TKC80 on the Highway

[2soon2old]

Notwithstanding my slow start with Senility this year, I am planning a road trip in 2016 if my physical condition is no worse than this year. (Stuff happens when one gets old.) My trip will be from Jefferson County in eastern Idaho to mostly Union County in eastern Oregon. Total trip length will be probably less than 2000 miles, which includes about 1000 highway miles.

My whole purpose is to explore off-pavement roads and trails in Union and Baker Counties, which comprise most of my ancestral homeland. I'm planning about three weeks in late August and early September.

I intend to stay off the interstates as much as reasonably achievable. The main reason is to maximize fuel mileage. I also prefer the scenery on the other highways.

So...Is this reasonable on those blocky TKC80s that came with my NC700X (named Senility)? Or, should I spring for a trailer?

Thanks

PS - Not being exclusionary. If this seems OK, I will be posting my completed plans in the Rides forum.

 

[bamamate]

TKC80s are made for exactly what you want to do. The rear will probably be warn out when you get back depending on how many miles you already have on it. People seem to get 2-4k out of the rear. The fronts last 10k plus.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Notwithstanding my slow start with Senility this year, I am planning a road trip in 2016 if my physical condition is no worse than this year. (Stuff happens when one gets old.) My trip will be from Jefferson County in eastern Idaho to mostly Union County in eastern Oregon. Total trip length will be probably less than 2000 miles, which includes about 1000 highway miles.

My whole purpose is to explore off-pavement roads and trails in Union and Baker Counties, which comprise most of my ancestral homeland. I'm planning about three weeks in late August and early September.

I intend to stay off the interstates as much as reasonably achievable. The main reason is to maximize fuel mileage. I also prefer the scenery on the other highways.

So...Is this reasonable on those blocky TKC80s that came with my NC700X (named Senility)? Or, should I spring for a trailer?

Thanks

PS - Not being exclusionary. If this seems OK, I will be posting my completed plans in the Rides forum.

With regard to getting old You will find that there are quite a few of that species on here. You may be a little older than some of us, but we have all learned to get on with it, as you are doing. The only aspect of getting old that I don't like is the physical deterioration that comes with it. It is a fact of life and it hits us all in varying degrees. However I have quickly learned to take the pills, wear the body belt, get the knee replaced, do the exercises, and get on with it. After that, everything is out there to be enjoyed.

Now, Tyres. I recently tried TKC 80's on a friend's KTM 690 Enduro. They work reasonably well on the road (by comparison to full road tyres) in wet or dry conditions. They work well on dry offroad but on wet muddy offroad conditions I found them very lacking. I assume the offroading aspect of your trip will be in the dry mostly and as such these tyres should be suitable as bamamate suggests. So, that is the tyres sorted.

The one thing I would add to the bike if going offroad is a bash plate. I don't take mine offroad any more, but on the one occasion that I did I almost destroyed the exhaust system just forward of the silencer when I hit a rock in a deep rut. Hondabikepro who is a member on here does a neat item that could be considered, but there are lots of others out there also.

Your trip sounds good and I envy you the wide open spaces and great motorcycling weather that you have on that side of the pond. It is really something to look forward to.

 

[Beemerphile]

The one thing I would add to the bike if going offroad is a bash plate. I don't take mine offroad any more, but on the one occasion that I did I almost destroyed the exhaust system just forward of the silencer when I hit a rock in a deep rut. Hondabikepro who is a member on here does a neat item that could be considered, but there are lots of others out there also.

^Second this^. HondaBikePro's bash plate is the single best designed and manufactured motorcycle accessory I have ever owned. It is built like the hull of an icebreaker. Ground clearance? You don't need no stinking ground clearance Just get a bit of momentum and grind over whatever is in your way. It even protects the shock linkage and side cases. Log-hopping is especially fun.

 

[Old Can Ride]

I have been to Alaska, Canada, Washington state, Oregon, and many other states that have many back roads. I have used TKC80 on most of these tips with out a problem. Just remember they do take a bit longer to stop in the rain when on asphalt.

 

[2brnut2b]

+ 1 for TKC 80

 

[DanH]

HONDABIKEPRO stopped making skid plates. Not sure if he has any left-overs hanging around. I run Heidenau K60 on the rear and I have 8 or 10K on it and there is lots of life left. Its got a solid strip down the center so it runs nice on pavement and really aggressive treads for loose gravel and the like. Check that out.

 

[Fuzzy]

HONDABIKEPRO stopped making skid plates. Not sure if he has any left-overs hanging around. I run Heidenau K60 on the rear and I have 8 or 10K on it and there is lots of life left. Its got a solid strip down the center so it runs nice on pavement and really aggressive treads for loose gravel and the like. Check that out.

I think he is back. He posted this in Sept.

Ok back to making nc parts, will have aluminum next week to start making parts. Dale

If wanting his skid plate contact him.

 

[Beemerphile]

I run Heidenau K60 on the rear and I have 8 or 10K on it and there is lots of life left. Its got a solid strip down the center so it runs nice on pavement and really aggressive treads for loose gravel and the like.

Be careful with the K60 Scout in the rain (DAMHIK). OK, I'll confess...

 

[LM15]

I received my HondaBikePro skid plate several weeks ago, after a several summer months wait. Dale is a top shelve craftsman and my DCT plate was well work the $$$ and wait. PM him about your needs.