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Michelin Anakee Adventure : Long Term Review

Michelin Anakee Adventure Tyres (on a 2010 BMW R1200GSA) :

This is a long term review of the Michelin Anakee Adventure Tyres, which replaced my Metzeler Tourances. Those Metzeler tyres were exceptional and were available at the point of changing so why, you make ask did you change from what you liked and clearly worked for you? The answer to that is simply marketing. At the time I changed to these Michelins they were the stock tyre for the R1200GSA and then for the new R1250GS model range. So if you bought a new bike from BMW these are the tyres that came on a new bike and I wanted to try them out. The power of marketing and brand awareness, eh.

TOP : Metzeler Tourance / BOTTOM : Michelin Awake Adventure

The Michelin Anakee Adventure is currently the OE tyre choice for the following :

BMW MOTORRAD : R1250 GS
KTM : 790 Adventure, 390 Adventure
MOTO GUZZI : V85 TT
TRIUMPH : Street Scrambler, Tiger 850 Sport, Tiger 900 GT

You can read the Long Term Review of the Metzeler Tourance Tyres here.

I put 10,290 miles on these Michelin tyres and at the point of change the rear was on the wear markers and there was still a reasonable amount of usable tread on the front.

Michelin Awake Adventure : Wear and Tear after 10,290 miles — Metzeler Tourance at Point of Change

If you are looking to know the crux of this review, then here it is. They are decent but there are better options. Read to the end to see what I replaced them with and my initial impressions. No cheating though please. Don’t be jumping to the end of the review just yet.

Metzeler Tourance : Long Term Review :

When I got my 2010 BWM R1200GS Adventure (in September 2016) it came with the stock tyres (I believe they were an optional extra – but they were fitted by BMW Motorrad) – a pair of Continental TKC80. Basically they are ‘knobblies.’

That’s fine, ‘knobblies’ have a very real purpose, but let’s be honest most R1200GSA riders don’t need them – note I said most. If we are being even more honest I also think it is safe to presume that most customers who put these on their R1200GSA are doing so cosmetically – they look cool. Again, note I said most.

I hated them.

They were noisy, bumpy and (for me) I felt they really lacked grip which meant I lacked confidence on the tarmac. I have no doubt if you were on something a little less solid than road worthy tarmac then they would excel, but for mainly road use – they simply were not for me.

I concede that they look cool, but I am well past the stage of wanting a tyre that looks cool – I just want it to stick really nicely to what is underneath that tyre – for me that is 95% tarmac.

So the first thing I did was change them and I opted for a set of Metzeler Tourance.

Continental TKC80 v Metzeler Tourence on a BMW R1200GSA — Continental TKC80 v Metzeler Tourance on a BMW R1200GSA

Michelin Anakee Adventure Tyres (on a 2010 BMW R1200GSA) :

Disclosure :