Product Review: Michelin Anakee Wild
The Michelin Anakee Wild is a recent addition to the adventure bike tire lineup. I’ve had the tire set on my KTM 990 Adventure for 2,000 miles and I’ve ridden on just about every surface. So far, it’s performed admirably on everything from tight twisties and interstate to rock gardens and soggy single track.
Tarmac Time
The Anakee Wild has a fairly round profile that tips nicely into corners and generally handles well on the pavement. The appropriately soft compound inspires confidence all the way to the edge of the knobs. I didn’t feel the edges flexing at deeper lean angles. The rigid tire carcass no doubt helps in this department. The Michelin is certainly stiffer and more difficult to spoon on than the tires I’m usually running.
At higher speeds, the tire is as stable as any other 50/50 tire and does a good job with limited highway use. I’d suggest avoiding excessive highway miles if you want it to last, though.
Down & Dirty
The Michelin does well off-road, but you should adjust pressures according to the terrain. I usually use road pressure on groomed gravel and dirt roads, but some tires are more sensitive to pressure changes than others. The Wild is definitely one of those picky tires. Road pressures on gravel made the tire live up to its name, but once I dropped a few PSI things came back under control.
The grip in the rear was exceptional once I’d dialed my pressures in. The front, although it did improve drastically, would still wash a touch when really pushing. Overall, though, these tires offer predictable traction and spectacular grip on practically every surface. They performed splendidly on rocky sections of the Colorado BDR. I was thankful for the slightly stiffer sidewalls that allowed me to drop my pressures a tad more and not worry about pinch flats.
As is to be expected with any 50/50 tire, performance falls off sharply in deep sand or mud. I can hardly hold that against the Michelins as that’s common for this category.
The Verdict
Despite Michelin’s claim that it’s got a new compound for long-lasting performance, I’ve found that wear is about what you’d expect for a 50/50 knobby tire. However, most people don’t purchase these tires with longevity in mind.
The price is toward the top of the spectrum, but when compared to the Continental TKC80, it’s only marginally more expensive. That said, I found the Anakee Wild to be slightly better on the road than the Continental, but the TKC80 edges ahead off-road. Overall, the Michelin is an excellent 50/50 tire.
Michelin Anakee Wild
From $150