New Kumho KL71 MT TYRE TEST

New Kumho KL71 MT TYRE TEST

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Discussion

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Thursday 19th June 2008
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KUMHO JOINT WINNER OF 4x4 MAGAZINE’S ULTIMATE MT TYRE TEST
11 June 2008
The Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 was the joint winner of 4x4 Magazine’s ‘ultimate tyre test’ to establish the best mud-terrain tyre on the UK market. It shared top honours with a BFGoodrich, beating offerings from Goodyear, Wildcat, Maxxis, Cooper, INSA and Pirelli by a significant margin. All eight makes of 235/85 R16 tyres were subjected to six challenging, real-world tests, ie – mud climb, bog run, side slope, rock crawl, gravel and tarmac braking. One vehicle was involved – a 2007 Land Rover Defender 110.

The magazine found the Kumho KL71 radically different in appearance from all its competitors and, in fact, to be the best looking as well as the joint best performer. The Kumho was awarded top marks on the rock crawl and gravel braking tests and performed with credit on the mud climb and bog run. In summary, the magazine said, “The Kumho MT KL71 is a great tyre and a deserving all-round winner. Give it a try.”

Said Kumho’s Managing Director Steve Tidmarsh, “We are naturally delighted with the result. 4x4 Magazine’s test is very much in line with our own research and reinforces the confidence we have had in the KL71 from the outset. I can also reveal that the new 18in rally raid tyre we have developed for the Bowler Nemesis is based on the KL71 and that is surely the ultimate test for an MT tyre.”

For further information on Kumho and its products, log onto www.kumhotyre.co.uk or www.ajstyres.co.uk

Hereward

4,386 posts

237 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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Are these tyres suitable for general road use too? They sound great for the muddy, slippery crumbling roads where I live but I'd need them to perform decently on the occasional motorway trip too...

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
quotequote all
I have not long ago returned from the Central Europe Rally which was held in Hungray and Romania, a 3,300 mile round trip in my Defender 110 and found the Kumho KL71 to be fine all round, a little noise as you would expect from a MT tyre.

Had no problems at all, they are a very impressive tyre, they are selling very well with no negative feed back so far, good range of sizes available too.

The Defender has now covered over 5,500 miles, the only thing we have done is raise the tyre pressures to save a little fuel but still give a good ride.

Andy www.ajstyres.co.uk

Hereward

4,386 posts

237 months

Sunday 22nd June 2008
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Cheers. I live about 3 miles from your business, so I'll be in touch at some point.

jobbit

71 posts

205 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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The only thing making me hesitate about these tyres is the directional tread. It'd be nice to have a matching spare tyre, but that's not really feasible with a directional pattern.. other than that they look great, I've heard good things and the price is making my new tyre choice very difficult!

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Sunday 29th June 2008
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No problem, have two spares.

That is the only way round it as changing the tyre over on the side of the road or in the mud is not in every ones ability.

There is a massive shortage of a lot of makes at the momment, so I would advise to look ahead if you are thinking of getting new boots.

Andy www.ajstyres.co.uk

normalbloke

7,714 posts

226 months

Sunday 29th June 2008
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A friend of mine runs these on his G Wagon,and he's pretty chuffes on the whole(33x12.50x15)
The only downside is he has ripped a sidewall out of one so far, which may or may not be the fault of the tyre.I'll keep you posted.

mrlambo

22 posts

188 months

Thursday 12th March 2009
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I've got a new set on a Suzuki Jimny and can vouch for their off road ability. They are perfectly good on road too (bearing in mind it's an off road tyre and one is sensible).

Lefty Guns

16,689 posts

209 months

Thursday 12th March 2009
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Hereward said:
Are these tyres suitable for general road use too? They sound great for the muddy, slippery crumbling roads where I live but I'd need them to perform decently on the occasional motorway trip too...
Yes, brilliantly. Much better than BFG MT for road use in my experience

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Thursday 12th March 2009
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Second that.

Andy.

Rich S

123 posts

201 months

Monday 30th March 2009
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Andy,

What size can you fit to a standard Defender (puma) 110 xs
Not interested in a lift kit
I would like to keep the standard alloys on it
I would consider spacers if it helped the clearance
How much are the KL71s each ?

Thanks

Rich

Lefty Guns

16,689 posts

209 months

Monday 30th March 2009
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265x75R16 I would have thought...

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Wednesday 1st April 2009
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You can go with 235/85x16 or 265/75x16, either are O.K.

Call me for a price on 01737 241370

Regards

Andy.

pugwash4x4

7,558 posts

228 months

Wednesday 1st April 2009
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Andy- do the KL71s go up to a 315/75r16 by any chance? i'm looking for a 35" tire on a 16" rim, but the only things i can find are £200/tyre + VAT from Devon!

Any ideas?

Andy Sargeant

Original Poster:

2,371 posts

212 months

Wednesday 1st April 2009
quotequote all
Well the 285/75x16 and the 305/70x16 KL71's are 33.5" tall, there is no plan for a bigger one for the U.K. market.

Andy.

gmanv8

2 posts

179 months

Friday 25th December 2009
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the 305/70 16 are just short of 32" talli have some on my disco

gmanv8

2 posts

179 months

Friday 25th December 2009
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Kermit power

29,472 posts

220 months

Saturday 26th December 2009
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gmanv8 said:
the 305/70 16 are just short of 32" talli have some on my disco
Is that measuring them before or after you fitted them to the truck?

Rich S

123 posts

201 months

Monday 11th January 2010
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Hi all, you may see earlier in this thread I asked Andy for some advice on what size KL71's I could fit to my Defender

Well after a brief chat last week , I popped down to get a set fitted last Saturday.

I just have to say , what a nice bunch of guys. No faffing about , the truck had hardly stopped , and it was up in the air with wheels being whipped off .

Guilty of going for the 265 size since they look a little more meaty

Now these aren't Snow tyres , but they are coping admirably , and I can't wait to try them down a few green lanes

Thanks again Andy

Rich

Norn Iron Bloke

11 posts

167 months

Tuesday 21st December 2010
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Hi Rich,

any chance you could post a pic of your motor with those new tyres?

thanks
Lloyd