Tire Opinions FAQ

Dunlop 491

• What Chris said. ...Dunlop USA never told the factory in France that they wanted 17 D604 tires this year. Which means that for the time being, the rear tires are basically fabricated out of unobtanium. Michelin has their act together. If you need to ORDER tires that you MUST have, do NOT trust lying SOBs to have the Dunlops in stock. Get the T-66's.; (Flash #412)

• Although I haven't tried them, sounds like the Dunlops (491? something like that) get mileage in the 15-20K range and people seem to be happy with them. my favorite so far has been the Michelin T66, which got me about 12K miles. I ride hard, so I was surprised to read that others have gotten quite a bit less mileage from their t66s. If you're looking for mileage only, the Dunlops are the way to go.  (Mark #403)

• Nobody mentioned Dunlop, 491 Elite's, which have been exceptional tires over the years. Many F650 owners are using these with great results. I know one Iron Butt guy, that is using these on his F650; Barry in Semi Valley, Ca. (member here). I've also got them on my Iron Butt veteran bike(R100). (Randy748)

• Some are using the Dunlop street, 491's with good success. (Randy#748)

• I run Dunlop 491's on my ST. I got 18,000 out of the rear and I'm over 20,000 on the front. The front still looks great. It may last as long as the rear. Wouldn't trade those tires for anything else on that bike. (Jonathan #145)

• If you are only riding street, go with the Dunlop 401 on the front that's good for 25,000 miles and the 491 (MT90-17) on the rear that's good for 15000 miles. (jpd #793)

• I've had a set of Dunlop K491 Elite IIs on my 97 F650ST. The rear tire has over 16K on it and the front tire has even more. They both need replacing, which I will do later this winter, but there's still 500 miles left on them. (Raleigh619)

• The ultimate tires for mileage are the Dunlop Tour Elite 491 in 17 inch for the rear. These tires routinely go 15,000 miles on much heavier bikes than the F650. But it will be in Harley size, not metric. For the front of a regular GS (as opposed to the Dakar) it might be possible to get a 491 to fit it, or you might try a Dunlop 401 0r 402 touring tire. The Metz 880 definitely fits the GS front and will probably do just fine. echo

Dunlop 604

• No one has yet mentioned my Avon Gripster, which suits me quite nicely. Used them on my R100GS with great success and find that it works well on my '99 F650. I ran the Dunlop 604's and don't advise them. Still running the front with my Gripster, but the rear was not to my liking. Got sideways and almost high sided twice on pavement with the D604 and have not experienced that with any other tire. Seemed lacking in grip to me. Got 4,500 miles on the rear, but should have chucked it in earlier due to its slipperiness. Also only got 4,500 miles on the Trailwings and probably won't get any more than that on the Gripster, but it gives me confidence that was never there with the D604. (vfour)

• I just swapped a rear D604 for a Metzler Tourance if that tells you anything. They're OK and the price is good. I left the front on 'cause it still has a lot of tread. I put the Dunlops on (had TKC80's) just before a 5K road trip last summer and have put 2 or 3K miles on since. There's still a little tread left at the center but I had a flat and decided to just get a new tire. None of the street oriented DS tires work very good on anything softer than a dirt road compared to something like the TKC80. The Tourance looks like it has a little larger void between tread blocks at the shoulder of the tire but I'm not planning on heading into any bogs or across sand dunes with it either. (Mike639)

• I got about 4,500 miles out of the rear Dunlop 604. The front is still going at about 7,000. (vfour)

• After 1,500 miles including some twisties and some semi-serious off road, I like them a lot (Dunlop 604).  (Mike #779)

• Good comments on Dunlop D604 tire at http://pages.cthome.net/bmantel/D604.htmm (Gerry #951)

• 34 and 46 psi cold. Checked them at noon... the rear was SIXTY-FIVE psi. I don't wanna quote the miles. But I THINK I got well under 3k off the rear. The front is still fine. I hadda run the rear at 53psi cold to get reasonable rise. That is just WRONG. I tried adding air at one gas station and my tire had more pressure than the compressor would supply. Sheesh. - Nope, waiting six weeks for the tire Dumlop forgot to order was NOT worth it. Shoulda got some T66's. (Flash #412)

• I removed the old TrailWings and installed the new Dunlop D604s yesterday. I went for a highway ride some 50 miles in the rain with the new tires. When I made my first turn to the freeway on-ramp it was as if riding a different bike. Very different feel. My front TrailWing had 16 thousand miles and the rear had 8 thousand. The feeling of the new Dunlop’s reminded me of cutting into the most tender pork tenderloin. Ahhhh. Will in CA

Assorted

• I was just looking for tires on the net and the Dunlops are almost half the price of the T66's and I can't imagine that they are only half as good. It has me thinking twice about the T66's.... (Chris #782)

• I have not tried them myself but a friend had them on his bike. He was not too impressed with them. On road handling was ok. Off road not great and they didn't last very long. He did not buy them again when replacement time came.  (Homeless CO)

• The Incredible Disappearing Tire Trick. Here’s how it works:
  1) Buy a Dunlop K550 for $135 in Caracas - purported to be a 50/50 on/off tire.
  2) Drive it a 70-80 mph in tropical heat for 2,000 miles to Manaus, Brazil.
  3) Observe how at the end of the journey exactly 1.5 mm of tread is left.
  It´s really much easier than it sounds. Ed, the proud owner of a new Michelin Sirac in Manaus

• I threw a Dunflop 591 on my rear wheel a couple of months ago, to go with my half-worn Avon Distanzia front tire. My bike seems to be handling fine and I haven't had a slip-out yet, even on wet pavement. Frankly, I don't see much difference in performance on dirt roads between a 100% street tire and the latest 90% street/10% off-road tires, like the Distanzia or Tourance. They work OK on dry dirt or gravel and don't have any noticeable traction on mud or sand. Richard #230

6006

• The local mechanic, who I have known for a few years really likes the Maxxis tires he's running. They look like a good dual sport, leaning towards the dirt side...I like that. http://www.motorcycletireplanet.com/itemspecs.asp?IID=176 Mail order in the US; $30 front $50 rear. Rad

• I have used them on a 7000km trip up through the centre of Australia across way too much tar (4500km at 130km/hr), rocky dirt and sand (other 2500km at around 60-100km/hr) on my Dakar. I really liked them in the sand, tracking straight and I was almost always where I pointed it. The front was still good for another couple of thousand at the end but the back was shagged from the tar riding. Cheap here in Australia as well. I have also used them on a different ride in mud and found them to have good grip there too. There are going to be better tyres for mud and soft dirt but if you are travelling a bit of tar to get there the more specific-use tyres are really going to wear quickly. I was also surprised at their grip in twisty tar. Jas

• I've run the Maxxis 6006, it is a decent econo 50-50 tire, works well on the on the pavement, much better than OEM racing slicks off-road! MC

• I’ve run the Maxxis on my Africa Twin as well. Great tyres. I reckon about the same Conti TKC80 on the dirt but not quite as good on the tar. The tyres cost about $130 rear and $100 front. [Australia ed.] Greg

• Best 50/50 tire I've run... Still need to try the TKC80's though. Kevin

• At one point I mounted a set of Maxxis knobbies on my f and road manners were bad. Went like stink in the dirt, though. Crazy thing was, the road manners weren't any better, or worse, riding home from an off-road jaunt with 15-18psi in them than they were at road-spec tire pressures. David #476

Karoo

• I preferred the Karoo's over the Conti's due to the tread depth. Although the Karoo's are DOT approved, they appear as aggressive as a full off road knobby. They won't work as well on the street like a dual sport, but I didn't expect them to, nor would I use them there much at all (iceman #975 )

• IMO, with 50/50 or more offroad, the Karoos beat the TKC`s hands down, with just a little less life. In my case, about 500 less ( 3400 mile average with the TKC`s, and 2900 mile average with the Karoos). The off-road and gravel performance difference is enough for me to lose the 500 mile average. On-road, wet and dry, the handling is about equal, that`s on a Dakar and KLR650. (Skip)

MEZ2

• In the US, both the MEZ2 and ME33 tires have been phased-out my Metzeler. They have been replaced by newer street tires that I don't believe anyone has tried on an F650 yet. (Richard #230)

• I now have a Metz Z2 which is great on the street and I'm considering the Tourance for my next tires. (Leo #699)

• When I went to Bob's BMW, they put MEZ 2 on the back and ME33 on the front. I had switched to an 18 front wheel (a trade with another chain-ganger). I am now having the rear tire replaced 10,000 miles later. I do a lot of highway riding, and I was very happy with these tires. They did a great job sticking around fast corners. (Thumpr)

• If you're going to be riding road only, you may want to consider the Metzeler MEZ2, which is the stock tire for the F650ST, and also a very good road tire. (Mason #631)

• Iffen I wuz you, I wouldn't make my decision on tires just yet. I had an ME33 lazer front and an MEZ2 rear on my Classic and HATED the rear tire. The bike isn't heavy enough for this tire. I would imagine that the ME330 front and ME550 rear combo would be PERFECT for an ST. And even if you have an ME33 front with an ME550 rear, THAT would be preferable to the stock set-up, in my opinion. The MEZ2 sucks so much that it actually blows. And blows hard. They might be fine on something porky and slow like a K-bike or an oilhead but the F is just not heavy enough for the MEZ2. I'd withhold judgement on the ME550 until you've put a few miles on it first. Also, an ME33 that's been on your bike for over two years is a worn tire no matter how much tread it has left. Metzelers are great when they are fresh but when they get old, they get stiff and hard (I deleted the obvious joke that should be in this space). But if all you do is highway, it won't matter that much. I wouldn't want to push the laws of physics on an old Metzeler tire. (Shank)

Tourance

• The Metzeler Tourance is a fine tire and will work well with your Bridgestone front. (In the US Metzeler tires are premium priced and are typically much more expensive than Bridgestone, Avon or Dunlop tires. (Richard #230)

• I have Tourances on my '99 F and do quite a bit of riding in the wet (Western WA). I can't compare them with the Michelins, but can say they are better in the wet than the stock Bridgestone Trailwings that came with the bike when new. I like the Tourances. (Bob#550)

• Got 11,000 miles out of the Bridgestone Trailwings that came with my '99 Classic. The front tire could have gone further, but the rubber was developing those teeny cracks, so I changed both at once to Metzler Tourances. I have 14,300 on the bike now, and no visible wear on the tires. The Tourances are superior to the Bridgestones on pavement , with more precise feel and more secure cornering. Better in the wet, too. My sense is that the Bridgestones were better in dirt and gravel, though most of my riding is on pavement. (Bob#550)

• If you do a little gravel road-driving, not only tarmac -- nothing beats Metzeler Tourance. Tourance both front and rear. Front 100/90-19 M/C 57 S, Rear 130/80R17 M/C 65S TL Tourance Steel Radial  (tst)

• I've just bought a new Metzeler Tourance rear tire today. The replaced one lasted for 20.000 Km. Wouldn't recommend any other tire for the bike. (Tst)

• Tourance is a great tyre - excellent tread pattern which is IMHO better than T66, does not block when wears and also tread has good profile onto side wall allowing one to really lay the bike over. Manages fine on dirt (obviously not as good as a knobby) but as with most of these dual sport tyres best on road. OH and importantly the compound is excellent, soft yes but I prefer to stay aboard rather than get extra miles. (Dominic)

• I've had both and Tourance wins this test every time, IMO. V pattern in T66 is lousy in dirt, especially in turns, where I had a slide out problem with them. (Randy #748)

• I find the Tourance the worst tire that I've tried on the f650 on any kind of uneven (in the direction of travel) pavement, like rain grooves and tire track undulations. I've also ridden the stock Bridgestones, t-66, and tkc-80s. even the tkc-80s handle uneven pavement better than the Tourance. If I ever go back to a street tire, I will likely go back to the t-66. for now, I'm happy with the tkc-80s on street and dirt. (mark #403)

• I have had Tourance in rear for about 3 months now and I am very happy with it. A friend has E4 and I got to ride his bike too. Maybe it is the habit now but Tourance feels better on pavement. I commute on my 650 on everyday...(John K)

• I've put 3,000 miles on my Tourances and have nothing but good things to say. They ride well dry/wet and are, as you say, confidence inspiring. My commute includes a steel grate bridge deck & the tires track well when crossing dry, or wet. (Andy #618)

• My F650GS with Tourances has 7,650 on the odometer and the rear looks good for at least 3,000 miles more. It's not flat spotted anywhere due to the twisties I ride to work and only a few drones on the freeway of any length. I'm 220 lbs and usually ride with at least 20 lbs in the bags. (Northwet #1101)

• For street riding the best I've had on my bike is the Metzeler Tourance. Good handling and good mileage. Around 10K miles on a rear and more on the front. (Homeless)

• I loved my Tourances. After some 10 000 km ( 6 200 miles) they must be changed. Strange wear pattern, with a flat spot rear and a front tire worn-out at the sides. (Haakon #626)

• I have been using Metzeler Tourance tires on my F650GS since I got her two years ago. I have been very pleased with the combination of grip and wear from these tires but since I have 7,000 + miles on them its time to order replacements. (davemishalof)

• I am happy with the Tourance-it is probably a 90/10, highway / dirt road tire. (bmwterrien)

• My limited experience (19,000 on my F650) has shown me that Metzeler Tourances work really well in my rainy corner of the world. Much better on wet pavement than the OEM Bridgestone Trailwings! Bob#550

Assorted

• The 550 should work fine for your ST. The ride might be slightly stiffer than the M2, because they are bias-ply tires and not of radial construction. The 550 and 330 apparently have replaced (or are replacing) the ME55A and ME33 tires. The are strictly street tires, of course. Give them a try and let us know what you think. (Richard #230)

• According to the latest Metzeler tire catalog application chart, the F650ST (the pure street version of your bike) uses a 100/90V18 M33 front tire and a 130/80HR17 ME2. These were the stock tires that came on the bike. You can also try the manufacturer web sites for tire application recommendations. (Richard #230)

• Though the T66 is OK I find the Metzeler better in every respect. Even works better on dirt roads.  (Homeless)

• I wanted high mileage tires on my 2001 Dakar and the tires I have used on other BMW bikes - Metzeler's. This brand has served me well in mileage and performance. So, I put Metzler's Lazer 21 on the front and ME 880 on the rear. (Bumblebee #702)

• As there is no ideal tyre for ALL terrain conditions, you have to ask yourself honestly what sort of riding you will be doing most of. I have had 3 different tyres on my '95 and can recommend the Metz Enduro 4 as the best road-biased rubber for the F650. The Michelin T66 is too hard, especially when aged. Good for upright touring in the dry, but dodgy in the wet. If you really want to ride dirt and road enjoyably to the limit of tyre performance, you will want two different bikes or, at the very least, two sets of differently shod wheels! (TomVee)

• I`ve got Metzelers on. A TKV11 on front (classed as sports tyre) and Conti Avenue on rear (classed as sports milage). This is in England and if you`re abroad they may come under different names. These are road tyres and I`ve never surpassed grip levels in the dry. They are very good in wet, and warm quickly. You will easily scrape your pegs on these, just chuck it in the bends no worries. I`ve embarresed many a sports bike rider with these on. They last well also and are cheap too ! Damn well nearly perfect, I probably wouldn`t try any other tyre. (r1speedyrider)

• I have ME33 lazer on the front & ME99A on the back both have to have tubes being a spoked rim. (Dave #365)

• Donna put a Metzler 880 on the rear of her 97 classic in May and has 7000 miles on it and it is not showing hardly any wear at all. I'd bet it will give her 12-15,000 total miles or more, easy. She had 12,400 or so miles on the original rear tire, which was either a Metzler MEZ 1 or 2, I can't remember. On the front of her bike (An ST so it has the 18 inch tire) is the original Metzler ME33Lazer with 19,400 miles on it. It is just now at the tread wear marks and we will replace it real soon. Even tho we have got a lot of wear on the Lazer, we are going to put a 880 on the front. I suspect it will wear just as long. (DaveJ#888)

• If you don't ride in the dirt, street tires are a good option. I ride my F650 to and in San Francisco everyday. I put on METZLER ME550 130/70/17 rear and ME33 Lazer 100/90/19 front.Rode them in the rain last week and was totally satisfied with them.In the twisties they handle way better than the T-66's i took off. (JIMTHEJET)

• Here we go again, and it is all my fault...... I was talking yesterday to the 3 Amigo's that just came back from South America. They were using Metzler 880 road tires. Gary said they are excellent for the 650's. Decent on dirt roads and wear very well. Just thought I 'd share this tidbit from a very very experienced rider. (Steve #1059 in MA)

• Used to run the ME33 on my R100GSPD with good results. But I had pretty good luck with Sahara 3s as well. I could touch the engine guards, which always got my attention. And the normally miserable Sahara 3 tire life was significantly worse with that kind of abuse. Harl #380

• My buddy actually raced with the ME33's last year on a DR with 21" wheel. Freaked out the race director (anything racing with a 21” wheel), but they worked pretty good. Gar #673

• I tried the Metzeler Enduro3 last time around and I got about 7500 miles from them. Chris

• Metzeler Marathon (ME-88) for good stick and high mileage. Flash #412

• I'll be using the ME88 rear and ME880 front for a coast to coast ride and the Utah 1088 this summer. I'll be counting on them for at least 15K miles. I'll get the /90s. My knobbies right now are 90s and my gas mileage actually got a little better compared to the Bridgestone Trailwing 80s – go figure. There is no clearance problem at all and as far as cornering goes I'm not really carving with studded knobbies. chppdlvvr

• I have been using ME88 and ME880 in my K75 for years. Usually front tire has been good for max 20 000km (12 000miles) and rear tire ~12 000km (8 000miles). I have ridden with these tires ~100 000km and have been really satisfied. Grip has been good in wet and dry. K75 is a bit heavier than F650, so you might get a bit more mileage from those tires with F650. Marko 

Anakee

• News is starting to filter out about this new tyre. I found this on a German website:
  Michelin Anakee: The new versatile Enduro tire. Since their beginnings in the 70's Enduro motorcycles experienced a considerable upswing up to its success with the Rallye Paris Dakar in the 80's. Today the new Enduro models lost their pronounced Offroad character to favour of better handling characteristics on the road something, but but at comfort and versatility won. Examples are for this above all models with middle and large capacity from 600 to 1,150 cm³ like the Honda Varadero, Suzuki v-river, triumph tiger and the BMWS R1150 gs, in addition, Honda Transalp and Suzuki Freewind or also the Yamaha XT 660. These Enduro machines of the new generation are in the city, on highway and motorway just as at home as in the light area and have a more or less strongly minted Offroad optics. They are versatile, in each area (bitumen, Offroad) on the way and for completely different employments suitably: Economical vehicles: for example of travels to the job Spare time: Drive on mixing straining partly road partly areas Long-distance: Large vacation routes with partner and luggage Michelin aligned the development particularly with the rubber mixtures, with tire architecture and with the tire tread consistently to these requirements. 100% silikahaltige rubber mixtures. Michelin used for the first time rubber mixtures with strengthening fillers from 100% Silika for a Enduro tire. These mixtures offer the following advantages: Compromise between wear and adhesion, which new yardsticks sets. optimal achievement and security on wet roadway. excellent mileage with constant product properties Also reinforcement over-crossed structure of tire for the optimization of the lateral stiffness and stability under load. A new Enduro profile with all characteristics of a road specialist: For the demand for a versatile use both on bitumen and in the light area Michelin equipped the Anakee with an optimal combination of Enduro and road profile. The direction of travel is against the newest tires of the road of segment ajar, profile block point forward with the rear tires, profile block point to the rear with the front tires, for the optimization of the wear picture. (Dave)

• Basically it is a new tyre from Michelin inherited from the T66, for dual sport bikes with a slant toward road rather than dirt. (Art)

• Michelin replaced the T-66 with the Anakee. Why did they do that? The Michelin site says the Anakee is for bikes from 600cc to 1500cc. We are at the bottom end of that range. I LOVE the T-66 but am not all that thrilled with the life I get. If the Anakee is for BIGGER bikes than ours, then surely I will get MORE miles out of one than I do from a T-66. The tread pattern looks more like a D604 than the T-66. I never really liked the looks of the T-66. But the FEEL is great. If I can get the FEEL of a T-66 on the road with the grip of a D604 offroad and the lifetime of a Bridgerock Turdwing, for $15 LESS than a T66... I'm shittin' in high cotton. (Flash #412)

• Today, 12/31/02, a rear Michelin Anakee arrived at my home. I ordered it from MAW back in September, I think. The delivered price was $121.52, which is about what they sell the tire for NOW that it is on their website. Dunno when I'll get around to mounting it. Might be soon. Dunno. The point is, if you were thinking of trying an Anakee, they ARE available NOW. (Flash #412)

• I went for a ride up the Poudre Canyon on my VERY tired (and quite ready to be retired) D604. A sweet hundred miles, which included about twelve miles of dirt, including bits of mud snow and ice convinced me that I NEEDED to change the rear tire. Ok, so now that it is changed... yesterday I rode to work. It looked pretty icky out and the (dunno) whether (it is gonna rain, snow or be sunny) man said it would warm up. I rode into the gloom. It is about seven miles to work. I went a bit of a long way, 30 miles by the time I got there. The whole time it was getting ickier and ickier. When I pulled into the plant entrance... it was snowing. I had a lunch meeting about twelve miles away. At lunchtime, I went outside to find... blue skies and warm temps. Woo HOOO! Nice ride to lunch. I was early. I did about twenty alternating circles in the vacant parking lot to scrub the new off the Anakee. This tire is at LEAST as good as the T-66 for highway stuff. Granted, I didn't do any canyon carving on it. But as crappy as the street surface was in the morning, and as well as it stuck, I am a happy camper. Handling is neutral. And the LOOK of the tread says that it should be lots better offroad. We shall see.  (Flash #412)

• Its about time for new rubber. The tourances are nearing the end at about 10Kmi. I'm thinking of trying the new Michelin Anakees. My Tourances are 100/90R-19 front and 130/80R17 rear. The Anakees are available in this size with an HB speed rating for the front and a 130/90HR-17 for the rear (80 stock vs. 90 anakee profile). The are also available in two larger sizes with higher speed ratings, wider tread and lower profiles. They are 1) 110/80HR-19 and 140/80HR-17; 2) 110/80VR-19 and 150/70VR-17. The additional cost for the larger/higher speed ratings isn't large. Now to my question: Will either of the larger size sets fit? Anyone tried larger sizes like these in the Anakee or any other tire? (Kevin #1092)

• I can tell you that the profile size (80 VS 90) is no problem at all. I run full knobs (130/90r17) with studs at the ends and have no problems... well, they come pretty close to the pavement when up on the center stand. You do run a risk with the wider tire; IMHO it's better to go with the 130. (chppdlvvr)

• Michelin Anakee report by Ilya ('02 BMW R1150GS/Adv). Courtesy of ADVrider.
  I put on a new set of sneakers last Friday, and I think I'm in love. I put about 150 miles on them on Saturday in mixed weather, and then another 30 on Sunday in pouring rain. I liked the tires overall, so I will try to consciously balance my feedback, to remove the bias. Here are my impressions:
  
  Handling:
  They'r-r-r Gr-r-reat!
  Stable in straight line, nice and smooth cornering transitions. Don't fall into turns as much as TKC80's (actually, I grew accustomed to that edge-of-the-cliff feeling, so at first it appeared that Anakees steered slower, but that went away as I got used to them.)
  
  Dry grip:
  The tires held well over dry sections of the road, whether bumpy or not. I went to check out chicken strips after the Saturday ride, and to my satisfaction could not find any. That alone obviously is not an absolute indication of the amount of available grip, but I wasn't about to go testing traction limits on New England's sandy/wet roads so early in the season.
  
  Performance in the wet:
  Absolutely love them! There are two criteria that I consider when judging a tyre’s performance in the wet: amount of static grip and amount of grip in a slide. The former determines what amount of lean/acceleration that will start the rear sliding, whether intentionally or not. The latter determines your ability to rein in and control the slide. I give the Anakees very high marks on both of those parameters. That is probably due to silica content in the tire compound. The tread also has a decent rubber-to-void ratio, and a good number of nice-looking edges between tread blocks. On the picture of the rear, you can see that there's even more edges coming into play as you lean over. In the picture of the floor, you can see the tread print. The density of edges and the amount of space looks pretty good.
  
  Puddles on pavement/hydroplaning:
  None to speak of. Rode on Sunday in pouring rain. High-speed passes over deep puddles only yielded more confidence in the new sneakers.
  
  Sandy pavement:
  As expected, these tires easily lose to TKC80's in this department. With TKC's the front always felt planted, thanks to numerous sharp edges and relatively small tread blocks. The front Anakee felt like it stepped somewhat when going over sandy patches while leaning. This is obviously normal for any street tire with large tread blocks, but was somewhat disappointing after feeling no slippage on the knobbies.
  
  Muddy pavement:
  I wouldn't have typically put this section in a tire review, except that I had an interesting incident worth mentioning. I was doing a familiar-to-me tight up-hill left-hander at about 50mph, and did not appreciate the fact that there was a new house construction site to the outside of the turn. I did not notice that there was a thin sheet of wet mud streaming down the bank of the turn until I was over it. At about the same time as I noticed the mud, the rear broke traction and started overtaking me on the outside. I was already leaning over the tank (Hey, that's weight on the front wheel fer ye), so I stayed on the throttle the whole time, and the slide continued through the turn and stabilized as the bike straightened at the end. The front tire stayed planted the whole time. The slide was very predictable, smooth, and not at all scary. In my mind, this reflects well on the tread pattern.
  
  Off-pavement:
  Like expected, not as planted as the TKC's, but no one expected them to be. Since I was in the "tire-testing" mode I was occasionally riding off the pavement onto the shoulder, and back onto the pavement, just to get a feeling for the high-speed stability. I came away from that relatively satisfied. It still feels like an adventure bike. I wouldn't go in the mud or sand, but for typical dirt/forest-road and campsite navigation they will do just fine.
  
  Longevity:
  To be determined, but contrary to another report posted here earlier, after the first 100 miles there was not a single injection nipple left on the face of the tread. It's possibly due to the excessive wheel-spin from me enthusiastically testing the traction limits, so I'll reserve my final judgement until I have more miles to base it on.
  
  They are indeed quiet. Although my most recent experience was with TKC80's: the front was badly cupped, in addition, so a freight train would seem quieter, I'm sure. Overall I give them two official tire-rating thumbs up (out of possible two).
  
  "I HAVE NOT HAD TOURANCES ON MY GS". I intended for this report to be not a comparison, but a stand-alone reflection on the tires' performance. The only other tires I had on my GS were Metzeler Enduro4 and Conti TKC80. Anakees are light-years ahead of Enduro4's in terms of handling and wet riding. I will try the Tourance after the Anakees are gone, just to complete the program. But if for some reason Metzeler discontinued them (don't worry, it's just for the sake of argument) I would have been perfectly happy to continue using Anakees when riding on the street.
  
  I got the Anakee's from www.swmototires.com for $99.95/front and $116.95/rear. Total of $216.90 for the pair (free shipping.) I wasn't shopping around, I just knew they were shipping by air, and I wanted new tires SOON. Seems like a decent price anyway.
  
  
  
  Update:
  I think you've lost me as an unbiased information source. I'm hopelessly in love with the Anakees. I had a chance to ride them for ~700 miles in the wet, in the dry, on dirty and clean pavement, on road shoulders, on dirt roads, even on my lawn (okay, so they aren't all that great on wet grass, but what tires besides knobbies are?) and I am ready to recommend them to anyone who is willing to listen.
  
  You should understand that I'm not very nice to tires. When I ride, I usually aim for sand patches and spin the wheel whenever I can. I also try to slip the rear accelerating out of sandy turns and over road snakes. Partially for fun, and partially because I think it is a good thing to be familiar with those manoeuvres in case you get to do one without your intent. So far the Anakees are proving to be very reliable and predictable all-weather tires. I refuse to comment on longevity until I'm close to finishing a set.
  
  I'd say if you are choosing between Tourances and Anakees, go with Anakees, 'cause Tourance is a known and universally-accepted tire, whereas Anakees are still an underdog and need you and I to try them and prove to the world that they are even better. Besides, by choosing Tourances you are locking yourself into them for a good 10K miles.
  
  Here are my tires after ~700 miles. Note the front: round as ever; no scalloping to speak of so far, even after all those stoppies.
  
    Ilya
   

• I just read a thread over on the BMW MOA site under F650 where Motorrad magazine tire test results are posted. In German of course but there is a bit of translation. I'm pretty amazed that the TKC80 was rated best for price/mileage. I'll have to lower my mileage expectations for the Anakee. The Anakee was rated best performer according to the person that did the translation. These tires were tested; Distanzia, Trailwing, Escape, TKC80, Tourance and Anakee. Not thrilled with getting tires from MAW (Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse) again but they seem to be the only ones that have them listed.
  (94623) $99.95 Michelin Anakee 110/80HB19 Front Tire
  (94626) $109.95 Michelin Anakee 140/80HR17 Rear Tire
  Tires Unlimited tell me they have the Anakee, they just don't have it on the web site yet. You'd have to call to order them from these guys. They quoted me $23 for shipping to CA.
  100/90 19 Michelin Anakee front $92.20 (11 lbs.)
  140/80 17 Michelin Anakee rear $112.69 (17 lbs.)
  Brad #1002

• I got my Anakees (140 & 110 radials) mounted yesterday at the Hardley shop and I put ‘em on the bike late last night. This afternoon went about 150 miles. I ran 34psi front and 38 psi rear - I think this is going to be about right on the tarmac at my weight. The first thing I noticed is how quick and nimble steering was and how quite they are compared to my old tires, but remember that I was running 10,000+ mile old Tourances and the rear tire was more square than round. After I got 50+ miles on ‘em I was into the twisties and I must say that my Tourances hadn't been able to hold like these Anakees in the corners for several thousand miles – if ever. They inspired my confidence enough for the pegs to find the road – something I haven't done in a long time. I am very pleased. One thing I did notice – at lower speeds I could feel the tread block pattern through the handlebars – nothing big, just barely noticeable. I don't remember the Tourances ever doing that. After I get ‘em broken in it might/probably will go away. The Tourances were much louder than the Anakees but a little smoother. I think the Tourance noise was lower pitched and more noticeable, and the Anakees is significantly higher pitched and less noticeable. I didn't get off road or run into rain, so nothing to report there. So far I like the Anakees better than the Tourances. Kevin #1092

• Terrific grip, half decent on dry off-road surfaces, unbelievably good in rain. In short: my bike feels totally different, I feel safer, particularly when running up and down passes. Now at 1200 miles with Anakee: been through rain, heavy winds and cold weather and can only say that the difference is unbelievable (Metzeler Sahara 3, before), particularly when the wind is pushing with 7 Beaufort directly from the side. The Metzeler was unmanageable (just shoved you off the road). With these tires you just lean a bit more and continue without any speed reduction. misdt

• I'm happy with my Anakee. I have about 1000 miles on it, I think, and it looks like it'll wear just fine. But NONE of those miles are fully packed and running wide open across the baking West. Flash #412

• I currently have a set of 604's on my classic. They do work very well but the rear tire will be gone in 3000 miles. I did talk to the reps at the dealer show in Indy about the Anakee. They said that this tire is intended to replace our beloved T66. I was told that this tire will out-perform and out-last the T66 in mileage. I plan to try a set after this new set of 604's melt. Steve#417

Enduro3/Sahara

• The MT21's or Dunlop 903's are as knobby as you can get and still be DOT approved. I just did White Rim on my stock Bridgestone Trailwings and the bike had a hard time in the sand. I just bought the Enduro 3 Sahara for the rear. I hope it is a good 50/50 on road/off road tire. (Mark #743)

• I use an Enduro3 Sahara rear on my '99. As a compromise tire, I'm fairly happy with them, fine for dirt/gravel roads. I would NOT compare them as dirt/mud/sand MX capable as the TKC80 looks to be but I've pegged the bike a few times on them. I'd be reluctant to peg the bike on a TKC80. I would NOT call the Sahara a full out road tire either. First one was made in Germany, rated for 40psi max, second made in Brazil, rated for 36psi max - same model tire. I only get 5k miles out of them, same as my Bstone TW rear, which was poor off-road. YMMV - tire choice is one of the biggest and most subjective compromises a rider has to make.  (Todd #389)

• I've had 10, 000km out of set of Michelin Enduro's - I think the Sahara 3 is frankly a better off road tyre with its more aggressive tread pattern but its a little wasted if you're not into dirt - I'd stay with the Michelin next time around. (Pit)

• These tires (ed. Sahara 3) came on my 2001 KTM Adventure. With 1700 miles so far, they are to be wearing more quickly then the Tourances on the Dakar. I am riding more miles on dirt/gravel then the Dakar, though. I think that I will get about 3500 miles on them at the current wear rate. My riding has included 80% twisty turny roads at decent speed, 15 %gravel roads at as fast as I dare, and 5% trails, with rocks galore, and my personal demon, MUD! They suck in MUD! Did I mention that I hate MUD! (Chris #1073)

• My Sahara's are at 3mm and 4mm, at 5,000 miles; expect another 1,000. Riding about 30% dirt overall. (Shaun)
• I have not been satisfied with the Enduro 3 on my '03 Dakar. Poor handling and short life span. I will be ordering a set of Avon Distanzias for the next go around. It appears to be these or the Dunlop 604's for the Dakar in street oriented riding. They both come in the proper size for the Dakar. (Jeff #398)
• My Dakar came with sahara 3's and I must say they handle extremely well on the street wet or dry. You feel the knobbies on a hard street surface though, and they roar a bit there also. I do not have much experience with them of road however they appear to be better than the Tourance in that department. Downside: they are half worn out at 2k miles! I have a set of Tourances in the basement as I also ride mostly street. (paul)
• Got 8,000 out of my first Sahara 3 rear and I don't think I took it easy at all. I do check the air weekly. I replaced it with the same and have 3,500 on it already. It looks good for at least 7k miles. Any more than that and I'm pushing my luck...again...which I don't want to do anymore. (Gerry #951)
• I guess it depends how/where you ride - I only get 4-5,000 miles out of my rear Sahara's. (Todd #389)

Enduro4

• I went thru AK, the Yukon and BC on my '97 F with a buddy on a 1100GS. The 1100 had T-66's and I had a set of Enduro 4's. Both worked fine. (Ike)

Macadam

• I have many, many track and fast back road miles under my bike. Install a set of Michelin Macadam 50's and let her rip! They are full on street tires and will allow you to do a lot more on the track then any dual sport tire. (Craig #325)

• Question from Sandy #787 about her ST: stock Metzelers vs. Michelin Macadam's? Quality difference? Handling difference? Wear difference? I got about 9000 miles on my Metzelers. Some responses:

• Well Sandy, I'll reply having had Michelin Macadam's AND Metzelers on my Guzzi (close to the sizes on an ST, and the Metz that I had on the Guzzi were ME33 Lazer up front and ME99A Perfect on the rear, not the same as the (I think) MEZ2 that's rear stock on the ST but close enough). You don't mention whether or not you are getting Macadam radials or bias-ply (they come both ways), the Macadam's I had on the Guzzi were the bias-ply. Well, sad fact is that the Macadam's failed the Great Guzzi Tire Experiment. I hated 'em. The front scalloped horribly and wore out before the rear, in 6000 miles. (...) I really don't think you'll have a problem with the Macadam's. The set on my Guzzi were just fine in the rain. Handling was fine, braking was good but overall they did not inspire the confidence of the Metzelers. I think you'll find that the Macadam profile is much rounder than the Metz. Therefore you'll not have to fight them as much to get the bike over in a turn. But conversely, they will stand the bike upright should you apply some brake in a turn. With this in mind, expect the bike to turn in much easier, practically falling into the turn and you should be sensitive and light if and when applying any brake in a turn. You might get better gas mileage with the Macadam's as they seem to have a little less rolling resistance than the Metz (trying to recall all my notes, they are not in front of me) and they are very quiet on the road at highway speeds, very smooth. (...) The Macadam's are fine tires, I just don't think they are as good as Metzelers. (Shank)

• Can't speak for the Macadam's on the F650. I have Tourances on mine, However I am running them on my K-Bike. My feelings are similar to opinions expressed above: Not a bad tire but not nearly as confidence-inspiring as the Metzelers. There are two Macadam's for the front, a Mac 50 and a Mac 50E. I have the Macadam 50E which is supposed to be an improved version. It doesn't seem to hold a line as well as the Metzeler. The bike just doesn't seem as stable. Possibly due to the roundness mentioned above. As far as the rear, the Macadam 50 slid out from under me last October. Could have been a coincidence and yes the roadway was frosty, but the Metzelers have NEVER lost traction on me in what I remember as worse conditions. I've slid down 2 BMW's in a little over 26 years of riding them. Both times were on Michelins. I believe Michelin makes the best auto and truck tires available but I'll be going back to the Metzelers on my bike when these wear out. (Rick #939)

• My daughter has them (ed. Macadam's) on her 1991 R65LS. They are really made for a lighter bike than a Guzzi. She likes them, but I don't, because of their triangular tread profile. If you corner sharply the bike tends to fall in and then you have to hold your line with some counter-steering input at the bars. I prefer a more rounded profile when cornering. However, they are work fine on the freeway and around town. They provide good life, but the front tire does scallop, as Shank mentioned. If you are going on a long trip, I wouldn't spare the air pressure. I would use 34 in front and 36 to 38 in the rear, depending on your load. You should get at least 10,000 miles out of the tires (I only got 6-7,000 miles from my Michelin T-66 tires which came stock on my bike.) My current Avon Distancia tires look to be good for about 12,000 miles. P.S., Bridgestone BT-45 tires are working pretty good on my Honda CB750 and are really cheap. (Richard #230)

• I agree, Richard, I think the Macs were made for a sub-500 pound bike, the Guzzi is a little over that. BT-45s were also in The Great Guzzi Tire Experiment and received a can return to this tire rating. They rate just below the Metz. Basically, same confidence as Metz but with a rounder profile, easier turn-in. They only lasted 6000 miles, which is par for the course on the Guzzi (Cheng Shins only lasted 3000 miles). I'd highly recommend BT-45s. Right now in The Great Guzzi Tire Experiment, it's a battle for second place between BT-45s and Avon SuperVenoms. And I'd imagine that BT-45s would make a great tire for an ST. (Shank)

• I've gone through 2 sets of Michelin Macadam 90's and I like them a lot. They give a much smoother ride and handle better than the stock Dunlop K505's. I'm going to try the BT45's next (even though they're belted and not radials) because many Nighthawk owners report good handling and great tire wear. The stock K505's lasted about 9,500 miles, the first set of Michelins about 12,100 and I currently have about 9,000 miles on the second set. Update: I used the BT45's on my Great Lakes trip and they handled very well, especially in the 1,000+ miles of rain I encountered. The ride is pretty smooth, and they grip well in the twisties. (Andre)

Sirac

• I have had Michelin Siracs in my Dakar. I have ridden 5000 miles and rear tire is slick, also front tire has worn quite strangely (like waves every 2nd knobby is much lower than knobby next to it. Is this normal ?) I have kept tire pressure in 30psi all the time. (Marko Hemmila)

• I was NOT impressed by the performance off road with the Michelin Sirac. And highway wear was less than 5,000 miles. The Dunlop 604's seem to work better off road--everybody seems to have a different opinion! But, hey, if you have a new tire, go wear it out! (Mike #779)

• I had the siracs on my dakar and found them to be okay on the gravel. In the straights I could easily go 40+ mph. The thing is you have to get used to the bike moving under you. Ride the movement and guide the bike where you need to go. Mine lasted about 8000 mile at which point they were pretty bald in the center and not much left on the edges to speak of. (Sean STL)

• Q: In a previous thread there were some comments about the difference in riding the classic and the GS. Having owned both I thought that the GS seemed to have a tendency to want to stand up straight in the corners, not bad or uncomfortable, just different.
  I have just about worn out my back tyre, same brand and about the same milage as the tyre on my old 96 Funduro but the wear pattern is completely different. looking at the wear pattern on the GS you would think I had been using it on a drag strip. The middle of the tyre has worn almost flat and there is a ridge between the worn part and the sidewall which is hardly worn at all.
  My riding style and the area that I ride in has not changed ( I think ) so I guess that the wear pattern supports the theory I had originally. I have ended up going back to seracs as I was pretty happy with their performance overall but anoyher rider said I should maybe think of looking for a dual ply, harder centre and softer sidewalls. Any one heard of this feature (ratso)

• A: Some of Bridgestone's older street tires had a dual rubber tread, with harder rubber in the center and softer rubber on the sides of the tire. I tried their S-11 "sport touring" bias-ply tires on one of my bikes and found the tire to be very slippery in the rain. Bridgestone does not seem to be using, or promoting, this feature anymore and has never used it on their current radial tires, to my knowledge. (Richard #230)

• A: All rear drive tires on m/c wear flat in the middle because the machine spends more time vertical than leaning over , if you are a street rider. Now, the race track is different. Reg Pridmore's VFR tires are all worn on the sides, because that is were the bike spends most of its time. Once you change the tire,the bike will fall into the corners nice. (bmwterrien2)

• The rear Sirac lasted 10 000km and I found it to be a good tire on gravel. I wish I could get the same tire for my Adventure. I found the front tire to start cupping at 10 000km but still had at least 5000km more to go before needing to be replaced. I found you had to watch the mud though, I mean rear muddy stuff. Rick #815

T66/T66X

• I just replaced both T66s with fresh T66s. The ride improvement was incredible, even with the SAME tire brand/type. A lot may be just replacing old with new. (Marty #436)

• I just put a set of T66's back on my bike after 7K miles with the Bridgestone BT45's. I am very happy. Not cheap, though. They are very stable and more solid than the BT45's, probably because they are new and heavier as well. Can't wait to ride in the dirt. (Chris #782)

• T-66 has the best on-road feel of any tire I have tried on my F650. I've tried, Tourance, Bridgerock Turdwings, Dunlop D604, Sirac, and something else I can't remember right now. The T-66 is probably not as good offroad as some of the others. My offroad riding is mostly dry-dirt and/or gravel. Folks who ride in sloppy stuff probably prefer something other than a T-66. The T-66 gives quite reasonable longevity at a reasonable price, especially considering the on-road feel. The D604 I just tried was great on-road and off, and cost a bit less than a T-66. EXCEPT it went away EXTREMELY fast. Like HALF the life of a T-66. My riding is mostly canyon carving and touring. I'd say I do less than 20% dirt, maybe even less than 10%. I never stopped to calculate. If I have to slow down in the dirt due to the fact that the T-66 ain't so good there, so be it. Because I will more than make up the time on the highway due to the fact that it is SOOOOO good there.(Flash #412)

• 12,000 on my T66 rear and it was sketchy at that. I have 5,000 on a Bridgestone BT45 street tire and it looks like I'll be lucky to get another 3,000. I am getting T66's again next. (Chris #782)

• It is a mystery to me why both of my sets of T66 tires wore out quickly. My front tires were shot at 6,000 miles and the rears only went 7,000. They sure stuck well while they still had tread, though. Looks like my Avon Distanzia tires will double that mileage, but they don't seem to stick as well on wet roads. (Richard #230)

• I ride easy, relatively slow, and run light in usually cool weather and only got 6,000 miles on the front tire and 7,000 miles on the rear tire. However, note that both my sets of tires were made between 1996 and 1997, according to the DOT date codes. Maybe Michelin changed the rubber compound as larger bikes started using the T-66 tires near the end of the last decade. (Richard #230)

• Well, they don't say that they are a 90% street tire and 10% dirt tire for nothing. Michelin T-66 tires are just as bad off road, but they sure work well on damp, paved roads. (Richard #230)

• My experience is only with the T66. Great tire on pavement, still useable tread after 6500 miles. Awful on unpaved roads, no doubt even worse off-road. (Roy 1095)

• I got 7,100 on my Michelin T66. (Roy 1095)

• I have been using t66's on my 97 for the last 64k and have been happy. I have 1000 mile weekends the next 2 that will fry the remainder of my current set. I ordered Dunlop 604's for a try. I am using my priceless 97 as street only now and want smoother tires. We will see how they work. (Steve#417)

• I can't compare the T66 and Tourances on the 650, but I've worn them both out on the R11GS. I liked them both. The one place the Michelin has the edge is in ride comfort. I think the T66 is more supple over bumps. I also didn't find that the Tourance was noticeably better in the wet. The star there is the Pirelli. (Johnny)