a few moments in the wet.
Deathwings aaargh!!
Anakees were canny with a neutral feel.
Distanzais are good loads of grip in the dry and no moments in the wet but only 6000mls out of rear.
Can't decide whether to go for Anakees or Distanzias next. I think the sign of a good tyre is when you Don't notice it.