Long-term review: Continental TKC 70 tyres
MFG reviews Continental’s dual-purpose rubber after 4000 miles
www.conti-bike.co.uk COMPROMISE BE DAMNED: I want an adventure tyre that works brilliantly both on and off-road. But when it came time to replace the rubber on my 2011 BMW F800GS (p88), most options fell into two distinct camps: road tyres, which make every green lane feel like riding on ice; or full-on knobblies, with their deafening road noise, clumsy steering, reduced grip and feeble life. Neither appealed.
But one option stood out: Continental’s TKC 70, which claims to offer the best of both worlds. It has a more rounded profile and less aggressive knobbles than the firm’s famous TKC 80 but deeper, wider grooves and chunkier blocks than their road-focused Trailattacks. I bought a set and have ridden 4000 miles on them, from commuting to laden touring, two-up trips, muddy byways and everything in between.
In general the TKC 70s feel more like a road tyre than a knobbly. They steer easily and intuitively, with none of the lurching turn-in you can get with more dirt-biased tyres. At speed they’re quiet too, without the hideous harmonic road noise that comes from riding on wobbly blocks. The TKC 70s warm up quickly and, unlike many off-road tyres, work great on wet asphalt, with grip and feel similar to a decent touring tyre.
Durability is pretty decent too. After 4000 miles the rear has visibly squared but plenty of tread depth remains — a set of TKC 80s would be shot by now. In part, the 70’s lifespan is helped by a central band of solid rubber around the centre of the rear tyre, which bears the brunt of the load when upright.
Off-road they gobble up dry gravelly trails without flinching. The front’s chunky tread lets it bite into dirt harder than pure road rubber does, adding confidence. But the 70s easily meet their limit when things get muddy — the design can’t clear out gloopy slop from between the grooves like full knobblies can.
Where the TKC 70s fall short is stability. The F800GS can be a little nervous at speed but these tyres amplify it. Up to legal speeds they’re fine, but much beyond 70mph the handlebars have a loose, on-edge feel — a sense that a gentle nudge could quickly become a significant wobble. Carrying a full load of luggage, camping gear and topbox on the back makes things worse. The TKC 70 is a versatile dual-purpose tyre, striking an excellent balance between on and offroad performance — but they wouldn’t be my first choice for high-speed touring.
Grip and feel on wet roads, versatility, quick warm-up, durability
High-speed stability, grip in mud