Tyres for Alaska running

friar mike · 04-18-2006, 08:47 PM

Ok boys and girls there has been some questing asked about the type's of tyres to run up here in Alaska

I think thay all have there plus's and minus's depend's on the place's you want to go and the type of riding you will be doing and how long thay will last so with that being said let's ask the peanut gallery there like's deslike's and exsperience's

my bike came with Bridgestone trail wing's good traction but way short on life. Lately I have been rinning Michelin Anakee's and have been very happy with them. a good cut between traction and good life and mostly 2up riding

thay made the run to Inuvik with no problem's I think I would have preferred TKC 80s for that job but the Michelin's did good.

I lost my Anakee on a Iron butt run and had to buy a Metzeler Tourance so I will find out how I like those next.

Gusgus · 04-18-2006, 09:49 PM

I have run two sets of tourances and like them, but found the Continental TKC 80's sweet. I have now run 2 sets of the TKC's as well. They make the bike feel much more able and are still great road tires. Yes the mileage suffers when compared to Tourances or Anakees. But I still would rather (when financially capable) use TKC's, for all of my riding.

RDJEff · 04-19-2006, 08:49 AM

Tourances are the best compromise for me! Compromise is what its all about anyway!

akrider · 04-19-2006, 12:31 PM

Dirt or no Dirt?

Percent of time spent on paved roads vs. gravel etc.

The tire discussion depends on your riding style, and the roads you ride on. TKC's if your spending alot of time on dirt, gravel, muck etc. Tourance and Anakee are really 80/20 pavement/dirt. If the boy scout in you says be prepared, than running the TKC's is your best choice. You never know when your going to hit 30 miles of wet road construction even if your only planning to be a pavement rider. Down side-TKC's go away qickly, they are noisy on the highway, they don't grip in the dry or wet like street biased tires and they are more expensive. Boy oh johnny are they nice to have when the road grader has just churned up the next 20 miles of gravel. They are also necessary if you plan to run with the ptero terrorists posse in the gravel up the Dalton. (or ride two up with friar mike-He seems to keep up without them)

Just keep Trail wings out of the discussion, they suck.

I have some Anakees on order. Gonna try them next.

NextRide · 04-19-2006, 12:56 PM

I'm coming from Tennessee in late May. I have a new set of Anakees that I haven't yet mounted for the trip. I have TKC80s on now with a good front and worn rear. I plan on going to Deadhorse and riding the Top of the World, but other than that, I'll be on your "normal" roads. I know I'll need a new rear tire for the trip home, but the front Anakee should make it ok.

Here's the question: Will I be better off buying a new set of Anakees in AK, or shipping a set of TKCs to Whitehorse and making the switch there going and coming?

Sorry for the algebra-class style question.

legion · 04-19-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NextRide

I'm coming from Tennessee in late May. I have a new set of Anakees that I haven't yet mounted for the trip. I have TKC80s on now with a good front and worn rear. I plan on going to Deadhorse and riding the Top of the World, but other than that, I'll be on your "normal" roads. I know I'll need a new rear tire for the trip home, but the front Anakee should make it ok.

Here's the question: Will I be better off buying a new set of Anakees in AK, or shipping a set of TKCs to Whitehorse and making the switch there going and coming?

Sorry for the algebra-class style question.

Math is hard.

So is your question.

Personally, I can't fathom putting a set of Conti's on if I knew I had to rely on them for quite a while. They're like cake... I love the stuff and should have less.

Anakees for a long trip as long as it's dry. I've burned up a couple sets on an 1150GS and loved 'em. If you're a ham fisted rider the Conti's will not last and that's what makes 'em bad for me, trip wise. The last rear Conti I changed out at 1200 miles on my KTM 950... running more than 60% pavement which might've played a role.

Anakee for me were I in your shoes.

gatkinson · 04-19-2006, 05:04 PM

I put a new set of Avon Distanzia on my 1150GS last fall for a 300 mile dirt ride in southern Utah. They performed just as well as the Tourance and Anakee's I've run in the past. I've yet to get a lot of pavement time on them, but they will be the rubbers I run on my way up to AK in June. I've never used the TKC 80's but I' m also considering having a pair waiting for me in Witehorse to swap out for my run up to Inuvik, Denali Highway and back to Whitehorse.

I'll be happy to post on my road experience with these tires once I feel like I've used them a little. My bike handled like crap with the Anakee's on, kept getting squirly in the twisties. Yes I continually checked pressures and tried many different psi's but never found anything that was as comfortable as the Tourance delivered, YMMV. One set of Tourance was mostly 2 up riding and that set got 9500 miles, Yellowstone, Spokane, Phoenix and a few other places with the SO, each different trips. That was the Summer of George.

Can anyone recommend a specific bike shop in Whitehorse that I could have swap out the tires for me?

I don't want to do the work myself and I don't mind paying a little extra to purchase them through the local shop, I just want to make sure they are there when I get there.

AKBMW · 04-20-2006, 03:24 PM

Hey I have been to Spanish forks!! Camped in a cave with BATS flying all around. Good stuff. Dose barb sell anakees?

friar mike · 04-20-2006, 07:47 PM

Yep thats where I got my last ones

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKBMW

Hey I have been to Spanish forks!! Camped in a cave with BATS flying all around. Good stuff. Dose barb sell anakees?

RDJEff · 04-21-2006, 08:48 AM

The problem with most tires (tyres)for me is that once they get worn down a bit, it doesn't take much to punch them with a sharp rock or any old nail or screw laying in the road. I think the Tourances being steel belted helps with this problem. I commute over a 7 mile gravel road every day, so I wear any tire down in a big hurry. I don't think I've ever gotten 5,000 miles on a rear.

BARB · 04-21-2006, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKBMW

Dose barb sell anakees?

Yes, and I have Conti escapes-they are beeyoutiful! and Conti road attacks in GS sizes and TKC 80's and Tourances, and Dunlop 607's and 606's. Sorry, I get a bit carried away when the tire subject comes up. Barb

04-18-2006, 08:47 PM	#1
friar mike ^OP IronButtGruver Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Wasilla Alaska Oddometer: 4,882	Tyres for Alaska running Ok boys and girls there has been some questing asked about the type's of tyres to run up here in Alaska I think thay all have there plus's and minus's depend's on the place's you want to go and the type of riding you will be doing and how long thay will last so with that being said let's ask the peanut gallery there like's deslike's and exsperience's my bike came with Bridgestone trail wing's good traction but way short on life. Lately I have been rinning Michelin Anakee's and have been very happy with them. a good cut between traction and good life and mostly 2up riding thay made the run to Inuvik with no problem's I think I would have preferred TKC 80s for that job but the Michelin's did good. I lost my Anakee on a Iron butt run and had to buy a Metzeler Tourance so I will find out how I like those next. __________________ We,re on a mission from God. "blues brothers" Don't go up there someone's going to die. "Walter" A world without string is chaos Good-Bad-Iam the guy with the gun "evil dead" God's speed Rommel run free my dog

04-18-2006, 09:49 PM	#2
Gusgus Banned Joined: Oct 2004 Location: Su Valley, Alaska Oddometer: 5,308	Gs Tires For Gusgus I have run two sets of tourances and like them, but found the Continental TKC 80's sweet. I have now run 2 sets of the TKC's as well. They make the bike feel much more able and are still great road tires. Yes the mileage suffers when compared to Tourances or Anakees. But I still would rather (when financially capable) use TKC's, for all of my riding.

04-19-2006, 12:31 PM	#4
akrider mild adventurer Joined: Apr 2003 Location: Anchorage, Ak Oddometer: 1,664	opinion Dirt or no Dirt? Percent of time spent on paved roads vs. gravel etc. The tire discussion depends on your riding style, and the roads you ride on. TKC's if your spending alot of time on dirt, gravel, muck etc. Tourance and Anakee are really 80/20 pavement/dirt. If the boy scout in you says be prepared, than running the TKC's is your best choice. You never know when your going to hit 30 miles of wet road construction even if your only planning to be a pavement rider. Down side-TKC's go away qickly, they are noisy on the highway, they don't grip in the dry or wet like street biased tires and they are more expensive. Boy oh johnny are they nice to have when the road grader has just churned up the next 20 miles of gravel. They are also necessary if you plan to run with the ptero terrorists posse in the gravel up the Dalton. (or ride two up with friar mike-He seems to keep up without them) Just keep Trail wings out of the discussion, they suck. I have some Anakees on order. Gonna try them next. __________________ To someone with only a hammer - all problems appear to be nails. Ignoranus-def: someone who is stupid and an asshole.

04-19-2006, 12:56 PM	#5
NextRide Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Middle Tennessee Oddometer: 112	I'm coming from Tennessee in late May. I have a new set of Anakees that I haven't yet mounted for the trip. I have TKC80s on now with a good front and worn rear. I plan on going to Deadhorse and riding the Top of the World, but other than that, I'll be on your "normal" roads. I know I'll need a new rear tire for the trip home, but the front Anakee should make it ok. Here's the question: Will I be better off buying a new set of Anakees in AK, or shipping a set of TKCs to Whitehorse and making the switch there going and coming? Sorry for the algebra-class style question. __________________ 1997 BMW F650ST sold, 2002 BMW R1150R sold, 1999 H-D FXDX sold 1997 BMW F650GS sold, 2004 Suzuki DL1000 sold, 2005 H-D XL883 sold 2004 BMW R1150GS

04-19-2006, 05:04 PM	#7
gatkinson nOOb for GS dirt riding Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Spanish Fork, UT Oddometer: 87	Avon Distanzia...? I put a new set of Avon Distanzia on my 1150GS last fall for a 300 mile dirt ride in southern Utah. They performed just as well as the Tourance and Anakee's I've run in the past. I've yet to get a lot of pavement time on them, but they will be the rubbers I run on my way up to AK in June. I've never used the TKC 80's but I' m also considering having a pair waiting for me in Witehorse to swap out for my run up to Inuvik, Denali Highway and back to Whitehorse. I'll be happy to post on my road experience with these tires once I feel like I've used them a little. My bike handled like crap with the Anakee's on, kept getting squirly in the twisties. Yes I continually checked pressures and tried many different psi's but never found anything that was as comfortable as the Tourance delivered, YMMV. One set of Tourance was mostly 2 up riding and that set got 9500 miles, Yellowstone, Spokane, Phoenix and a few other places with the SO, each different trips. That was the Summer of George. Can anyone recommend a specific bike shop in Whitehorse that I could have swap out the tires for me? I don't want to do the work myself and I don't mind paying a little extra to purchase them through the local shop, I just want to make sure they are there when I get there. __________________ Gary '01 1150GS

04-19-2006, 08:49 AM	#3
RDJEff Stromn Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Oddometer: 985	Tourances are the best compromise for me! Compromise is what its all about anyway!

04-20-2006, 03:24 PM	#8
AKBMW Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2005 Oddometer: 713	Hey I have been to Spanish forks!! Camped in a cave with BATS flying all around. Good stuff. Dose barb sell anakees? __________________ 05 1200GS SOLD :( 09 R1200 ADV :) 2013 Prudhoe to Key West T2T (tip2tail)

04-21-2006, 08:48 AM	#10
RDJEff Stromn Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Oddometer: 985	The problem with most tires (tyres)for me is that once they get worn down a bit, it doesn't take much to punch them with a sharp rock or any old nail or screw laying in the road. I think the Tourances being steel belted helps with this problem. I commute over a 7 mile gravel road every day, so I wear any tire down in a big hurry. I don't think I've ever gotten 5,000 miles on a rear.

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