The adventure bike off-road tyre market is getting increasingly crowded these days!
Continental’s long-standing TKC 80 was joined by the Metzeler Karoo 3 in 2012, and since then we’ve seen several other big name players jump on board including Avon and most recently Bridgestone.
Arriving at a bike shop near you in 2016, Michelin’s Anakee Wild has certainly now been around for long enough to establish a name for itself, and they’ve continued to expand the range of sizes to cover more machines as demand grows.
Michelin were also the first manufacturer to incorporate radial technology into a serious adventure knobbly, albeit in selected sizes. The French manufacturer claim that this improves stability and rider comfort – but it’s probably worth bearing in mind that most riders do not buy a tyre like this for those reasons.
If you’re looking for a robust, off-road capable tyre, these are certainly worth your consideration though!
Take A Ride On The Wild Side...
Launched in 2016, the Anakee Wild is clearly aimed at riders who need more off road grip as they look to tackle a wider variety of terrain.
The wave block design is said to improve on road noise versus competitor tyres of a similar ilk, as well as improving durability. Small bridging blocks towards the shoulder increase tread rigidity to boost on road stability when cornering.
In the previous issue of Bike, editor Hugo Wilson had this to say after more than 1700 miles on the latest Yamaha Tenere 700:
“I’ve used them on slimy trails, slimy rock, slimy roads and, just for variety, some dry tarmac too. On the road they are noisy, and there’s some knobble induced vibes, but that’s the same as any adventure tyre with off-road pretensions. On the Yamaha, on the road, they remain stable at speed, but there’s less ‘feel’on turn in. once you are used to them, there’s plenty of grip, provided that the road is dry, but on a wet roundabout you aren’t getting the grip of a road tyre and cack-handed throttle use can provoke rear slides; fit road-biased tyres for winter commuting. But if you’re using your adventure bike off-road, you have to make compromises and these feel like a decent one.”
