Flip the front TKC80?

[Kitimat KLR]

The front tire is begining to cup/bevel. I read somewhere (in here, but lost it now) this is a fairly common practice despite the "direction arrow" on the tire. So, does anyone know why this apparently symmetrical tire has a rotation arrow and is it "safe" to flip it around so I can get some more miles out of it?

TIA

[Sparkle]

My tire shop guy once told me that it had to do with how the bevel runs on the tread splice overlap, and the thinking was heavy braking might roll back the thin edge of the tread overlap on the surface of the tire and peal back the tread. He didn't mention acceleration but maybe for street use braking would be the more usual problem.. anyway, I guess the tire is ultimately stronger in one direction. It also indicates the best water handling and traction configuration on asymetrical tires. I think this is automotive technology that has just bled over to all new tires. I'd flip it, and then take it easy initially on smooth surfaces until the tires wears the points off enough to regain normal surface area and traction.

but it's just a shot in the dark.

Sparkle

[04klr]

Rum Running my KLX on a road/dirt trip to the Island with a front knobby and having experienced the bevelled wear characteristic (mt21), I flipped the tire before the midway part of my trip (after the Orca run) and happily watched the bevelled center knobs, slowly flatten then re-bevel the other way, fun to watch on the flat boring stretch's of road, it was my plan all along to do the swap, (including re-balance using 20' of string) and on a trip where I knew the issue would arise again, I'd smile and get out the irons as it easily bought me many more miles. (though as a KLR rider I can't comment on the TKC tire, as it costs way more than a Kenda)
direction arrows are much more important on tires that actually have a directional pattern eg. an arrow "V" like pattern, a tire like the TKC and the knobby I was running (shhh, not DOT) have an omnidirectional pattern, the same either way, so the braking traction direction would/should be the same either way.

[aheath73]

Hmmm... good to hear positive results. I have a front-mounted D606 that has definitely entered into bevel-country... Time to flip it and try to milk another summer out of it!

[Kitimat KLR]

Thanks for the replies - anyone else flipped a Front TKC80? Doesn't sound as if the feathered knobs will "chunk off" after flipping the tyre.

[North]

There is always the Knobbyknife.


http://www.knobbyknife.com/

[MtB]

By the time a TKC will bevel, the knobs will be at least 50% worn, reducing the chance of "chunking" on the road, as the amount of distortion (torque) they will transfer to the carcas will have been mucho reduced. (IMHO). Reversed the 23 incher on an XL500 with no ill effects, however the tire was not a TKC.
Besides, should the words KLR and braking force ever be used in the same sentence? he he he (I did tour two up on a first gen. 650 without a brakeline upgrade............).

[Sparkle]

On a light machine like a motorcycle tire stresses might not be a factor when reversing the direction. What is a factor is traction. The tire surface bevelled that way because it was wearing away at points of friction that were making contact with the ground, and even worn, it would still provide surface area for reasonable performance.

Flipping the tire will mean that the bike will run on the tips of the bevel (vastly reduced surface area) for a considerable time. Changes in handling off-road might not be noticed, but
traction for braking and cornering on pavement (and especially wet pavement) might be substantially reduced.

or is it just me?

Sparkle

[broxy]

I remember reading that many guys swap them even on the heavy 959/990s. TKCs, 606s, and MT21s alike. I never felt the need to swap the 606s, but the MT21 cupped like a mofo, and I bought the bike with a very cupped Karoo, which I junked. It's easy to do n the KTMs with the double disks, but if it was any other bike, I already spoon too many tires to add another tire direction swap to the list. I swapped 7 tires between December and February!! At least I'm getting good at it. (don't ask the Mich Desert I installed two weeks ago how 'good' I am. It was a bugger!)

[250ccforme]

Flipping the tire will mean that the bike will run on the tips of the bevel (vastly reduced surface area) for a considerable time. Changes in handling off-road might not be noticed, but traction for braking and cornering on pavement (and especially wet pavement) might be substantially reduced. Sparkle

I guess the trick would be to flip the tire when the bevel is just starting to show, but that might mean a lot of flipping flipping.