BF Goodrich KO2 Tyre Question

My KO's did 51000 without as much as a puncture. Still were legal when I sold the vehicle

I just sold 4 of my last set of KOs with approx. 70K on with still about 3 - 4mm usable tread left. Changed them for a new set of the old style at $285 ea as I was going on a remote trip.
Good tyres and I really can't recall having a puncture over the last 4 years plus.
When looking at a new set a couple of tyre sellers told me BFGs were "old technology"......well who cares? I'll stick with that after the good experience I've had so far.
AlanH.

I have to agree Stephen. I have had BFG's on my precious vehicle and travelled the Canning and many other roads without any signs of chipping. Although the current vehicle does not have the new KO2's they seem to chip very easily and I have lost several lugs on not very severe surfaces. I am so disappointed I will be looking for an alternative when it comes time to change. I really like the BFG's but this weakness means I will have to look elsewhere next time.

Hi Neil

Thanks for your honest reply, it is greatly appreciated. I have always read great reports about the KO2 but after seeing the end results, the proof is in the pudding unfortunately. At a price of nearly $100 per tyre dearer than the Bridgestone, it now shows just how much better the 697 tyre is.


Cheers



Stephen

I was using BFG AT KO - 4 sets over a many years getting 60 - 70,000kms with no problems on different vehicles travelling much the same tracks a you Stephen. But my last set suffered terribly with chipping - Don't know what changed but it was like a different tyre.
I now use the Bridgestone D697 & love them. Great on the bitumen & in the wet, quiet compared to the BFG's & good on the outback tracks also (which is mostly the trips I do) & no chipping. These are currently on an NT Pajero -
I am one for constantly changing my tyre pressures & driving speed to suit the conditions
Just find the Bridgestones better value for the sort of trips I do. Lost faith in the BFGs after the last set.
Cheers Paul

Hi Peter

We all know how many rocks are on the Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks and the last thing I wanted was to damage my tyres. For that reason, I always drop tyre pressures on roads like that and always limit my speed to 80kph for that very reason.

I would have expected chipping if I was running 40psi and going fast, but at 26psi, I never expected that at all.

Like I said, inspecting the 697's you would think that they have only ever been driven on bitumen roads, which is very far from the truth.


Cheers



Stephen

I needed 2 emergency tyres in Marree some years ago. He had to get them overnighted due to the size. The funny thing was he didn't give me a choice of tyre, you're getting 697's he said.

Hi Will

If you see Neil's reply to my post, he to has had the very same issue with the KO2, which shows that it is a tyre issue and not just related to my experience. I now feel the 697 is a very underrated tyre, as even last year in some very remote true off track travels my tyres held its head up very high, with only 2 punctures, and on one section of very heavy mulga, my one puncture was not too bad compared to Mick O putting a very massive slash in his very rugged tyres.


Cheers

Stephen

Stephen,

as you know, I do more than a few rough km every year.

I've had the 697's and their two predecessors in a very wide variety of surfaces and road conditions. Probably done up to 30 K a year for 10+ years of this sort of driving. Have had them on trailers and 4WD's. My mate, who has run desert expeditions for over 25 years, also runs them on his 4WD's and 2.5 tonne supply trailer. So I have seen teh Bridgestones in many different scenarios and I've also seen most other brands of tyre as well out there in the rough stuff.

The Bridgestone 697's get punctures. They get stakes in the sidewall. They score around the wall if pressures are too low and you're driving fully loaded on horrible corrugates. They are quiet. They chip relatively little. And so on. Most people can say good things about the tyres they run. But it's the extremes which find out real performance values.

Other brands of tyres also get punctures, sidewall damage, stakes, etc. I'm not so sure that there's a difference between a tyre that's buggered which cost $ 450 or a tyre which cost $ 280.

As mentioned above, tyres can cop it bad, even when looked after - yes, I drop pressure and speed, sometimes a few times a day. On my last trip, down the CSR, a few tag alongs and passengers said 'I had no idea how much you blokes look after your tyres & pressures.

But I reckon the 697's are extremely good value tyres for a very wide range of conditions. They are readily available throughought the interior in a wide range of sizes. That's why Lyall at Marree fits so many of them - they perform & they don't cost the earth.

These are some of the reasons I'd agree that the Bridgestone 697's are underrated.
(.....wish I had a commercial interest in such a testimonial.....!)

Cheers

Oh one other thing.....maybe two.......
Toyo's were considerably cheaper than BFG's last time I checked, & they wear well..... very easily get 80k plus on a set towing a heavy Kedron over all road conditions.

Went to Toyo tyres website and price for 285/70/17 was $450 !!

Never heard a bad thing about them, but the Hancooks can be had for $289...

All the major brands are probably similar in strength and wear, but dollars talk..

I got some new Toyo AT's a few months back in 285 65 17 paid $240 for them got them for a steal :)

Do tell Simon ????

Kmart tyre and auto will price match and better any genuine price on tyres they stock, so I found the best deal I could get and they smashed it, needless to say I will be using them in the future

I had been looking at various AT tyres like ST Maxx, Micky T ATZ P3, BFG KO2's and general grabbers but my research and requirements sent me to the Toyo AT's the price was just an added bonus but not the deciding factor

Thanks, I'll keep them in mind when I need new tyres.