Man you're the reference I look for buying tyres all the time, best review and explanation by far. If I was there I'll buy from you! Thanks from Madrid.
My KTM 390 Adventure came with the TKC70s so I have lots of experience with them. They are a great canyon carver tire. They instill great confidence in tight corners at high speed. But I spend about 40% of my time off road on hard pack single track with lots of rocks. these tires are OK until you either have to climb a steep hill with rocks or loose dirt. I've run out of traction on the hills and had to turn around. This prompted me to buy the TKC70 rocks. Wow what a difference this tire makes. I lost none of the feel or ability to lay down this bike in the corners but gained a true dirt tire that never failed to give me the traction I need. It hooks up great in the loose stuff and I've concurred hills that I should have only been able to do on a full fledged enduro. I did notice the side tread is wearing much faster that the center even though I run the higher limit of tire pressure. I'm not sure why. Now the limitation for me off road is the TKC70 front tire. It's not good in powered dirt over hard pack on the trails, but the slip is controlled so you don't freak out and drop the bike. Same goes for quarter sized rocks on the same hard pack. Over all I love these tires. They really are a good fit for a 60/40 setup.
I did just purchase the KTM 890 Adventure with the Avon tires. Scary under the conditions I mention above but what a fantastic street tire. I'm now researching a tire for the same use as my 390, but I'll be putting lots of highway miles on the 890 riding two-up with my wife. I wonder if the TKC70 rocks will last that long or wear evenly. If any one has experience with the TKC70 Rocks on a 460lb bike please let me know.
Totally agree Bill! Totally agree. Check out this video where Kyle put his Duke on TKC70 Rocks tires up against the 390 Adventure on the original TKC70. Pretty fun episode: ua-cam.com/video/DyUQlBPJNZQ/v-deo.html The tire works really well. He is now running the TKC70 Rocks on the rear of his 1190 Adv R and is preparing for full video review of the TKC70 Rocks now that he has run them on little and big bikes. He likes them... that is for sure. instagram.com/p/CUbPnKzpzuR/
great content. thank you very much. after watching this video, i decided to get both tkc70 rocks and tkc80 at rear, for front tkc 80 on my norden 901. during hot and dry summer i will use tkc80 at rear, during autumn in rainy season i will use tkc70 rocks.
Great video, thanks. Have made a few nervous freckles in my pants fishtailing a few times riding gravely county roads on stock tires and definitely going to swap over to that TKC 70/70 Rocks combo, new feel on an older bike, can’t wait! Thanks for the inspiration!
Another excellent and informative to the point video. I run a Honda AT and have racked up 40,000 km (24,854 miles) over here in New Zealand during the last 18 months. I swear by the TKC80 90X90-21. I am amazed how hard I can push it on sealed road and how capable it is in gravel. I have been running Mitas EO7 Plus 150x70x18 rears and for road holding once again amazes me on sealed roads. For me I like the Mitas rear on gravel for it hooks up OK and is predictable. I do ride hard and get 7 to 8000 km (4970 miles) from them. The TKC80 lasts for 2 1/2 Mitas's. I don't stand up and drift in the gravel because as much as I love to, the dollar rears its ugly head. I ride lots of back country gravel roads and have 2 new rear Michelin Anikee Wilds ready to try out so I can relate to different profile / handling both wet and dry/ on seal / on gravel. One thing that concerns me with the TK 70's is the solid smooth centre. Smooth wet roads at higher speeds with smaller lean angles without rain sipes, I'm yet to be convinced. Thanks again for a dam good show.
Thanks for watching. I am not a fan of the TKC70 front or rear... but this TKC70 Rocks in the rear is fantastic with the TKC80 up front. I have almost 5k miles on the TKC70 Rocks / TKC80 combo at the moment and they are both still going strong. I have that same combo ready to be mounted up on my KTM 1190 Adv R. That bike will really put the Rocks tire to the test as it EATS tires! - Kyle
Always great reviews Kyle. TKC 80 on GS 1200, love it on and off road. Inspires confidence with superb compound grip, braking , turning, and accelerating Too bad they're discontinuing this legendary tire.
Super helpful! My friend and I are both off-road dirt riders and also street. We both got KTM 390 Adventures that came with TC70. I love the bike on the street and packed dirt roads, but sandy-loose soil and even loose gravel are not so good. We are greenpeas with Adventure bikes and heading to the Touratech 2023 rally - so wondering what to do. Your review, demonstration, and narrative was super helpful. Based on this, I lean toward a TkC70 Rock Rear (anyone need a TKC70 with only 600 miles) - and maybe change out to the TC80 front but I do ride mostly road...that said, even the 20% dirt makes me desire the bite so the front end doesn't wash out....never a good thing!
I'm running a TKC 70 in the rear (non rocks) and an 80 in the front. I've ridden through hundreds of kilometres of gravel roads and thousands of Kilometres of paved roads with these setup. I have also taken the bike (KLR 650) on a "road" that was mostly rock and small boulders and a lot of bogs. I've yet to get hung up, stuck or lose control on these tires even riding through 6 inches of mud. While I feel the front tire a lot on pavement, it isn't so bad that I would consider switching it to a 70. Good review...maybe compare these to the Shinko 705 for anyone looking for a less expensive alternative and why that is a good option or not.
After have used TK70 for both my BMW GS and Africa Twin 2018 for several years, I mounted the Rocks on Africa Twin... I will never go back to TK70 standard!
Thanks for the video I was looking for a set to put on my Ducati scrambler Thinking TKC70 Rocks now but still undecided on the front end tire. I would ride mostly road but i want to be prepared for that occasional off road
Excellent review and explanation of the 70 vs 70 Rocks. It took me a while to realize they had two different tires and this was the only place I’ve found that explains the difference well… including your ride tests! Much better than the Continental marketing material!
I got myself TKC 70rocks, well it’s great on tarmac, it’s pretty good in hard dirt, gravel, grass etc. Only issue is it wears put really quick, I did 5000km so far , some of it was highway and the middle of the tyre lost the thread quite significantly. I will still be able to do 3-4k I guess, then need to swap for a new one. The front is still great although it’s very noisy around the 80km/h speed
I have a 2016 BMW R1200 GSA. Just ordered TKC70 Rocks rear tire to replace my TKC80 rear. I have been really pleased with the TKC80s. For a big knobby tire, I am amazed at how well they handle in the twisties. Of course, they are very confidence inspiring off-road. After 2500 miles the rear is looking pretty worn but the fronts probably have 1/2 their tread life left. I knew this would be the case as I had read all the reviews. Probably 2000-2100 of those miles have been on pavement, so no surprise. But again, the performance in twisties, even when worn, is remarkable. I am now going to experiment with the TKC70 Rocks as a replacement for the worn-out rear, and I will keep the TKC80 front until it wears out. Hoping this is a good combo for me that will give me up to 6000 miles or more on both tires. When the front wears out later this year going into winter, I will switch to TKC70 front which is very good in wet. Then next season I will see if the TKC70 Rocks rear TKC70 front is an okay combo in dirt. My guess is it won't be since I have such a big heavy bike and it can use some knobs up front. If not, I will be back to TKC80 front. And if that doesn't work out, then I will try the new Dunlop Trailmax Mission! ;-)
Sounds like a good plan Craig. The TKC70 Rocks rear is pretty impressive and slots itself perfectly between the full knob and an 80/20 tire. Warning: the KTC70 front tire is not a friend of mine ;) It is not as dirt oriented as it needs to be and on the street it is great in wet weather but I am not a fan of how it wears. I run the KTC80 up front year round. The Dunop is a great 50/50 tire but you will loose some "street feel" when moving from the TKC70 Rocks but the off-road traction will be similar. Thanks for watching, - Kyle
I really wanted the Heidenau K60 Scout or Mitas E07 tires, but both were unavailable in the right size at the moment. So, I ordered the TKC 80, as their only weakness seems to be their longevity.
Kyle loves the TKC80 front and the TKC70 Rocks in the rear. You've got to check this one out... This combo works! ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html
Is the TKC80 front good enough for road and wet road? I’m probably 60/40 or 70/30 road/off-road but the TKC70 looks a bit too smooth for all the loose gravel in my area.
Loved this. Considering some EASY Adventure Riding/Camping (National Forests Trails and unimproved roads)and was thinking of starting cheap with a V-Strom. I need to get to them first and your video was most helpful.
Should I be concerned about mixing a radial TKC 70 rocks with a bias belted TKC 80 front on a 200kg adventure bike? It seems that pairing is not recommended as a general rule. Thank you very much for your reviews. They are very helpful since the average rider could never get this broad experience with tires in a lifetime of riding and your videos are entertaining as well as informative. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. As a general rule, mixing bias and radial is not recommended... but several manufactures actually do it from the factory. In this case, the TKC70 Rocks was made to be used with either the TKC70 or the TKC80. I have been running the radial rear and bias front and have had no issues on either my KTM 390 nor the 1190.
@Radphysics Quarantine University - MotoCity only recommends what your bikes manufacturer suggests. It is I ( Kyle @Manybikes on UA-cam and IG) that is giving you my personal feedback and personal experience. Use it as you will...
I have tkc 70 on my NC750X they are great on road but off road they manage.... Tkc 80 is are on my R1250GS and the are awseome in dirt and mud but feel like bar of soap in the rain. Thanks for the rewiew of the tkc 70 rocks i Will try that one next...
Thanks for sharing your real world experiences. The TKC70 and TKC70 Rocks are much much better than the TKC80 in the rain. MUCH better! I am working on my full detailed review of the Rocks tire now which includes many rain rides. If you look at the 390 Duke vs. 390 Adventure video you will see the TKC70 vs. the 70 Rocks. Pretty fun. Anyhow... thanks for watching!
After a lot of thought I chose the TKC70 rocks for my BMW G650 X-country and had the tyre fitted two weeks ago. I’m a UK rider and spend most of my time on the tarmac with the occasional off-road play. I’ve now clocked approx 350m and when this tyre wears out I already know what I’m replacing it with.....another rocks. The tread design does everything Continental claims it will do. Superb traction off and on road 🤟
Previously, I had a pair of TKC 70 and love them, just a little too street oriented for the mud and the sand, but works very well on rocks. I need to change my Anakee adventure and thinks seriously on the TKC 70 in front and 70 rock at the rear, or some a pair of Karoo Street or Scorpion Rally STR.
Right on! For more street oriented riding the Karoo Street and Rally STR are some of the best feeling tires out there. This Rocks tire is better in the dirt than both of the previously mentioned and feels similar to them on the street. It is a winner in my book!
I use the Rocks tyre, definitely more grip in gravel and offroad over the standard TKC70 thou a lot less mileage too. Conti really need to make the centre of the tyre with a even more harder compound. Nothing worst than replacing a tyre when there is so much tread on the sides left & believe me when I say I thrash my bike on those tight twisty sealed roads too! :-)
Kyle has about 4k miles on this set of tires. The front TKC80 is wearing at the same rate as the TKC70 Rocks rear. It could have a harder center for sure. The sides are less worn than the center and he rides it pretty aggressive in the corners too.
@@MotoCityTV sweet, I'm on the old Dog rooter 650 and the 130/80x17 rocks is a tubeless, real bitch to fit too lol. I got 6k from mine which is pretty good thou I have 2nd rear wheel with an TKC80 fitted so the standard 70 will do for the general stuff. Cheers ow!
@@seangray4512 Nice! Mine went on pretty easy or should I say easier than some of the other 50/50 tires I have been mounting recently. Man... those stiff sidewalls can be a bear!
It really depends on the load of the bike and the weight of the rider and type of riding. On Road I'd say 30psi to Mid 40's if unloaded ... If fully loaded run the sidewall pressures. If mostly off-road you can get down into the 20's.
I have the tkc 80 and they definitely rip on road! However, i would like to know how the tkc 70 rocks and 80 stack up to the Michelin anikee adventure and wild if you haven't already compared the two brands together in a overall aspect like weather performance, long-term, and traction on and off road. I was looking at switching to the anikee adventure and i like what i see on them but i am still curious on the continentals tkc 70 rocks i am considering them aswell since i still have a good front tire and need to get a new rear. Thanks
For a Tenere 700 front tire what would you pick out of the GPS, trailmax, or ? 1k miles a month on Ca. rain grove freeways and 1-200 miles a weekend in the fun stuff mixed of dirt road to mild single track with rocks around central CA? The stock STR scorpions did well overall but the front was not solid or predictable in the dirt. Your videos are awesome!
Thanks Ross, my pleasure! I would run the TrailMax Mission on the front and the TKC70 Rocks in the rear if I were going to run a 50/50 up front. The Mission is a little more aggressive with is multiple angled leading edges. I think it is the great "in between" a knobby and a front like the TKC70 or K60 Scout or the GPS... which are just not aggressive enough ;) Thanks for watching!
Hey Kyle, I have a T7 and I am probably a 60/40 rider. I have been looking at Motoz Adventure and the AX41 but after seeing this video I may lean more to the TKC 70 Rocks for better street characteristics, we have a large mix of twisties and dirt (FS roads, two track, and a few single track). I’m not a huge fan of the Scorpions off road, what would be your recommended setup for the T7? I seen your post about the TKC 70 Rocks and the Mission, sounds like a good combination. Thanks for all you do, you have so much awesome content!!!
Hello Dave! Thanks for watching. The Mission and the the 70 Rocks will be a kickass combo I think. Another combo I would lean towards for my next go round is the AX41 up front and the 70 Rocks in the rear. I am about to mount the rocks up to my 1190 Adv R for a long ADV ride... and I am really curious as to how "different they perform" on the big bike as compared to the lightweight. We shall see!
Ha! Ha! Check it out... the Thumbs Down is gone ;) I totally accidentally hit it when I hit the SHARE button last night! OOOOOOPPPSSSSIIIIIIEEE! Fixed! But... it would not have surprised me if ChapMoto was the one hitting the thumbs down watching these awesome videos being produced. The work of education will roll forward...
Excellent info! ‘22 Africa Twin on road, 2up, cold and raining either: TKC70 or Motoz GPS Or will these tire’s work equally well: TKC 70 rocks or Motoz Adv?
Hi !! Excellent review on Continental's TKCs. !!! I've got a Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT and I am thinking of putting a TKC70 rocks in the rear , but I am not sure wether to put the TKC80 in the front or the TKC70. ¿Could it be too noisy the front TKC80 on asphalt? I am 80 roads 20 dirt driver. Thanks a lot and regards from Seville, Spain !!
Hey Kyle! I've been following you for years now, and glad to see you found a new place to call home. I'm in the PNW and never heard of MotoCity, but I'm going to subscribe, and look forward to more of your vids. Hopefully you can continue the great comparison work you were doing at that other place! I'll definitely reward MotoCity with my online business if they keep supporting you. Similar to some of the other questions here, I am wondering about comparisons to the Motoz GPS or Adventure and the Missions. I'm looking to replace my Shinko 804/5 (which I bought from that other place based on your reviews). I've got both some long paved trips, and some good BDR type trips coming up, so kind of need the goldilocks rear to match a new TKC 80 front. Compared to the Motoz and the Mission, which would you go with for a rear. Thanks again for keeping your reviews real. Any chance we could see shootout comparisons of different manufacturers, rather than different models from the same one? That was something I really wanted from your previous series. I'm sure there were reasons not to, but I think you could fairly positive statements about both, while stating which is better in what kinds of situations.
Thank you for your support. I have some new videos in the works comparing similar tires showing how they work side by side... so stay tuned! As for the GPS vs. the Adventure and how they relate to the Dunlop TrailMax Mission... The Adventure is the most aggressive by at least 10% over the GPS if and maybe 20% or more over the Mission. I would put the GPS and the Mission on even playing fields with full air pressure. Once aired down... the GPS becomes a real off-road tire and the same can not be said of the Mission. Its structure / grip really doesn't change with a drop in pressure. The GPS will be a great tire to pair with your TKC80 front. You will probably go through 3 fronts to the one GPS rear ;) Here is the direct link to the GPS page if you decide to go that route: www.motocityparts.com/product/193963/motoz-tractionator-gps-dot As for keeping it real... Yes Sir! Wouldn't have it any other way.
@@MotoCityTV Thanks so much, Sir. Have you ever tried the GPS in both directions to see if the "off road" direction is really superior? Also, stay safe wandering around the desert out there. Is that all publicly owned property? I can tell you up here in eastern Washington, folks get shot at for trespassing.
@@chinook4411 Yes, the Mostly Off Road direction does work better Off-Road than the 50/50 direction. However... on the street I was not able to notice much of a difference.
Nope... There is not a TKC 70 Rocks in mind for the future. I have pushed it... as have many others, but Conti does not see the need. The TKC70 front is for the more street oriented riders and the TKC80 for the more dirt oriented riders. Conti does not think an in-between tire is warranted. I personally think there is a need for a matched "in-between" tire... but who am I and who are all of these customers asking for one? Ha! Ha! We will keep pushing. Thanks for watching.
Never stopped producing videos on my own channel ;) Happy to have found MotoCity as my new home though. As for Continental goes, the TKC80 Front and 70Rocks rear will be their closest thing to the Mission tires. Thanks for watching! - Kyle
Well, for a Mid Sized Adv bike and any BDR I would go a little more knobby... I'd do either a full set of TKC80's or the Motoz RallZ tires as they are my Go-To for hard off-road and long distance on-road where there are no compromises. - Kyle
Thanks again Kyle for your hard core tests on tires. I've been trying to guess what might work best on my 2022 KLR650 and due to the higher weight of some tires like the Motoz maybe the TCK70 Rocks will work well. I haven't seen them for sale yet but will now keep an eye open for that. Obviously Moto City has them Lol. Thanks.
Take a look at the AX41 for your KLR. It is a really light tire with amazing performance. It does not wear long on most heavy / powerful ADV bikes but your KLR should treat it well. Thanks for watching!
I’m thinking of getting the tkc70 fir my Triumph Scrambler 1200 cause I mainly ride on tarmac and UK is well known for its wet weather and slippery roads. Would a tkc70 rocks be a good choice for rear ?
I'm having an issue... The continental tkc 70 rocks doesn't come in 160/60/17 I took the decision to put THEM on my bike but now there is no such choise Can you refer another tyre very close to continental tkc 70 rocks please? (I was looking at Dunlop trailmax Mission but my on/off bike has only 47 horse power)
Hello, can you please help? Is it possible and safe to put the TKC 80 tire that numbers 120/70-19 front and the TKC 170/60 B17 rear on my stock 2002 GSA R1150? I have alway run with the stock tires that came with the bike, 110/80-19 front and the 150/70 B19 rear. I would really appreciate your feed back! thank you, Daniel
I recently bought a pair of pirelli scorpion rally str tires for my duke 390 and I'm happy with the rear tire on road and pretty happy offroad but the front tire is too road oriented for me not great offroad(wet grass, mud and snow) but great on road and I'm wondering if I should have gone with the tkc80 front and maybe even the rear would love to know how the tkc80 and rally str Compare front and rear
I would recommend the AX41 for the front pairing of the Scorpion Rally STR. Great hook-up, great street performance and it is light. Much better tire than the TKC80.
@@MotoCityTV right on I'll look into it I've got the ax41 on the rear of my old 2007 kawasaki ninja 250r scrambler, it does crazy good I wish there was something like the shinko sr241i have on the front of my ninja that would properly fit my duke.
@@MotoCityTV it seems that the ax41 doesn't have a 17" front tire at all so it's not an option my stock size is 110/70/17 I'd have to stay close to that.
@MotoCity Powersports Hey Kyle, would you pair Tkc 70 rocks with a bridgestone ax41 front ? What is the rule for pairing tires from different manufactures?
Manufacturers would tell you its' not a good idea to mix tires and it could be dangerous. While this "could be true" if you mounted a long distance hard rubber tire on the front of your sport bike with a super sticky slick on the rear then tried to rip into corners... the rear tire would "out ride" the front tire and the front end would probably disappear out from under you without warning. Extreme situation... but the other would be tire profiles... the Kenda Big Block tire are "SO ROUND" that you don't have much tread on the ground and a different front tire could actually out corner / out perform the rear tire and the rear end would slide out and want to pass you in the corner... Without Traction Control of course... Tire Manufacturers actually do a GREAT job at Pairing their tires together so they perform the same or in come cases one tire "makes up" for the other tire in performance. I think the AX41 and the TKC70 Rocks would make a great pairing and I may just have to do that as my next 390 Duke set-up. My TK80 front is about shot and the rear Rocks is somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3rds the way done at 5k miles. Many people run the TKC80 on the front with Motoz rear tires... I really liked the Dunlop TrialMax Mission on the front and the Motoz Adventure on the rear for a "much more aggressive" and dirt worthy set up than an full set of TrailMax Mission tires. It really is about the ride, the conditions, the bike... But in the dirt bike tire world - it is totally okay.
I have a Scrambler 1200 XC. I have a Dunlop Trailmax Mission front I was planning to use with a TKC70 Rocks as my street biased off road tires once my stock Metz Tourances wear out, however; I also have a TKC80 front and an Anakee Wild rear I was going to try on more serious off road. I may use two wheel sets and keep the above tire combo on each set depending on how the off roading goes. Apart from mileage, what would be the limitations of using the TKC80 front and Anakee Wild rear all the time even for road riding? Would those tires be at all sketchy on the pavement at higher speeds and lean angles? What would you see as their shortcomings. I know you haven't used these tires in the above combination. Greatly appreciate your videos, they are extremely informative. I already have an idea of their limitations from your videos, just wanted to ask the above about the combo and riding on the road. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Yes Sir! Thank you for watching and thank you for your support. I think you will really like the Mission Front and Rocks rear for your "more street" riding. Super smooth and they work really well on and off road. I would recommend running a matched set of the Anakee Wild tires. The technology on the Wild tires is significantly more advanced than the Continental tires. I think you might run the risk of out-riding the front TKC80 with the Anakee Wild rear tire meaning... you might push the TKC80 past its limitations. The Wild tire are great. They feel "strange" like riding on a cloud for the first 1k miles but then, once you get used to them... they RIP. They are a great all around 50/50 tire. The Wild tires get good enough mileage and work well enough on the road that you might keep that set for 100% of your ride time. Good luck in your testing! - Kyle
@@MotoCityTV thanks very much for the feedback... Lol. I realize I have messaged you here before. My reasoning behind trying the TKC80 front with the Michelin Anakee Wild rear was that I found when I had the Trailmax Mission front and rear installed, the weight difference was quite a lot, and it's unsprung rotating weight. I think it was 5 lbs overall. I also saw a test by the guys in Romania (iirc) who said they liked the TKC80 front and one of the two guys said they would run the TKC80 front and the Wild rear. They didn't choose that because of weight considerations, they chose that because of how they felt the different tires performed. Anyhow I was really kind of bothered by the weight of some of these tires. The trailmax rear and many of the motoz rear tires weigh 19-20 lbs. Driving home from the dealer with the trailmax mission front rear tires installed I really noticed the weight I'm sure it affects the acceleration but what bothered me more was when I was steering the bike back and forth. I've weighed a lot of tires and I can actually give you some of my data...and to be fair, the wild front and rear in a pair and the trailmax front and tkc70 rear pair are both within 0.2 lbs of each other for those two sets...so they would make good sets to alternate between. I also noticed you use the tkc80 front with your tkc70 rocks rear and I was thinking, wouldn't that rear outperform your tkc80 front on the road? I guess whatever tires we use we could just learn the limitations of each but I see your point that it makes sense not to have two tires that perform too dissimilarly on the road. I am not a super experienced rider and won't be pushing it too hard. Do you think the front wild would be better than the tkc80 in the rain?
Thanks for your detailed message Morkys. Yes, the Trailmax Mission tires are the heaviest of all of the Adv tires by a long shot as compared to some. I have weighed nearly every Adv 80/20 and 50/50+ tire and there is up to a 15 pound difference in some! HUGE! I'd love to see your data. @Manybikes on IG or Kyle Bradshaw in FB. Regarding the TKC80 Front and the TKC70 Rocks rear... The TKC80 front actually does really well on the pavement. I can push it pretty hard. It is the rear TKC80 that steps out on me under acceleration. I have not outridden the TKC80 on the front with the Rocks. Check out this vid when I was pushing it just after mounting them: ua-cam.com/video/qzTx8FQDbK4/v-deo.html Yes, I do think the Anakee Wild front would be better than the tkc80 in the rain. Thanks again for your support.
@@MotoCityTV How would the Shinko 804 front do paired with my rear Anakee Wild? Was about to mount 90/90-21 TKC 80 front but has been recalled. I am thinking of keeping my Trailmax Mission front and TKC 70 Rocks rear as my more road oriented dirt capable tires (I have 2 sets of wheels atm...not sure if it is worth the cost). Again my bike is a Scrambler 1200 XC. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
fav combo has been a TKC80 front and Mitas E07 rear for the last 2 bikes ive had but i cannot find any Mitas E07's anywhere for weeks now so what to do ?? this tire sure looks like a street tire to me ? trying to maybe talk myself into trying one.. anyone know where theres a Mitas E07 + or dakar either in 150/70/18 i have card in hand and phone in the other ??
No E07+ anywhere... that we can find either. The TKC70 Rocks is a great tire. Much better than we anticipated. It is the perfect in-between 50/50 and 80/20.
@@MotoCityTV ive been looking for a real review of it not just guys who work for gear companies that rave about every tire so thank you , is it comparable to the E07 off road ??? thats my concern as it looks like a street tire , id just run TKC80 at both ends but the rears go out soo darn fast
I just ran my 1200GS with a set of Rocks rear with TKC80 front on the NEBDR. Fantastic combo for those tracks! By the way, you keep saying the 70s are a dual compound. They are not. They are single compound with longer curing down the center. Thanks for the review!
Rock on! (no pun intended until I noticed it when proof reading!) I too am digging these tires. I just mounted them up to my 1190 Adv R and WOW they feel good. Yes, the rubber is the same rubber but the different cure rates / temps change the make-up of the compound making one harder than the other. Same rubber / different characteristics. Better put? Thank you for your real world feedback, I appreciate it!
Hi Kyle , do you think that for a CB500x , the TKC80 front paired with TKC70Rocks rear , would be a great option for all round ??? Can you give me some Help? I 'm in doubt with theese tyres and Bridgestone AX41 adventure cross. Please Help me mate
Hi, currently using trail attack 3's front and rear on my KTM 1190 , cant source anew rear at present ,would TKC70 rear run with the TA 3 on the from and or would the rocks version be better. Touring only miles only. Cheers
The TKC70 would be a better and a longer lasting tire if most of your riding is touring. The TKC70Rocks is better off-road, but if you are not getting there... the TKC70 would be my recommendation.
I’m about to do a Trailmax Mission rear, and Anakee Wild front. As the Anakee Wild rear is worn down, and I have a Trailmax Mission rear to replace it, and the Anakee Front tire is still good. This might work for me, I love Anakee Wilds except that the rear wears too quick on the highway. I love Trailmax Mission on the road but is not aggressive enough off road.
Hi, I am looking for a pair of Continental TKC70, for my KTM Duke, just like your bike. 5:34 Can you tell me what is the size of the front and the rear that fit the bike?
Thank you for your inquiry. SO FUN! Check this out: ua-cam.com/video/DyUQlBPJNZQ/v-deo.html Or better yet this one: ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html The front tire is 120/70ZR-17 and the rear tire size is a 150/70R-17 You will have so much fun on the Duke with off-road dual purpose tires!
@@MotoCityTV Hi, I just checked my tires, Metzeler - rear 150/60-17 M/C 66H - front 110/70-17 M/C 54H I wonder the difference about the numbers, can you tell me?
Yes, the numbers read out like this... First number is MM across the tire from side to side. The second number is the sidewall height stated as an aspect ratio. The rear tire sidewall is 60% of the 150mm width. The last number -17 is the rim size. The knobby front tires are not made in a 110, but the 120 is just 10mm wider and just a tad taller than your stock tire. The 66H and 54H are Load Ratings and Speed Index's. 54H means 467 lbs and Top Speed of 130 mph and 66H means 661 lbs at 130mph. Here is a video i created in my past life that explains it all: ua-cam.com/video/CidSR5AM9Tg/v-deo.html Cheers, Kyle
Hi Kyle, with the combination of TKC80 front & 70 Rocks rear, do you get much road noise, I have Bridgestone Battlax AX41’s on my bike but road noise is horrendous! Regards. Paul.
No, Not much road noise from the TKC80 front nor the TKC70 Rocks rear. Strange, I do not remember the AX41 tires being noisy. I do know I LOVED THEM but the wore out SUPER FAST. Two years ago today I had the AX41's on 3 of my motorcycles and was loving life... Until about 3 months later when ALL THREE Bikes needed NEW tires! Bad situation... Need More Miles.
I remember you were pretty stoked on the Dunlop Trailmax Mission for road feel, life span and off road performance. TKC70 Rocks certainly looks more the part - would you take the TKC70 Rocks over the Mission?
Great questions. The Dunlop TrailMax Mission is a true 50/50 tire. It lasts forever and does well on most all terrains. This TKC 70 Rocks tire is a "better street tire" and when I say better... it gives realtime feedback from the road due to it's soft compliant sidewall and softer rubber compound. It's also "more grippy" in the wet. What would I run... If doing mostly street I'd probably run the TrailMax mission in the front and the TKC 70 Rocks in the rear. I think Continental missed the mark not introducing a front tire with the 70 Rocks... That Mission front is pretty close to what I'd want it to look like. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching! - Kyle
@@manybikes you said you got almost 4K miles on the Rocks rear tire, any update? Or estimate for wear life? Is this a classic trade off between longevity vs grip when comparing the Rocks rear to the Mission rear? I replaced my Mission rear on my 1290 SAS in the middle of a long trip, but it still had some life left at 8K miles. If I wasn’t on a long trip I probably could have pushed the mileage more. I think 10K would have been reasonable. I can’t believe the front though. 14K miles on the front, and probably another 3-5K left to go! I’m intrigued by the Mission front/Rocks rear combo, but would say I’ve been very pleased with the set.
I'm loving the 70 Rocks on my Africa Twin but had a flat and could not break the bead with Motion Pro bead breakers. Is this tire especially stiff at the bead? Any advice for me? Thank you! Great vid as always.
Wow Keith, that sounds like it was frustrating! The bead on these tires are not stiff in comparison to most other ADV tires. Any of the stiff beads typically only cause issues during mounting. Lack of lubrication was probably the biggest issue you had. With lube... the bead typically breaks pretty easy on the AT with Motion Pro Bead Breakers. Apply lube (any liquid except gas) all the way around the tire / rim and then use the Bead Pro to crack the seal all the way around. When the liquid has penetrated all the way around the bead typically then breaks pretty with the next decent push. My worst ever bead experience similar to yours was a KLR650 wheel with Shinko 705. Whew!
@@MotoCityTV thank you! It must be I'm going to light on the lube. And good to know these tires and the AT are not typically trouble. It means I've got to work on technique. Cheers!
I have a Triumph 1200 XE and getting ready to ride the Dempster Highway to the Artic Ocean. Thinking about TKC 70 Rocks on the rear and TKC 80 on the front. Any thoughts on that combo?
YES! This combo is amazing. Kyle has been running it on his 390 Duke and loves it. He has about 5k miles on the set now... but a few months ago he released this video with the 80 front and Rocks rear: ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html In that video you see the tire really can take you anywhere. The Rocks is a "little slower in the sand" but does it just fine. 7 or 8k miles is what he is aiming to get out of the set on the 390. He likes it enough he will be installing that exact combo onto his 1190 Adv R. later this week. And his FULL REVIEW will take place after he gets "enough miles" and terrain contrasts to really review the tire on both the small bike and the big bike. Do It. You will like it.
@@MotoCityTV any updates on the TKC80 Front / TKC70 Rocks on the 1190. I think the Trailmax will be to hard and stiff for wet UK on my KTM 1050 so I am interested in this combo for my bike. I have been spoiled by the Avon Trailriders which are awesome on tarmac but want some more off road grip.
The Rocks rear is amazing for the street and handles the dirt quite well too! The TKC80 front is about the knobbiest tire you can put on the 17" front wheel. I am liking it... but it is does vibrate quite a bit when coming to a stop. Rolling it works really well though. If you want to ride here and there on-road and off-road that is what I'd run.
After watching this, I saw one of your older flicks on Motoz tractionator ADV tires. Still like them? I'm thinking they'd look killer on my 300SM, likely handle well too. Thoughts?
Great review and insight into the Continental Tires. Are you saying you get 4000 miles on each TKC70 Rocks tire? Is that on the 390 and does milage differ on bigger bikes like the Africa Twin? Do you find performance different on the AT vs the 390? I remember when you first rode the 70 Rocks on your 390. Planning to run 70 Rocks rear and Trailmax Mission front for all around. For serious off road trip may try TKC80 front Anakee Wild Rear. Trailmaxmisson rear, like the Motoz are too heavy. I feel the difference even on my 1200 XC scrambler. Not huge but slower acceleration and handling on the street.
Yes, I have 4k miles on the TKC70 Rocks Rear and TKC80 Front on Duke at the moment. I do think that wear on the big bikes will be a little quicker as the friction between the ground and the tire will be greater due to weight and power to the ground. That being said I have seen other AT and BMW riders getting about 5k total out of the Rocks rear and upwards of 7k out of the standard TKC70 rear. Due to the weight differences of the tires (Continental being the lightest) and the fact I have not worn out the TKC80 up front yet... This will be my Go To set-up for the Duke. It works really well.
@@MotoCityTV ah ok, I was wondering if you have already worn through a few of the 70 Rocks and had gotten 4k miles each time. Ok, so I could possibly get between 4500 and up to 5000. I guess 4000+ is good and everything above is gravy. My bike is bigger but I don't ride in desert like conditions on or off road up here in Ontario Canada. You have an interesting area to play off road where you live and work.
@@morkys2410 For sure! Our riding area is pretty unique. I personally have 4k on the TKC70 Rocks and have not fully worn out a set as of yet. Others I have sold the Rocks tire to have all gotten over 4k thus far... and they all really like the performance over the original TKC70. The other bikes have been R1200GS, R1250GSA, an Africa Twin and a Ducatti Multisrada. I am pretty confident you too will see 4k+ from the rear 70 Rocks tire.
@@MotoCityTV great feedback. Much appreciated. Do you think you would ever move from the Duke 390 to an actual Adventure 390 or are you having enough fun as is? I am sure you have other actual adventure bikes and you don't seem to want to just use the Duke 390 on the street 😁🤓😎
@@morkys2410 Ha! Ha! Great question. I bought the 390 Duke as it was "inexpensive to ride" on my 120 mile round trip commute... or rather the tires alone on my BMW R1200GSA or the Chain, Sprockets and tires on my 1190 Adv R were too expensive for the 600 Mile a week commute. Tires on the big ADV bikes are like $350 for a set and the don't last long. Drive system on the 1190 or my 950 is at least $300 every 10K miles (once a year) where the full drive system on the 390 is just $120 for EVERYTHING! The 390 gets 50 mpg, the BMW gets 38 mpg, the 1190 gets 30 mpg and the 950 gets 25 mpg... To answer your question... I'd LOVE to get a 390 Adventure but they are so expensive as compared to the Duke I already own and it will go everywhere the Adv version would go. Here is the fleet (BMW swapped for the 790) instagram.com/p/CDZPPxWHFHP/ - Kyle
Hi Kyle, is the TKC 80 front tire as noisy as the AX41? I am running the Ax41's on a ATAS and they are very noisy on highway, great off road. Looking for a good combination that stays quiet on highway and works well on the road. How does the Continental pair here compare the the Dunlop Trailmax? Thanks
Don't know how I want to answer this one... Initially the TKC80 is pretty quiet and it works well. I think the AX41 works a little better but is noisier. I think that is due to the angular blocks... vs. the TKC square blocks. The Rocks is very similar to the Mission in the dirt and feels better (more grounded with more feedback) on the street. All three tires have their strengths and weaknesses ... Good luck with your decision!
Well, just about $310 for a set for your 1250 GSA. Continental TKC70 Rocks Dual Sport Rear Tire 170/60R-17 is $188.88 and the Continental TKC80 Tubeless Dual Sport Front Tire 120/70-17 is $120.27 = Items (2): $309.15 Shop tires here: www.motocityparts.com/tires
I'm looking for a new set on my Tenere 700, i'm about 70% on road, 30% off road. Probably getting the TKC 70 rocks on the rear, but would it be better to have the tkc 70 or 80 on the front, with that combination?
I’m currently running TKC 70 rocks on the rear and TKC80 on the front on my F850GS… I really like this combination and it does work very good on off road routes and fine on normal roads. In my opinion with your 70% on road and 30% off road driving you will enjoy this combo!
@@TrikkeSan considering the tread pattern of the tire I would say very good! I’ve experienced some “bubble” feeling at around 130km/hr or 80 mph depending on how heavy the bike is loaded however after I adjust the tire pressure the bubble feeling disappeared. I live in Guadalajara (México) it rains almost every day at this time of the year so far I’m happy with the tires.
If you want what I think is the best front tire to pair with the TKC70 Rocks, I'd go with the Dunlop TrailMax Mission front. It is more aggressive than the TKC70 and less aggressive than the TKC80. I think it is perfect.
@@steveaustin1820 There is no such thing as a TKC 70 Rocks front tire. They only made it in a rear tire to go with the mostly street front TKC70 tire or the 50/50 TKC80 in the front.
@@MotoCityTV Swapped my frony K60 for a TKC...wasn't going to miss the chance of not being in stock...now all I need is the bike...thanks again for your recommendation..of ya...what street and off road psi on the GSA?
30 psi if it's just gravel. If the going gets tough Mid 20's and if super muddy or sandy you can drop it lower to get out... but will want to air back up again to at least the mid 20's
I want the Rocks and the 70 for 70/30 touring two up / gravel road to a campsite with maybe 5% having fun solo on gravel on a vstrom. It came with a Goodyear up front and the shinko 705 in the back. I don't think it is worth upgrading until they are worn but this seems to be the best option. Two questions for OP or commenters. 1) how is the durability for a mid size adventure bike with 70/30 ratio riding? 2) does it have silica? I have heard it works better for cold weather which I ride in the winter as long as there isn't snow to around 25F
Yes, this tire would be a great for your V-strom. We have Africa Twin riders who have gotten 6k miles on their TKC70 Rocks tires. Yes, the tire has silica and it is great in cold and wet weather.
Too bad they didn’t deem the front tire necessary as I would’ve ended up purchasing a set but instead went with Moto Z adventure. Hopefully they change their mind in the future and I’ll buy a set
So... I had it out in the mud recently and will have a "Full Detailed Review" of the tire here in a month or so... It did really well actually in the mud, sorry... didn't answer your question. I will have run it here on the Duke and on my 1190 Adv R so I can comment on big bike vs. little bike feeling, performance and longevity. Thanks for watching and I hope you stay tuned!
Hello, I've been enjoying your videos very much. I like the idea of the TKC 70 rocks on the back along with the TKC80 on the front. The TKC80 front is hard to get ahold of for a 2023 KLR 650. I remember in at least a couple of your videos that you were a big fan of the Battleax AX41, which sounded like a great ADV tire to me as well. Do think that Ax41 on the front would pair well with the TKC70 rocks on the back?
@@MotoCityTV I’ve tried to stay off the motorways...and have done some fast A roads and yesterday a 10 mile off road route, but yes, I am a little concerned on the wear rate....
Given what you know now I as wondering if you would you still recommend the TC70 Rocks and the TCK80 Front for a 1250 GSA or the Dunlap Trailmax Mission for the front?
I really like the TKC70 Rocks Rear and if you want to use the same brand I prefer the TKC80 over the 70... as it is much better everywhere off road and does okay on the street. I do think the TrailMax Mission is the "best pairing" for the Rock rear tire if you are looking or a 70/30 set-up. I would totally run that combo!
Thinking about slapping a 70Rocks on rear to replace an 80 but keeping the 80 front Anyone got any thoughts on this? Bike is a KLR600 Mainly road use and sometimes blasting some trails/being a hooligan and taking legally questionable detours
That is what I have on my drz 400. very good on gravel and tar roads. I notice that in mud the TK 70 rocks spins but drives forward without slipping sideways until it gets good grip. TK 80 gives good confidence when leaning over in the soft stuff.
I had the TKC70 on my KTM1190 Adventure (not the R). Only onroad and I liked it very much as long as it was not to cold or to wet. It had good milage. BUT… with high speeds of >120/130 kmh the backtire felt like riding on ice. That is why I did not buy a second set.
Man you're the reference I look for buying tyres all the time, best review and explanation by far. If I was there I'll buy from you! Thanks from Madrid.
Well thanks for your feedback and thanks for watching!
I am fan of TKC 70 Rocks. I am going to install the third pair soon.
They are awesome!
My KTM 390 Adventure came with the TKC70s so I have lots of experience with them. They are a great canyon carver tire. They instill great confidence in tight corners at high speed. But I spend about 40% of my time off road on hard pack single track with lots of rocks. these tires are OK until you either have to climb a steep hill with rocks or loose dirt. I've run out of traction on the hills and had to turn around. This prompted me to buy the TKC70 rocks. Wow what a difference this tire makes. I lost none of the feel or ability to lay down this bike in the corners but gained a true dirt tire that never failed to give me the traction I need. It hooks up great in the loose stuff and I've concurred hills that I should have only been able to do on a full fledged enduro. I did notice the side tread is wearing much faster that the center even though I run the higher limit of tire pressure. I'm not sure why. Now the limitation for me off road is the TKC70 front tire. It's not good in powered dirt over hard pack on the trails, but the slip is controlled so you don't freak out and drop the bike. Same goes for quarter sized rocks on the same hard pack. Over all I love these tires. They really are a good fit for a 60/40 setup.
I did just purchase the KTM 890 Adventure with the Avon tires. Scary under the conditions I mention above but what a fantastic street tire. I'm now researching a tire for the same use as my 390, but I'll be putting lots of highway miles on the 890 riding two-up with my wife. I wonder if the TKC70 rocks will last that long or wear evenly. If any one has experience with the TKC70 Rocks on a 460lb bike please let me know.
Totally agree Bill! Totally agree. Check out this video where Kyle put his Duke on TKC70 Rocks tires up against the 390 Adventure on the original TKC70. Pretty fun episode: ua-cam.com/video/DyUQlBPJNZQ/v-deo.html The tire works really well. He is now running the TKC70 Rocks on the rear of his 1190 Adv R and is preparing for full video review of the TKC70 Rocks now that he has run them on little and big bikes. He likes them... that is for sure. instagram.com/p/CUbPnKzpzuR/
@@MotoCityTV hey Kyle, how com you are running ADV tyres on your little Duke?
How do they compare to the Shinkos? I can’t find a difference in the two tires.
Can anyone share how many miles you get out of the regular tkc70? Thinking I'll run a Dunlop trail mission front with the tkc70 rear on a dr650.. 👀
Best evaluation of tires wo being bias either way. Just the facts sir! Thanks you sold me on TKC70's on my Triumph Scrambler 900
great content. thank you very much. after watching this video, i decided to get both tkc70 rocks and tkc80 at rear, for front tkc 80 on my norden 901. during hot and dry summer i will use tkc80 at rear, during autumn in rainy season i will use tkc70 rocks.
Thanks MotoCity Powersports. Appreciate these thorough tire reviews. Excellent. These area great reviews.
Thanks for watching!
Great video, thanks. Have made a few nervous freckles in my pants fishtailing a few times riding gravely county roads on stock tires and definitely going to swap over to that TKC 70/70 Rocks combo, new feel on an older bike, can’t wait! Thanks for the inspiration!
Another excellent and informative to the point video. I run a Honda AT and have racked up 40,000 km (24,854 miles) over here in New Zealand during the last 18 months. I swear by the TKC80 90X90-21. I am amazed how hard I can push it on sealed road and how capable it is in gravel. I have been running Mitas EO7 Plus 150x70x18 rears and for road holding once again amazes me on sealed roads. For me I like the Mitas rear on gravel for it hooks up OK and is predictable. I do ride hard and get 7 to 8000 km (4970 miles) from them. The TKC80 lasts for 2 1/2 Mitas's. I don't stand up and drift in the gravel because as much as I love to, the dollar rears its ugly head. I ride lots of back country gravel roads and have 2 new rear Michelin Anikee Wilds ready to try out so I can relate to different profile / handling both wet and dry/ on seal / on gravel. One thing that concerns me with the TK 70's is the solid smooth centre. Smooth wet roads at higher speeds with smaller lean angles without rain sipes, I'm yet to be convinced. Thanks again for a dam good show.
Thanks for watching. I am not a fan of the TKC70 front or rear... but this TKC70 Rocks in the rear is fantastic with the TKC80 up front. I have almost 5k miles on the TKC70 Rocks / TKC80 combo at the moment and they are both still going strong. I have that same combo ready to be mounted up on my KTM 1190 Adv R. That bike will really put the Rocks tire to the test as it EATS tires! - Kyle
@@MotoCityTV report about that
Which Mitas E07 Plus do you ride? Standard or Dakar (yellow stripe) version?
Always great reviews Kyle.
TKC 80 on GS 1200, love it on and off road.
Inspires confidence with superb compound grip, braking , turning, and accelerating
Too bad they're discontinuing this legendary tire.
Super helpful! My friend and I are both off-road dirt riders and also street. We both got KTM 390 Adventures that came with TC70. I love the bike on the street and packed dirt roads, but sandy-loose soil and even loose gravel are not so good. We are greenpeas with Adventure bikes and heading to the Touratech 2023 rally - so wondering what to do. Your review, demonstration, and narrative was super helpful. Based on this, I lean toward a TkC70 Rock Rear (anyone need a TKC70 with only 600 miles) - and maybe change out to the TC80 front but I do ride mostly road...that said, even the 20% dirt makes me desire the bite so the front end doesn't wash out....never a good thing!
I'm running a TKC 70 in the rear (non rocks) and an 80 in the front. I've ridden through hundreds of kilometres of gravel roads and thousands of Kilometres of paved roads with these setup. I have also taken the bike (KLR 650) on a "road" that was mostly rock and small boulders and a lot of bogs. I've yet to get hung up, stuck or lose control on these tires even riding through 6 inches of mud. While I feel the front tire a lot on pavement, it isn't so bad that I would consider switching it to a 70. Good review...maybe compare these to the Shinko 705 for anyone looking for a less expensive alternative and why that is a good option or not.
Love your feedback and suggestions. The comparison you suggest is a good one and I will need to get that into my schedule.
I have done similar with TKC80 front and Mitas E07 rear; works well.
@@gsd4me00 thats my go to combo but i cannot find any Mitas E07's in stock ANYWHERE for weeks now !!?? you know who may have em ???
Great review, better than how my dealer explained them to me. - Thanks.
After have used TK70 for both my BMW GS and Africa Twin 2018 for several years, I mounted the Rocks on Africa Twin... I will never go back to TK70 standard!
Yeah right! I am loving the Rocks Rear!
Thanks for the video I was looking for a set to put on my Ducati scrambler Thinking TKC70 Rocks now but still undecided on the front end tire. I would ride mostly road but i want to be prepared for that occasional off road
Excellent review and explanation of the 70 vs 70 Rocks. It took me a while to realize they had two different tires and this was the only place I’ve found that explains the difference well… including your ride tests! Much better than the Continental marketing material!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I got myself TKC 70rocks, well it’s great on tarmac, it’s pretty good in hard dirt, gravel, grass etc. Only issue is it wears put really quick, I did 5000km so far , some of it was highway and the middle of the tyre lost the thread quite significantly. I will still be able to do 3-4k I guess, then need to swap for a new one. The front is still great although it’s very noisy around the 80km/h speed
Thanks for the review. If you have had some experience since then on the TKC 70 Rocks in mud, I would be grateful to hear. Thanks.
I have a 2016 BMW R1200 GSA. Just ordered TKC70 Rocks rear tire to replace my TKC80 rear. I have been really pleased with the TKC80s. For a big knobby tire, I am amazed at how well they handle in the twisties. Of course, they are very confidence inspiring off-road. After 2500 miles the rear is looking pretty worn but the fronts probably have 1/2 their tread life left. I knew this would be the case as I had read all the reviews. Probably 2000-2100 of those miles have been on pavement, so no surprise. But again, the performance in twisties, even when worn, is remarkable.
I am now going to experiment with the TKC70 Rocks as a replacement for the worn-out rear, and I will keep the TKC80 front until it wears out. Hoping this is a good combo for me that will give me up to 6000 miles or more on both tires. When the front wears out later this year going into winter, I will switch to TKC70 front which is very good in wet. Then next season I will see if the TKC70 Rocks rear TKC70 front is an okay combo in dirt. My guess is it won't be since I have such a big heavy bike and it can use some knobs up front. If not, I will be back to TKC80 front.
And if that doesn't work out, then I will try the new Dunlop Trailmax Mission! ;-)
Sounds like a good plan Craig. The TKC70 Rocks rear is pretty impressive and slots itself perfectly between the full knob and an 80/20 tire. Warning: the KTC70 front tire is not a friend of mine ;) It is not as dirt oriented as it needs to be and on the street it is great in wet weather but I am not a fan of how it wears. I run the KTC80 up front year round.
The Dunop is a great 50/50 tire but you will loose some "street feel" when moving from the TKC70 Rocks but the off-road traction will be similar.
Thanks for watching, - Kyle
The tkc 70 rocks seems like the perfect balance
It really is!
I really wanted the Heidenau K60 Scout or Mitas E07 tires, but both were unavailable in the right size at the moment. So, I ordered the TKC 80, as their only weakness seems to be their longevity.
And you are 100% correct. The TKC80 is the original Adv tire but the wear out really fast.
Pretty sure I invented the tkc70 rocks - I cut lateral grooves in the solid band of the tkc70 whenever I get one.
Now there you go! Well, it works!
@KyleBradshaw 3 years later, how are the 70 rocks holding up? Has everything remained relatively the same?
The 80 front and rocks rear sounds like a good combo.
Kyle loves the TKC80 front and the TKC70 Rocks in the rear. You've got to check this one out... This combo works! ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html
Is the TKC80 front good enough for road and wet road?
I’m probably 60/40 or 70/30 road/off-road but the TKC70 looks a bit too smooth for all the loose gravel in my area.
@@mrm6837 YES !! i wont run another fron tire !! TKC80 front and if i could buy one Mitas E07 rear is my go to combo
Loved this. Considering some EASY Adventure Riding/Camping (National Forests Trails and unimproved roads)and was thinking of starting cheap with a V-Strom. I need to get to them first and your video was most helpful.
That's a great idea! This tire will be perfect for that application!
Should I be concerned about mixing a radial TKC 70 rocks with a bias belted TKC 80 front on a 200kg adventure bike? It seems that pairing is not recommended as a general rule. Thank you very much for your reviews. They are very helpful since the average rider could never get this broad experience with tires in a lifetime of riding and your videos are entertaining as well as informative. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. As a general rule, mixing bias and radial is not recommended... but several manufactures actually do it from the factory. In this case, the TKC70 Rocks was made to be used with either the TKC70 or the TKC80. I have been running the radial rear and bias front and have had no issues on either my KTM 390 nor the 1190.
@@MotoCityTV thank you very much for that reassurance.
@Radphysics Quarantine University - MotoCity only recommends what your bikes manufacturer suggests. It is I ( Kyle @Manybikes on UA-cam and IG) that is giving you my personal feedback and personal experience. Use it as you will...
I have tkc 70 on my NC750X they are great on road but off road they manage.... Tkc 80 is are on my R1250GS and the are awseome in dirt and mud but feel like bar of soap in the rain. Thanks for the rewiew of the tkc 70 rocks i Will try that one next...
Thanks for sharing your real world experiences. The TKC70 and TKC70 Rocks are much much better than the TKC80 in the rain. MUCH better! I am working on my full detailed review of the Rocks tire now which includes many rain rides. If you look at the 390 Duke vs. 390 Adventure video you will see the TKC70 vs. the 70 Rocks. Pretty fun. Anyhow... thanks for watching!
After a lot of thought I chose the TKC70 rocks for my BMW G650 X-country and had the tyre fitted two weeks ago. I’m a UK rider and spend most of my time on the tarmac with the occasional off-road play. I’ve now clocked approx 350m and when this tyre wears out I already know what I’m replacing it with.....another rocks. The tread design does everything Continental claims it will do. Superb traction off and on road 🤟
Heck Yea! That is what we like to hear! Glad to hear it is suiting your needs!
350 metres? Or miles?? Pretty short ride!!!!!
Previously, I had a pair of TKC 70 and love them, just a little too street oriented for the mud and the sand, but works very well on rocks.
I need to change my Anakee adventure and thinks seriously on the TKC 70 in front and 70 rock at the rear, or some a pair of Karoo Street or Scorpion Rally STR.
Right on! For more street oriented riding the Karoo Street and Rally STR are some of the best feeling tires out there. This Rocks tire is better in the dirt than both of the previously mentioned and feels similar to them on the street. It is a winner in my book!
I use the Rocks tyre, definitely more grip in gravel and offroad over the standard TKC70 thou a lot less mileage too. Conti really need to make the centre of the tyre with a even more harder compound. Nothing worst than replacing a tyre when there is so much tread on the sides left & believe me when I say I thrash my bike on those tight twisty sealed roads too! :-)
Kyle has about 4k miles on this set of tires. The front TKC80 is wearing at the same rate as the TKC70 Rocks rear. It could have a harder center for sure. The sides are less worn than the center and he rides it pretty aggressive in the corners too.
@@MotoCityTV sweet, I'm on the old Dog rooter 650 and the 130/80x17 rocks is a tubeless, real bitch to fit too lol.
I got 6k from mine which is pretty good thou I have 2nd rear wheel with an TKC80 fitted so the standard 70 will do for the general stuff. Cheers ow!
@@seangray4512 Nice! Mine went on pretty easy or should I say easier than some of the other 50/50 tires I have been mounting recently. Man... those stiff sidewalls can be a bear!
I was originally looking at the TKC80 for my victory octane, mainly for looks. The TKC70 rocks might be a better choice, i wasnt even aware of those
continental TKC 70 How much inflation for tiger 900 rally pro ?? front cover 90/90-21, rear cover 150/70-17, can you help me
It really depends on the load of the bike and the weight of the rider and type of riding. On Road I'd say 30psi to Mid 40's if unloaded ... If fully loaded run the sidewall pressures. If mostly off-road you can get down into the 20's.
@@MotoCityTV thank you.
I have the tkc 80 and they definitely rip on road! However, i would like to know how the tkc 70 rocks and 80 stack up to the Michelin anikee adventure and wild if you haven't already compared the two brands together in a overall aspect like weather performance, long-term, and traction on and off road. I was looking at switching to the anikee adventure and i like what i see on them but i am still curious on the continentals tkc 70 rocks i am considering them aswell since i still have a good front tire and need to get a new rear. Thanks
Nice nice thanks for a good info to the point video
For a Tenere 700 front tire what would you pick out of the GPS, trailmax, or ? 1k miles a month on Ca. rain grove freeways and 1-200 miles a weekend in the fun stuff mixed of dirt road to mild single track with rocks around central CA? The stock STR scorpions did well overall but the front was not solid or predictable in the dirt. Your videos are awesome!
Thanks Ross, my pleasure! I would run the TrailMax Mission on the front and the TKC70 Rocks in the rear if I were going to run a 50/50 up front. The Mission is a little more aggressive with is multiple angled leading edges. I think it is the great "in between" a knobby and a front like the TKC70 or K60 Scout or the GPS... which are just not aggressive enough ;) Thanks for watching!
Hey Kyle, I have a T7 and I am probably a 60/40 rider. I have been looking at Motoz Adventure and the AX41 but after seeing this video I may lean more to the TKC 70 Rocks for better street characteristics, we have a large mix of twisties and dirt (FS roads, two track, and a few single track). I’m not a huge fan of the Scorpions off road, what would be your recommended setup for the T7? I seen your post about the TKC 70 Rocks and the Mission, sounds like a good combination.
Thanks for all you do, you have so much awesome content!!!
Hello Dave! Thanks for watching. The Mission and the the 70 Rocks will be a kickass combo I think. Another combo I would lean towards for my next go round is the AX41 up front and the 70 Rocks in the rear. I am about to mount the rocks up to my 1190 Adv R for a long ADV ride... and I am really curious as to how "different they perform" on the big bike as compared to the lightweight. We shall see!
Yeah. Have the T7 too and researching my replacement tires as well.
What is the tire on the far left, next to the TKC70
Brilliant great information, just purchased ktm 390 adventure, this info was really helpful 👍
Great to hear! You are going to love your 390! So much fun!
I ride on the tkc 80’s on a ktm 1190 r and I will try the rocks on the rear and keep the 80’s on the front.
Wow. This video rocks! Those are no doubt some tough tires.
Ha! Ha! Check it out... the Thumbs Down is gone ;) I totally accidentally hit it when I hit the SHARE button last night! OOOOOOPPPSSSSIIIIIIEEE! Fixed! But... it would not have surprised me if ChapMoto was the one hitting the thumbs down watching these awesome videos being produced. The work of education will roll forward...
;)
Excellent info!
‘22 Africa Twin on road, 2up, cold and raining either:
TKC70 or Motoz GPS
Or will these tire’s work equally well:
TKC 70 rocks or Motoz Adv?
Hi !! Excellent review on Continental's TKCs. !!! I've got a Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT and I am thinking of putting a TKC70 rocks in the rear , but I am not sure wether to put the TKC80 in the front or the TKC70. ¿Could it be too noisy the front TKC80 on asphalt? I am 80 roads 20 dirt driver. Thanks a lot and regards from Seville, Spain !!
Put either the TKC80 up front or the best tire we have found for the front is the Dunlop TrailMax Mission tire. GREAT Combo!
I really want those 70's 60/40 on my 800xc 👍
Hey Kyle! I've been following you for years now, and glad to see you found a new place to call home. I'm in the PNW and never heard of MotoCity, but I'm going to subscribe, and look forward to more of your vids. Hopefully you can continue the great comparison work you were doing at that other place! I'll definitely reward MotoCity with my online business if they keep supporting you.
Similar to some of the other questions here, I am wondering about comparisons to the Motoz GPS or Adventure and the Missions. I'm looking to replace my Shinko 804/5 (which I bought from that other place based on your reviews). I've got both some long paved trips, and some good BDR type trips coming up, so kind of need the goldilocks rear to match a new TKC 80 front. Compared to the Motoz and the Mission, which would you go with for a rear.
Thanks again for keeping your reviews real. Any chance we could see shootout comparisons of different manufacturers, rather than different models from the same one? That was something I really wanted from your previous series. I'm sure there were reasons not to, but I think you could fairly positive statements about both, while stating which is better in what kinds of situations.
Thank you for your support. I have some new videos in the works comparing similar tires showing how they work side by side... so stay tuned! As for the GPS vs. the Adventure and how they relate to the Dunlop TrailMax Mission... The Adventure is the most aggressive by at least 10% over the GPS if and maybe 20% or more over the Mission. I would put the GPS and the Mission on even playing fields with full air pressure. Once aired down... the GPS becomes a real off-road tire and the same can not be said of the Mission. Its structure / grip really doesn't change with a drop in pressure. The GPS will be a great tire to pair with your TKC80 front. You will probably go through 3 fronts to the one GPS rear ;) Here is the direct link to the GPS page if you decide to go that route: www.motocityparts.com/product/193963/motoz-tractionator-gps-dot
As for keeping it real... Yes Sir! Wouldn't have it any other way.
@@MotoCityTV Thanks so much, Sir. Have you ever tried the GPS in both directions to see if the "off road" direction is really superior?
Also, stay safe wandering around the desert out there. Is that all publicly owned property? I can tell you up here in eastern Washington, folks get shot at for trespassing.
@@chinook4411 Yes, the Mostly Off Road direction does work better Off-Road than the 50/50 direction. However... on the street I was not able to notice much of a difference.
are they TKC-70s good for long highways? I ride mostly 80-20 routes
100% I have spend two days and 1200 miles in the saddle on these tires.
OK, and what model you have to use in front wheel as a pair of rear TKC70 Rocks? Have Continental a 70 Rocks front tire in mind?
Nope... There is not a TKC 70 Rocks in mind for the future. I have pushed it... as have many others, but Conti does not see the need. The TKC70 front is for the more street oriented riders and the TKC80 for the more dirt oriented riders. Conti does not think an in-between tire is warranted. I personally think there is a need for a matched "in-between" tire... but who am I and who are all of these customers asking for one? Ha! Ha! We will keep pushing. Thanks for watching.
great review, bought a tiger Rally Pro will want the best tires!!! thanks
Right on! That Rally Pro is a pretty sweet machine!
@@MotoCityTV can;t wait to ride it from toronto the the baja and swing by your place for new tires and oil
@@Finding-Fish Well, we will be happy to see you! Safe travels!
Tkc 70 front or dunlop mission ? Which one is better off,on and wet ?
Hi Kyle.....Which one would you consider more off road oriented? The TKC70 Rocks or the Motoz Tractionator GPS?
Thanks!
How does the TKC70 Rocks hold up against the Anakee Adventure?
On the road they are VERY similar. In the dirt, sand and mud the TKC70 kills it!
@@MotoCityTV thank You! And thanks for all the great content
which set would you say is the closest to Dunlop Trailmax Mission, nice to see you producing videos again, thnx V!
Never stopped producing videos on my own channel ;) Happy to have found MotoCity as my new home though. As for Continental goes, the TKC80 Front and 70Rocks rear will be their closest thing to the Mission tires. Thanks for watching! - Kyle
@@MotoCityTV thank you so much, understand . Which one would you choose for mid size ADV bike like Colorado/California BDR, just curious, thanks
Well, for a Mid Sized Adv bike and any BDR I would go a little more knobby... I'd do either a full set of TKC80's or the Motoz RallZ tires as they are my Go-To for hard off-road and long distance on-road where there are no compromises. - Kyle
@@MotoCityTV thank you 🙏 K
@@verdonrocksphotography3510 My / Our pleasure!
Thinking of running a tkc70 rock rear and tkc80 front on a 2022 harley pan am . What are your thoughts .
Thanks again Kyle for your hard core tests on tires. I've been trying to guess what might work best on my 2022 KLR650 and due to the higher weight of some tires like the Motoz maybe the TCK70 Rocks will work well. I haven't seen them for sale yet but will now keep an eye open for that. Obviously Moto City has them Lol. Thanks.
Take a look at the AX41 for your KLR. It is a really light tire with amazing performance. It does not wear long on most heavy / powerful ADV bikes but your KLR should treat it well. Thanks for watching!
How would the tkc70 rocks 150 70 18 work on a husqvarna 701 that's ment for 140 80 18, conti doesn't make the proper size for the bike?
I’m thinking of getting the tkc70 fir my Triumph Scrambler 1200 cause I mainly ride on tarmac and UK is well known for its wet weather and slippery roads. Would a tkc70 rocks be a good choice for rear ?
What specific sizes did you run on the duke? I’m looking to duplicate your setup, thanks so much for this video!
No problem 👍 120/70-17 in the front and a 150/70-18 for the rear. Amazing set-up!
I'm having an issue...
The continental tkc 70 rocks doesn't come in 160/60/17
I took the decision to put THEM on my bike but now there is no such choise
Can you refer another tyre very close to continental tkc 70 rocks please?
(I was looking at Dunlop trailmax Mission but my on/off bike has only 47 horse power)
The TKC70 Rocks comes in a 150/70-17 or a 170/60-17 and for you, I'd pick the 150. Good to go. Next suggestion, the AX41.
Hello, can you please help? Is it possible and safe to put the TKC 80 tire that numbers 120/70-19 front and the TKC 170/60 B17 rear on my stock 2002 GSA R1150? I have alway run with the stock tires that came with the bike, 110/80-19 front and the 150/70 B19 rear. I would really appreciate your feed back! thank you,
Daniel
They would mount up... but why would you want to deviate from the stock sizes?
I hope I can buy one of those tkc 70 rocks here in the philippines🥺
I wonder if it has sizes for 21/18 inch rims...
Yes, the rear TKC70Rocks tire does come in a 150/70R18 and you will use the 90/90-21 TKC80 or TKC70 tires.
I recently bought a pair of pirelli scorpion rally str tires for my duke 390 and I'm happy with the rear tire on road and pretty happy offroad but the front tire is too road oriented for me not great offroad(wet grass, mud and snow) but great on road and I'm wondering if I should have gone with the tkc80 front and maybe even the rear would love to know how the tkc80 and rally str Compare front and rear
I would recommend the AX41 for the front pairing of the Scorpion Rally STR. Great hook-up, great street performance and it is light. Much better tire than the TKC80.
@@MotoCityTV right on I'll look into it I've got the ax41 on the rear of my old 2007 kawasaki ninja 250r scrambler, it does crazy good I wish there was something like the shinko sr241i have on the front of my ninja that would properly fit my duke.
@@MotoCityTV it seems that the ax41 doesn't have a 17" front tire at all so it's not an option my stock size is 110/70/17 I'd have to stay close to that.
@MotoCity Powersports Hey Kyle, would you pair Tkc 70 rocks with a bridgestone ax41 front ? What is the rule for pairing tires from different manufactures?
Manufacturers would tell you its' not a good idea to mix tires and it could be dangerous. While this "could be true" if you mounted a long distance hard rubber tire on the front of your sport bike with a super sticky slick on the rear then tried to rip into corners... the rear tire would "out ride" the front tire and the front end would probably disappear out from under you without warning. Extreme situation... but the other would be tire profiles... the Kenda Big Block tire are "SO ROUND" that you don't have much tread on the ground and a different front tire could actually out corner / out perform the rear tire and the rear end would slide out and want to pass you in the corner... Without Traction Control of course... Tire Manufacturers actually do a GREAT job at Pairing their tires together so they perform the same or in come cases one tire "makes up" for the other tire in performance. I think the AX41 and the TKC70 Rocks would make a great pairing and I may just have to do that as my next 390 Duke set-up. My TK80 front is about shot and the rear Rocks is somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3rds the way done at 5k miles. Many people run the TKC80 on the front with Motoz rear tires... I really liked the Dunlop TrialMax Mission on the front and the Motoz Adventure on the rear for a "much more aggressive" and dirt worthy set up than an full set of TrailMax Mission tires. It really is about the ride, the conditions, the bike... But in the dirt bike tire world - it is totally okay.
I have a Scrambler 1200 XC. I have a Dunlop Trailmax Mission front I was planning to use with a TKC70 Rocks as my street biased off road tires once my stock Metz Tourances wear out, however; I also have a TKC80 front and an Anakee Wild rear I was going to try on more serious off road. I may use two wheel sets and keep the above tire combo on each set depending on how the off roading goes.
Apart from mileage, what would be the limitations of using the TKC80 front and Anakee Wild rear all the time even for road riding? Would those tires be at all sketchy on the pavement at higher speeds and lean angles? What would you see as their shortcomings. I know you haven't used these tires in the above combination. Greatly appreciate your videos, they are extremely informative. I already have an idea of their limitations from your videos, just wanted to ask the above about the combo and riding on the road. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Yes Sir! Thank you for watching and thank you for your support. I think you will really like the Mission Front and Rocks rear for your "more street" riding. Super smooth and they work really well on and off road. I would recommend running a matched set of the Anakee Wild tires. The technology on the Wild tires is significantly more advanced than the Continental tires. I think you might run the risk of out-riding the front TKC80 with the Anakee Wild rear tire meaning... you might push the TKC80 past its limitations. The Wild tire are great. They feel "strange" like riding on a cloud for the first 1k miles but then, once you get used to them... they RIP. They are a great all around 50/50 tire. The Wild tires get good enough mileage and work well enough on the road that you might keep that set for 100% of your ride time. Good luck in your testing! - Kyle
@@MotoCityTV thanks very much for the feedback... Lol. I realize I have messaged you here before. My reasoning behind trying the TKC80 front with the Michelin Anakee Wild rear was that I found when I had the Trailmax Mission front and rear installed, the weight difference was quite a lot, and it's unsprung rotating weight. I think it was 5 lbs overall. I also saw a test by the guys in Romania (iirc) who said they liked the TKC80 front and one of the two guys said they would run the TKC80 front and the Wild rear. They didn't choose that because of weight considerations, they chose that because of how they felt the different tires performed.
Anyhow I was really kind of bothered by the weight of some of these tires. The trailmax rear and many of the motoz rear tires weigh 19-20 lbs. Driving home from the dealer with the trailmax mission front rear tires installed I really noticed the weight I'm sure it affects the acceleration but what bothered me more was when I was steering the bike back and forth.
I've weighed a lot of tires and I can actually give you some of my data...and to be fair, the wild front and rear in a pair and the trailmax front and tkc70 rear pair are both within 0.2 lbs of each other for those two sets...so they would make good sets to alternate between.
I also noticed you use the tkc80 front with your tkc70 rocks rear and I was thinking, wouldn't that rear outperform your tkc80 front on the road?
I guess whatever tires we use we could just learn the limitations of each but I see your point that it makes sense not to have two tires that perform too dissimilarly on the road. I am not a super experienced rider and won't be pushing it too hard.
Do you think the front wild would be better than the tkc80 in the rain?
Thanks for your detailed message Morkys. Yes, the Trailmax Mission tires are the heaviest of all of the Adv tires by a long shot as compared to some. I have weighed nearly every Adv 80/20 and 50/50+ tire and there is up to a 15 pound difference in some! HUGE! I'd love to see your data. @Manybikes on IG or Kyle Bradshaw in FB. Regarding the TKC80 Front and the TKC70 Rocks rear... The TKC80 front actually does really well on the pavement. I can push it pretty hard. It is the rear TKC80 that steps out on me under acceleration. I have not outridden the TKC80 on the front with the Rocks. Check out this vid when I was pushing it just after mounting them: ua-cam.com/video/qzTx8FQDbK4/v-deo.html Yes, I do think the Anakee Wild front would be better than the tkc80 in the rain. Thanks again for your support.
@@MotoCityTV How would the Shinko 804 front do paired with my rear Anakee Wild? Was about to mount 90/90-21 TKC 80 front but has been recalled. I am thinking of keeping my Trailmax Mission front and TKC 70 Rocks rear as my more road oriented dirt capable tires (I have 2 sets of wheels atm...not sure if it is worth the cost). Again my bike is a Scrambler 1200 XC. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
fav combo has been a TKC80 front and Mitas E07 rear for the last 2 bikes ive had but i cannot find any Mitas E07's anywhere for weeks now so what to do ?? this tire sure looks like a street tire to me ? trying to maybe talk myself into trying one.. anyone know where theres a Mitas E07 + or dakar either in 150/70/18 i have card in hand and phone in the other ??
No E07+ anywhere... that we can find either. The TKC70 Rocks is a great tire. Much better than we anticipated. It is the perfect in-between 50/50 and 80/20.
@@MotoCityTV ive been looking for a real review of it not just guys who work for gear companies that rave about every tire so thank you , is it comparable to the E07 off road ??? thats my concern as it looks like a street tire , id just run TKC80 at both ends but the rears go out soo darn fast
I just ran my 1200GS with a set of Rocks rear with TKC80 front on the NEBDR. Fantastic combo for those tracks! By the way, you keep saying the 70s are a dual compound. They are not. They are single compound with longer curing down the center.
Thanks for the review!
Rock on! (no pun intended until I noticed it when proof reading!) I too am digging these tires. I just mounted them up to my 1190 Adv R and WOW they feel good. Yes, the rubber is the same rubber but the different cure rates / temps change the make-up of the compound making one harder than the other. Same rubber / different characteristics. Better put? Thank you for your real world feedback, I appreciate it!
Hi Kyle , do you think that for a CB500x , the TKC80 front paired with TKC70Rocks rear , would be a great option for all round ??? Can you give me some Help? I 'm in doubt with theese tyres and Bridgestone AX41 adventure cross. Please Help me mate
What pressures are people using with these tyres, especially for on road?
It all depends on the bike, the rider and the load. Solo on a mid size bike 34 to 36... up into the 40's fully loaded.
Hi, currently using trail attack 3's front and rear on my KTM 1190 , cant source anew rear at present ,would TKC70 rear run with the TA 3 on the from and or would the rocks version be better.
Touring only miles only.
Cheers
The TKC70 would be a better and a longer lasting tire if most of your riding is touring. The TKC70Rocks is better off-road, but if you are not getting there... the TKC70 would be my recommendation.
So how does the TKC 70 Rocks compare to to the Dunlop Trailmax Mission?
I’m about to do a Trailmax Mission rear, and Anakee Wild front. As the Anakee Wild rear is worn down, and I have a Trailmax Mission rear to replace it, and the Anakee Front tire is still good. This might work for me, I love Anakee Wilds except that the rear wears too quick on the highway. I love Trailmax Mission on the road but is not aggressive enough off road.
I would have to agree with your assessment. The Wild is 2x the off road tire that the Mission is... that is for sure!
Hi, I am looking for a pair of Continental TKC70, for my KTM Duke, just like your bike.
5:34
Can you tell me what is the size of the front and the rear that fit the bike?
Thank you for your inquiry. SO FUN! Check this out: ua-cam.com/video/DyUQlBPJNZQ/v-deo.html Or better yet this one: ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html The front tire is 120/70ZR-17 and the rear tire size is a 150/70R-17 You will have so much fun on the Duke with off-road dual purpose tires!
@@MotoCityTV Hi, I just checked my tires, Metzeler
- rear 150/60-17 M/C 66H
- front 110/70-17 M/C 54H
I wonder the difference about the numbers, can you tell me?
Yes, the numbers read out like this... First number is MM across the tire from side to side. The second number is the sidewall height stated as an aspect ratio. The rear tire sidewall is 60% of the 150mm width. The last number -17 is the rim size. The knobby front tires are not made in a 110, but the 120 is just 10mm wider and just a tad taller than your stock tire. The 66H and 54H are Load Ratings and Speed Index's. 54H means 467 lbs and Top Speed of 130 mph and 66H means 661 lbs at 130mph. Here is a video i created in my past life that explains it all: ua-cam.com/video/CidSR5AM9Tg/v-deo.html Cheers, Kyle
Hi Kyle, with the combination of TKC80 front & 70 Rocks rear, do you get much road noise, I have Bridgestone Battlax AX41’s on my bike but road noise is horrendous! Regards. Paul.
No, Not much road noise from the TKC80 front nor the TKC70 Rocks rear. Strange, I do not remember the AX41 tires being noisy. I do know I LOVED THEM but the wore out SUPER FAST. Two years ago today I had the AX41's on 3 of my motorcycles and was loving life... Until about 3 months later when ALL THREE Bikes needed NEW tires! Bad situation... Need More Miles.
I remember you were pretty stoked on the Dunlop Trailmax Mission for road feel, life span and off road performance. TKC70 Rocks certainly looks more the part - would you take the TKC70 Rocks over the Mission?
Great questions. The Dunlop TrailMax Mission is a true 50/50 tire. It lasts forever and does well on most all terrains. This TKC 70 Rocks tire is a "better street tire" and when I say better... it gives realtime feedback from the road due to it's soft compliant sidewall and softer rubber compound. It's also "more grippy" in the wet. What would I run... If doing mostly street I'd probably run the TrailMax mission in the front and the TKC 70 Rocks in the rear. I think Continental missed the mark not introducing a front tire with the 70 Rocks... That Mission front is pretty close to what I'd want it to look like. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching! - Kyle
It's pretty crazy the +/-'s that each tire inherently has... Seeing these tires in ACTION sure helps us know which tire is best for which rider.
@@manybikes you said you got almost 4K miles on the Rocks rear tire, any update? Or estimate for wear life? Is this a classic trade off between longevity vs grip when comparing the Rocks rear to the Mission rear?
I replaced my Mission rear on my 1290 SAS in the middle of a long trip, but it still had some life left at 8K miles. If I wasn’t on a long trip I probably could have pushed the mileage more. I think 10K would have been reasonable. I can’t believe the front though. 14K miles on the front, and probably another 3-5K left to go! I’m intrigued by the Mission front/Rocks rear combo, but would say I’ve been very pleased with the set.
I'm loving the 70 Rocks on my Africa Twin but had a flat and could not break the bead with Motion Pro bead breakers. Is this tire especially stiff at the bead? Any advice for me? Thank you! Great vid as always.
Wow Keith, that sounds like it was frustrating! The bead on these tires are not stiff in comparison to most other ADV tires. Any of the stiff beads typically only cause issues during mounting. Lack of lubrication was probably the biggest issue you had. With lube... the bead typically breaks pretty easy on the AT with Motion Pro Bead Breakers. Apply lube (any liquid except gas) all the way around the tire / rim and then use the Bead Pro to crack the seal all the way around. When the liquid has penetrated all the way around the bead typically then breaks pretty with the next decent push. My worst ever bead experience similar to yours was a KLR650 wheel with Shinko 705. Whew!
@@MotoCityTV thank you! It must be I'm going to light on the lube. And good to know these tires and the AT are not typically trouble. It means I've got to work on technique. Cheers!
@@detouraheadmoto803 Practice makes perfect ;)
I have a Triumph 1200 XE and getting ready to ride the Dempster Highway to the Artic Ocean. Thinking about TKC 70 Rocks on the rear and TKC 80 on the front. Any thoughts on that combo?
YES! This combo is amazing. Kyle has been running it on his 390 Duke and loves it. He has about 5k miles on the set now... but a few months ago he released this video with the 80 front and Rocks rear: ua-cam.com/video/Fziyvet4A6c/v-deo.html In that video you see the tire really can take you anywhere. The Rocks is a "little slower in the sand" but does it just fine. 7 or 8k miles is what he is aiming to get out of the set on the 390. He likes it enough he will be installing that exact combo onto his 1190 Adv R. later this week. And his FULL REVIEW will take place after he gets "enough miles" and terrain contrasts to really review the tire on both the small bike and the big bike. Do It. You will like it.
@@MotoCityTV Excellent response- I am on it! Thanks !!
@@flyingmulerider7166 Our pleasure! Thanks for watching.
@@flyingmulerider7166 Ha! Ha! Just the truth ... what we have experienced. Nothing Less...
@@MotoCityTV any updates on the TKC80 Front / TKC70 Rocks on the 1190. I think the Trailmax will be to hard and stiff for wet UK on my KTM 1050 so I am interested in this combo for my bike. I have been spoiled by the Avon Trailriders which are awesome on tarmac but want some more off road grip.
Anyone running these on a KLR650?!
Thoughts?!
We have seen a couple
Kyle, would you run a "rocks" on a super Moto? I'm picking up KLX 300SM this week. Or tkc80's? or? (for both wheels...)
The Rocks rear is amazing for the street and handles the dirt quite well too! The TKC80 front is about the knobbiest tire you can put on the 17" front wheel. I am liking it... but it is does vibrate quite a bit when coming to a stop. Rolling it works really well though. If you want to ride here and there on-road and off-road that is what I'd run.
@@MotoCityTV Thanks!
Our Pleasure!
After watching this, I saw one of your older flicks on Motoz tractionator ADV tires. Still like them? I'm thinking they'd look killer on my 300SM, likely handle well too. Thoughts?
Great review and insight into the Continental Tires. Are you saying you get 4000 miles on each TKC70 Rocks tire? Is that on the 390 and does milage differ on bigger bikes like the Africa Twin? Do you find performance different on the AT vs the 390?
I remember when you first rode the 70 Rocks on your 390. Planning to run 70 Rocks rear and Trailmax Mission front for all around. For serious off road trip may try TKC80 front Anakee Wild Rear. Trailmaxmisson rear, like the Motoz are too heavy. I feel the difference even on my 1200 XC scrambler. Not huge but slower acceleration and handling on the street.
Yes, I have 4k miles on the TKC70 Rocks Rear and TKC80 Front on Duke at the moment. I do think that wear on the big bikes will be a little quicker as the friction between the ground and the tire will be greater due to weight and power to the ground. That being said I have seen other AT and BMW riders getting about 5k total out of the Rocks rear and upwards of 7k out of the standard TKC70 rear. Due to the weight differences of the tires (Continental being the lightest) and the fact I have not worn out the TKC80 up front yet... This will be my Go To set-up for the Duke. It works really well.
@@MotoCityTV ah ok, I was wondering if you have already worn through a few of the 70 Rocks and had gotten 4k miles each time. Ok, so I could possibly get between 4500 and up to 5000. I guess 4000+ is good and everything above is gravy. My bike is bigger but I don't ride in desert like conditions on or off road up here in Ontario Canada. You have an interesting area to play off road where you live and work.
@@morkys2410 For sure! Our riding area is pretty unique. I personally have 4k on the TKC70 Rocks and have not fully worn out a set as of yet. Others I have sold the Rocks tire to have all gotten over 4k thus far... and they all really like the performance over the original TKC70. The other bikes have been R1200GS, R1250GSA, an Africa Twin and a Ducatti Multisrada. I am pretty confident you too will see 4k+ from the rear 70 Rocks tire.
@@MotoCityTV great feedback. Much appreciated. Do you think you would ever move from the Duke 390 to an actual Adventure 390 or are you having enough fun as is? I am sure you have other actual adventure bikes and you don't seem to want to just use the Duke 390 on the street 😁🤓😎
@@morkys2410 Ha! Ha! Great question. I bought the 390 Duke as it was "inexpensive to ride" on my 120 mile round trip commute... or rather the tires alone on my BMW R1200GSA or the Chain, Sprockets and tires on my 1190 Adv R were too expensive for the 600 Mile a week commute. Tires on the big ADV bikes are like $350 for a set and the don't last long. Drive system on the 1190 or my 950 is at least $300 every 10K miles (once a year) where the full drive system on the 390 is just $120 for EVERYTHING! The 390 gets 50 mpg, the BMW gets 38 mpg, the 1190 gets 30 mpg and the 950 gets 25 mpg... To answer your question... I'd LOVE to get a 390 Adventure but they are so expensive as compared to the Duke I already own and it will go everywhere the Adv version would go. Here is the fleet (BMW swapped for the 790) instagram.com/p/CDZPPxWHFHP/ - Kyle
Hi Kyle, is the TKC 80 front tire as noisy as the AX41? I am running the Ax41's on a ATAS and they are very noisy on highway, great off road. Looking for a good combination that stays quiet on highway and works well on the road. How does the Continental pair here compare the the Dunlop Trailmax? Thanks
Don't know how I want to answer this one... Initially the TKC80 is pretty quiet and it works well. I think the AX41 works a little better but is noisier. I think that is due to the angular blocks... vs. the TKC square blocks. The Rocks is very similar to the Mission in the dirt and feels better (more grounded with more feedback) on the street. All three tires have their strengths and weaknesses ... Good luck with your decision!
Look at Mefo super explorers
What does a set of the TC70 Rocks Rear / TCK80 Front run for a 1250 GSA?
Great question. Would love to hear the answer from people that have tried that combo
Well, just about $310 for a set for your 1250 GSA. Continental TKC70 Rocks Dual Sport Rear Tire 170/60R-17 is $188.88 and the Continental TKC80 Tubeless Dual Sport Front Tire 120/70-17 is $120.27 = Items (2): $309.15 Shop tires here: www.motocityparts.com/tires
Should review Mefo super explorers! Best 50/50 out there!
Noted! I don't know where to get them here in the western USA.
@@MotoCityTV revzilla,twisted throttle
I'm looking for a new set on my Tenere 700, i'm about 70% on road, 30% off road. Probably getting the TKC 70 rocks on the rear, but would it be better to have the tkc 70 or 80 on the front, with that combination?
I’m currently running TKC 70 rocks on the rear and TKC80 on the front on my F850GS… I really like this combination and it does work very good on off road routes and fine on normal roads. In my opinion with your 70% on road and 30% off road driving you will enjoy this combo!
@@lb5862 thanks for the reply! I'm from Belgium so we do have a lot of wet times, how is that tkc80 front behaving on wet roads?
@@TrikkeSan considering the tread pattern of the tire I would say very good! I’ve experienced some “bubble” feeling at around 130km/hr or 80 mph depending on how heavy the bike is loaded however after I adjust the tire pressure the bubble feeling disappeared. I live in Guadalajara (México) it rains almost every day at this time of the year so far I’m happy with the tires.
If you want what I think is the best front tire to pair with the TKC70 Rocks, I'd go with the Dunlop TrailMax Mission front. It is more aggressive than the TKC70 and less aggressive than the TKC80. I think it is perfect.
@@MotoCityTV ah thanks for the tip, man! I'll go check out that tire!
I have aset of K60 Headeanus set to mount on my 2021 GSA...is the TKC 70's going to give me better front grip in the rain?
Yes, the silica rain grip is great. It is a little less off-road orientated though.
K60 on rear and TKC 70 on front....this is the TKC70 not the TKC 70 Rocks your recommending?
@@steveaustin1820 There is no such thing as a TKC 70 Rocks front tire. They only made it in a rear tire to go with the mostly street front TKC70 tire or the 50/50 TKC80 in the front.
@@MotoCityTV Swapped my frony K60 for a TKC...wasn't going to miss the chance of not being in stock...now all I need is the bike...thanks again for your recommendation..of ya...what street and off road psi on the GSA?
30 psi if it's just gravel. If the going gets tough Mid 20's and if super muddy or sandy you can drop it lower to get out... but will want to air back up again to at least the mid 20's
I want the Rocks and the 70 for 70/30 touring two up / gravel road to a campsite with maybe 5% having fun solo on gravel on a vstrom.
It came with a Goodyear up front and the shinko 705 in the back. I don't think it is worth upgrading until they are worn but this seems to be the best option.
Two questions for OP or commenters.
1) how is the durability for a mid size adventure bike with 70/30 ratio riding?
2) does it have silica? I have heard it works better for cold weather which I ride in the winter as long as there isn't snow to around 25F
Yes, this tire would be a great for your V-strom. We have Africa Twin riders who have gotten 6k miles on their TKC70 Rocks tires. Yes, the tire has silica and it is great in cold and wet weather.
Too bad they didn’t deem the front tire necessary as I would’ve ended up purchasing a set but instead went with Moto Z adventure. Hopefully they change their mind in the future and I’ll buy a set
It's a shame that the TKC70 Rocks does not come in 160 width, jumps from 150 to 170...
I have run both on a 160 series rim. I prefer the feeling of the 150 over the 170.
@@MotoCityTV I think I'd prefer the narrower 150 as well.
By 160 rim, do you mean a 4.5 inch wide rim?
What about mud
So... I had it out in the mud recently and will have a "Full Detailed Review" of the tire here in a month or so... It did really well actually in the mud, sorry... didn't answer your question. I will have run it here on the Duke and on my 1190 Adv R so I can comment on big bike vs. little bike feeling, performance and longevity. Thanks for watching and I hope you stay tuned!
Hello, I've been enjoying your videos very much. I like the idea of the TKC 70 rocks on the back along with the TKC80 on the front. The TKC80 front is hard to get ahold of for a 2023 KLR 650. I remember in at least a couple of your videos that you were a big fan of the Battleax AX41, which sounded like a great ADV tire to me as well. Do think that Ax41 on the front would pair well with the TKC70 rocks on the back?
Got these on mine, love them but I don’t think they’ll last much more than 2000miles on my 1200GS, Showing real signs of wear after 600 miles.....
Very interesting. I was curious how they would hold up on a bigger bike. Thanks for your feedback. I have about 4k on mine at the moment.
@@MotoCityTV I’ve tried to stay off the motorways...and have done some fast A roads and yesterday a 10 mile off road route, but yes, I am a little concerned on the wear rate....
Given what you know now I as wondering if you would you still recommend the TC70 Rocks and the TCK80 Front for a 1250 GSA or the Dunlap Trailmax Mission for the front?
I really like the TKC70 Rocks Rear and if you want to use the same brand I prefer the TKC80 over the 70... as it is much better everywhere off road and does okay on the street. I do think the TrailMax Mission is the "best pairing" for the Rock rear tire if you are looking or a 70/30 set-up. I would totally run that combo!
Thinking about slapping a 70Rocks on rear to replace an 80 but keeping the 80 front
Anyone got any thoughts on this? Bike is a KLR600
Mainly road use and sometimes blasting some trails/being a hooligan and taking legally questionable detours
We have many customers running that combo!
That is what I have on my drz 400. very good on gravel and tar roads. I notice that in mud the TK 70 rocks spins but drives forward without slipping sideways until it gets good grip. TK 80 gives good confidence when leaning over in the soft stuff.
@@alanwarren5846 really? Mine cake instantly and only drive sideways. Everything else is fine. Africa twin btw. Sorry for replying a month after
I had the TKC70 on my KTM1190 Adventure (not the R). Only onroad and I liked it very much as long as it was not to cold or to wet. It had good milage.
BUT… with high speeds of >120/130 kmh the backtire felt like riding on ice. That is why I did not buy a second set.
Very interesting feedback Rob! Thank you for sharing.
stupid costs for a few thousand miles
They work though...
Can I run tubes in the TCK70 rocks and TrailMax Mission Tires?
Yes, that is just fine! You can run a tube in any tubeless tire but the reverse can not be said.