Heidenau’s new tire hits the dirt or road

Dual sport tire just one in a vast collection from German company

John Bettencourt has heard adventure riding stories that surprise him. He’s heard tales of riders who take their bikes to Alaska with a newly installed rear tire, bring two more as spares, and return home with the last tire wearing thin.

He says Heidenau’s K60 Scout dual sport tire wouldn’t deliver that kind of performance. Instead, he says, Scout users can ride on their tires for a month, then take them on an adventure ride in Alaska and bring them back to their local streets before needing a tire change.

“Tires are very important. When you’re in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you want to deal with is a flat,” Bettencourt said.

He’s been pleased with the performance of the K60 Scout and the other Heidenau tires he distributes as the owner of MotoAmore.

“In general customers have been really happy with the K60 Scout that we produce,” he said. “It is a 50/50 tire. It is good on the asphalt, and it is good in the dirt, but consequently it’s not going to be perfect on the asphalt, and it’s not going to be perfect in the dirt.”

Riders have reported to MotoAmore that they appreciate the K60 Scout because it allows them to commute on-road, while easily taking an off-road trip without switching tires.

Heidenau originated in the former East Germany and has been working in the production of molded rubber products since 1946. The company had a rebirth after the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1990, and was producing 35 tire sizes by 1993.

Now the brand, brought to the U.S. by MotoAmore in 2007, has more than 600 different tires in its lineup, including scooter, moped, street bike, motocross, race and sidecar tires, along with vintage sizes, like 18- and 19-inch tires no longer made by many other companies.

“What’s really nice about Heidenau is the way I describe it to people, the company isn’t run by accountant — it’s run by an engineer, so they make the best tire they can,” Bettencourt said.

As a rubber expert for nearly seven decades, Heidenau pays close attention to the compound used in each of its applications.

“A common concern with tires is, if the tire lasts long, it’s hard, and if it’s a sticky tire, it burns up fast. What that comes down to is the actual compound of the tire,” Bettencourt explained. “With Heidenau, it’s a matter of, if we need more rubber, we put in more rubber, or if we need more carbon, let’s add carbon.”

MotoAmore hasn’t done much in the way of direct marketing for Heidenau, but so far the distributor has been able to run a strong tire business through word-of-mouth referrals and positive reviews in the media.

“I love the fact that when I’m traveling somewhere, I see people riding with the Heidenau tires on their bikes,” Bettencourt said.

Customers have gotten their hands on Heidenau tires through MotoAmore’s dealer network, which is comprised of stores big and small. As MotoAmore was formerly a small service shop itself, Bettencourt looks forward to partnering with even the smallest volume stores.

“We like to work with everyone,” Bettencourt said. “We want people to sell our tires and make a profit on them and have happy customers. That’s what we’re here for.”