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No, that's not a typo: after more than a decade of regular use in our fleet, RIDE Adventures has collectively logged over 5,000,000 miles of adventures on the Heidenau K60 Scout.
It's still a regular fixture on many of our rental bikes, so those miles will continue to go up, but we figured now would be as good a time as any to share what we've learned about the tire that's served us so well all these years.
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Heidenau K60 Scout Tires
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Below we'll dive into a review of the K60 Scout following what is almost certainly the most thorough testing ever conducted on an adventure tire since the invention of the wheel.
Strengths and weaknesses, on and off-road performance, mileage, value... You name it, you'll read all about it below.
Heidenau K60 Scout: Overview
"Eric logging some miles on a set of Heidenau K60's in Baja."
If you're shopping for a Heidenau K60 Scout yourself, chances are this story will sound familiar.
Our experience with the K60 began while planning an adventure ride, which happened to be one of our earliest through South America by way of Patagonia.
We wanted a tire that delivered off-road grip in everything from gravel to mud, but could also hold its own in a corner.
We also wanted at least 5,000 miles of treadlife, which ruled out the ever-popular Continental TKC80.
After doing the math, the K60 Scout was the only tire on the market that fit the bill back then.
Nowadays, you've got a few options to choose from, but the K60 remains an excellent tire for anyone seeking traction and mileage in equal measure.
Mileage & Longevity
The most common question we've heard about the Heidenau K60 Scout over the years, by far, is mileage.
Whether that question is in person on a tour or in the comments section when we're making a video, people want to know how long these things last.
"Here's what the K60 Scouts look like after the first 7,600 miles. Rear on the left, front on the right. They're a bit flat in the center, but they're nowhere near cooked."
If we had to put an average mileage for the rear tire of the K60 Scout over the last decade, our honest answer would be between 9,000-10,000 miles.
We've seen folks stretch it out to around 12,000 with a light throttle hand, but where's the fun in that?
As for the front tire, that's anybody's guess. We always replace both tires at the same time for safety/performance reasons when we run through a rear.
Our conservative estimate would be somewhere between 12,000 miles and the rest of your life.
Off-Road Performance
If you're shopping for a tire like the K60, chances are off-road traction is high on your priority list. Those Anakee 3's just aren't gonna cut it anymore, and you want something with real teeth that isn't a full-on knobby.
"Typical ADV terrain like this is the K60's sweet spot."
We've come to think of the K60 as a true 50/50 tire, in the sense that it's as evenly split between off-road and on-road performance as any tire we've ever seen.
In our experience, the K60 Scout works flawlessly on the gravel and dirt two-lane most ADV riders frequent, but it isn't limited to "basic" off-road terrain either.
"When you want one tire to last the whole way down to Ushuaia"
Because the rear tire has such deep tread and a moderately aggressive "chevron" pattern, it actually does a decent job at "paddling" through deep sand or mud. The harder compound also holds up well in the rocks.
With that being said, you won't mistake the K60 for a proper knobby (or even a DOT knobby) when it's on its side lugs.
Slides are predictable and controlled, but there's a clear limit to how fast and deep you can go into a corner in the dirt.
We'd say the same thing applies to hard acceleration when the bike is upright. Because there's a continuous line of tread running down the center, this isn't our favorite rubber for powering up steep climbs.
"If you do manage to puncture a K60, the sidewalls are so tough you can typically limp it into a shop without a patch or plug."
We'll also note that the K60 Scout has some of the beefiest sidewalls we've ever encountered.
This makes them effectively puncture and tear-proof, and also gives the tire an almost "run-flat" effect if you happen to pick up a nail on the road.
All in all, the K60 Scout is a great tire for mid-to-large adventure bikes and the terrain they typically encounter.
It isn't the most gnarly off-road tire out there, but it'll pull even the largest bikes through just about anything with a little skill and patience.
Pavement Performance
"We love these tires in the corners, especially on big bikes like our trusty old GS."
We've found the Heidenau K60 Scout to be an all-around solid street tire. There's enough grip in the corners to scrape the pegs on a big GS, and that'll be the benchmark measurement for most prospective owners.
Again, mileage is the big selling point here, and performance is consistent for the life of the tire, but as you'd probably expect, there are a few tradeoffs required to make that mileage happen.
The first and most notable we've found is wet grip, which we'd describe as "good, not great."
This is particularly true when riding in both cold and wet conditions, during which the K60 requires more measured inputs on the throttle and brakes than most.
Our second gripe is that the K60 Scouts don't give the most planted feeling under aggressive braking on the street. This is a common complaint for most 50/50 tires, and the K60 is no different.
"If hard braking is your default mode, you can expect a little squirm from the K60 Scout."
You'll have to really be pushing the bike to notice, but if you're the type that likes to ride full thottle/full brakes on a twisty road, chances are you'll feel a bit of "squirm" in the front end.
Modern traction control and ABS systems will largely alleviate both of these shortcomings, but again, we'd prefer not to rely on either of the above if we can help it.
"If you can find the 'cold compound' version of the K60, we've found it's well worth the investment."
It's worth noting that Heidenau also makes a "cold compound" option for the K60 nowadays, which is designed to address both issues.
We've had good experiences with these as well and highly recommend them for anyone doing a lot of riding in the cold and/or wet.
They don't last quite as long in our experience, but are still good for 8,000+ miles on a rear.
Value Today
"The K60 Scout was a great adventure tire back in 2012, and it still delivers solid value to this day."
While the Heidenau K60 Scout has served us well over the last decade, nowadays one important question remains: is this still an adventure/dual-sport tire worth considering?
This is a tough question to answer for two reasons.
First, the K60 has become increasingly difficult to track down, and even the largest online suppliers rarely have more than one or two sizes in stock.
Second, this is still a fairly expensive tire, although it's a good bit cheaper than other "premium" alternatives like the Motoz Tractionator GPS or Dunlop's latest Trailmax Mission.
All things considered, we still consider the Heidenau K60 Scout as a smart buy if you can find your size in stock.
CHECK PRICE:
Heidenau K60 Scout Tires
REVZILLA
They've become something of a "bang for the buck" tire in the high-mileage segment, yet still deliver better dry cornering grip than many alternatives at much higher prices.
No matter where you ride, you're gonna get your money's worth out of a K60.
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