VOLUME ISSUE MAY , P129
were excited to attend the launch
of the all-new TKC 80² at the beau-
tiful BMW Performance Center in
Greenville, South Carolina.
At first glance, it's hard to tell
the difference between the old and
new tire, but further examination
reveals subtle differences, mainly
in the large blocks down the center
of the tire, which are slightly offset
on the TKC 80². I was surprised
that Continental is calling this a
50/50 tire, since it looks like a full
knobby tire to me. After some ag-
gressive laps around the pavement
track at the BMW Performance
80²
STANDOUT FEATURE
Outstanding off-road performance
and surprisingly good on-road
stability
RIDER ANALYSIS
At one point, the TKC 80 was the
reference tire for serious ADV rid-
ers seeking off-road adventure. It
was the tire of choice for Charley
Boorman and Ewan McGregor on
their iconic cult classic Long Way
Round. But nothing lasts forever,
and after 40 years, the TKC 80 was
long overdue for an update. We
Thanks to the
new tread pattern
and a stiffer
compound, steep
lean angles are
easily achieved
and inspire
confidence.
We tested the new TKC 80² at the
BMW Performance Center, which
features purpose-built obstacles
such as gravel traps and sand
pits. We were impressed by the
gen-two TKC 80's performance.
