New rubber choice

Avon says retire at 7 years old so they were near the end anyway.

I'm quite happy with the Avons I have but my storage is heated and even if I had to move it to the unheated barn, -25c is the extreme on the NH seacoast.

It would be a good question to ask of Avon. Do they attribute it to the cold, age, or a combination of both.

Onder said:

Recently took a tire to a dealer to install as I simply couldnt get it mounted. First time in my life. It was a Avon Speedmaster 400-18 on a wm3.
Sidewalls like made from rock.
TT100 19 inch were not a major problem mounting by hand at all. Esp new tires. Old ones get hard and are tough to handle.
So my question is, can I mount the new metric sized Avons you are talking about by hand?

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Warming them up as best you can by setting them out in the sun (or next to the wood stove) makes a big difference in how easily they go on or off.
Bill

Torontonian said:

I have trouble posting photos like many here. I'll go outside now and peel off Crazy Combat cover to find date. Big cracks on both. Could only be the last brutal -30 C. winter. That's what we heard after a winter in Mexico recovering with the busted kicker leg. :?

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I would blame the cold.... I've had several do the between the tread cracking thing. Stored at 60F. Only 2 yrs old

Just ordered in 2 Avon Roadrider Fronts 100/90-19 tires because I liked them a lot. The Battlaxe had 2 choices , H or V so not understanding that and not willing to make a return situation , I chose what I know and like. They better not crack again. Global warming from smog = colder winters and hotter summers. :shock:

Torontonian said:

Just ordered in 2 Avon Roadrider Fronts 100/90-19 tires because I liked them a lot. The Battlaxe had 2 choices , H or V so not understanding that and not willing to make a return situation , I chose what I know and like. They better not crack again. Global warming from smog = colder winters and hotter summers. :shock:

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it's a speed rating

H= up to 131 mph
V= up to 149 mph

Pete

Are both Avons for the front as in one for now and one for later on? They do deteriorate rather quickly as they sit.
Assuming they are universal, why not put one on the rear as well?
If they are 100/90/19 this works beautifully and is much the way the bike came from the factory, same size 19" tire front and rear.

Glen

My intentions are to fit both those 2 front ( Front or rear in the ordering options seem to be similar , I doubt there will be a difference hopefully , just how they seem to list things.. ) Avon Roadrunners to my new MK111. But not on the present stock wheels and rims. I have Stainless spokes offset laced to 2 other wheels that need truing and finalizing. The stock wheels this winter ( running good Dunlop TT 100's ) will be removed , to do this . I will true them on the bike itself using a dual pointer system. The cracked Avons on Crazy Combat will be trashed ( at a proper disposal facility of course ) and the good TT's fitted to Crazy. Crazy will leave my life for a younger owner next spring.

Front tires have less tread depth than Universal, Universal have less than rear fitment . That is the only difference I'm aware of. No harm in fitting the "front" listed Roadrider to the rear, it just won't last quite as long as a Universal or Rear only type.

Glen

I wish the tire sellers would give these details. HUGE difference in the driving quality over TT 100's . This bike was for shows so they fitted the TT's for authenticity I believe.

Yep, I have Roadriders on the Vincent and on the Commando, they are very sticky.

Glen

I need to order a new rear MR26 myself. I found it interesting to note that the diameter of the Avon mr26 100/90-19 is 671mm and the K81 tt100 is 667mm. I always thought that the Dunlop would have been the taller of the 2.

Avon have changed the compound again for 2015, his was last done a couple of years ago, despite being a good tyre the life does appear to be short lived due to the cracking on these tyres. The other alternative that no one has mentioned is that Continental now do a zero biased radial for both the front and rear and in the 19'' size - anyone tried them?

Madnorton said:

Avon have changed the compound again for 2015, his was last done a couple of years ago, despite being a good tyre the life does appear to be short lived due to the cracking on these tyres.

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Do you know how they have changed it? I have read good things about the AM26 as I have been researching tires the last few days. I am just worried about them cracking.

Any NZers run them and thoughts vs the BT45 on our roads down here?

I am going to get my rims changed to Excel WM3 sometime soon, so will have to decide on an 18” or 19” rear.

I am leaning towards the BT45, but have noticed a couple things in the specs that give me pause. The 110/90-19 front is 3.9” W and 26.1” OD, while the 110/90-18 is 4.3” W x 25.9 OD. Now, the AM26 90/90 F is 3.9” W x 25.5 OD and the 100/90 R are 4.3” W x 26.4 OD (the 4.00-18 are 4.6 W x 26.4 OD). That extra inch of OD should make for a bit quicker turn in to offset the sligthly wider rear than I have now (very old Roadrunner Universals, 3.9 x 25.2).

For me, quicker handling is more important than tread life, but I don’t want tires cracking up prematurely.

Anyone who has had both the BT45 and AM26 have any handling contrasts?

Madnorton said:

The other alternative that no one has mentioned is that Continental now do a zero biased radial for both the front and rear and in the 19'' size - anyone tried them?

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SvenSven has them and liked them at the outset, but I have not seen a follow up - continental-classic-attack-vintage-radials-excellent-t18997-15.html

Mikegray660 didn’t like his compared to the BT45 - continental-classic-attack-vintage-radials-excellent-t18997-15.html#p240981