Continental TKC70

Press Reviews

“Over the last several thousand miles, I couldn’t feel any difference between the TKC 70 and the OEM Michelin tyres riding my favourite curvy roads” says Mark. “Traction on the street was predictable and at the limit, minor throttle corrections would keep the rear in line.

It was easy to tell when the limit was reached and this stability was just as evident on wet roads. This was surprising, as I would have expected deeper tread to soften the turn-in at a quicker pace. As before riding hard pack dirt and gravel roads felt stable on the big GS. The only insecure feelings came on slick mud or deep silt in dry wash beds. Overall, the Continental TKC 70 has become my current R1200GSW tyre of choice for a competent adventure touring tyre. It gives up nothing in traction on the street with 45% more rear tyre life. It also seems more than capable handling the off-road trails I can now enjoy riding with my big 1200.” – Mark Whitley BMW Motorcycle Magazine

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“On the faster stuff I was really happy with how the grippy TKC70s proved. Purposely trying to break traction by being heavy on the throttle got me nowhere. Never has a previous product felt so good. I knew what the tyres were doing at all times. I remained full of confidence at all times.

And I think its fair to say everyone felt the same, as the pace of the launch never relented. Even when the roads were full of deep puddles, we were able to cut our way through water with ease. They might only have a 60% bias towards road usage, but they felt a fantastic product on tarmac. And I know that if these tyres were fitted to my GSA, Id feel even more confident about tackling fire roads and lanes. If you need some new rubber for your adventure bike, I couldnt recommend these enough.” Roger Jones of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure 

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“The TKC 70 is Continentals new dual-purpose tyre for big adventure bikes. MCN tested them on and off-road in Wales, coming away highly impressed with their versatility. Normally tyres trying to be jack-of-all-trades are compromised on the road. Pushed harder, the dual purpose rubber starts to move around on its tread blocks, restricting further speed. This is not the case with the Contis. Sampling them on a range of adventure machines, I found the TKCs on-road performance outstanding. They certainly don’t limit your pace.

On KTMs capable 150bhp 1190 Adventure, carving quickly through Welsh back roads and main routes felt safe and secure. Able to test the TKCs harder, thanks to the 1190s electronic safety net of advanced ABS and traction control, I experienced solid feel and superb grip at all speeds. Their profile gives consistent and predictable steering. When it rained during the test, the tread pattern cleared water well enough to maintain excellent adhesion. The same remained true aboard a BMW R1200GS, a Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere and a Triumph Tiger Explorer. If you hadn’t noticed the rugged tread pattern, you’d think you were on top quality sports touring rubber.

Off-road, the Contis are also surprisingly capable, gripping well on gravel and rocky surfaces, providing good feedback and sliding predictability when they let go. They’re not designed for deeper mud.” MCN Guest Editor Chris Moss

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“If you need some new rubber for your adventure bike, I couldn’t recommend these enough.” – Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

User Reviews

“…on the tarmac the TKC70 performed incredibly well indeed. I was very impressed, both in Ireland and through the Vosges Mountains in France as well as the B500 in Germany. The tyres didn’t feel too hard, soft enough to give you reassurance when entering into a tight hairpin and confidence to allow you to twist the throttle just a little earlier to pull you out of a lean and power up.” – Guided Motorbike Tours

Continental say:

• Brand new Conti-tyre with rugged off-road capability and a balanced street performance.
• Newly developed trail-tyre with a radial and diagonal design constructed for off-road use with a speed index up to 240 km/h – all radial tires are handmade in Germany.
• TKC 70 is positioned for light to medium off-road use with extraordinary street performance.
• Uniquely constructed tread block pattern makes the TKC 70 quiet and stable on the road while still providing good off-road capability.
• Agile on Tarmac roads and safe on gravel roads.
• MultiGrip: Continental’s own semi-dual compound technology allows different levels of hardness on the central tread and shoulder area (more mileage and improved grip).
• RainGrip: New compound with outstanding grip in wet weather conditions and very short warm-up time.
• The 0° steel-belted construction guarantees high stability and a low kickback.

It’s the ideal tyre for big adventure bike riders who do more mileage on than off-road, but still need a tyre that is more than capable when they decide to take the bike off the beaten track.

Continental TKC70 vs the rivals

continental tkc 70 vs trail attack 3
Continental’s Trail Attack 3 replaced the popular Trail Attack 2. A tyre made for the tarmac but also capable of a little bit of dry off road action. Lot’s of choice in the sizes available including ones to fit 17″ wheeled bikes.

continental tkc 70 vs metzeler tourance
The Tourance must surely be called a ‘classic’ after all this time. Some would say the original Adventure tyre. A 70% road 30% off road tread design these are still incredible popular with the GS guys and girls out there.

continental tkc 70 vs metzeler tourance next
The Tourance Next was the replacement for the Tournace EXP which superseeded the classic original Tournace. These have never had the appeal of the original, we think partly because of the more road oriented tread pattern.

continental tkc 70 vs michelin anakee adventure
The Anakee Adventure was released in 2019 to replace the Anakee 3. A more off road looking tyre then the Anakee 3, still retaining superb tarmac grip due to it’s high silica content and 2CT dual compounds on the rear tyre. This one will make your Adventure bike look and also feel the part.

continental tkc 70 vs metzeler karoo 3
One of the most popular Adventure bike tyres, the Karoo 3 is used by the BMW Off-Road school and is a popular choice for Adventure bike riders who like to take on the odd trail or green lane.

continental tkc 70 vs metzeler karoo street
A good choice if you do a little bit of dry green laning, the Karoo Street is so much better on road than the more blocky deaper treaded alternatives whilst also looking the part.

continental tkc 70 vs heidenau k60
A knobbly road-going trail tyre designed for Adventure bikes. The K60 is a front fitment which pairs with the K60 Scout on the rear.

continental tkc 70 vs pirelli scorpion trail 2
Replacing the original Scorpion in 2015 the Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 comes with dual compound rear giving great mileage. Nice steering and turn in make this a good choice if you enjoy ‘getting it over’. BMW, KTM and Ducati all have bikes using this one as an original fitment.

continental tkc 70 vs pirelli scorpion
The Pirelli Scorpion was released in 2012 and became a very popular fitment with Adventure bike riders that wanted a tyre that could cope with a mix of tarmac and dry trail riding. Superseeded by the Pirelli Scorpion 2.

continental tkc 70 vs michelin anakee 3
Original fitment of the BMW R1200GS the Michelin Anakee 3 replaced the Anakee 2. Very interesting tread deisgn using beveled edges and 3D serrations which help with both dry tarmac use and mud clearance when off road.

continental tkc 70 vs avon trailrider
Avon’s Trailrider, an 85% road and 15% off-road based tyre. Lot’s of silica for the wet and M+S rated for the winter. These are the replacement for the Avon Gripster.

continental tkc 70 vs mitas e07
A blocky tyre developed for Enduro touring Adventure bikers. A good choice for hard packed, dry dusty, rocky and gravel surfaces but not so great in the muddy stuff.

continental tkc 70 vs anakee 3
Original fitment of the BMW R1200GS the Michelin Anakee 3 replaced the Anakee 2. Very interesting tread deisgn using beveled edges and 3D serrations which help with both dry tarmac use and mud clearance when off road.

continental tkc 70 vs shinko 705
A dual sport tyre for Adventure bikes. The 705 is built to handle light trails and the loose stuff but it can also cut it on tarmac too. A far better option for road riders than the 804/805 knobbly.

continental tkc 70 vs TKC80
The TKC80 is the posterboy for knobbly adventure tyres. It’s not a great road tyre but it can handle the muddy stuff with ease. For a more road-based knobbly try the TKC70 or even Conti TrailAttack 3

bridgestone a41 vs continental tkc 70
New for 2018 the Bridgestone A41 replaced the A40. With a huge choice of sizes and OE fitments available in sizes suitable for bikes as diverse as the 3 wheeled Yamaha Niken to Ducati’s Scrambler with its unusual 18″ front fitment along with all the common Adventure sizes. A great road/trail tyre.

continental tkc 70 vs michelin anakee wild
The knobbliest Michelins you’ll get this side of a Dakar bike, the Anakee Wild is the next step up from the Anakee Adventure and has deep tread blocks. It’s a tyre with a huge off-road bias and not a recommended fit for road riding. Available in tubed and tubeless sizes and they’re Mud & Snow rated.

continental tkc 70 vs heidenau k76
A blocky tyre for Adventure riders who like to clock up the miles on the loose stuff. Especially well suited to gravel roads and dry trails. A popular fitment is a K60 front with a K76 rear, especially for those riding mainly on the road.

Tyre Sizes

Front Sizes

120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) TL M+S

110/80 R18 M/C 58H TL M+S

100/90-19 M/C 57T TL M+S

110/80 R19 M/C 59V TL M+S

120/70 R19 M/C 60V TL M+S

3.00-21 M/C 51T TL M+S

90/90-21 M/C 54H TL M+S

Rear Sizes

120/90-17 M/C 64T TL M+S

130/80-17 M/C 65T TL M+S

140/80 R17 M/C 69H TL M+S

150/70 R17 M/C 69V TL M+S

160/60 ZR17 M/C (69W) TL M+S

170/60 R17 M/C 72V TL M+S

180/55 ZR17 M/C (73W) TL M+S

4.00-18 M/C 64T TL M+S

150/70 R18 M/C 70H TL M+S