For 14 years Continental has been the tire of choice for Simon and Lisa Thomas as they travel by motorcycle all over the world and in doing so, given Continental something to brag about.
Although Continental had only began sponsoring 2RTW since the beginning of 2016, Simon and Lisa were fanatics of our tires long before that. According to them, 99% of their journey across the world has been ridden in Continental’s famous TKC80 tires. These beloved tires have been highly praised by the couple for their high predictability, reliability, consistency and inspiring performance. As Simon mentioned during the interview, “It’s a tire that can do it all”.
Riding heavily customized BMW’s F 800 GS and R 1200 GS LC for long journey conveniences and aggressive off-road handling, the English couple needs to cross every kind of path that confronts them without being limited by a tire’s capability. Thanks to a heavy-duty carcass, self-cleaning tread pattern and high level of side stability on soft & hard surfaces, the TKC80 provides exceptional capabilities day in and day out.
Clearly their favorite, the TKC80s have accompanied 2RTW in over 36 deserts and they have easily lived up to expectations after constant beating. Not only do they perform great, but are able to last a considerable amount of time.
How long do your tires last? Is naturally one of the most frequently asked question Simon and Lisa often have to answer. On average, the couple reckoned 6 and half to 8 thousand miles of smart enthusiastic driving is possible out of a rear TKC80 and double of that for the fronts. Keep in mind that a major reason this is possible is due to the meticulous amount of attention paid to tire pressure and conditions. At the beginning of their journey, they were able to take a rear TKC80 to the extreme and rode on it from the north cap (most northern tip of Europe) all the way to Namibia.
As you can see in the picture, the rear TKC80 was pretty flat by the end of the journey, never the less it managed quite a grueling journey. As said before, tire pressure is essential for maintaining any tire, but even more for Simon and Lisa. If curious about their default tire pressure, 2RTW runs on 39 psi at the rear and 42 psi at the front (Mind you these are customized bikes and have a specific agenda, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should run these tire pressures, review your motorcycle manufacturer handbook for specific psi).
This summer, Simon and Lisa are heading for Eastern Canada. So far this year, they have ridden around 31 thousand miles and gone over a couple sets of TKC80s. On the way to Canada they will be exchanging the more off-road oriented tires for our TKC70 tires; a more balanced and road friendly tire. 2RTW will take advantage of Multigrip, ZeroDegree and RainGrip Continental Core Technologies embedded in the TKC70s. This tire will help them tackle all the demands along the way. So far, Simon has praised the TKC70 for its quietness, great transition and predictability.
In their record-setting effort, “2 Ride the World” has created an incredible journal of stories and pictures riders can only dream of. Their tire of choice for this amazing journey has been the gold-standard for adventure riding, the Conti TKC80 and more recently, the Conti TKC 70 which provides a great balance between on and off road performance.
What started as a career and life brake ended up being a record braking journey through the most demanding places like Mongolia, Bolivia, Sahara Desert, Argentina, Thailand and many more. 2RTW still has some main countries to visit, some limited by the budget or politics, but never by their Continental Motorcycle Tires.
More than 500,000 miles, 80 countries and 6 continents later they have literally gone Continental. Thank you Simon and Lisa for always supporting Continental. Please follow “2 Ride the World” to read and see their amazing adventures!
Until next week!
Website: www.2ridetheworld.com
Facebook: @2ridetheworld
Instagram: @2ridetheworld
