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KTM Big Bike Tire Thread

I like those e09s! Probably be my next front and rear. I’ve used a 140 e09 and it’s half the price and handles the same as a 150. I run tubes so no need for the 150 tubeless.
Any significant difference in life with the 140 vs 150?
 
Nope! Seems to be around 2kish + and it’s done. But damn fun while it lasts. So, WTF !! Is going on with availability of anything anyone?!?!? You guys got a line on tires? Cuz I can’t find shit!
 
KTM big tire bike thread?
image_50382593_1800x1800.jpg
 
I've got about 1500 miles on the front Mitas EO9 and really like it. It works well in the dirt and is spectacular on cold wet roads. I did a 460 mile weekend trip recently which had Temps between 30 and 50. Snow on the road at one point and lots of rain. I found myself riding at regular, dry pavement road pace in the rain with zero worries. The downsides are I doubt it has another 1500 miles left in it and they are suddenly hard to get in oregon. I've got a Motoz DV waiting in the wings but this is a good tire.
 
I mounted up a new Motoz Adventure rear last week. I forgot to write down the starting mileage of the Rallz that just came off so I don't know how many miles I put on it.
4500ish?
 
I've had good luck with the Mitas E-07+ (non-Dakar version). I'm probably 60/40 pavement to dirt ratio and have gotten around 4K out of the rear on the last two sets. Could probably stretch the mileage a little more than that but I'm pretty cautious when it comes to tire replacement. Here's my current rear tire with a little over 3,500 mles.
DSC05445.JPG

DSC05446.JPG
 
I've run several tires on the two big adventure bikes I've had. The 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure ended up wearing TKC80's all the time, Commuting mostly with weekend riding. 200,000 miles when I sold the bike.
I would usually get between 8,000 and 10,000 miles on tires. The front would cup but still have knobs but really cupped so I'd replace the set.
They are my go to tire for all around travel.
I ran the pressure at 42psi rear, 36psi front. I do the same with my 2010 KTM 990 Adventure R.
I don't pack really heavy, though I did travel very heavy back when I had to travel for work. The big work computer plus office clothes added a good bit.

The 990R does around 8,000 or so on the TKC80's but that is likely due to so much desert slab between me and where I am going to ride.

I did this little sheet back with the BMW.

Tire_Cost_01-X2.jpg


My numbers were a bit more pessimistic,

8,000 miles on a rear TKC80, 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure:

Rear_01%208K%20miles-X2.jpg


Front:

Front_01%208K%20miles-X2.jpg


P1010849-X2.jpg


These Scorpions were good road tires. 11,400 miles to showing peeling rubber down the center.

smugshot_7877394-X2.jpg


On the KTM 990R, I got a bit more than 9,000 miles on the Pirelli Scorpion MT90AT tires. I really like them for roads, and they work in deep sand and the mountains of Colorado.

My current TKC80's have around 4,000 miles which is terrible for me, but the bulk of the mileage is from running at high interstate speeds through epic desert heat. it was 116°F in Needles when I went through in September.

Pirelli Scorpion with 9,194 miles:
IMG_3593-X2.jpg


TKC80 with 3,848 miles:

68738930914__EC99E87C-460D-4945-8E6D--XL.jpg


Rear:

68738933224__F38A252E-FFE1-405C-9C00--X2.jpg


I have some Motoz tires to try, but I think I'll opt for a knobby version for the front over the more Scorpion looking tire I have.

979624163__91F78794-A648-4448-A9F9-5924E89E2F9D-X2.jpg


IMG_1247-X2.jpg


But, I may not. I'll maybe mount them upland give them a try out at the dry lake bed and the deep sand out that way.
 
I've run several tires on the two big adventure bikes I've had. The 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure ended up wearing TKC80's all the time, Commuting mostly with weekend riding. 200,000 miles when I sold the bike.
I would usually get between 8,000 and 10,000 miles on tires. The front would cup but still have knobs but really cupped so I'd replace the set.
They are my go to tire for all around travel.
I ran the pressure at 42psi rear, 36psi front. I do the same with my 2010 KTM 990 Adventure R.
I don't pack really heavy, though I did travel very heavy back when I had to travel for work. The big work computer plus office clothes added a good bit.

The 990R does around 8,000 or so on the TKC80's but that is likely due to so much desert slab between me and where I am going to ride.

I did this little sheet back with the BMW.

Tire_Cost_01-X2.jpg


My numbers were a bit more pessimistic,

8,000 miles on a rear TKC80, 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure:

Rear_01%208K%20miles-X2.jpg


Front:

Front_01%208K%20miles-X2.jpg


P1010849-X2.jpg


These Scorpions were good road tires. 11,400 miles to showing peeling rubber down the center.

smugshot_7877394-X2.jpg


On the KTM 990R, I got a bit more than 9,000 miles on the Pirelli Scorpion MT90AT tires. I really like them for roads, and they work in deep sand and the mountains of Colorado.

My current TKC80's have around 4,000 miles which is terrible for me, but the bulk of the mileage is from running at high interstate speeds through epic desert heat. it was 116°F in Needles when I went through in September.

Pirelli Scorpion with 9,194 miles:
IMG_3593-X2.jpg


TKC80 with 3,848 miles:

68738930914__EC99E87C-460D-4945-8E6D--XL.jpg


Rear:

68738933224__F38A252E-FFE1-405C-9C00--X2.jpg


I have some Motoz tires to try, but I think I'll opt for a knobby version for the front over the more Scorpion looking tire I have.

979624163__91F78794-A648-4448-A9F9-5924E89E2F9D-X2.jpg


IMG_1247-X2.jpg


But, I may not. I'll maybe mount them upland give them a try out at the dry lake bed and the deep sand out that way.
What In the actual hell!?!?!? I got 3000 out of a tkc 80 on 04 GSA and that thing was turd. You must be a smooooooth MF'ER
 
In 2019 I was building a bike and single trailer for a winter trip across Siberia to meet some friends who were crossing from the opposite direction. The trip was cancelled by covid and now I won't set foot inside the Russian Federation again - not until there are some major changes. K60s were half worn or slightly more at 20,000km from mostly road use when I gave the bike away.
On previous bikes in deserts I used combinations of Mitas E-09 and C-17 or Mitas E-07 front and rear. The chevron tread pattern wears well and is not a great handicap. Mostly gravel roads. Grip from half worn E-07 or K60 was always much better than a knobby like a TKC80 worn down to the case.

I have an 890R now that I am working on for rides in North Africa.
 
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I used the K 60 in a 150 / 18 rear on my 990 just because it lasted so long. Bought one for my 1290 and it looked half worn out before I even mounted it. Seriously, the one on my 990 with over 5,000 miles had more tread depth then the 170 / ? / 17 does new.
I switched to the Motoz version. It has way more tread depth and I am guessing it will last about 8,000 miles.
I say guessing because most of my trips seem to be in the 5,000 mile range, so I start with a new tire each time.
I think I have three of them laying around now. Too much tread to throw away, not enough tread to leave home on the next trip.
 
The killer of tire tread is heat.
That is IF the alignment, true and balance are correct. Higher pressure results in less deflection, therefore less heat and lower wear per mile.
Around 2% of my 1150 GS Adventure's 200,000 mile life was spent on unpaved roads, tracks and trails. When you have an all consuming job and commute in the neighborhood of 70 miles per day it adds up. I kept the tires at full pressure all the time. Yep even in deep sand, because I knew the sand of the California desert is not the Empty Quarter. It's a mile to a few. Unless you're crazy and trying to big bike the Mojave Trail or Butterfield Stage Route. Not fun in my experience on a loaded big bike.
 
Riding a big bike in the sand is one of the more terrifying things I’ve done on two wheels.
Two different parts of my brain arguing. One saying the answer to the problem can be solved with more throttle.” Really you can do anything you want except turn or slow down“ The other part insisting that it’s time to find a safe place to lay down and take a nap. “ look over there beside that rock”
 
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