Continental and its iconic TCK 80
Continental is a German brand with more than 150 years of experience in the manufacturing of high-performance tires, known for its commitment to quality and innovation. Since its inception, Continental has developed products that combine safety, durability and excellent performance, positioning itself as one of the leading brands in the motorcycle tire sector.
He Continental TKC 80 It has been one of the brand’s most popular models for trail motorcycles. Specifically designed for use 50% on road and 50% offroadthe TKC 80 stands out for its peculiar pattern with large and fairly spaced tacoswhich gives it a good ability to self-cleaning.
On the other hand, its casing is quite robust, designed for large motorcycles that apart from touching “the brown” are also going to stress it a lot on the asphalt. This tire has earned a place in the top sales positions thanks to its durability and its good performance on mixed routes.
The TKC 80 in one of the trail trips par excellence: The Transpirenaica
A trip that I have been taking 2 or 3 times a year with my BMW R 1200 GS (Triple Black, 2016) for a long time is the mixed Trans-Pyrenaica. A short four-day adventure through the Pyrenees, combining the best curvy roads and high mountain tracks from Cap de Creus to Hondarribia.
Last spring I had the opportunity to ride a pair of new Continental TKC 80 tires to comment on how they perform on these types of multi-day, multi-surface trail routes. Of course It wasn’t the first time I used these tires.which have been very popular among maxitrail users for years; and I’ve worn out so many pairs, I suppose I could have written this article without wearing them again.
I have always obtained the result I expected from TKC 80, but also some things that I NO I expected it, because it is a true mixed tire, which shines for its versatility.
First of all, it is a tire with a reinforced casingespecially in the largest sizes for maxitrail motorcycles. This robust structure It is necessary to withstand high speeds and the great pressures to which they are subjected when we carve on mountain roads with motorcycles that exceed 120 HP and 220 kg. In those demanding situations on asphalt, it is essential that the tire support does not loosen.
I have never had any slack or wobble when braking or squeezing when exiting curves when I have found dry asphalt (always carrying adequate road pressures). On wet asphalt, extreme caution must be taken, as with any other knobby tire.
But in its defense, it must be admitted that the compound of the outermost layer is less “plastic” than that of other tires for maxitrails, with which as soon as four drops fall, it seems that you are driving on ice. The TKC 80 does a decent job on wet asphaltYou simply have to drive more carefully.
Returning to dry asphalt, it is true that there is a certain sensation of a softer “first layer” when driving on the road, especially on hotter days. But this is practically inevitable in a knobby tire that carries such a heavy motorcycle.
Anyway, the TKC 80 gives very good information and it is a tire that “warns” by clearly lightening when it is close to losing grip. The truth is that under that “soft start”, we immediately find a firm grip and a response that makes us trust it, almost like a good road tire.
Another thing that stands out about the TKC 80 compared to other knobby tires is the how quiet it is and how little it vibrates on asphalt. Other knobby tires for large motorcycles make vibrations inevitable (especially in the front axle). But this extreme is minimal in the case of the TKC 80, which does not present excessive noise either.
The combination of its main characteristics: rigid structure and a good “soft grip”, means that its performance on the roads of the Pyrenees has been magnificent. To the point that you forget that you have a knobby wheel.
On unpaved trails and terrain with rock and some gravel, the lug pattern is very effective. Unlike other mixed tires, the tread is similar throughout the width of the lug. That’s why does not lose traction when lying down (very important), nor does it have a central tread with joined knobs, which would make it more durable, but also more complicated to handle in sand or mud.
In the mud, you can’t expect the tire to save you from the fact that you are carrying a 200+kg bike. But at least this TKC 80 has a very high self-cleaning capacitywhich prevents it from becoming sticky easily. The maxitrails usually have the front fender very close to the wheel and suffer a lot from that and from the excess weight when the terrain becomes sticky. This self-cleaning property of TKC 80 helps a lot in these situations.
The other big feature I love about this tire is how it handles twisty tracks. Some of us prefer to take “English style” curves when we go through terrain with little grip, such as gravel roads and unpaved tracks. In these situations, it is advisable to counteract the centrifugal force of the motorcycle when it goes through a curve, leaving the motorcycle on the outside, instead of hanging off the inside, as we would do on an asphalt circuit. In these sets, the TKC 80 shines and offers its best face. It’s a joy to do mountain hairpins between rocks and rills, with the complete certainty that when you open the gas you will find traction even if you have the bike lying down.
The Pyrenees also has aerial and fast tracks, where as we gain speed we lose contact of the wheel with the ground more frequently. This is where the TKC 80 clings like a castaway to a board every time it regains contact with the ground. The feeling of security when cornering is very high, especially with wet but not saturated terrain. On these fast tracks, the center of the tread gains more prominence and here the separate lug pattern (without a central tread joining them) gives the TKC 80 excellent traction capacity in a straight line.
Finally, comment that the durability of this tire logically depends on the use we give it, but from my experience, I would say that it is neither one of the longest nor one of the least durable. What is certain is that for a separate cue, that is to say “taco cue”, without joints between them, the longevity they achieve is remarkable. Since many of its users usually change the rear between 5,000 and 10,000 kmwith the quietest stretching them up to 12,000 km. Not bad for a tire with these capabilities.
