TKC 80 Front Problem (Opinions Welcome)

[Justin]

Hello all! 

I put a TKC 80 in the front around 800km (500miles) ago.
Since very beginning the feeling going over 90 km/h (55mph) is not great because the front just starts to vibrate quite a bit and as if the front is always in a little tank slapper as the steering is just going left to right of about 1cm each side. I thought that was more or less common for TKC 80 but then I looked at the tire itself and noticed that each center lug in leading and trailing edge the chunk of rubber is getting ripped off. See the picture below. What do you guys think? Any experience of that kind on the front tire? 
I’m driving 80% tarmac mountain roads with average 80km/h speed (50mph) and occasional simple gravel roads. I have luggage on me but nothing crazy weight wise. Tire pressure on my TKC80 2.2bar   (32psi) front and 2,5 (36psi) back with Motoz Tractionator Adventure. 

[AZJW]

You might try increasing your forks compression per the post below. 

 

 

[Justin]

@AZJW Thanks a lot, good catch! I will try this tonight to see if it helps

[williestreet]

I ran a TKC80 front last year.

The tire vibrated at all speeds.  Not side to side tank slapper, but up and down like an unbalanced tire issue.  

Removed/rotated /reinstalled and balanced a couple of times to try and sort it out , but I was never able to get a smooth ride out of it.

 

I originally thought it might be suspension related as I had some work done over the winter.  fought with it all summer trying to tune to out.

Installed another brand front and all my issues disappeared.

 

I liked the traction off-road, but don't know if I want to try another after last summer.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by williestreet

[Redneckj]

 Lots of TKC 80 recalls.  Look at your production date and see if you were sold recalled tires. 
 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2022/RCMN-22T006-9504.pdf

 

[Justin]

@AZJW Thanks a lot, good catch! I tried increasing the compression ( it is -5 from full hard) and I believe it helped a bit as it feels that the bad symptoms of the tire are now starting at around 100km/h and not from 85km/h, but increasing even more compression I think has diminishing returns.

@Redneckjthanks for the link, I did not even know this type of info existed, but it seems that my tire is not in the recall list.

@williestreetinteresting to hear your story. It might just be my tyre + suspension + my riding style that causes this. (It is wearing pretty fast too as I don’t think I will get more 8000km out of the front.) next time I might try Trailmax Mission in the front. Which tire did you put after TKC?

[williestreet]

@Justin  I have a E07 on now.  I would have preferred to try a Motoz Dual Venture but tires were hard to come by last summer.