I ride year-round on pavement, and year round off pavement, but I don't want to swap my tires between commuting and my weekend ride. I have been avoiding the K60 because of it's poor performance on wet pavement; that's like 1/3 of my riding. I'm on the Anakee III tires now, and am happy with them on road. Any suggestion for similar road performance but improved off road performance?
@@ToolinAround I know your comment is one year old, but anyway, it is something whole normal world is using. Try it. m to km, m to cm, or mm. It's simple. Just move comma.
@@CommieHunter7 Don't believe everything you read! The set of K60 Scout's on my DL650 V Strom do very well in the wet. That center strip "issue" is way overblown.
@@andyostertag Hi! And may I ask what is the type of riding you do? 50/50 as the tire intended or something else? And what kind of bike do you ride? I suppose it is better meant for advs or small advs but what does that even mean hehe? I ride a drz 400s btw. Thanks in advance!
@@pirmaiscalispagalma1479 70% dirt/hard pack/fire road. 30% hwy on the xr650l. Thinking of selling bike in spring to minimalize leaving me with a solitary 2017 cb500x which will have similar tire replacements when ready. For the easy off roading I do, the 500x meets my needs. Actually better on loose gravel as it is 100lbs heavier than the xr with a bit wider tires. Turning the page
Special Thanks to our Host for Excellent, succinct reviews! - So, I have run so many different dual sport tires over the years and have pretty much always felt that spending the money on the best Dual Sport tires was analogous to extending my own life! Recently, I tried the Shinko 700 (shown by our host) both 21" and largest 18" on my highly modified XR650L w/full soft luggage & geared to it's tallest (low compression 675cc, stage 1 cam, Fox bomber/Q4, jetting, airbox, CRF450 front forks, Shock & forks professionally revalved for fast riding, big tank and so on). Running air pressure 27ib (front) 25lb (rear) worked stunningly well both on highway (plenty of controlled drift warning) and offroad in demanding terrain of all kinds save that of heavy mud (which I haven't ridden in here in Southern Oregon)... Lowering the pressure a bit more to 21lbs (front), 18lbs (rear) improved off road stability markedly... On the downside, though not by much, I have noted that on cold mornings, the Shinko's needed time to warm up before they ramped up to their normal, excellent road adhesion (excellent for what amounts to a 60 - 70% or better offroad tire anyway). Additionally, when the rear gets down to 30% remaining tread or less, expect a squirrely ride offroad especially on the shorter wheelbase XR650L... I find I'm replacing Shinko rear 3 to 1 over the front depending on rides (rear, every 2k miles, front 6k miles) but at around $110 for BOTH front and rear on sale at places like BikeBandit, it's hard to go wrong with this nearly perfect tire set for smaller Dual Sport / Adventure bikes such as my modded XR650L... Might also note that I used the heaviest duty tubes I could find with these tires and I am 6' 1" at 230lbs for anyone wondering...
Rode a few hundred kilometers on a flat rear Scout on my R1150gs, two up with full kit. It was my first time loaded as such, so assumed the slight softness in the corners was due to that fact. Aside from it's wide ranging capacity, as mentioned in the video, this became another reason to have it as my go-to tire.
Haha I had the same reaction a little bit. "he seems arrogant" haha but now that I've watched more of the videos, and particularly the bike reviews I'm super impressed with his knowledge and video panache'. :)
I put a set of K60's on my 07 VStrom DL1K at the start of last season, I love these tires ! I've had Bridgestone Trail wings(factory OEM) Pirrelli Scorpions(awesome 100% road tire) and due to a puncture, a metzler Tourance rear(also early end due to a puncture). 16000 Kms on original Bridgestones, 14000 Kms on the Pirrelli on the rear 24000 on the front, 10000 Kms on the metzler rear and so far 7500 on the set of K60's, they still look and perform like brand new ! The K60's blow them all out of the water both on road and off !
@@FortNine I'm going with the shinko 700, so far all of the reviewers I've seen claim 5 to 7 thousand miles, I'll test the capabilities in a month we have a trip planned going through the ozark trails, after that it will be used for commuting, fingers crossed it'll hold up.
Very good review. Well done, sir. I installed Shinkos on my NC750X after the OEM tires were dead by 7000km. I stuck with Honda's brief and installed 009 Ravens sport touring tires. Even though they are 100% street, they can still handle the occasional dirt road. That reflects my riding needs. On the NC, turn-in is a little more abrupt with these and overall the steering is somewhat heavier, but the differences are not radical. If online reviews are to be believed, I can expect a long life from them,. They seem like a well-made, quality product which makes the gentle price that much sweeter.
I thought the Heidenau K60 Scout was the best dualsport/adventure tyre on the market that is until I tried the Motoz Tractionator GPS. Absolutely brilliant tyre onthe pavement or inthe dirt, wet or dry. And they last forever on my F800GSA. I won't use anything else now.
Thanks, that is it ! You got me convinced, I am replacing both front and rear with Heidenau Scout, that is what I have now, so clearly based on my ride pattern and your explanations I already have the best for my 1200GS.
A friend of mine cut some shallow sipping, about 4-5mm deep and about 5mm wide, into his 150/70-17 K60 scout along that centre line of chevrons, at each narrow section. He said it handles the wet a lot better now. Something for Heidenau to think about! I'll also note that Shinko makes the 804/805 series now, they are the low-cost version of the TKC80.
+Adam W Interesting! I would LOVE to see Heidenau throw some siping onto the K60s next year. Not sure I'm brave enough to take an X-acto to my tires in the meantime haha. ~RyanF9
+FortNine He bought a special siping tool off Amazon to do it, it's called the Ideal Tire Gripper. I've also heard some tire shops will do it for you. www.idealtiregroover.com/
Tyres ... Always a personal choice ... But, I have to say, I'm in love with the Heidenau K60 Scout on my Triumph Explorer 1200! I've had the Michelin Anakee 3, Pilot Road 4, Dunlop Road Smart 3, Heidenau K76, Metzeler Tourance Exp and the Heidenau K60 Scout ... The last one was the best tyre overall - for me. And, they're quite cheap too ^^.
I had Shinko's on my 09' GSA. Enjoyed them until the big blocks started to DELAMINATE! Yup, I read some people had that problem,but took a chance anyway.I no longer take that chance. I went to Heidenau K60 Scout and loved them and had no problems.
You haven't spoke about the legendary Continental TKC 70, for sure the best one on the market. I have tried the following tires on my R1200GS: 1. Karoo 3 2. Anakee 3 3. K60 4. TKC 70 I found the Karoo 3 are the noisiest tires i have ever ridden on, very nice off-road, very surprising. On the road, not a good idea. without the traction control i would probably crash my bike. on the wet? the Karoo 3 are ok but felt sometimes unexpected, one good point - the best looking dual-sport tires on the market. Anakee 3 were absolutely amazing on the road, as well on the wet, maybe the best tires i have tried on the wet. I would not recommend to use them off-road at all, at the top, unpaved roads but that's it. I have done 10,000 miles on the K60, I hated them from the first moment. the strangest thing was that the bike was less comfortable, on the road it was really a nightmare, the profile is so bad that after 3,000 miles they were bloody flat, I started to ask myself if I have ever turned left or right :) The K60 are very noisy as well, not as much as the Karoo 3 but it was very annoying. On the wet? OMG, I'm glad I'm still alive, it felt like two plastic rubbers covering my wheels. Off road? the K60 were ok but not more than that. I would expect tires that are so bad on the road and on the wet to be amazing off-road but not in this case. Karoo 3 are way better than the K60 off-road. TKC 70 - best all-around tires on the market, no doubt a about it. How good on the road? It reminds me Supermoto behavior sometimes, I swear. the engine guards met too many times the asphalt with the TKC 70 installed, in a good way :) Supersport bike riders asked me many times "how the hell have you just passed me by on that corner"? Off-road? very surprising, I was riding earlier this year on the the beach sand and i was completely shocked! very very surprising. On the wet as well, very easy to trust on. taking corners feels like the road in dry. The TKC 70 are also very quiet, the only thing I can hear when I'm riding is the wind and the Akrapovic exhaust :) I have done with the TKC 70 12,500 miles already and it still in good condition, I can do 1,500 more easily. Another thing, the tic 70 are very stable on high speeds, on 140 Mph I felt very safe. being on more than 100 Mph with the Karoo 3 or the K60 is a terrifying mission. the Anakee 3 are also very good on high speeds. No doubt I found my favorite tires. I hope I helped you guys! Gad Peleg, Israel.
I always find it difficult to choose the right tires, My main road bike Is the HondaST1300, my dual sport a Kawasaki KLR 650 love both these bikes! Thank you for the information on tires, truly helpful!! Enjoy all your videos!!!
Mitas e07 are tire to go! They are a little bit noisy, but not anoying. Work great on pavement an I still can´t believe some of the muddy steep hills I've climbed with my Honda NX400 Falcon. They really work great for intermediate offroad! I haven't noticed any loss of wet pavement performance when comparing to more street oriented tires (I didn't shoose the k60 Scout because of it's poor wet performance). I Have 6K miles on them of mixed riding (60 on 40 of road) and they look new. Cannot recomend them more!
I was a little worried when you didn't start with the K60s but then you saved it! The K60s are nothing short of amazing. I and all my friends use them exclusively. I live in Vancouver and ride a big heavy Varadaro 1000 and these tires last under weight and power. Great video! Subbed
This is the best review I've seen so far, I guess I'll be getting the Scout K60. You can't beat advice from an experienced user, but adding to the mix someone who is good at explaining things, now there's a winner!! Keep up the good work, and DO NOT and I mean DO NOT let manufacturers sway your opinion with $$$ and a wink
+MidnightSun ADV I just bought a set, haven't put many miles on them yet or taken them off road. But why do you regret getting them, what kind of riding do you do, and what would you have rather gotten?
Excellent comparison video! Well done. K60 user here. I have been riding a 2006 1200GS since July of last year. I put Shinko 705s on it immediately as it needed tires when I bought it. The price was right, and it is a pretty good road tire...great feel in the curves, even with panniers and a passenger. Wore the first rear out in 3000 miles, and got 3500 out of the second (front was at 50% after both rears). I did not ride it off-road (no real previous off-road experience in 40 years of riding) until earlier this year. When it came time to replace the Shinkos, I researched options and selected the K60, mainly for the expected longevity but also for a bit more confidence as I learned to cope with off-road challenges. I was not disappointed with the off road abilities (keeping in mind my lack of experience and limited exposure), and they have inspired confidence in those conditions. I live in Southern California so have not tested their wet road capability (I habitually slow waaaaay down when its damp out anyway). The one let down is mileage...replacing my rear this week at 5700 miles and it is at the wear bars and squared off like a car tire. I'm replacing it with another Scout (the front is still around 75%) because of the dirt, and will try to alter my riding style a bit to extend the miles.
Trackmaster rear, Pirelli Mt front for life. I replace my rear tire every 800 miles and I ride 50/50. One bad crash in mud convinced me to spend the money to just buy tires that work in the worst conditions I ride in regardless of how often I need to replace them.
My new to me 19' vstrom xt adv came with the battlewings and they do great on road with deep leans and on gravel roads full of ruts and potholes down or up hill.
it's really awesome to see riders from Canada. i've been watching all the big motovloggers but none of them show canadian places, products, ETC. definitely subscribing, keep the great videos coming!
Found this clip very usefull. have the Heidies K60 Scout on 1200 GS, apparently made for South Africa terrain.. very nice ride. Handles like a beast in dirt, BUT STAY AWAY from wet road, unless you know how to drift!! Like riding on soap in wet.. Did 90/10 road though and managing 34000kms!!!! Its crying for change now though.. still looking for another replacement...something more road bias though.. thanks for the review!
For those of us running tubes in adv tires, it would be very helpful to comment on how stiff the sidewalls are as in which ones will be a major PIA to service roadside w/ small hand tools 100 mi from the nearest shop.
Heidenau K60 Scout is great, i got a flat rear tire at 80mph on the highway, it stayed stable and i had no problem rolling to the safe zone on the right. This Scout is really tough.
Good video mate. Every forum I go onto seems to turn into a Mitas e07 vs k60 argument. So I was a bit surprised not to see the Mitas on your list. Perhaps next year...
I was in Nova Scotia and drove down a trail at the end of the road. The trail kept getting steeper. Alas it wasn't a trail but a water run off down to the ocean I had the continentals and with any lesser tyre my bike would still be down there. They wear fast but not as fast as dunlop606 or pirelli mt21's which are even better off road. I had mt21's and they were amazing off road but would hum and speed wobble at 120km/hr you had to drive slower or faster. The importance of choosing the continentials are will you have to pass through some nasty stuff during you journey or at the end. I drive dual sport to go places others can't. I drove across Canada on some Metzlers I can't remember the model but they made my Klr handle great on road and wore slowly, but they were death offroad.
Dude, I'm so glad I clicked on the ad linked to this video! I've been shopping around for new tires for my triumph scrambler and this video has given me a lot to consider. Im second guessing the TKC 80s after what you have shown me. But aside from that Im fully down and subscribed to your channel! Everything about your videos, production, knowledge and personable, its 100%, not to mention Canadian!! Im so stoked to see it all go down starting on May 1st. Plus you have seriously got me thinking of doing a MotoVlog of my own on the west coast and interior of BC. Anyways can't wait to see what comes in the future!!
+Christos Sagiorgis Glad you enjoyed it! You should definitely do that MotoVlog out in BC. I grew up riding in the Okanagan and it's still my favourite place to ride :) ~RyanF9
I know the video is old, but the Heidenau K60 trouble is still there. Bought them for my Yamaha XT660 and the smaller sizes don't have the closed band around the centre. So it has the bublebee sound like the Continental. Will go for the K76 next time. Belgian gravel paths have dropped in my route plannings anyways and in Germany they are mostly closed for motor traffic anyways.
In the last 2.5 years, I have gone through the following tires on my 1190R K60 - Great Highway mileage, light off-road, not fantastic in Mud. MiTas E-07 and E-09 - Great Off Road grips into everything confidently. Not too Bad on the highway but wears pretty quick. Golden Tyres GT723 - Great Off-road, lots better than Mitas imho. Great mileage on the Highway but squiggy on the highways especially on the painted lane markers . Personal Favorite currently GT723. Try it and would look forward to a proper feedback from a decent off-road rider as yourself Ryan. And tires we tested in the South East Asian terrain (Malaysia and Thailand) where clayey and slippery mud are a big thing here.
I have a Husky 701 and like to mix and match tires, with a less aggressive rear and more aggressive front, as the fronts last longer than the rears. My go to setup is a Motoz RallZ on the rear and their Desert HT on the front. My 701 would chew up an IT on the back in no time, but the front lasts decently well. Big thumpers get decent traction on the rear, and on any heavy bike off road that gets ridden briskly we need all the front traction we can get 😆
great video= im luv the tire u luv too.. im slow down alot if i drive in rain ! its rare drive in rain ! so i really like them lasting long time.. and im live dirt road and after a rain/ they scrap it and its all loose.. ugh... street tires hate this.. top speed 15 ..when scraped/35 when hard . tyvm.. im try them
The first time we have had a difference of opinion, I think the K60 is the worst adventure tire I have ever owned. No worries keep up the amazing work.
I have the Heidenau rear on my XR650L but unfortunately they have seen fit to not include the center strip on the smaller width tires like they did for the bigger adventure size tires. If you don't get a 150 size or a 140 on a 17 inch wheel, you won't get that center strip and you won't get that crazy high mileage out of your tire. I've got the 120/90-18 and at 7,733 miles (12,445 km) the center lugs are basically even with the carcass. My riding was mostly street and highway, commuting back and forth to work. There was some time in the dirt where the tire performed amazingly well but that was probably only 500 miles worth at the most. There is no way I could possibly reach 20,000 km on this tire. I could physically fit a 150/70-18 on the rear to get that center strip, but the narrow wheel would cause the tire to peak and likely wear it out much faster while also probably causing handling issues.
The K60 scout in the sizes for the KLR650 doesn't have a continuous tread patch in the center at all (front or rear), instead has alternating lugs crossing over the center (like a Michelin CrossClimate 2, if you're familiar with all-weather car tires). Should probably be better than the others in terms of hydroplane.
When you lifted up the Shinko 700 i got all excited, i'm picking up a bike in the near future and want to put some dual sport shoes on it. The Continental's and Perellis were all that regularly came up and recommended. Then i researched and dug my way upon the Shinko 700s, and had a feeling they might be right for me. Then here i sit and you pull up the very tire, and your review is bang on what i was hoping they were, i got that thrill of when you see someone awesome wearing the same shoes, or riding the same bike, as if it somehow means i get to share in your awesomeness and talent, which of course is absurd, i simply stumbled around like a blind buy in bar and tripped into a busty embrace. This video reassures this blind guy that it is indeed a desirable and good tire and not a... trap.
All great suggestions unless, like me, you have an older BMW F650gs single that has a 100/90-19 front and 130/80-17 rear, needs tubes and you can't find a good option to save your life! The Continentals have the right size and are tube type, but the majority of my riding (70-80%) is on-road.
k60 in the smaller sizes are great ie without the solid center strip. The center strip makes it pretty much worthless off road in anything but perfectly dry dirt roads. In smaller sizes with the strip its a GREAT tire on and off road. Mitas e07 is my new go-to tire (ktm1190R).
Heidenau K60 scout on the rear, Continental TKC80 up front. That is a solid combination, I have a few videos to prove it. Lol. Dirt on, and if you ever make it to Southern California let me know and let's go ride.
I tour an XRL. Pirelli Scorpion, or for cheap Metzeler Karoo 3. Neither have aggressive tread but just enough to get you through trails. Tire mileage is king with touring
Trailside repairability is a critical consideration in choosing a DS tire. Some are nearly impossible, others less so. Yet 5:30 into this video, and not a word about that.
Just picked up a pair of Heidenau K60s for my 2011 Tiger 800XC. I commute daily but plan to do a lot more off roading this coming year. A will ride from Northern CA to Death Valley and then plan to do a bunch of off roading in Death Valley. Should be a pretty good test. I currently run the Michelin Anakee 3s and love them for their on road performance (daily commuting). The idea is to use the Anakee 3s October through February and the K60's in the spring, summer, and early fall.
Für mich ist der Heidenau k60 der beste! super Preis Leistung! Heidenau k80 für die Straße ist auch ein super Reifen auf meiner Ktm duke hat er sich sehr gut gemacht!
I've been using the K60s for years and I agree, they are fantastic, recently took a 10,000Km trip and they look fresh. But my God are they awful in wet pavement, the bike basically went into limp mode every time I tried to accelerate. Add any sort of dirt, grime and or dirt to your pavement and it only gets worse. It's caused me to high side once when it slipped nearly breaking my ankle
I would kindly suggest having text show up on screen for each tire you are talking about = ) it makes it easier for people like me, who have visual memory.
Refreshing take on sellin' shit, Ryan. As for tires, I would consider the Shinko 804/805 Series tires as the best value for a knobbed-type ADV tire. They're dirt cheap (relative), last twice to 3x's as much as a TKC80 and are very easy to mount. Would like to try the Anakee Wilds but I can buy two sets of Shinkos for that price.
+dreamwhileyousleep Yes I've been keen to try a pair of those. They look like a shameless knock off of the TKC80 for much less $$$... brilliant idea on Shinkos part. ~RyanF9
Nice to hear Shinko being praised, well said. I've used 705's on my TDM which is heavy, and my DT230 which is light. Perform far better than the price suggests. Hard to criticize.They are amazing on the DT, all surfaces. And they don't mind being run soft if it gets a bit rough. Cheers, enjoying your vids..
I typically enjoy your videos. But i must take issue with your view on the K60 Scout. First allow me to explain that i am 58, been riding continuously since my early teenage years and are now currently into my 4th year riding around the world 2 up with my wife on a 2016 Honda Africa Twin and have tried many different tyres. So back to the K60 Scout. This tyre is far an away the noisiest tyre that I have used. If that was the only issue then so what. But sadly it isn't. Many, not all will crack, sometimes allarmingly so. Experience has taught me and others that these tyres will deteriate rapidly when hot. Exhibiting the above mentioned cracking. Therfore you cannot air these tyres down, because of the extra heat that, that practice will generate. As mentioned they are notoriously slippery in the wet because of that centre strip of rubber. But this centre strip of rubber also works against you in the rough stuff. You want tread seperation down the centre to give you better grip. The only purpose of that centre stip of rubber is to promote tyre longevity. But it's a negative on wet tarmac and on rough or muddy terrain, so rather pointless. This rear tyre will always wear square. look at a well worn K60 Scout and I guarentee you that it will be square. The only good atribute that this tyre has, is it's longevity. But that comes at a price. I price I will no longer pay. Far and away the best rear tyre i've used on our Africa Twin is the Mitas E-07 or the more recent E0-7+. Just a good, no fuss performer, exhibiting none of the K60's faults and will still last at least 80% of the time of the Hiddenau. A good second choice on the rear is the Shinko 805. The front is a whole different matter. (again the k60 is a poor choice) Typically I'll always fit a Continental TKC80 if it is available. I'm more than well aware that the issue of tyres has a huge number of variables, bike, rider inputs and experience, terain covered and personel bias's. But believe me there are far better choices out there than the K60 Scout. All in all an awfull tyre.
Yep, my experience for the K60 too - slippery as KY jelly on wet roads, they howl like a banshee, and split frequently on rough seal (Romania, The Balkans..). Overrated.
+FortNine 6 hrs of offroading at my local offroad park is enough for me in one day. 1 hr fighting big rocks and dips on black diamond trails is enough for me
Thanks for the tire review on the 502’s I have been wondering what to put on my VFR1200 X. That is what it comes with and I was wondering if I wanted to put something different on.
Was about to order K60s until I saw a vid posted by a rider showing chunks having blown off the rear with only 2000 miles. Revzilla says H would call it wear and tear .. I think I'll reconsider. lol
I am pretty new to the Motorcycle world, I'm looking at a 250 dual sport i'll that I'm going to be purchasing as a first bike in a month or so, And I feel that the shinko would be perfect for what conditions I live in (Desert like area, Coachella Valley, with sandstorms and rain within the seasons, and all of those things". I'm trying to look at videos to construct a budget, as well as making sure I have everything ready to enjoy for the following years, Your videos have helped me a lot and I can't wait for the future content! :D
Yeah, I think the Shinkos would work great for you! Congrats on getting into the motorcycle game ... happy riding and stay tuned for more content :) ~RyanF9
The Shinko 700s are great off-road! They'll go pretty much wherever you want them to. Really thick mud and sand dunes are a bit of an Achilles heel ... but that's the case with almost every 60/40 tire. ~RyanF9
Thanks so much, I took your advice and bought the K60's. I had the Dunlap 606's and they were way too much for my riding, too noisy, too much vibration. The k60's are better in the wet than the 606's so that's not an issue. The k60's are so nice on the pavement and your right they are very good off road. Thank you again.
