Hi All, I have a 2012 BMW GSA, with stock tires. I want better bite for off road adventuring but I don't want to lose my ability to be agressive in the twisties. What do you guys think of Heidenau Tires. Thanks!
K60? On twisty roads? We can live with them....or we detest them. Take your pick. But most all of us think they last a long time and the rear gives better than decent dirt grip. Search around. You'll find a couple threads here on gspot. Short version.....it's all a compromise and dependent on how you use a tire. K76 rear had no real advantage anywhere over Anakee2's or Tourances.
I had my dealer put the K60's on my 2012 GSA. I now have 8k miles and they are still going strong. I ride hard in the twisties and I would put the K60's up against any tire on the market. I also ride 50% off road and I have no complaint at all. The TKC's will always be a better choice for off road in all conditions but for all around performance I don't thing you will find too many guys who don't like the K60's.
I love Heidnau tires for their great performance on wet dirt roads and much superior performance in the dirt in general. They last a long time on paved roads too. as long or longer than most dual purpose gs tires....ie hard long lasting rubber! I have a real hard time in saying they are "great" in the twisties too! The only measure of a tires performance is at the limits of it's traction! these Heidenaus have a much more knobby /open tread vs the normal gs tire. because of this open tread the actual rubber contact patch could easliy be 30% less rubber on the pavement. ie less rubber on the pavement ...less traction! On top of this most would agree that Heidenau long lasting rubber is harder for long milage...but therefore, sill less traction.10% less, 20% less??? summing these together it would seem that the Heidenau 40% or 50% less traction on dry pavement. the means much longer stopping distance under hard braking..aat the edge of abs limits. It also means in the twisties the tire will lose grip and you will low side much sooner than on normal dual sport tires. It also means that traction on wet paved roads will be poorer too when at the limits. If you are riding twisties at 4 or 5 tenths then you are ok, but if some one cranks it up to 8tenths...don't try to follow on Heidenaus.
My experience exactly,vtbob. But better typing. Edit: BTW, I do appreciate that there may be some far better rider than me that can master the K60's limitations in the twisties. But then again, that far better rider might could do that with a car tire, too. Still doesn't make it the best choice for the twisties.
Oh, Hell. Another btw. I am reluctantly mounting a new set of TKC's for this weekend's mostly dirt frolic (see my sig). The Rally Raid I drew this year has some sweet sportbike roads on it but it's mostly dirt roads. Some of which might be moist. (Friday chance of rain.) It kills me to mount a rear that will likely be blowed effin' up after one weekend. But, the TKC is so soft it still sticks on the pavement. Or should I say sticks TO the pavement. As in almost to the "black cheese" Kenda Big Block category. And it has a nice sporty profile, unlike the flat K60. The Tourance or Anakee2 is no help if it gets moist so.......damn. I wish we had another choice. Grrrrr. The TKC front is great on all surfaces (except wet pavement), and I'd mount it with a Heidi rear if I was doing a 5000 mile gravel/dirt/rock only run.
Just have them mounted and don't look back. Great tires for what they are intended for. I've never really understood the twisty argument. I ride very well in the twists with these tires and have had no problem. But, this is a GS bike not a sport or track machine where one routinely lays down in the curves as it should be. Right tools for the right job. These tires fit the bill just fine. Long lasting and ability to allow one to ride just about anyplace at anytime. If you are never going to feel the need to go down a dirt road or trail, stay with the stock tires. If you're never going to see pavement and reside in the dirt and mud, mount some TKC's. Want options and little bit of everything, mount the Heidi's.
The K60's have been good to me. 4,500 miles of dirt/pavement at a 30/70 blend and I would guess they are good for another 3,500. But... Wear your earplugs because they WHINE as compared to Tourances.
Yeah. But some of us like to eff with the "less than stellar" sport-bikers on a tight twisty road where their 200 hp advantage don't help them for shit. It is terrible fun. The route I draw for our Rally is just such a route. Loose dirt, hard rocks, powder caliche, but also some tight, tight one lane paved "not race-track smooth" goat-paths where a long travel GS can be king against a sport-bike in less than expert hands, and some big sweepers where you are dialing up the big pig to some un-impressive top speed numbers with the throttle pinned in 5th. We don't go after the sport-bikes on that last section. But on that little stuff? Yeah. It's on. It's how I like to ride so , for me, the K60 gives up too much twisty road performance but , like I said, I can see other trips where it might be my tire of choice.
Have any of you actually had more slips on the K60 than on, say, the Tourance? I've been using a K60 for a few weeks and felt very comfortable at a very quick pace in the twisties. I have nearly all the little mold release hairs worn from the edges and I'm no slouch... I'm pretty happy with them so far.
I ride the heck out of the TKC's. They are an aggressive pattern but soft so they grip. I drift them just like my Torrance's.....I think I'll try the heidenau's next but I keep coming backs to the good ole TKC's. Often run a Torrance rear and TKC 80 front. Get about 5 to 6 on the rear and 7 out the Front on TKC. With the Torrance on the rear they wear the same mileage
The K60 looked like it'd last a good long while, but it was downright scary when the road got curvy, and it was loud, and it shook the bike. I'm sure it would have been great off-road, but that's the lowest on my priority list. It was a happy day when I took the thing off.
I'm about 3K miles into a set of K-76's and the only complaint I have over the Tourances I've always run is the "howling" from the front at hwy speeds. I think the K-76's might be just slightly better than the Tourances on Forrest Service type roads. I am interested in whether they will outlive the Tourances and that will probably influence what I decide to buy next. I have been averaging around 10-12K front, 6-7K from the rear on Tourances and I'm probably 85% asphalt / 15% dirt/gravel.
My rear didn't. Pretty good tire, though I can't say it is better than an Anakee2 on dirt roads. About equal to a Tourance. Anakee2 is marginally better on the dirt. Still an ice-skate. I just usually buy based on sale price between the Anakee and the Tourance.
Put Heidenau K76's front and rear on a 2002 1150GS and got 10000 on the rear before replacing. The front is still on. I am not super aggressive on pavement, and haven't had a problem. Have used Tourances and Anakees before. The Heidenau's have surpassed them in mileage. No complaints. I will probably replace with a new set of K76's in the spring. I agree that everything is a compromise, and tires are pretty much a personal preference. Try em, if you like em, try em again.
Expensive but, if it were possible to have two sets of rims with different style of tires, that you could switch back and forth, that would be be idea.
Just did a 4300 mile trek like that through NM, UT, AZ, CO, and TX. I put a TKC on the front and Tourance on the rear. Held up great on the road (even in the rain), and was just as good in the dirt. Wayne
I've seen a few people suggest this combo and I guess I don't get it. Shouldn't the rear tire be the one with the big tread blocks for better grip on wet, muddy surfaces? Seriously, I really don't claim to understand so don't take this as a question of your experience. I would very much like to learn from the experiences of others. It just seems counter-intuitive to me. Please educate me. I do mostly pavement but would like to find a combo that allows me to get off road a few times a year without compromising too much of my handling and performance the rest of the time.
