How to carry spare tyres?
 

How do people carry their spare tyres? I'm planning on taking a pair of Pirelli MT21's with me on my Africa trip and I'd like some different suggestions of how these large (21 & 18 inch) tyres are carried. I'm planning on having some soft panniers and a hard top box so I'd prefer not to have the tyres in the way. Has anyone created any sort of mini racks especially for them? I was even thinking would it be worthwhile trying to create a light rack so that they are carried either side of the front wheel (which would almost look like the bike had 3 front wheels then!).

Anyone any suggestions/ideas/photos?

Cheers,

Chris

Oh and no jokes about bellies please

To carry them at the front is too much trouble .. you have to allow for max suspension travel .. and max steering angle.

People just put them on the back of the bike. If you need to move some luggage weight forward - use tank panniers and put your heavy stuff in them. Stuff you need to acces while on the trip - day time - should be in the tank bag.

If you're intent on carrying them, I suggest placing them beneath your luggage on the rear, strapped well.

This comes from an idiot who lost two tires off the rear of his bike...somewhere in Mex... :)

Interestingly, thats what I'm trying to figure out as well on my larger CCM.
I've not yet got a satisfactory answer either and I'd be interested to see what you come up with.

Why have you chosen MT21's? They're soft rubber and I'd be surprised if you'd get much distance out of them under African conditions. I wore a rear out last year on a 1500 mile trip to the alps and back.

Hi, im in Africa now and i have tyres strapped on the back. I actually have the 21' front sitting over the rear indicators etc. tied on rather permanant. The rear wont fit over so i just toss that on top or under my swag, depending on the type of morning im having. Dont worry about the type of tyre u use as here youll have to accept what u get or sit on your bum and wait and wait for the one u want.
I usually start looking for a spare to carry as soon as i use up the one im carrying.
take care have a great trip regards Brian B:scooter:

Personally I would try to avoid carrying extra tires, it’s a lot trouble. It’s better to get them shipped when needed if it’s not possibly to buy them locally.

I have used MT21 in Africa and found the mileage to be good:
Rear1: Oslo- Dar Es Salam
Front1: Oslo-Windhoek

Front2: Nairobi-Oslo (+3 months in Oslo)
Rear2. Nairobi-Oslo (+3 months in Oslo)

As usual lots of good advice. Lone Rider- glad to hear I'm not the only one to lose a couple tires along the way! Carrying spares can be a real pain, and shipping them here can be expensive. UPS wanted $967usd to ship 2 tires from the US to Nairobi! I flew from home in the US to Nairobi for $883- in other words, it would have been cheaper to buy my tires a seat!! I would try to keep the front of the bike as light as possible- especially if you'll be off-roading. I suggest carefully lashing the tires on top of your gear (I use a duffel on the back). You might consider carrying only a spare rear tire, go with something more street in front and you'll get alot more life. Conti TKCs look sexy, but I think they are over rated for long distance riding. My favorite tire so far has been the Metzler Tourrance steel-radial. It's a great tire, very capable and it LASTS. Outhere, where are you? I'm in Addis now, waiting for a Sudanese visa...Ride safe everyone. H.

Backofbeyond, when you decide how to take your tyres I'd be interested in hearing. David Lambeth is going to do some work on my bike when he returns from Morocco so I will ask his opinion - but I'm thinking I might ask him to put some sort of light holder for them at the back of the bike now...keeping them out of the way of luggage.

On the Pirelli MT21's, my bike has a set of Pirellis on at the moment but I'd seen that the MT21's were recommended in a few places as one of the best dual sport tyres - including I think the Bradt Overland book (Dave Lambeth) and Chris Scott's AMH. I hadn't looked into it too much but was hoping they would last more than about 5000 miles. I think I will run my current tyres until I'm about to leave then I'm considering putting a pair of Conti TKC 80's on to run down through Europe and then North of Africa (ie Morocco etc) until they run out and I'd replace them with the pair of MT21's I plan on carrying. What experience have others had with both MT21's and TKC 80's in terms of distance before needing to change? Also would I be right in thinking the TKC's are slightly more road-biased in comparison to the MT21's?

Thanks,

Chris

Now got a couple of videos a few mins each on website below, one in snow and one in mud.

Hi Cris, i found the mt21 to outlast the tkc both on tar as on the dirt. That on a heavy bike (ktm950)

I carry'd a spare tyre on the back just like 4x4 car's do, strapped around the number plate and rear light, with the side wall of the tyre to the luggage rack, using soft luggage strapped to the side of the rack. This was very usefull couse the tyre did'nt bother me by any means. For africa i'm planning on strapping a set of extreme lasting allroad tyre's to the back and switch them with the dirt tyre's when it's dry and not to tough. For the road tyre it will be the Mefo ME99 Explorer, seems like it will outlast most bike's :)
For the dirt i'm not sure yet, but probably mt21's.

Perhaps i'l even skip the 2nd set and ride mt21's, if i can find an address in Africa (easters) to get some rubbers.

Hi Chris

I can't remember where I saw it, but there was a picture of a bike with a spare tyre vertical on the bars/forks over the headlamp. I wish I'd saved it as it seemed a good idea. Obviously you'd have to drop the front wheel to get it on/off but it would be secure and aid sensible weight distribution.

Regards, Mick

tyre life
 

Chris
Just to give you some idea of the mileage I've been getting from tyres have a look at the pic I hope is below.
The tyre on the right is an MT21 that did about 2500 miles on my 604 CCM (in UK and Europe).
The one on the left is a Michelin Desert still on the back of my XR600 after a trip to West Africa covering about 6000 miles.
The Desert is a pig to fit, doesn't spread well at low pressure (sidewalls too stiff) and costs twice as much as the MT21, but under African conditions its going to get you a lot further.

Thanks Patrick. Getting a quote on a pair of Deserts now. Would anyone else agree/disagree with the above on Michelin Deserts vs MT21's or Conti TCK 80's?

There must be a thread on tyres somewhere....

...some here:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...and-rain-24451

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-rubber-22200

No straps!
 

Hi Chris

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...tlout/Tyre.jpg

Just by locking Top Box to bike, keeps either 18" rear or 21" front in place, only one tyre at a time!
One problem, I purchaced this tyre in Belize and did not fit until south of Santiago in Chile!
Could not wear it out, changed it after 15,000 miles (Kenda K270).

Alec

Thanks Alec. Was that a Michelin Desert that wouldn't wear out?

Hi Chris,

No, it was a Kenda K270 - 4.50x18 - 6 Ply that I put on in Colorado, and then purchased same as replacement in Belize.
It is a 50/50 tyre but well suited to hard packed trails with a fully loaded bike, not so good on wet tarmac.

Alec.

I burned up a 17" in 2,500 miles of highway use.
:dunno

carrying tires
 

I carry some spare when not sure to find any ( like in some part of africa), I found that shipping tires to some reputable dealer is a much better way to travel , for me me lighter is better and even if tire are not that heavy they are not easy to carry safely on the bike.I sometime built a wood plateform that I put on the luggage rack and use it for the tires after that I just get rid of it.

Usually the front tire lasts at least twice the milage of the rear, so I'd suggest to forget about the front tire and just carry a rear tire - if any at all. Mind you, nowadays you do find tires in most big towns of Africa. Personally I believe that too much luggage causes much more of a risk to damage your tires, so rather try to avoid weight.

In Africa you'll be doing much more dirt roads than in Europe, and on these roads the tires don't wear off as quickly. Travelling at lower speeds than on tarmac the rear tire should last roughly 10,000 k's on a heavy machine, the front tire should last 20,000 k's if it is a good tire like the TKC80. What I learnt in Oz: After about 10,000 k's the people turn the front TKC to turn in the opposite direction. Thus the saw-tooth effect is avoided, meaning that the tire can be used far longer than if running only in one direction.

Hans

Continental TCK80 and others
 

I used Continental TCK80 in Siberia. This tyre is suitable for the heavy job, especially mud, but weares out fairly rapidly. For traveling in Europe and North Africa you don't need these tyres at all; most roads are tarmac. Metzler Tourance tyres will do on these roads, will last long and are also suitable for occasional bad roads as long as there is tarmac. In Brazil I used Pirelli MT60 for the bad roads and the occasional soft surface roads. The MT60 lasts much longer than the TCK80 but less than the Metzler. For Africa south of Morocco I would recommend the MT60, unless you really want to travel were no one has been before (I mean deep into the bush). MT60's are available in Casablanca.

OK..long time since someone write here...
I'm planing very big trip on Bandit 1200, my greatest concern is where to put luggage, a girl and a spare tire. I was think about buying bigger bike like Super Tenere, GS or something but we will really like to make this trip on Bandit
First i was think to take both spare tires but now i think only rear one will be enough i hope.
We plan to go from Croatia trough Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, (E. Timor), Australia
I think but i,m not sure that i can find tires in India, and after Myanmar almost everywhere, right?
Which tires you guys can recommend to me? Currently i use Pirelli Angel GT and i'm not satisfied 100%.
We plan to have side cases from Givi, big bag instead of top case (with two bags and small tent), tank bag and i plan somehow to put oil on sides of tank, i will made some bags for that.
any advice is welcome
thanks

I had an unpluggable gash in my rear Karoo-4 tyre on 2023 R1250 GSA. In Phonm Penh no BMW dealer and no tyre merchant willing to help,. After days of fruitless searching found one workshop specializing in Big Bikes who got me some Shinko E705. Which feel also from the get go for new tyres. Don’t feel like they need to b wears in a bit at all.

The guy told me that the BMW R 1250 GSA is the only bike that uses types of the size I needed and since so few in Cambodia - or passing through- that no-one interested in stocking something to fit them.