Continental TKC 70
 

Any opinions on the Continental TKC 70 ?
(Have tried to search the forum without luck)

I've been riding Michelin T63 the last year, but considering a slightly less knobby tire for my commuting.

I've riddin Heidenau K60 in the past on both a XTZ750 and XT600Z and thought that i would just go with the known until i saw that the TKZ 70 was announced.


I've had TKC80 on the old rides as well but prefer something smoother for my 95:5 (onroad:offroad) but still with close to 50:50 preference between tarmac and gravel roads since its the 5% that makes up for 95% of the fun

The front is available now, but the rear is still not being manufactured.

Shouldn't be long now.

Needed new rubber desperately so gave up waiting. Someone else will have to be guinea pig! ;)

Apparently the rear is due April 16th according to a German motorcycle magazine. Continental UK (Cambrian Tyres) seem little less forthcoming with this information...

Hot from the press......

http://www.conti-bike.co.uk/tkc-70/

My rear can just about hold on that long. Looks like it will be me then!

What tyres have you gone for now, Pleiades?

Changed out my last TKC80, and refitted a part worn Heidenau K60 I had lying about (hated it which is why I took it off early), but sadly that went bald too and I couldn't hold out any longer!

Wanted something a little more road orientated than the TKC80s (which I've been using consistently for the last three years) but still good enough for wee jaunts on gravel/dirt tracks and something that'll get you off a wet camping field without embarrassment. (Not actually that sure the TKC70 would actually be too clever with respect to the last requirement?)

In the end I went back to a trusted old friend - Metzler Enduro 3 Sahara. Always got on well with them going as far back as the 90s. No good in anything sticky or too muddy, but fine elsewhere and very capable on the tar. I've always found them to be more stable than the TKC80 on the road at speed and they don't do the falling over thing either! The only trade off being they are slightly less off-road capable. Wear rate is about the same as the TKC80s for me, about 7K front/3.5K rear.

http://www.tpimotorcycleparts.com/dr...iresbanded.jpg

Look forward to your thoughts on the TKC70... if you ever get your hands on a pair!

My off-road time is limited to my choice of tyre.
Currently, Trail Attack 2 - my second pair.

Sadly, I could not deal with changing a rear tyre every two months! (Yep, around 1,300 miles a month at the moment)

What don't you like about the K60?
The Scouts were going to be the next thing I put on, until I heard of the TKC70

I'm going to be doing 10-15,000 miles in Europe this summer, off-road for a bit in Morocco and Turkey too which is why I need the road wear and the half-knobbly style of the K60.

I LOVE the trail attacks, but it makes the bike look poo!
(And any grass or mud... Forget it!)

In a word (well three) - Lack of feedback!

This is only my opinion, don't take it as gospel! The K60 has a very stiff carcass (just try fitting one) and this, paired with a very hard compound, makes for a tyre that lasts a long time but one which doesn't have any flexibility. You just don't know what the tyres are doing - they feel disconnected from the bike. You'd really notice this going from sticky and supple Trail Attacks to rock hard K60s!

Having said that though, they never caused any drama, they worked, did what was asked and lasted ages (too long in fact!) It is literally just how they "feel" that was my beef with them.

But hey-ho, one man's meat is another man's poison!

I think the TKC70 is probably going to be much more up your street, so to speak, than the K60?

+1 for Sahara Enduro 3,

Although I haven't had these on my Ten yet they are high on the list for a replacement, as I've had them on a TDR 250 & found them to be pretty much as Mr Pleiades says about them. These tyres have been around for a while so there must be something in that.

I think the new TKC 70's will be a good tyre. The tread pattern looks similar to the Metzler tourances and I'd expect similar performance. I'm not a fan of the Sahara 3's, think they're an awful tyre that don't work well in any situation, lethal in the wet, but that's just my opinion, I know others like them.

I've used a set of TKC 80's twice on trips to Morocco; on a Honda Dominater in 2005 and a KTM 640 Adv in 2007. I have to say they performed as well as can be expected both on and off road. Lots of confidence leant over on the tarmac, work well off road and NO punctures! Just a little lacking in feedback on wet roads.