TKC 80's

Put this in the Latin American section, anyone here can help, chime in etc.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/29/393/5384/ITEM/Metzeler-MCE-Karoo-2-Front-Tire.aspx

Never had one, looks ok for our compromise??

Side wall strength? want something semi knobbly but no too knobbly for the road and a little longer life.

I had this combo (TKC front and 908 rear) and it truly sucks in the following situations:
1) fast curvy roads trying to keep up with even a V-Strom (which was my previous bike)
2) Cold wet roads (the 908 spins up constantly)
3) tar strips make these non-radial tires skip when leaned over

Went back to OEM V-rated Pirelli and it handles waay better on the street.

I think they may work better as a pair on the street. I had liked them as a pair on my prior bike. But with a 908 rear (and TKC front) it pretty much sucks at an aggressive road pace.

Need a recommendation from the adventure rider community on more aggressive tires for a KTM 990SMT. Stock tires are a 120x17 front and a 180x17 rear; not sure of the height ratio number. Odd size tires but want to use this bike for a trip to Invuk, YT.

I'm in the same boat, with my Aprilia Dorsoduro 750. There are very few off road oriented tires in those sizes.

I currently run the Pirelli Scorpion Trails, and they are the best street tires I have ever felt (not too much street experience, though). They are fairly tough, and have deep treads compared to other street oriented dual sport tires. They are only marginally better on gravel, though.

I am thinking of switching to the TKC80 for my next set, because I am converting the bike to a mini-adventure bike. I hate to lose the great handling characteristics the bike currently has, but knobbie selection is few and far between in 180 size.

Which Scorpions are you talking about, the Rally or the Trail? I don't think the TKC80 is the tire for me if they don't do any better off road than a Scorpion Trail.

I've done it a couple times on this bike with different combos but if you can get a Heidenau K60 rear and TKC80 for the front you'll be just fine. It's the best comprimise IMO between traction and life.

Pirelli used to make a dual sport tire called a MT60 Corsa RS in a 120/70 17. I used them on a supermoto. Last about 4k miles. The rear DOT knob you could consider installing on your front rim would be 120/90/17. It is the same width as your front but taller. Maybe too tall.

The Buell Ulysses used Dunlop D616 tires and it had your same wheel sizes. They really aren't true dirt tires but if mostly dry they should work well enough on the Dempster. Another street tire with bigger grooves is the Pirelli Scorpion Sync, which comes on the Ducati MultiStrada.

You really need a 19 or 21 inch front wheel to get proper dual sport tires where you need it most.

+1 it's simply the best 50/50 tire you can get. Period. Once you get used to it you can lean till your pegs scrape provided you have set the right tire pressure. It does well off roads as long as it is not wet and/or muddy. I think the fron tire is the best semi-enduro tire ever. Its negative points are: expensive, weird on wet pavement and the rear does not last much longer than 3500km's.

+1 My last one on my 950 lasted 8 days/3500km. The one before that I treated nicely and got about 5500km's.

I had a Mefo on the back and it didn't inspire confidence in the twisties. Went back to the TKC. On dry pavement, the TKC does surprisingly well. Wet, it sucks, like any other knobby. And we all know the wear sucks.

I'm tubeless now and can air down more for better off-road traction.

Some guys turn the front wheel around when it starts to scallop, to extend the lifecycle.

My setup is the same, including the pegs and I too have drug pavement, although not often. I ain't always Qwik!

Also, just this weekend, I got the rear end loose a couple of times when turning; a little too liberal application of throttle and slightly damp roads were the problem. Generally, the Mefo feels squirrelly to me all the time; I keep the psi up in the mid to high thirties range for fear of pinch flats. When I first got my bike, I had four or five flats in just a couple of months. I finally learned my lesson and keep the psi up and run ultra heavy duty tubes.

The Multi now comes with the Scorpion Trail. I think it was Buel that was using the Sync on some models.

Hey Too Tall - You need to start another thread in a forum that has people who know what you ride! These people recommend tires not available in a 17 inch front wheel. Ha Ha Ha... Really; this is the wrong place. There is little knowledge here at all.

What tires aren't available in a 17" front? These ones are:

TKC-80
ContiTrail Attack
Pirelli Scorpion Trail
Avon Distanzia (Front only, widest rear is the 160)

I have had all four. I am amazed at how smooth the Distanzia and the TKC are on the road (fronts). The Trail Attack and the Scorpion almost feel like street bike tires. I haven't had much like with the scorps, I found they puncture easily on rocky roads. I just got the Trail Attacks, so no idea yet. I would probably consider the pair on an SMT for a long trip though. Or the TKCs if it was mainly dirt. No complaints there.

Most of my miles on the Multi was with a Distanzia front and Pilot Road (sport touring) rears. Fine, but aren't going anywhere if you encounter mud.

Thanks for all the adventure tire suggestions for our KTM SMT. It's the wife's bike and she needs a confidence inspiring tire for the Dempster, etc., especially if it rains. Til then, I'm getting her all the off-road experience I can on a DR650.

She's ridden to Alaska once and did fine on her Versys with a Distanza front and Tourance rear, both 17"ers. Plan to start with street tires and switch in Fairbanks or Anchorage.

A TKC will be wasted before you hit the Dempster.

Absolutely. If you want to have fun on pavement/tarmac then you definitely finish the rear in less than 4000km's. Some very good boyz get it to survive over 6000km's although I cant imagine how this works, Maybe it also has a lot to do with the grip. In the Italian Alps with its (mainly) super grippy roads you burn the rear tire in no time. As you say after a week its worn out.

Alternatively you could use a K60 rear tire but it has less grip and is somewhat behind the TKC offroads. I admit I never mix tires.

I cannot find TKC Twinduro TKC 80's in a 120/70/17. That would be an ideal tire for the Dempster on that bike if you can get one, but google showed me only 17 rears, 18 rears, 19 fronts and 21 fronts...at least in the USA.

The Scorpion Trail is a street oriented tire not unlike the Dunlops mentioned earlier. The Dempster gets muddy. Even on dry days you get 200 yard lengths of mud.

That TKC 80 in a 120/70/17 would do the job, though.

Edit, this link says conti introduced the 120/70/17 this summer due to demand for the Duc MTS
http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2012/continental-expands-tkc-80-twinduro-sizes

That'll do!

Not the front. The rear would have to be changed by Dawson.

I figured that went without saying.