Tyres for Africa

[Artyman]

I'm changing the tyres on my DL1000 in August for my trip down to Senegal, The Ivory Coast and Ghana. I've always had Tourance, but for this I need a less road biased tyre. I'm torn between the Mitas 07+, the Shinko 804/805, the Motoz Tractionator GPS. Has anyone here got any experience of these tyres...?

[Upt North]

I don't know the life of the more trail based tyres, would they last OK from wee bonny Scotland to the African coast to be of any use when you got there. Of course you may not be riding all the way?
Upt.

[Artyman]

I'm booked on the ferry Pompey to Bilbao in October, then its just a case of meandering south. Its about 6k miles each way and I've toyed with the idea of taking a spare rear with me to change, but I don't want to do that. Got enough kit already. 

I've also toyed with the idea of having a new pair sent out to me via UPS/FEDEX but I'd be up the swanee without a paddle if they disappeared en-route so my only other option is to use a pair of hard tyres. Its going to be warm anyway, and the rainy season starts once I've left in March so its just a pair of hard-wearing tyres that can cope with the dirt when the tarmac runs out. I don't want to go full-knobbly, as there's no way I'm doing stupid stunts or going off-piste with the Vstrom. its too heavy and I'm too old for that.

[Rixington43]

At 6k either way I'm assuming you expect to need new rubber at some point during the trip as any 60/40 type tyre would need to be made of unobtainium to go 12k.
With that in mind, is it worth researching what brands might be available whilst you're away to prevent a change of feel part way through your trip.
If you've got on well with the Tourance, maybe the Karoo is a consideration?

[Upt North]

If there's a decent dealer in Southern Spain it may be worth asking if they could put suitable tyres on for you before you cross to the dark continent. When you cross back put your more road based tyres back on and ride back.
I, like Rixington, predict you changing rubber anyway. Seems a good option.
Upt.

[nigel s]

I have never came at this problem from that side so cannot advise.But from the other side,trying to find full knobblies that sort of work on the road on dirt bikes,the bigger the knobbles the quicker they fall apart,and I do mean fall apart,on the road.You only need to go past 50/50 and they don't last long.I would be looking at the more road orientated tyres.

[The Doctor 46]

I met a German bloke in Uzbekistan who was running on the German made tyre ' Heidenau '. He had already done a lot of miles and his tyres looked good for a few thousand more. He swore by them. Although  Heidenau  was the make I can't remember the exact tyre.

In another city in Uzbekistan there was an Austrian man using the same brand and riding a Honda. He also spoke well of the brand. Why not give them a look. 

https://www.heidenautires.com/Tyres/motorcycle/

[kwackboy]

If you need 12k out of a set of 60/40s you can't beat a set Heidenau K60 scouts.

[nigel s]

Could you find  a dealer on your route(which your going to have to do in any case if you change tyre mid way) willing to take delivery of your new tyre and change it ,and send it now.That way you know it's there before you leave .

[Artyman]

Thanks lad's.

Some of the tyres I was thinking about have really stiff sidewalls and what worries me is having to get the tyre off to change an inner tube - so I'm kind of liking the Scouts, as from what I've read it seems you can do that easily enough with three tyre levers. Also, they seem to do okay in hot climates. Even though I've got alloy's and I can run tubeless, I'm fitting inner tubes. Yeah, yeah... I know its overkill, but I'm definitely not going fast and I want to avoid punctures wherever possible.

I actually think I'm maybe asking too much of my tyres and about 8 to 10k seems about average. I've been watching loads of reviews on YouTube and online, and like anything in life, the 50/50 tyres are always a compromise. I think much of my trip will be on tarmac, though not very good tarmac. But I do know that at some stage the tarmac will run out, which is why I can't use my tourance tyres - which I just love. When I did Europe last year I did over 6k miles, and I still managed another 2k after that - but - they do have limitations when the going gets a bit rough, which gives me the willies...

I'm thinking that maybe the best thing to do now is change my tyres in Senegal. Its a half-way point, so I've contacted three places in Dakar to see what tyres in my size they stock. I've also contacted three bike shops in Accra in Ghana, which is my turn-around point. Hopefully I'll have some answer soon.

I'll let you know what I finally fit, and when I fit them I'll post a few pics.

[Sage]

I've used Mitas e07's and the plus version, currently have a set of the plus's on a XT1200. The standard non plus version does last longer than the plus, they may do the distance but as usual it depends on many factors, the main ones being your right hand and pressures.
I've just returned from Norway about 3700 miles with lots of motorway to get there etc and the rear E07+ tread has gone from 10mm to 7mm so would discount this tyre.
How about taking a new rear down through Spain and either stashing it somewhere or have it fitted before entering Morocco?

Are you getting a carnet for your trip?

[Artyman]

Hi Sage,

I've still not made a decision on which tyre - the Scouts are nudging ahead by a nose - but what I've decided is to have the tyres changed either in Dakar or Accra. I'm waiting for replies to find out what tyres they stock, and depending what they stock (if they do) then I may match that kind of tyre so I don't have to make a big transition. 

Yep. I'm getting a Carnet - which is killing me. Yeah, I can either take a risk and try to get into Senegal by paying cash-in-hand, which seems to be about 250 euro's, or pay for a carnet - which is either £4500 (of which you get £4000 back) or £687 (of which you get £250 back). Plus their admin fee of £230 plus £15 postage...  Pretty peeved about this but the only way I can get around Senagal is by going through Mali, and being a fat white bloke on a bike, I don't think I'd survive long - so a carnet it is.... 

[TLPower]

Please don't fit inner tubes.

A tubeless tyre is much easier to fix usually without out removing the tyre, a tubeless tyre will also deflate significantly quicker as the air can escape from the puncture site and the valve stem. On spoked wheels tubes are even worse as the air escapes past all the spokes as well.

I've repaired tubes when out greenlaning, I've replaced a tube in the rear of an Africa Twin in a carpark and used a sticky worm on a tubeless tyre and the tubeless wins every time. After removing the wheel, fighting to break the bead, removing the tyre to make sure you've pulled out whatever caused the puncture, removing the tube, you then have to be certain that you can fit a tube without pinching it and starting all over again.
Meanwhile in tubeless world you pull out a nail or whatever with the wheel still in place and stick a worm in the hole, blow it up and ride off.

[kwackboy]

TL just beat me to it ... 

I think it's a bad idea running tubes inside tubeless tyres on tubeless rims. If you get a puncture you'll have serious issues popping the bead off the rim.

Take a decent puncture repair kit and a mini compressor.

Tube type tyres on tube rims are far easier to remove and yes you can run tubeless tyres on tubed trims and they are also easier to remove because the bead doesn't seal on the inner rim.

Its kind of a catch 22 with tubed tyres,  if you want to make it easier to remove you should have softer tyres that don't last long but if you want a tyre that last long it's a bastard to remove ... 

[Rixington43]

To my, allbeit limited knowledge, tubes have 2 major advantages for proper off roading;
You can have non sealed spoked wheels.
You can run super low pressures without risking burping.

Neither are likely to apply so I'd also stick tubeless and take strips.
Not to mention getting the bike onto the centre stand to remove a wheel if you're on uneven or soft terrain solo.

[nigel s]

The main advantage of tubed tyres is that you can run them on a badly deformed rim.Be wary of running low pressures without fitting rimlocks or the tyre will spin ripping tube valve off.As others have said puncture repair is much easier on tubed,not sure how well a mini compresser is going to reseat a tubeless tyre with a tube ,anything getting through a tubeless tyre is likely to do the tube as well.
For the space it takes I would take a pair of tubes in your kit then if worst happens and you smack a rock you can pop one in and are good to go,best of both worlds.Tubed tyres can deflate very quickly sometimes the weak point is at the valve.

But at the end of the day the choice is yours,you will be riding your bike not me.If you choose to tube maybe do a dry run  change before leaving to see how it goes .The tubes can be jammed in any where ,sump guard is very Paris /Dakar .

Good luck

[nigel s]

Sorry, just rereading, the third sentence should have read"puncture repair is much easier on tubelesss"  sorry

[Artyman]

Thanks again lads. Wishful thinking has caught me out again. I’ve never made a trip like this before so as you can imagine, there’s 1001 things running through my head. I’m also a person who likes to plan for every eventuality (a couple of decades in the Royal Navy) so tyres was one of my big concerns…

So thank you for bringing me back to earth, and back to reality….

Yep, I’ve shelved the idea of running inner tubes. Yes, I do admit - it was me over-thinking things. From everything I’ve read about the 50/50 tyres they have really stiff carcasses, so an inner tube would be pointless. I have a tubeless kit and compressor, so punctures on the road isn’t a problem -though I now feel relieved that I don’t have to think about removing a tyre on the road. All that jumping up and down on the tyre, and all those bruised knuckles..

And besides, I’m not going over mountains or jumping over unicorns, especially as the VS is too big and too heavy for cowboy stuff. I’m too old anyway…

At the moment I’m just waiting to see what tyres are available in that part of the world, and depending on what they are then I may match them for the outward journey. I did manage to connect to one bike shop in Dakar yesterday but my French wasn’t good enough to be able understand what he was saying. I found one shop in Dakar and in Accra that actually have an email address, but so far, no reply.

The scouts are still in the lead - by a nose… though the Anna’s Capra X have now entered the race and are catching up fast…

[kwackboy]

Will be prepping this beast for a UK - Capetown adventure.
It's for an American tourist , he picked it up cheap and is now spending lots ....