Michelin has launched the newest addition to its heavy journey vary, rubber. The Michelin Anakee Highway is an evolution of the favored Anakee III tire. Because the title implies, this can be a purely road-focused tire geared toward ADV riders who don’t plan on hitting the path, permitting the Anakee household to cowl all facets of driving. Whereas the Highway is designed completely for the road, the 80-street/20-dirt Anakee Journey and 50/50 Anakee Wild tires are positioned to take care of off-road-oriented targets.
The Anakee Highway makes use of the Anakee III as a stepping stone, increasing on confirmed Michelin applied sciences coupled with redesigned compounds. Updates embrace new 100% silica rubber compounds and tweaks to its 2CT+ expertise—Michelin-speak for the twin compounds used on the entrance and rear. Collectively, these updates internet a ten % enhance in moist climate traction and mileage over its predecessor.
Not like Michelin’s unique dual-compound 2CT (Two Compound Know-how), 2CT+ makes use of a tougher rubber compound on the middle of the tire (48 % of protection) for higher tire life when driving extra upright. In the meantime, a softer compound on the shoulders (28 % of protection per shoulder) supplies higher grip at lean. The up to date 2CT+ improves upon the unique two-compound design by layering the softer shoulder compound over the tougher heart compound, designed to supply higher stability when cornering, even below exhausting braking or heavy acceleration.
Most adventure-touring bikes aren’t thought of lightweights—they routinely exceed 500 kilos—so to assemble a tire that would supply a steady journey, Michelin makes use of a inflexible tire casing referred to as Aramid Defend Know-how. The dense and inflexible casing is claimed to ship wonderful suggestions and stability. Our highway check confirmed that the Michelin Anakee Highway tire lives as much as these claims.
The principle focus of this tire is to satisfy the calls for of adventure-touring lovers who need wonderful longevity with out compromising grip throughout real-world highway driving situations. Our checks included a moist, gymkhana-type course and a prolonged journey by the radically diverse rural roads surrounding the legendary Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. It proved to be a perfect setting to turn into conversant in how these tires would carry out in the true world.
With the extra inflexible tire development in thoughts, I needed to see how the Michelin Anakee Highway tires would really feel on one of many lighter middleweight journey bikes, so I selected the 449-pound Aprilia Tuareg 660 for the primary portion of our checks. I ought to word that not one of the bikes had been arrange expressly for me and had been within the showroom trim.
The temperature was roughly 60 levels, and the Anakee Highway tires had been stone chilly to begin my check. The gymkhana course appeared to simulate the situations you’d discover driving within the metropolis throughout moist climate. It consisted of a waterlogged course to simulate sudden lane adjustments, avoiding obstacles, driving on uneven surfaces, and most braking. The tire supplied wonderful grip when leaning and braking exhausting. The inflexible tire development supplied loads of suggestions and impressed confidence when performing the moist checks. Its efficiency was restricted solely by the bike’s security options, corresponding to traction management and ABS.
The Michelin Anakee Highway tires are responsive when making use of steering inputs, and I felt assured leaning the bike over on the moist asphalt as a lot as was wanted to carry out any given portion of the course. The check that impressed me essentially the most was the utmost braking zone. I set a pace of 70 kph (43.5 mph) and utilized most entrance brake stress as soon as passing by a set of cones. Not like the remainder of the course, which was moist asphalt, this part was lined in a strip of slick epoxy-covered concrete that decreased grip even additional.
I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I didn’t have reservations about performing this check. Nevertheless, after watching the teacher display it, I did what any self-respecting motorcyclist would do and despatched it. As with the opposite checks, outcomes had been restricted extra by digital interference than traction, because of 100% silica compound. I used to be totally impressed by how rapidly I might cease whereas fully controlling the Tuareg.
As for the highway portion of the check, it was nonetheless a sunny 60 levels. I rode by tight, almost single-lane roads, quick sweepers, cobblestone streets, and freeway stretches. The situation of the roads diverse fairly a bit, which gave me a extra exact understanding of how the tires react to bumps, highway seams, mud, water, and easy pavement. One fixed in the entire situations is the responsiveness when steering and the quantity of traction obtainable the Michelin Anakee Highway rubber supplied. These traits stood out whereas driving the comparatively mild and naturally nimble Tuareg.
Nevertheless, on condition that the Tuareg is a light-middleweight journey bike, the Anakee Highway was extra reactive over bumps or hard-edged hits. I attribute that to the exhausting carcass design or, maybe, the 90/90 x 21 entrance tire. These facets could also be tuned out with suspension or psi settings.
To verify or distinction these opinions, I switched to a 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Professional, which is about 100 kilos heavier and had a 120/70 x 19 entrance tire. To the massive Tiger, the journey high quality felt a bit smoother and fewer reactive whereas equally conscious of steering inputs. Once more, that might be as a result of the Tiger is heavier and has a wider entrance tire, with the bike’s weight masking highway really feel to a sure diploma.
When used on both of the check bikes I sampled, the tires supplied loads of suggestions, stability, and grip. They supplied a constant feeling, whether or not at lean, below exhausting braking, or throughout heavy acceleration, contributing to many miles of enjoyable. Though it’s unimaginable to gauge tire put on earlier than placing 1000’s of miles on them, Michelin claims the Anakee Highway will last more than the already slow-wearing Anakee III.
When you choose to stay to the highway throughout your adventures, the Anakee Highway is a reliable choice. It’s the ultimate addition to the Anakee sequence, offering distinctive grip in moist and dry situations, a gradual and predictable journey, and is constructed to endure.
Michelin Anakee Highway Tire Sizes
Rear
- 150/70 x 17
- 1760/16 x 17
- 150/70 x 18
Entrance
- 110/80 x 19
- 120/70 x 19
- 90/90 x 12
Michelin Anakee Highway Overview Photograph Gallery
