Continental TKC80 Urban On-Road Review - Handling, Braking & Comfort

[@MotorcycleJedi]

Have you changed your mind about this tires after 10 months. Any updates/regrets? Or your opinion remains the same?

[@motobob]

They’re wearing quickly and they don’t handle that great one they start wearing. They become lumpier. They’re totally fine but I’ll probably try something different next time round

[@MotorcycleJedi]

Thanks for the update!

[@wildhogget69]

@@motobob I need to get rid of the stock Phantoms, would like something super stick as I only ride in the sun here in Spain on super roads. Any suggestions?

[@motobob]

I’m looking into bridgestones for my next set as they have an 18 inch 110/80 front in most of their sport touring range which should fit, along with the right size of rear. Either the T31 or the BT-023 perhaps

[@DispatchMoto]

I'd be interested in your opinions on the newer TKC 70s. They seem like a best of both worlds and have heard they are lasting much longer.

[@jimmygibson1932]

great review, very useful, thanks Bob ! Like you I plan to put a set of TKC's on my XSR700 and just love the aesthetics, hey, biking should be about enjoying yourself and having a connection, almost a relationship with your ride. putting a trick spin on your bike is a reflection of who you are and I am a great believer in getting the best out of what you have, love the whole custom element of motorcycles. I am a wee bit old school anyway, so I have always loved a bike with character, real bikes that you can be in tune with and I think if what you ride doesn't put a smile on your face every time you jump on it, well, then you probably ride the wrong bike or you just don't get what it's all about. Yes these tyres are for dirt, like you and many others, why not put them on our already cool retro rides and liven things up just that bit more :) excellent ! you do have a lovely ride by the way & I totally get it ! Jim, Castle Douglas

[@leswills2657]

The tyres make the Triumph look awesome, I am thinking about buying a Triumph Street and changing the look over a year or so, can't wait to get stuck in you are certainly giving a lot of inspiration to a lot of people, keep up the great work..

[@motobob]

Cheers Les - glad you like it!

[@BlackdogADV]

TKC 70s might be a better choice for your type of riding. I installed them on my Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 that I turned into a scrambler and no complaints so far.

[@SWTrailsAndWheels]

I have the same experience on my Multistrada with these tires as far as the drop in and slow speed handling.

[@motobob]

Bet they look awesome on the multi though! :)

[@SWTrailsAndWheels]

@@motobob I do love the look! But, I am taking it offroad several times a week as seen here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/ennKhohurreZj9U) so the tires make sense from that point as well.

[@stepheneldridge6998]

Good review...tyres look good and I'm sure you can adapt to any minor vagaries they have. They are the most grippy of the knobbly tyres out there and are great in all conditions once you get used to them Steve

[@motobob]

Cheers Steve. My only gripe is how quickly they’re wearing. I think I’ll only get a couple of thousand miles out of them, maybe a tad more. But I suppose I’m not using them for their intended purpose, so it’s to be expected

[@AmericanPiddler]

What size is the rear & front? those look great!!!

[@christianweller4288]

Hmm... TKC80 is a dual sport tyre which is designed to provide enough grip to get you somewhere interesting and then provide acceptable offload performance when you get there. As you're using this in a city environment, it's only doing half the job it was designed to do and never arriving at the point that it was compromised to achieve. Might be better to go with something more road biased especially in the winter. Metzeler Enduro? More road biased... I used to use them and found them pretty good.

[@motobob]

Thanks for the tip on the Metzelers Christian. I’ll see how these go and maybe try those next time round. Apparently they will wear out pretty quickly anyway... 😭

[@51jjm]

I'm a newbie to dual tires/tyres. Any other more road type tire/tyre to be used for very occasional fire trails/hard packed dirt? Also, mostly summer weather and not much rain wear I ride. Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions. Cheers!

[@motobob]

I’ve heard good things about Heidenau K60 Scouts and Avon Distanzias might fit the bill for you too

[@51jjm]

@@motobob Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it.

[@motobob]

👍

[@tomraffe8902]

Great review! Noticed the screw mounts where you have taken your mirrors out are empty. Mine began to rust inside pretty quickly. Homebase have neat little rubber caps that close them off nicely!

[@motobob]

Nice shout - thanks Tom! I’ve been meaning to get round to finding something. I’ll take a look next time I’m near one

[@irishrover63]

You can buy them from ebay for pennies, just search for "tubing blanking end caps" or "tubing bungs".

[@motobob]

Nice tip - cheers!

[@glennmcguire5571]

Love the look. Always wanted a Street Twin, but just sold my T7 and bought a KTM 390 Adventure. If only I could own two bikes.😁

[@mancavemoto]

Nice review, be interesting to see how they scrub in. They look ace....

[@motobob]

Cheers Tony. I’m off to wales in a couple of weeks so I’m hoping the sheen has come off them by then so that I can have a bit of fun on the B roads, but I’ll be taking it pretty easy to begin with!

[@Living_in_]

Your riding the bike everyday you want it to look and feel the way you want. I like them the bike is looking great

[@motobob]

Cheers FB!

[@tuncozyurek6378]

Nice review, i am thinking of putting Heidenau K 60's on my ST. They are noblies but not as much as yours.

[@motobob]

Yeah those look really great and probably better on road performance. Let me know how they turn out if you get them!

[@tuncozyurek6378]

Sure, i will motobob

[@maxjdruso]

What sizes did you go with on the front and rear?

[@harkmannah7432]

Massively helpful vid! Thank you!

[@DarrenChallisKIS]

Very helpful review. Thanks

[@Jimbo4575]

TKC80 are great street tires in every category except for mileage. Expect 2000 miles life

[@motobob]

Yeah it’s a fair point - interested to see how quickly they wear with mainly pottering around town as I’m not normally asking much of them

[@neilspringle2082]

Jimbo what the hell you riding an R1 on TKC80? Just got 9000 miles on a rear TKC80 on an R1200GSA

[@Jimbo4575]

Yeah BS on 9000 miles on a TKC80. Maybe on TKC70 but no way on a TKC80

[@jonniepickering4036]

Thanks for this.. I’m actually putting a 4.0 on the front of my Scrambler. No doubt feel even heavier than yours.. We’ll see.. Would be good to know if you’ve decided against another tyre when these wear out..

[@GugaRosettiMarques]

What are the tyres size? Have you done any mod to fit it?

[@billy4rocks]

Ahhh good old Old Kent Road, a test for any tire!

[@motobob]

Hahah true that! I didn’t realise until the other day that there’s some sort of motorcycle club along there somewhere. Losers motorcycle club - they’re on Facebook. Must try to find it one day when I’m not rushing to work...

[@adriantyler6911]

Great looking bike and tyre! Personally I couldn't do that drive everyday....I'd go insane...how do you do it? I live and work in the Oxfordshire countryside and this looks scary as hell!!!

[@disekjoumoer]

I was given a 701 Husky enduro with tkc80s as a replacement bike this week. Truly awful in terms of comfort and outright dangerous when cornering in the wet. Never again.

[@petittrainguernsey3297]

I had TKC 80’s on an XT600 for years. Never had an issue in the wet. Have you tried slowing down a bit?

[@3tmpowers]

Great looking bike! I went with the Hedenau's on my ST and like them so far. MB, can you tell me whether you modified your front mudguard bracket? You seem to have more clearance to the tire than I do. Maybe it is just the shorty mudguard on the front?

[@motobob]

No mod! Could be a difference in the tyre size? I might try the Heidenaus next

[@vytas5584]

If you have a 70 profile on the front it will fall into lean quicker as it is peakier. Probably not to do with knobs.

[@timdubber8577]

Genuine question, why would you ride without mirrors? Especially in central London.

[@johnnycampell8519]

i need a tyres for my bmw f650 gs dakar (2003) i do many miles on and off road too! Fishing trips and mountain rides !!!! Do you guys have any suggestions ? I was between sahara 3 and tkc 80 . They told me that sahara is better onroad but not that good offroad and tkc is not good for doing miles on road but is excellent offroad. I need BOTH

[@mgmv410]

What's up bro thank you for review! New rider here just bought my first bike, CB500x and it has these on it. I'm not gonna go crazy just practicing and learning turn angles and such on the road. Will I be ok with these on the street? I'm in the US so planning on doing some back road riding this weekend and wanna make sure I'm safe lol. Thanks again 🤙

[@caferacer3539]

Tell me please, why you installed off-road tire to ride in the city?

[@pedropinheiroaugusto3220]

Usefull review, as I'm planning these tyres for my dual sport but I need it to make the occasional city drive, so I think they'll be ok. I wouldn't buy these for a road motorcycle, as any sacrifice in safety for the looks is just asking for trouble.

[@MrLiesAngeles]

I'm trying to figure out how you mounted the Go-pro on your handlebar....

[@motobob]

Just search eBay for gopro handlebar mount! 👍😎

[@boneybiker8575]

Personally, this brand does nothing for me... I feel like the tires do not grip to the road as well as other brands I have tried. In terms of emergency braking, I also do not feel safe with this brand. Once again, personally, for my riding style, the streets of Lisbon, etc. Appreciated the video, very informative as always!

[@motobob]

Interesting - which brand do you ride? Lisbon streets are pretty hardcore - lots of tram lines to slip up on! I remember riding a BMW F800R we hired there last year to go up to Sintra - so much fun!

[@boneybiker8575]

It's fun when you visit, not so much when you have to do it everyday lol Traffic is horrible, holes in the asphalt everywhere... The government likes the tourism but neglects these essential things for us that are born and live/work here everyday. But that's another story! So my family had this amazing Matchless London, (making the comparison fair - the best I can) for the style of bike, and it had Dunlop tires! The grip to the road was on another level, it was a 349cc bike but did it had power!! Super strong braking, on and off road and comfortable. Dunlop isn't also on my top list, but for that bike, they were awesome! For super sport bikes I only use Bridgestone tires.

[@motobob]

Ah yeah I had bridgestones on my ER6 and they were great! Interesting to hear your take on Lisbon - sounds like similar problems to Barcelona and some other European cities. The more I hear about it, the more I feel for the locals. Even here in London things like Airbnb are pushing up house prices for locals.

[@boneybiker8575]

I think you can't find, in that style of tire (I think!), something from Bridgestone tho, the vintage line (for cafe racer and so on) they have looks nothing like that, and I know you did it for the looks! I lost my house last year (rented for 21 years) so it could become a hostel! I love that people LOVE Lisbon and I like having people visit "my" country, "my" city, but there's a list of bad things that came with that, unfortunately. Bad management / politics. But the motorcycle culture is insane here, specially this time of year! And there are some freaking amazing places for the Cafe Racer Community!

[@motobob]

Did you make it to the motorcycle film festival? Saw a lot about it recently on Instagram - looked really cool

[@leegingerninja]

Look Awsome man.! 👌👌 great review.. now listening to you I think i will give a miss on mine though. Only because I live in Essex and do a lot of miles. In and out of towns and in the country sides 🤔🤔🤔 don't think I would trust them on bends. But again, Great vid. Great review.

[@motobob]

Cheers Lee. I reckon the Street Twin would look equally awesome on some modern sports tyres with more of an edge to them than the stock pirellis. I might try that once these are worn out... which will prob be in about 2k miles 😂

[@nmintrasak]

looks awesome man!!! quick question, I have a street twin myself and have been eyeing the tkc80 for the longest but I couldn't find the tkc80 for the front wheel at 18". what was your solution?

[@motobob]

It’s a rear. You have to use a tube type rear on the front. Probably one of the factors that affects the handling, but the tread pattern and profile looks pretty similar between their fronts and rears

[@nmintrasak]

MOTOBOB thank you for your response. One last thing, since it is a tube type, are you running inner tube with it? If not, any special setup or sealant or anything along that line? thanks again and please keep your videos going, they are great!

[@motobob]

Thanks mate. Yeah you need to put a tube in there. I just bought mine online - they’re pretty cheap

[@madrianus]

MOTOBOB Hi! You mentioned 110 for the front, right? I only can find 120 (rear) for a 18” front tyre. :/ Do you think it will work space-vise or handling vise? Anyway, great content! Thanks a lot!

[@RidingWithGerdas]

Looking good!

[@motobob]

Cheers G. Looks like a beast now!

[@RidingWithGerdas]

Almost as good as my crappy old ER-5 :D

[@motobob]

Haha mate the ER series is ahead of it’s time. Modern classics in the making

[@cloggsy1971]

Have you seen the cam-swap video on the Tec Bike Parts channel? It HAS to be done doesn’t it? 😍

[@motobob]

Haha yeah I’ve seen it’s come back after they were saying they couldn’t produce it. Looks like a big job to fit it so I might wait a while until I’ve fitted all the parts I’ve already got sat in the garage

[@mikestewart7322]

MOTOBOB I wonder what performance gains they get from the cams. Is it worth it? How much would it cost for the whole job inc labour as I wouldn’t feel confident ripping my scrambler apart. George makes it look easy. I’ve got the TKC 80’s on my scrambler and yeah they’re a bit weird at first but after a while you just chuck the bike in to corners like normal. Cheers mate.

[@motobob]

Yeah that’s a fair summary - after a couple of days they just feel normal. I reckon I’ll probably try something different once these are worn out. Maybe something like a modern sport tyre just to see the difference. Re the tec cams, I believe it’s another 10hp and it will help with exhaust, air filter and decat mods. It depends if you’re going to use the extra power I suppose...

[@aimenalwan]

Great review MB. What jacket are you wearing by the way? Looks good 👍

[@motobob]

Cheers Aimen 🍻 it’s a schott bomber

[@aimenalwan]

Thank you MOTOBOB 🤝

[@luismora441]

What tube do i need on 110/80/18 tire ? Please

[@HalfdeadRider]

Nice looking bike mate, those tyres do suit it.

[@motobob]

Cheers! Pleased with them but I believe the mileage will be poor...

[@HalfdeadRider]

No doubt mate, rs

[@caferacer3539]

Can you, in UK, occupy bus lanes?

[@motobob]

Some, yes

[@nathanlowney6058]

What size were/are these

[@chris53small]

you travel the same journey home as me so i will have to look out for you (not a stalker ) good review

[@hoihoi6168]

What size is THE rear tyre

[@motobob]

150/70 17 like the standard rear on the street twin

[@noelsatterley2996]

They look great. Keep them. Been pratical is boring.

[@motobob]

Cheers Noel! Agreed

[@RicardoSilva-qp4bb]

Loads of cops around you and no rear view mirrors on the bike? Are people in UK not legally in need to use rear view mirrors?

[@motobob]

Nope. But I read an interview with a motorcycle cop in the uk and he said if he sees someone with no mirrors he'll follow them until they make a mistake because they couldn't see what's behind them and book them for dangerous driving... so I guess there's that to watch out for! :)

[@harunjudin]

no mirrors no problems?

[@motobob]

As long as you’re going faster than everyone else, it’s fine ;)

[@BlueRay16]

Motobob can I know what equipment do you use for your motovlog. The mic for your voice sounds really clear. Anyway nice street twin you have there. 😆 👍

[@motobob]

Hey Mohd! I’ll make a full video of my motovlogging setup soon but it’s a Sony ECM-CS3 mic with a wind jammer plugged into a Tascam sound recorder and then synced with the gopro footage in premiere pro.

[@irishrover63]

Just spotted you in a Jish video of the Bike Shed show. I take it you didn't like my comment as there was no reply.

[@motobob]

Haha that’s me, beardstroking as usual! Which comment??

[@irishrover63]

Lol. My main comment about the tyres.

[@irishrover63]

Not meaning to bash you or anything mate, but do you watch other subscribers videos? As I don't see you appear on comments. It's good to reciprocate.

[@motobob]

Yeah I watch plenty and comment when I can 👍 also watch quite a lot of non-motorcycling channels

[@irishrover63]

I've got a Pirelli MT60 on the back of my Honda 400SF, it looks amazing and I don't notice any grip issues in fact it is great in the wet. What happened to the mirrors? I would buy some small bar end ones, some great buys on the bay. I would also consider changing that front brake reservoir. I put one of these on this evening. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hot-Universal-7-8Motorbike-Brake-Clutch-Master-Cylinder-Levers-Reservoir-Black/152748408398?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 I think a new helmet is in order to give a more retro look. I have a Nexx X.G100 Devon, the quietest helmet I own.

[@motobob]

Aha! For some reason I didn’t get a notification on this comment. Sometimes when you include a link KZbin does that. MT60s look great for sure. I’m open to ideas once the TKCs wear out so maybe I’ll try those. The difficult thing with the street twin is finding an 18 inch front. As for the mirrors, the tall stock units are a definite hindrance when you’re trying to filter under the mirrors of vans and buses. So I just removed them. I might go for something under the bars if I can make it work somehow.

[@johnfragos7660]

They look nice but why sacrifice performance and safety? Unless you plan to scramble it all the way around Hyde Park... :) Braking performance may be fine, but you could have gone for "great". In any case enjoy your new boots and thanks for the video. P.S Posing machine for central London, LOL. Telling it like it is.. Nevertheless making a beautiful bike should always be a priority by the manufacturers, and the street twin has that in spades

[@motobob]

It’s the only way to beat the traffic!

[@SimonBrisbane]

No highway or wet weather review? No long term report? I thought you were supposed to be some sort of motorcycle journalist?

[@NunoGuicho]

size?

[@motobob]

150/70 17 on the rear, 110/80 18 on the front. the tyre i used on the front is actually intended for the rear and takes a tube so it's not ideal and doesn't steer that well, but it works ok.

[@bigg16]

Looks nice ;)

[@motobob]

Cheers GV!

[@MrLiesAngeles]

Thank you for the lead!

[@ElwoodPDowd-ed7pc]

I hear the difference in your voice ... a slight gurggling, ya know?

[@nicholasmapes]

Phhshhhh, I never look at my bike in shop windows... I don't know what you're talking about....

[@motobob]

😂

[@nicholasmapes]

@@motobob so how long did the tires, or "tyres" last you? I'm seriously considering these for exactly the same reason as you, I don't do much off road, but I think they look awsome on that style bike.

[@motobob]

Not long tbh. They’re pretty much done now after 2 or 3 thousand miles. I’m gonna swap them ASAP because the more they wear, the worse the ride gets. Definitely going for something way more road orientated next time

[@nicholasmapes]

@@motobob yeah, neat to play around with different things, and they did look wicked on your bike.

[@HORNET6]

You actually don't know much about tyres and made a choice based on looks alone. I hope you don't but if you have an off and the insurance sees your tyres expect an uphill battle.

[@akhan9669]

WHY GOİNG TO MUD Try land ???? 👎🏿👎🏿👎🏼