Heidi K60s

[bencav]

Are on their way......

Thanks to Bryan (2112) for the reccy of Oponeo, can't grumble at £150 delivered for front and back!

Doing a decent trip next weekend on them so watch this space for a report!!

[kevshek]

My BT020s are running low, so its decision time, do I go for BT023's or invest in my trailies now for winter?
Does anyone know the range of the K60s, I'm want to see what they wear like.

[bencav]

Apparently the K60s that fit the stroms (I.e. the scout series) wear very well indeed. Approx 10k miles has been mentioned. I am working on closer to 6k and I will be happy. Compared to Karoos and TC80, they wear a whole lot better!

If I didn't intend to take the bike trail riding this year I would be getting Anakees, as the K60s will be a compromise on road I reckon.

[kevshek]

I've looked at the anakees and scropions, but the pattern seem a bit on the large size, meaning say if you're riding on snow/slush or compacted snow, the tread  would just sit on top as apposed to biting in. The scouts look smaller possibly allowing more bite per surface contact. That's just in my head though.

Btw where did you order them from?

[bencav]

I ordered them from oponeo.co.uk

WRT show etc, the bike will stay in the garage, I have a car for such occassions! I take no shame in admitting that being on the bike in snow has no appeal to me at all!

[bencav]

They arrived!!  

Cracking chunks of rubber for 150 notes!!

Fitting on Friday then a 400 mile trip stright away - tad worried the 1st time on them will be 2-up fully loaded, but heck, can't be worse then the super squared Deathwings!!

[Jimmy nae so bright]

Is this the Heidenau k60? (not down with the lingo!) Had a set for a while in the states. Not an amazing tyre, however for the money I loved them, paid just over £100 for the pair! They seem to be somewhere in between a standard dual sport (tourance or anakee) and a TKC80. The rear did about 5 to 6k miles before it was shagged. The front however will last as long as you can put up with the vibrations, if you can get that down to the canvas hats off to you, mine cupped so badly that it had to go even with about half the tread left - there is a lot of tread to start though, probably why it cups so bad.
I notice lots of folk don't like trail wings? well the k60's give less grip on the black top. Show them a bit of damp and you best be sitting on the tank exiting corners!
Having said that you can't beat them for the money and they are not too shabby off road. Didn't realise you could get them here. Would probably buy more now I know that!
peace out

[Jimmy nae so bright]

Ignore all of the above, I had a pair of shincos not k60s. No Idea why I thought they were k60s, maybe the funny name! Never used K60s, will be interesting to know what you make of them, look like some interesting rubber.
Take it handy

[Gassoon]

 


I bet ben was sh**ting himself there...Nice one jimmy nsb!


PS ben, have you seen Travelling Stroms using the K60's right now?

he does a little write up of them...
http://travellingstrom.com/page/2/

[TravellingStrom]

After 7,200km they are still good, a tad square but if it had not have been wet today I would have matched the edges I had a flat on the front, I pumped it up again and it seems OK, but I had heaps of potholes and my rim is not exactly round to start with, so it may have leaked at the bead. The tyres are still good, plenty of life left.

I was going to tell Jon to pull his head in but he had the wrong model ;)

Not really had a chance to get rid if the chicken strips yet.

One thing, front tyre cupping, yes it is happening and I am getting a slight tank slap under decel. This has happened on ALL front tyres I have run under the load I carry, so it is something I will have to live with, although it is not as pronounced as the TKC80 or Tourance at the same mileage

[bencav]

I bet ben was sh**ting himself there...Nice one jimmy nsb!

You could say that....and you would be 100% right!!!

They get a crackin review on ABR etal!

[bencav]

After 7,200km they are still good, a tad square but if it had not have been wet today I would have matched the edges I had a flat on the front, I pumped it up again and it seems OK, but I had heaps of potholes and my rim is not exactly round to start with, so it may have leaked at the bead. The tyres are still good, plenty of life left.

I was going to tell Jon to pull his head in but he had the wrong model ;)

Not really had a chance to get rid if the chicken strips yet.

One thing, front tyre cupping, yes it is happening and I am getting a slight tank slap under decel. This has happened on ALL front tyres I have run under the load I carry, so it is something I will have to live with, although it is not as pronounced as the TKC80 or Tourance at the same mileage

And peaceful harmony is returned to my quivering soul!! Thanks for the remedy, I think I needed it!!

This is the 1st new tyres I have ever had to buy, so was a bit of a shot in the dark - if they turn out bad, there is always the Anakee to turn to!

Just looked at your blog TS, you metion weight? I have seen less of a load on an artic truck!!! I think my norm of me and a topbox will be fine!!

[Jimmy nae so bright]

Sorry chief, genuinely convinced that's what I had, I do remember trying to get some at one point but I think they stopped making them for a while which was probably when I was looking last.  Don't get me wrong though, shincos are a good tyre for the money.

That is some loaded bike! If you do a real shit job of strapping things on you soon find out what you can live without.  The other way I reduced what I was carrying was to go through everything I had and put all the things I didn't use in a bag to post home. It never got posted so didn't work as well as the first option.  It caused less filthy language though.

[kevshek]

What size k60s are you blokes ordering for front and back?

[bencav]

110/80 - 19 and 150/70 - 17

Apparently the 140/80 - 17 rear is fine, but if you have a lowered bike, the higher profile can catch the plastic directly under the seat and make a bit of a hole. I think the 140 size was tried as they didn't initially re-release the 150 when they updated the range to the 'scouts'.

[TravellingStrom]

I originally had the 140/80 on the rear and lowered bike. It wore a massive hole under the seat, I posted a repair thread over on VSRI a few months back, basically I used some stainless plate and screwed it into place with black sticky Sikaflex as a sealer. I would caution against that size, but it was all that was on offer back then.

Cheers
TravellingStrom

[kevshek]

looks like the prices on www.oponeo.co.uk change DAILY!! I swear the rear was only 83 quid yesterday, its now 93 quid!!

[bencav]

Done a few hundred miles on the road up to now so a few thoughts;

- At 30 and below, the front vibrates like an Anne Summers toy, above 30 it goes, so not to bad at all.

- The front has beceme silly light, takes no effort to move the bars even when stopped, possibly due to less rubber being on the deck?

- As expected, road noise is lots higher than the deathwings (though that may just be due to the Heidis having tread!)

- Grip is excellent, wet weather performance is a country mile better than the deathwings, which doesn't take much granted. White lines and tarmac joints are fecking scary though, they seem to repel the tyres quickly!

- Worst point, and one which would probably prevent me getting another set - above 85 (that's km officer...honest) speed wobble sets in and gets progressively worse the faster you go. Odd thing is, this only happens when I am solo, two up and it dissapears! I am going to play wwith tyre pressure a little to see if I can solve it)

- The look the dogs danglys on the bike!!! Vanity offers value to everything!!

I am going to try some trails this summer so will update then - or people on ST4 will get to see them in action, I get the idea they will be either fantastic, or grim - just can't decide which! All in all, happy to have tried them, will most likely go Anakee for the next set, but that won't be anytime soon!!

[2112]

Good reveiw Ben, it'll be interesting to see how they wear and wether their characteristics change as the tread gets less, they may become more civilised ?

[kevshek]

I decided to keep these for a winter purchase. I went for a set of pilot 3s and I'm loving them. Coupled with the nice weather were having, its been a good investment. The bike turns abd flips a whole lot better and give me more confidence.