Im in the UK and need new tyres. After reading up on the net, I'd like to get some Heidenau's. It seems there are two types, K60's and K60 Scouts. Does anyone know the difference between these two tyres, for these tyre sizes: Rear 4.60 18 63p Front 3.00 21 51p? (The treads are different for different size tyres). Also, I'm told it's probably not possible to get a rear in the right size in the Scout version...is this correct? I've already tried contacting Heidenau, who didn't give me a clear answer. What 50/50 tyres are other UK based people putting on their KLX250? Cheers guys.

 

Personal recommendation, run a 4.00 wide tire. I don't know specifics, but it used to be that the 4.60 was about 4" wide with a low profile, where a 4.50 was 4-1/2" wide. Some weird science there. In metrics don't go over a 120 and personally I would do a 110.

The performance plus to running the narrower tire, anything over roughly a 4" width is unneeded extra weight, both in rotation and unsprung mass, that the engine and suspension have to overcome with. Realize a bit narrower tire will bog less in mud and sand, yet provide adequate traction in other conditions like on pavement. Take a page from the motocross and off road racing/riding scene, off roaders use relatively narrow tires, in spite of being knobbies. For the kind of horsepower they put out the actual tread width is only 4.8" for the 250s, 5" for the 450s. The CRF150R, which has more power than the KLX has a 4.2-4.3" wide tire. Then there is the fact that Honda only saw fit to run a 120 on their XR650L. Indicates narrower can be better.. I will also say the narrower tire on the rim will widen out the tread footprint a bit where the wider tire is pinched in a bit, crowning the tire, possibly less tread on the road.

Another big plus to the narrower tire - cost. I have run Duro tires, very similar tread to the Heidenau Scout, for the past 20 years on a 650 and 4 years on the 250. The 4.00 is 1/3 lower cost and gets about the same miles as the wider tire, plus experience in deep sand I can get the back tire spinning allowing the bike to move instead of bogging. The 4.10-18 is like $58 usd, the 120/80-18 is $86 usd. Significant savings. Heidenau K60 110/8018 runs $103 usd, the 120/80-18 runs $132. Again significant savings going a shade smaller.

For me the other plus is the lighter look of a true off road bike. No big donut look.

There is a 4.00-18 64T Scout and a 110/80-18 58S K60 from what I saw on the U.S. site. Of course if you prefer the big tire look large tires there is a 120/90-18 71T K60 and a 120/80-18 62T K60. I did not see a 4.60 in the U.S. site. They do give a bit of a hint with a few specs though on this page.

Hope that helps.