Heidenau K60s
 

I wanted more off-road orientated tyres than the Tourances that were OE. I've had TKC80s previously on other bikes, and know that they are cracking tyres.

However, after reading good reports about Heidenau K60s on Adv Riders, I thought it had tro be worth trying a pair - especially at �102 delivered!

Fitted them yesterday, and initial impression is very good, although that's on the basis of only about 20 miles on (dry) roads and a couple of miles offroad.

On the road, when first riding on them after being used to Tourances, they have a similar but not quite as alarming 'Oh my God' sensation to TKCs, as the lean in seems very abrupt after the Tourances. All soon feels perfectly normal, however. Good handling and braking; slight noise, but no worse than TKCs.

Offroad grip seems very good - although the tread on the front filled up when I went through a perpetually wet and claggy area. But the TKCs used to do exactly the same.

So far, I'm impressed. I'll report back if that impression changes when I've got some miles on them, particularly in the wet.

For those who haven't seen them before, here are some photos:

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/x...nTenere001.jpg

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/x...nTenere002.jpg

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/x...nTenere003.jpg

Hi, its just a bit off-topic but - as far as i see - the little tube is full of oil (pic 2, just where the main stand is). There is a little part which is to be exchanged by Yamaha which solves this problem. If it is just a "optical illusion" , please ignore me ;)

Might be a noobie question but are the tyres fitted correctly? As front and rear tread patterns seem opposed to each other.
Mark

It would seem like that but alot of manufacturers say that the front is better like that as its get better grip for a non driven wheel where as for a driving wheel (ie the rear) its better the normal way round ie points facing forward as it pushs dirt stone etc out the ways.

Good eye, but yes they are fitted correctly :)

hi
can i ask where you got them from or a linky?

fozzy17 you can get Heidenau K60s from http://www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk/...-90-90-21.html

I got them from mynetmoto.com

Front: http://www.mynetmoto.com/motorradrei...radreifen.html

Rear: http://www.mynetmoto.com/motorradrei...radreifen.html

These look like the tires called Heidenau cats paws...

I had them on my Tenere (87 model) and thought I would share my feelings.
Firstly I am fairly inexperienced in muddy conditions.
On road in the wet or Dry, they were as to be expected fine. Lots of falling into corners, in the wet and dry on tarmac but found their place and allowed you to find a comfort zone in corners.
I am not saying that they inspired confidence in the wet on roads, but suitable

However they were diabolical off road in the wet. So bad in fact that I changed the direction of the front thinking that they had to perform better, but I was utterly wrong. half an hour later they were the correct way around, and still felt like I was on an ice ring.

On dry dirt the rear spun merrily but you had comprehensive control over the direction, it was awesome. Rooster tails and control
But
On acceleration in the wet the rear spun but not in a consistent manner, it went everywhere and was absolutely out of control.

My conclusion was that they were fine on and off road in the dry.
Ok on road in the wet, but off road in the wet - horrendous. Avoid like the plague.

Interestingly on hard packed irregular rock it was also fairly poor with little grip, and again little spun up control over the direction.

Cheers G

Had these on for about 2.5K miles now, and have to at least partly agree with what photographicsfaris has written.

My perception/opinion on the Heidenaus now, is this:

Tarmac: better than TKC's in the dry, about on a par in the wet.

Off-road, dry (ie gravel, shale): No complaints. Enough grip to inspire confidence to do whatever I want to do. No better than TKC's though.

Off-road, wet (ie mud!): Not as good as I'd hoped. Tread grooves, although deep, are quite narrow and rapidly fill with mud/clay. Slidiness ensues. Not as good as TKC's in this environment.

At 2.5K miles, the rear is about half worn.

Overall opinion is 'not bad performance for a good price', but I'll be putting TKC's on next time.

Had them on for 8000 km, then the back tire was worn. Drove 99% on road, they are ok on dry roads, on large lean angles the side knob bends and you wear the inside of those knobs. On wet roads it becomes pretty scarry on higher lean angles especially when the tire gets worn then grip is lost in an instance. So on dry on/off road value for money on wet: please be carefull use it like you are using full knobbies.

Have these on my Ten and can't say that they impress me much. As others have said they are OK in the dry both on and off road, but off road in mud or on grass they just don't cut it and on road in the wet they do like to spin up.

Am fitting either TKC80's or Army Specials next, not that they will be any different on road in the wet, but off road in the wet I am hoping they prove to be better.

Well hell, at least we tried!:dontknow:

As an update, the rear was a slick after 4000 miles. This was contrary to what many had written on ADV Riders, where some users reported pretty impressive life out of the rear: 12,000 miles, IIRC.

A bit of further research revealed that the 140/80 (that they were using) has a different construction to the 130/80 (that I bought), and lasts a lot longer.

'Some users' always will. I met a chap at a local TRF meet who said he'd done about 12k miles on a set of TKC80's on an 800GS. My conclusion was not that TKC's last for ever, it was that he didn't know how the throttle worked :D

That's impressive, I managed 2500 miles on mine, and it's totally sh99ed. the front has worn in the most perculiar fashion and can't go round corners anymore without a bit of countersterr to get it over, then turning INTO to bend to continue around it, most bizzar.

I recently ordered the Heidenau's, haven't tried them before.
Hope they are just as good as the Michelin siracs, but last longer.
Drove 8600km's and i barely have a mm left.

I have tested them and I will never purchase them again:

Pros:

-Pretty cheap.

Cons:
-Almost impossible to break the bead at the rear, a tyre that has the word "enduro" on it side should be a lot easier to remove, I can not imagine that tyre in the middle of nowhere with a flat, the sidewall is sooo soft that you can bend the full tyre and the bead remains in place.

-The rear gets "squared" really soon at lasted me less the 5000km.
-Useless on muddy or grass surfaces.
-Scary on wet tarmac.

Other:
-Front has a strong V-shape, it gets smoother when worn, you may like it or not.

I will continue the search for the perfect XT660Z tyre -I know it doesn't exist, but the quest continues....-.

So far I have tested:

Tourance: The rear is unpredictable, my guess is that the sidewall is not flexible enough and the tyre "jumps" under heavy side load, specially when cold. Good lasting -8000km- and age well.

Sirac: So far the best I have tried, better than the tourance both on tarmac and offroad, they lasted me 8000km, also they age a litle bit better than the tourance.

Karoo: Honestly I don't know why this tyre exists, being a knobby tyre is almost useless in the mud.

K60: A cheap ****.

Brigdestone ED12 rear, dunlop mx51 front: Great for offroading, rear lasted 1500km. Scary as hell on wet tarmac, the only combo that I have not been able to lean the bike enough on tarmac, "lean enough" means the footpeg on the tarmac.

The next serious offroad trip, -it will be for sure after summer, now it's too hot for offroading- I will fit the noisy MT21, it should be better on tarmac than the above combo, meanwhile I have fitted another set of sirac.

have fun,

j.