Typically, I don't tend to use Dual Sport tyres, unless I am overlanding. However, now that I am in Estonia and there are as many dirt roads as there sealed ones, I'm thinking is having some DS tyres in the garage might be a good idea.

At the moment I have just replaced the TKCs that came with the bike with BT45s, but whilst getting the tyres I was chatting to some bloke and he said that he got really good results in terms of grip in the dirt, mileage and seemingly on tarmac as well from Maxxis M6006 tyres.

According to a local stockist's webpage here they are significantly cheaper than both K60 Heidenau (a value for money favourite for many so far) and the TKC (which now seems to be creeping up the price scale as fame of the GS range widens).

So has anyone ever tried these?

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

I've not used the Maxxis tires yet but wouldn't hesitate. The 6006 looks closer to a 50/50 dual sport, whereas the TKC80 is more a knobby tire. I might be more inclined toward the Maxxis Dual Max or the 6001 tires. More dirt oriented, but probably won't last long on tarmac.

In the US we've just stared getting the Michelin T-63. On sale for $55 usd each. That is quite cheap compared to TKC's. I bought T-63's and noticed they are fairly similar to the TKC in design, tread style and depth ... and are about half the price. I hear they last well, but never used them.

I didn't know Maxxis made so many dual sport tires. I will look out for them. I've got a set of Shinko (formerly Yokohama, Korean made) Dual sport tires, also quite good and cheap.

Hey Mickey ... The T-63 is based on the Dakar winning Michelin Deserts ... same tread pattern on the rear tyre, but not as tough a tyre, and will last 2500 - 3000 miles rather than the 4000-4500 you would get from a Desert. But then again its less than half the price! For that sort of money, its hard to lose.

The T-63 will give you considerably more off-road grip than the TKC80s ... which are about as close to a road tyre as knobblies can get.

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Hi

our experiences...

T 63 in 130/80/18 on Yamaha XT 600 Z Tenere

8000km (3000km tarmac) from Switzerland to Algeria
very good traction even in sand (low pressure), noisy, reasonable cheap


Maxxis 6006 in 130/80/17 on BMW F 650 GS and Honda XRV 650

12000km (90% tarmac) Texas - Mexico - California
traction is OK, noisy, very cheap


Heidenau K 60 in 140/80/17 on Honda XRV 650
22000km (60% tarmac and still profil) Chile and Argentina
very good on ripio, poor on sand and mud, noise is OK, cheap


Conti TKC80 in 150/80/17 on BMW R 1150 GS

6500km (80% tarmac) Marocco
very good on tarmac, ripio is OK, noisy, very expensive

All above mentioned tyres had no flats !
We were heavy loaded, with all camping gear and stuff !

Our travel speed is between 80-100 km/h

In our opinion the K 60 is the best overland, long term, longlasting tyre for
us

Just make sure, you can mount the 140 size (more profil compared to 130)

Have fun

Thomas & Andrea
Miles-to-ride

Thanks for the insight. I've used the TKC's a bit, they seem to last pretty well on single dual sport bikes ridden fairly gently. Not really a performance knobby but they don't have to be. The front is not bad on loose stuff, the rear doesn't corner well but is not bad in deep sand. (in my brief experience with them)

Below pic shows (EDIT) D606 ( I previously said TKC) (left) with about 1000 miles on it (mostly Off road) and sat next the it is a set of NEW T-63's. I thought they looked sort of close. Not really street tires, IMO. Problem I see with both Mefo and Heidenau K 60 is they are more a 50/50 tire. The tread pattern looks a lot like a Bridgestone Trailwing or IRC GP-1 which both flatten out in the middle after 2500 miles on pavement.


Edit: D606 with about 1000 miles, two new Michelin T-63 (130/17 and 90/90- 21)

Once the center gets worn flat from road riding they are not longer much good as a knobby off road. I'm sure both the Mefo and Heidinau will outlast a Trailwing (3000 mile tire) but by how much? And what about off road going with a flattened out center on the tire?

I disagree ... the gap between rows of tread on the TKC is only HALF the gap in the rows of tread on the T63 ... the blocks might be about the same width, but thats about it. My experience is that the effectiveness off-road of the TKCs is NOT like a proper off-road tyre at all. The narrow gaps between the blocks means they handle very similarly to the K60s

If you look at the front wheel tread of a TKC 21 inch tyre (which you dont have there) there is only the smallest gap between the rows of blocks at all .... its a road tyre with deeper grooves.! This is strange as on the 19 inch front TKC (for the big GSes), the gaps are much larger ... but the 21 incher is almost a road tyre disguised as a knobbly.

(21 inch TKC on the left 19 inch TKC on the right)



How much? The guy in the post higher up says he got 22,000 km on his, with 40% off road ... if so I think thats a bit remarkable, and unusual ... but certainly 15,000 - 16,000 km is common (10,000 miles)

You have read the K60 reports on ADV ... most people that try them have ridden on TKCs before. To my memory, all have said the gravel road grip is pretty much the same, only the tyres last much longer. I have ridden quite a fair it of off-road on both and I find the directional tread of the Mefo / Heidenau a lot more stable than the TKCs on gravel roads. I cant see any reason I would buy TKC80s again.

How do they last? Here is a picture of my Mefos in Tajikistan with 9000km (5500 miles) already on them!

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Thanks for the tips!
As it turns out: I screwed up. The photo of the tire on the left is NOT a TKC80 but a D606 (Dunlop) Sorry, my mistake. I have both and forgot to label the pic. Good point on knob spacing, very different now that I really look at it.

Very impressive mileage with the Heidenau tires Now if only someone was selling them in the US. So far I only see Heidenau Scooter tires here.

Mefo's are for sale here but too expensive at about $100 per.

Hi

I made the 22000km with a K 60 twice, but as I mentioned before ... we are slow, not pushing very hard !
I think another reason is, the AT XRV 650 is build for an 130/90/17 and the 140 is much more harder and for a higher weight index.

The guy (John) with the scooter tires in San Diego can order them, of course it will take some time. Unfortunately I don`t have his adress, etc. anymore

You also can write to

verkauf@reifenwerk-heidenau.de

and ask if they have a dealer in Nortamerica

Good Luck
Thomas & Andrea

Miles-to-ride

As ffar as I know, John the scooter guy is the US importer:

Scooter and Motorcycle Tires by Heidenau

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I pretty consistently got 30000km out of the rear Mitas E-07 and 35000km out of the front on my DR650, mostly fully loaded and mostly on tar. This should also be available in Estonia, as it's made in Czech Republic.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

I finally scrolled down far enough on the web page to find the K60.

$75 usd front (90/90-21)
$109 usd Rear (130-17)
For that price, they better last a long time.

How much are they in Germany in Euros? Anyone know?

I don't want to stifle any useful information on the K60: a very good tyre for the overlander, based on price, and performance.

However, personally, I would also welcome some more feedback on the Maxxis. It is considerably cheaper than the K60, and so I'd love to read a bit more about it. Admittedly, the few reviews I have read elsewhere still point to the K60 as a better choice, despite the savings...

So any more thoughts on the K60 or Maxxis?

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Hi

thats what the Maxxis (front) looked like after 12500km on a F 650 GS Dakar

Miles-to-ride==

same on the XRV 650....

Sure, it`cheaper.... but the K 60 (140/80/17 TL) lasted almost double ....

Good Luck
Thomas

It's clear we have different standards about tire wear!
Based on the pic on your blog, I would have changed that worn out front thousands of miles earlier. Riding on that tire is just crazy.

21" tires are available all over Mexico and since you were in N. Mexico, you were near the US, where tires are cheap and plentiful. Why wait that long?

I don't push my front tires that far, too risky, especially on wet roads on an overloaded bike. Glad you made it out alive!

I had the 6006's on my KLX650C for 3 years - love 'em! Decent wear, great in the woods with about 12psi in them. The only bad is that the sidewalls are super stiff - a real bear to put on. Get 'em warm before you try to mount them! Decent on the street, but I had these on a lightweight 650.

I still have a new front that I am going to try on my 950 Adventure with a Heidenau rear - lot's of dirt roads here in New England!

Best,

Dually