UPDATE on May 18,2022: Continental Issues Recall on Popular TKC80 Adventure Tire — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Continental Tire has issued a recall of certain TKC80 adventure tires and three other motorcycle tire models, including the CONTIGO!, K62 and LB.

According to a May 6, 2022, NHTSA release detailing the recall, these tires can develop cracks longer than 3/16 of an inch in the tread grooves that “can lead to tread separation, increasing the likelihood of a crash.” The release says tire owners should receive official notification from Continental in June. 

Continental did not respond to a request for comment for this update.
The recall affects nearly 70,000 tires in 46 models and sizes. Check the official NHTSA release to see if your tires are part of this recall.

Being a daily commuter and a regular off road rider I have been trying to find the best balance for my bike when it comes to tires. Usually I ride TKC80’s both front and rear, but this has been an expensive commuting option with my heavy 2013 BMW R1200GSA. The TKC80's certainly look and perform the part but I was in search of something a bit more commuter friendly.

On my previous bike, a 2008 R1200 GSA, I had been riding mainly using a Heidenau K60 Scout rear, where I would see around 10K miles of riding. With a Continental TKC80 on the front getting approximately 6-7K miles of use. I always liked this setup as it gave me both on and off road riding flexibility. 

The Scouts are a nice intermediate tire for longevity, however they are stiff and can be challenging to mount with hand tools. I also found these tires to be a little twitchy in wet weather giving you a reminder occasionally to take it easy.

When I got the new liquid cooled boxer in August 2014, Heidenau didn't yet have a tire for the new size (170/60/17). I needed to find a tire with a longer tread life and started to read about the newly released Continental TKC70. My expectations were high but the tire wouldn't be available until the beginning of 2015 in the US.

So I decided to take a trip across the pond. I purchased a TKC70 rear tire in the UK around October 2014 and carried it by plane back home. I believe this was one of the first tires in the US as they weren't available anywhere at that time. Once home I purchased a new TKC80 for the front to try out my new combo.

The first 500-600 miles was interesting and it made the bike search a little in the rear when doing over 65-70 mph. I wasn't sure if I had made the right tire choice. After those first break in miles though it disappeared completely and it only became better. I have now driven 6000 miles with the rear TKC70 and the front TKC80, approximately 4500 on road and 1500 off-road.

This has been a great combination in most of the riding circumstances I've encountered including gravel and rocky terrain. The only place where the rear TKC70 compromises is getting into deep wet mud, but it is worth the on road civility for my commuting needs.

Living in the Seattle area, having both tires handle the rain extremely well was a necessity. I have been impressed with the wet weather stability that the rear TKC70 provides compared to the old Scout. The compound of the TKC70 is relatively soft like the TKC80 and sticks nicely to the road.

Both tires wear evenly, as long tire pressure is maintained. I have been running 35 PSI on the front TKC80 and 42 PSI on the rear TKC70. Off-road I deflate the front to 26 PSI and the rear to about 34 PSI, which handles the bike nicely on the trails.

At this rate I should get about another 2000 miles of riding on the rear and probably the front as well. The front is showing its first signs of cupping but on the road I haven't noticed any appreciable deterioration in performance. Off-road riding will depend on the circumstances.

Running a TKC80 on the front has given me excellent grip and linear steering control both on and off road, while the rear TKC70 has improved my on road manners. I don’t see a need to run a matching set of TKC70's for this reason. 

All in all, this TKC70 is a good intermediate alternative for big bikes giving sufficient flexibility and tread life compared with the Scout. I would recommend this setup for big dual sport bikes, especially for those who want to be flexible in a variety of terrain and get the mileage they need. MSRP: $197.17 (Rear) Continental.com

Where to Buy:

TKC70	TKC80