BFG KO2 & Bridgestone D697 — prices

**iannicki** · 30th October 2017, 09:31 PM

Just in case anyone else is also shopping around at the moment, I have priced these tyres in Canberra in 265/60/R18. Supplied and fitted, best prices where:

a. BFG KO2: $398 per tyre

b. D697: $322 per tyre

Note, until end of October 2017 there is $100 off a set of four D697 ($297 per tyre). This came from a couple of different suppliers, so it looks like a Bridgestone promotion.

Now all I need is that spare 18 inch rim.

**TuffRR** · 31st October 2017, 06:23 AM

Best price i got in Melbourne for the D697's in that size was $280 per tyre. Made it an easy decision and have been very happy with them so far.

**Russrobe** · 31st October 2017, 07:53 PM

Paid $280 for the 285 60 18 697s
Great tyres, have put them through their paces with no dramas at all. 30,000km in now and not one puncture, popped bead (even while running at 10PSI), zero chipping and proved great in the mud too for an A/T last week. Make sure you get the LT version with 8ply

**RobA** · 1st November 2017, 04:07 PM

Have to do a run up through the Flinders towing the Q+ for some field testing and probably heading off late next week. Route takes me to Farina, Marree, Roxby Downs, across to Kingoonya, through the Gawler Ranges to Mt Ive then Iron Knob and home. Having done this lots of times on the 697's it will be a great opportunity to compare the KO2's performance. Particularly as we will be towing 2500kg approx. Will report back on return. Yes the roads have not had a grader on them for several months so it will be a good test of durability to start with

Rob

**RobA** · 12th November 2017, 04:29 PM

OK a quick update. In the last 48 hours I have covered around 650km with around 200km of that being off bitumen. I am towing our AOR Q+ and close to fully loaded for a long duration trip so heavy.

As most are aware I have been using Bridgestone tyres since the D693 was introduced and recently changed over from 697's to the the KO2 for the sake of finding out if they are actually any good.

So some dot point observations from the last couple of days and please remember I have another 1500km to cover before I get to a final view on them.

Noise
Most definitely more so compared to the 697's and very obvious on bitumen. What I found interesting was they were not particularly great, noise wise for the first 200km but after that there was a positive and definite reduction in noise level. Perhaps simply graining in but who knows. But it was noticeable

Grip
Remember I am towing 2.3T and am close to fully loaded in the D4. Very good actually and in my view a noticeably improvement over the 697's off bitumen. I have driven the same tracks dozens of times each year for around 15 years so I have a very clear view of each tyre, as we record every test.

Pressures
No change from the Bridgestone actually. For the sake of this evaluation that is not a variable and so I am talking 48R and 44F with 38 in the camper for bitumen. Knock 10 psi out of all numbers when we hit the dirt

Summary
Still reckon they are noisier than the Bridgestone on bitumen to the point of being close to annoying but recognise this is subjective.

But overall they are much much better where I want my tyres to be. That is off bitumen towing and heavily loaded.

The run from Blinman to Parachilan this afternoon was utter crap. Corrugations, rocks and the crash event warning went off on the safety camera four times to give you an idea of the pounding I was getting. This as at 60-70kph BW so I did not have to try hard. Even under hard braking into corners the car and camper handled very well.

So overall very happy camper right now. But more to come over the next week I am sure. The Oodnadatta and Borefield tracks are evidently not particularly nice so there's several hundred dirt kms coming up to test all of my thoughts to date

Hope that helps with your decision making

Rob

**iannicki** · 12th November 2017, 05:42 PM

Rob,

Great update, thank you.

I have picked up my spare 18 inch rim (courtesy of the Wanted section — thanks, swampy1), so it is now tyre time. As I can't book my car in for a couple of weeks due to work travel, I look forward to the final report so I can make my final choice.

Ian

**scarry** · 12th November 2017, 06:06 PM

And to add, the road noise from the KO lasted the life of the tyre.

The noise from the KO2 seems identical,so i presume it will last the life of the tyre as well.

I have only done around 10K on mine so far,but had quite a few sets of KOs over the years.

**LRD414** · 12th November 2017, 06:31 PM

I’ve found the KO2 noise has reduced somewhat. Now done somewhere in the low 20k’s. Hard to pick now although that could be partially just being used to it I guess. I’ll be getting them again.

Scott

**BrianElloy** · 12th November 2017, 09:12 PM

My K02’s are the first off road LT rated tyre I’ve had.

So coming from stockers on my D4 and all prior cars I was pretty disappointed not only with the noise but also the very gravelly feel you get through the car

It’s all about compromises I guess

**RobA** · 15th November 2017, 03:14 PM

This will be the final update on my field testing of our KO2's. Over the last two days I have run the Oodnadatta track from Marree to the Borefield junction and down to Roxby Downs and another 300km of very wet bitumen up to Glendambo thank back to Port Augusta.

The thing that stands out for me is what I will call the "planted" feel they tyres provide travelling up some tracks that in many places were pretty average. Lots of rocks, corrugations, bull dust and very very rough surfaces. For the 190km or so Marree to Roxby my average speed was 65kph to give you an idea of what it was like.

SA has had some pretty major storms come through closing most of the outback tracks for a few days and dumping well over an inch of rain over the outback which was really needed. In fact that rainfall has doubled in many places so lots of cheering from my outback friends.

The rain gave me another opportunity to see how the tyres performed on very wet bitumen. Overall excellent grip when in the same situation the 607's would have felt a touch aqua-planish. But we are talking flooded bitumen here. They cut through the water due to their more open tread so I guess they will do the same in muddy slop. I don't look for mud too many wear problems result. Steering feel and response is also very good there is nothing indecisive about their feel wet or dry and regardless of surface.

Noise wise I can live with them. But if you want to keep them on your daily drive for the commute I reckon you will find them tiresome to some degree.

They have also handled the low pressures I have been using off bitumen very well. My measure of this is they have not changed temperature significantly so a good result. But one I would expect from an LT tyre due to their increased load carrying capacity but remember to lower speeds commensurate with any pressure change downwards

Better than the 697's? Well yes for me and given my duty cycle is very high averaging around 20-30000km off bitumen annually and towing.

For those wanting only one tyre set and who do a lot of bitumen/commuting I would think very hard about your choice. If you have little or no experience with LT tyres take great care to choose the right tyre as with LT comes increased weight, subsequent additional fuel consumption and in many cases road noise as well. But there are plenty of LT rated tyres around including the 697's, Goodyear Silent Armour and others with similar more closed tread patterns that will give you the extra load carrying capacity with less noise

Rob

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