Have You Owned Both Michelin AT/2 and BFG K02s ??

I have Michelin LTX MS/2 265/70/16 LOAD E 10 Ply on TRD Beadlocks on my 2nd Gen as pictured below. MS2s are the best "road" tire on the market, i use them for years on a variety of work trucks, they last forever and are very quiet and perform great in all weathers. HOWEVER they are HEEAVVYYYYY !!! I know they make them in a P for passenger which brings them to a 6ply and have better MPGs etc and a softer ride which I learned later.

On my 2010 G55 I have Firestone LE2s and theyre unreal in performance, comfort, and road noise.The OEM Pirelli were absolute CRAP. The Firestone with 517HP is very hard to break traction. Heavy bay area rain, no problem, Tahoe snow never an issue and the price is the awesome !! But they don't have the "look" I want for my Taco.

Moving onto my brand new 3rd Gen 17 Sport DC SB 2WD i just picked up, I ordered my TRD Pro 4Runner wheels. 17x8 and I want an aggressive looking tire thats lightweight and quiet. I do NO off roading usually ALL highway/Street and maybe a trail . I always wanted the AT/2 and ill spend the extra coin for Michelin I am a big fan but Ive never owned the AT2. Everyone else and their uncle raves of the K02s for 3rd Gen. I agree They look GREAT but how do they sound on the HWY and how do the "feel" in weight in compared to one and other. My 3rd gen is so so so quiet inside I don't want to completely ruin that .I have the JBL premium Tech Package and bluetooth hands free phone becomes pointless if cabin is loud and it was an expensive upgrade.

Any insight here?I know this thread will go on for years. But looking for someone who has actually owned both tires . BFG K02 C rated and Michelin AT/2 in 6ply or P. I do not run a lot of weight in the bed.

ps - Michelin MS/2s run taller then any other tire I've seen.
pps - I'm very open to other suggestions.

Cheers

 

I have owned both, for a long time I ran the BFG A/T, they were eventually replaced with the Michelin AT/2 which in my opinion is a better performing tire all around. However my experience with both LT tires not P. I will always recommend the AT/2 over the KO2s.

 

I have owned KOs and AT2s

I think the AT2 is an amazing all around tire. Going on 30k miles and they still have gobs of life left on them. Probably 1/2 of the usable tread left. They will be smoother and quieter and last longer. Get the p-rated and be done with it.

 

Thank you for the response can you just shed light on how you made the ultimate decision ?

I want agressive looks, but most importantly I need want and must have quiet tires.

Why no to the KO2s ? Majority of my homework on this forum all lean on K02s. The 10ply I would presume on any tire would just ride a bit more stiff, weigh more but last longer.

I do know the Mich AT2s do not have a warranty and I really don't care , and im happy to just get 40k out of em whereas my LTX MS2s got 90k before I had to change em , I'm THAT guy who rotates and chalks for the best PSI.

 

I had the Michelin Defenders (newer MS2) on my truck, and I much much prefer the K02. Even for on-road use, the K02, I found superior in grip, noise, and road feel.

 

Honestly I switched because one of my BFGs blew out and the other 3 were close to replacement and I needed to change out my tires quickly. Costco did not sell the BFG so I got the AT2 and I was so impressed with their performance on pavement, offroad and snow it became my go to tire.

As far as looks I don't think they look as aggressive as the KO2s but I perfer function over form.

Its really difficult to compare tires because they will almost never be in identical situations, can onyl go off what you feel.

 

And the debate begins!! Were the KOs 6 or 10 ply

 

AT2s not the same as MS2s.

 

But the MS2 would ideally be the better and more comfortable tire for daily use.
So the fact @stan23 he prefers K02s over an MS2 totaly trips me out.

 

Ko2s are loud and heavy
Can't speak on the Michelin

 

True, I just read he had MS2s, and were happy with them.

I'm on my 4th set of tires on my third gen, only because i'm super picky when it comes to tires (I used to race motorcycles)

The K02s have exceeded my every expectation. They may be a 'bro' tire here, but if you read all the real world reviews on 'em, they are pretty much universally loved. I'm an on-road daily driver guy. Only taken them on light dirt roads.

I am using 265/70/17 'c' plys.

 

great to know thank you, its such a battle and I agree ill probably never hear what i want
to make a decision between these two tires. Quiet is my absolute main goal between these
because I drive freeway so much. But to hear Quiet, and Performance positive comments
is a winner in my book.

 

I'm actually not a fan of the 'aggressive' look on the K02s. I wanted a great all around daily driver tire with great dry grip (I live in the SF Bay area) and steering feedback. When I replaced the defenders with the K02s, the steering feel was greatly improved right away--and the feel felt more substantial. I will admit that I wasted a ton of money on trying out different tires, until I found a set that worked for me.

 

IMO, and again, I had both sets of tires. the K02s are quieter than the Defenders. I am super super - think super OCD about road noise.

If you ever find yourself in the South Bay area, you are more than welcome to drive my truck with the C load K02s.

 

GREAT POINT! Im also in the SF Bay and do a lot of driving around SF, NAPA etc, I presume you mean potholes
and shitty roads throw your steering wheel around? and when you went to a more rounded less aggressive
tire it drove better in shi#%y daily road conditions? right?
That would lead me to the Mich AT2 because its not as nobby and
cut up as a K0s is.

 

I actually started a thread on this awhile back.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/k02s-on-road-performance.439178/

I really liked the stock Toyos A30 that came with the truck, but wanted a bigger size when I changed my wheels to the TRD 4R wheels.

The stock toyos were quiet, and handled on road pretty well.

I started with a set of the Yokohama Geolander G015s in p metric. While they were quiet, they didn't really have great road feedback, and I got a bit of vibration with them that could not be solved with several road balances.

Then I decided on the 'best' on road tire, which was the defenders based on my research. I liked them, but steering was vague and they tend to drift.

Not 100% happy, I decided to give the K02s a try since they were so universally liked--again, not just praise in TW, but many many forums and tire rack.

Immediately, the tire was exactly what i'm looking for. Great steering feel, super quiet, and smooth as butter. I did had them balanced at a pro shop to get them perfect, but now they are smooth as glass. I use my truck for commuting and taking my motorcycles to the tracks, so highway quietness is paramount. Some folks told me that the K02s were not a good on-road tire, but I had to see for myself. I'm at 6K miles on my set and i'm pretty sure i'll buy another set when I wear these out.

To answer your question, I felt the defenders bounced me around a bit too much - remember what I said about substantial feeling.. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels like the K02s will plow through something, vs. a feeling of going over with the Defenders.

 

I read all 4 pages of your original thread, good read and great insight. You sound as crazy ,anal as I am. in your own method,
im now rooting for KO2s. Pulling the trigger this weekend, still not 100% on my decision but im getting much closer .

1. KO2 265/70/16 C
2. AT/2 265/70/16 P

 

The AT/2s were on my list, as well as the Nitto G2s (they are the OEM tire for the 4R TRD pro)

only reason why I didn't get the AT/2s, because the Defenders were far more on-road biased, and I didn't like them. I figure, getting a more off-road oriented tire may be a step in the wrong direction.

Also, all that rain we've been getting here recently? The K02s have been fantastic.

 

I love my Kbro2's. The fact that more and more people here bash them just makes me love them more. Honestly the fact that the OP is looking for an aggressive "looking" tire but "must have" a quiet tire is a contradiction in terms. Choose one or the other.

@Joe23 C rated BFG Ko2's in 265/70/17 are 44 lbs. The Michelins that the OP is considering are 41.5 lbs. A whopping 10 lbs per set.

 

Thanks man, i know its a contradiction but with the FN wheels i just ordered it would "look" ridiculous with
a very all weather road tire. So I agree with you, but my needs are for superficial reasons, hey at least im honest.

Care to chime in on why you love your BROFGs?