K76 tires

[dcstrom]

I can't find any discussion specific to this tire here, so thought I'd start one, now that I've had some experience.

I bought K76's in Santiago, Chile, because there was no stock of K60's - I would have had to wait a week, and didn't have that sort of time. I was interested in trying the K76's anyway, just to see if they got anywhere near 12,000 miles (rear) I was getting from the K60's. The set was $70 cheaper than a set of K60's, so I figured if I could get 75% of the miles out of them I'd be happy. So... I was looking to get 9000 miles out of a rear.

On the road I quite liked them - performance seems comparable to the Bridgestone Battlewings, and maybe a bit better off road.

Early on things were looking good - 3000 miles and only about 1/3 worn, on target for 9000. By then I was heading north up the coast of Brazil, it was getting hotter, an rate or wear increased rapidly.

Eventually I managed to squeeze 7000 miles out of it, but it was ready to be replaced at 6000. Replaced with an Anakee III, since that's all I could get.

Overall happy with it, might be a good option in a cooler climate...

 

[jiml53]

Re: Heidenau K76

dcstrom,

Thanks for the info on the K76's, have been curious about them myself.

Jim

 

[dcstrom]

Re: Heidenau K76

I've never let a front tire get this bald before, it was wearing well but then rate of wear accelerated and tire disappeared quickly in the last few thousand miles. The matching Heidenau K76 rear did the same thing. In Argentina it's hard to find a replacement, and if you do price is through the roof. Luckily I was given a K60 front with about 2500 miles left on it.

Interesting how it wore more on the left than right - road camber?

This is 12000 miles, but it was really done at about 9000. Now its onto a used K60 with about 4000km left in it. Thanks Clive.

Next set I'll be somewhere that I will have my choice of tires, the Anakee III/K60 combo will do me till then.

 

[Maxified]

Re: Heidenau K76

Thanks for the report. Sad to hear they do not last as long as the knobby brother as I am about to try a new set of sneakers on my blue friend.

 

[Marty]

Re: Heidenau K76

I just mounted a pair of K76 tires. They seem noticeably less sticky, at least on dry pavement, then Anakee III's.

 

[avc8130]

Re: Heidenau K76

I just mounted a pair of K76 tires. They seem noticeably less sticky, at least on dry pavement, then Anakee III's.

Oof. That's scary.

ac

 

[dcstrom]

Re: Heidenau K76

I thought they were quite sticky... but I'd been running K60's for a long time before that. I have an Anakee III on the rear now but no twisties and anyway it's been mated with the worn K76 front and now a half-worn K60 front. So no real chance to make use of the Anakee.

I just mounted a pair of K76 tires. They seem noticeably less sticky, at least on dry pavement, then Anakee III's.

 

[Boondocker]

Re: Heidenau K76

Is your Anakee III radial or bias-ply?
I was looking at the Revzilla site where it states - "Anakee 3 tires are Bias Ply unless otherwise noted (e.g. 110/80R19 59H is a Radial Tire)." I presume you got this size, 150/70R17 69H (radial). Also assuming your Heidenau K76 is a 110/80 B 19 59H TL (bias-ply). Not sure where I'm going with this other than my understanding that it's bad form to mix bias and radial tires on the same chassis. I imagine there are other factors far more detrimental to optimum handling than a radial/bias mix of properly sized tires.

I guess where I'm going with this is that I'm really interested in your feedback on the Anakee III. By it's specs, it looks like a good choice for me, but I've been very happy with K60s. My critical performance criteria is 2-up touring (about 30% of mileage) and rough dirt roads, loaded and unloaded (about 10%). I need a tough tire.

I thought they were quite sticky... but I'd been running K60's for a long time before that. I have an Anakee III on the rear now but no twisties and anyway it's been mated with the worn K76 front and now a half-worn K60 front. So no real chance to make use of the Anakee.

 

[bloodline]

I've been on them for a couple of thousand miles at this point.

At first, they present a horrible buzz and track poorly and I hated them.

This improved to what I'd called mildly annoying somewhere around 600 miles.

The low speed howl and vibration of the k60 front around 25 mph is nothing compared to the sensation of the fresh k76 under slow speed braking. There is significant wobble in the front end. Made me think I had a bent rotor. That improved over time.

K60's have felt a bit unstable and wanted to hunt around on the interstate when they were new, to me, but they've always seemed rock steady at high speed. These k76 tires are a bit unnerving at very high speed. Around 110, the bars wobble. I haven't run them faster than that. They are fine at 100. Haven't experienced that on the S10 with other tires.

The k76 front tire is surprisingly good in gravel, sand and dirt. It's what I wish the Tourance front tire could do in those conditions. I really like the stock Tourance tires on pavement, but the front is horrible off-road.

The k76 rear is rather disappointing unless you like to lay black stripes on the asphalt. It spins up like a tired or new k60, without the confident feedback. In TC 1, the light stays on a lot. It doesn't have bad habits on or off-road, but it's not nearly as good as a Tourance on road and no better off-road.

In summary, I like the k76 front, off-road. I don't like it on road and I hate the vibration. The k76 rear is just ok.

I might try Mitas next, but right now, I miss my k60's and my Tourance depending on the day.

 

[Ramseybella]

110? ::019::

 

[H2OSMRT]

matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

I'm ready for another set of tires and find I'm doing less off road than I did early on. However, I really like the k60 rear both for traction as well as longevity. But as for the front, the noise level on the road at 70+ is more than annoying. Has anyone paired the k76front with the k60 rear and if so, what are your thoughts?

 

[~TABASCO~]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

You can do it... It probably would be a great combo... Im from the frame of mind to always run match sets, but so many people don't and like the mix-match................ We have those in stock

 

[motoguy]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

I'm ready for another set of tires and find I'm doing less off road than I did early on. However, I really like the k60 rear both for traction as well as longevity. But as for the front, the noise level on the road at 70+ is more than annoying. Has anyone paired the k76front with the k60 rear and if so, what are your thoughts?

My k60's are doing good and I love em. But the noise level is unbearable at highway speeds. My wife hates them, I'm close to needing to replacing the rear and the front is not even close but is cupping. I hate to replace both but the better half is strongly suggesting I do.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

My k60's are doing good and I love em. But the noise level is unbearable at highway speeds. My wife hates them, I'm close to needing to replacing the rear and the front is not even close but is cupping. I hate to replace both but the better half is strongly suggesting I do.

What tire pressure do you have in them ? At highway speed you should never hear them or feel them versus a comparable tire. 99% of the time when people describe the tires acting this way it's because of two thing, front tire is on backwards, not the correct tire pressure.

 

[bloodline]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

I'll bump up my K76 review. IMO, just get another K60 front.

 

[bloodline]

Bumping this up for the poster asking about combining the K76 with K60. Will also add that the K76 tires have started to get chewed up pretty good. I still like the way they perform in sand a gravel with a heavy load on the bike. They emit a very high pitched (annoying) buzz at highway speed. The bar wobble under braking is really annoying too.

I would not buy them again. Back to K60's, Mitas, or tourance if I know I'm going to be riding the street mostly.

 

[Ramseybella]

I am done with K60's on the rear, the only real good conclusion I have about them is they last a long time.
As far as dirt I felt I may as well had street tires with the solid center strip, on sharp turns with a load I was glad it was not raining when I was heading up 550 to Ouray.
For the price these are and wanker feel I would rather have softer compound tires that give me 4k miles.

 

[becoyote]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

I've mixed and matched lots of times. Usually with the more aggressive tire in the front though. My favorite was a tourance in the rear and a tkc 80 up front. The TKC 80 in the rear just didn't hold up for the long pavement rides to get to the gravel/dirt.

 

[sparkyduc]

Re: matching a k76 front with a k60 rear

What pressure should we run in K60's for highway? I am leaving in July from Oklahoma to Fairbanks with a new set & I want them to have as little wear as possible when I get there.

 

[H2OSMRT]

k76 front tire

Awhile back I posted a question for any info on using a k76 front tire with a k60 back tire. Well, I went ahead and decided to try it. After a 3000 mile trip I would have to say that I am pretty satisfied with the reduced noise level that the k76 has vs a k60 front tire. It handled quite well in the rain, numerous tight twistie cirve in the Rockies and Black Hills and was quite stable in those long sweeping curves. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go off road as my riding companion was on a strickly street bike bike! No signs of any cupping or abnormal wear either. Now we will have to see how it holds up with more miles on it.