After getting about 8,500kms out of the original Battle Wing rear tyre fitted to my Super Tenere I decided to try something else. The first alternative, based on my mostly on road use, was a Heidenau K76. The short version is that it lasted for two rides and only 3 weeks before I needed to replace it. Was I happy? Yes!
The first ride was a 3,700 four day ride to Tasmania and back that included freeway, plenty of twisties, gravel and riding through some heavy rain. The second was.a 5 day, 5,800km ride to north Queensland and back on a mix of roads, mostly in ordinary condition but in high enough temperatures to kill any tyre.
The Heidenau K76 did not square off as quickly as the Battle Wing and under much more severe riding conditions gave me an extra 1000ks of wear on the Super Tenere. But it had nothing left to give at that point. I did 1300 kms of riding in Tassie and the tyres performed flawlessly even giiving them a good push through Hellyers Gorge and up the hill from Queenstown and lots and lots of other curves. The tyres did not let go under pressure but there were wrinkles forming on the inner side of the outer tread “knobs” (although knobs isn’t the right word). Having said that some wrinkles appeared on the Battle Wing still on the front at the same time.
In heavy rain on the F3 Freeway between Sydney and Newcastle, and again in a thunderstorm between Hughenden and Winton (both at night) the tyres felt sure footed even when there was plenty of water lying on the road. I can’t say that it was any better in the wet than the Battle Wing though.
On the gravel in the Tasmanian Great Lake area (A5) and on a fire trail diversion up near Smithtown the Heidenau K76 was great even at normal road riding pressure. On the rocky gravel in Kyabra Road near Eromanga Queensland the Heidenau K76 was not really much good, however it wasn’t the right surface for the more road focussed tyre it is. The Heidenau K60 Scout would have been more suited to that, the Battle Wing would have been no better. To be fair I didn’t deflate the tyre on Kyabra Road mainly because there was way too much very hot tar on that trip overall and I wasn’t sure where an opportunity Ito put more air In it might eventuate.
The Heidenau K76 was cheaper than I can get hold of the Battle Wing, and I’m putting another one on ithe Super Tenere with a matching front. I will let you know how it goes.