Avon Venom Tyres are the Best!

[V7Goose]

Avon Venom tyres have a remarkable following here. Most of us who run them (especially with the MT90 front) feel the handling is the best we have experienced. I got 14,000 miles out of the first rear tyre (after only getting 8,000 from the stock Brickstone), so they seem to wear very well.

Best prices and service to buy them from SW Moto Tires in Tucson, Arizona. They have a number of web sites and names, but easy to find with a Google search. They ship free if you buy at least two tires.

[Gained]

I copied & saved this from an earlier post by Goose, so I'd have the info readily available when it came time for new tires. Inserting here so he doesn't have to rewrite his critique & rationale. If Goose needs to modify after all this time, I'm certain he will! EDB

2005 RSV
I have only had my new Avon Venoms on for about 20 miles, so it is way too soon for me to comment reliably on the handling in general, but I really wanted to tell y'all about the fantastic improvement in low speed handling - far beyond my wildest imagination! I don't need to tell any RSV owners about the ponderous handling at parking lot speeds. Once you get it into second gear it is great, but creeping along in first and making any sharp turn is like trying to hold up a falling telephone pole! As soon as the steering head gets very far to either side, you have to forcibly push back on the bars to keep it from just slamming all the way to full lock.

I just mounted an MT90HB-16 on the front (kept the stock tire size in the rear). This tire is 1" narrower than stock, but the same diameter. Well with this new front tire, this thing is a different animal all together! The heavy steering is totally gone. Even at the slowest possible speeds, I could pull figure-8s in the small residential street in front of my house with complete ease. The steering is completely neutral now, no matter how slow I am going or how far I have turned the bars.

I was expecting some improvement based on other reports, but nothing this dramatic!

Both of these Avon tires are the same diameter as the Bridgestones I just took off, which means the bike sits exactly the same height front and rear. I have made no other changes to the suspension, so the only thing that could have changed the handling of this bike so dramatically today is the new Avon tires, and at slow speed, I don't think it has anything to do with the rubber compound or tread design. That only leaves the slightly narrower tire as the cause. I recommend you think about the MT90-16 or 130/90-16 front tire next time you change them. I'm sure glad I did. And if anyone wants to buy a stock Bridgstone 150/80-16 with about 8,000 miles left in it, I'll sell it cheap!! I'm having a hard time imagining ever putting that stock size on this bike again.

I'll let y'all know how I like the Avon Venoms in general after I get back from two weeks in the Ozarks! Good luck,
Goose

[Gained]

Also saved for my info are these comments by Goose & other unknowns (I didn't save all the thread names... sorry). Hope it's okay I'm inserting these, but the info is still valuable & may save some rewriting for future searchers. EDB

It is possible to get confused with all the tire options that some companies have. You need to make sure you get a front tire for the front, and a rear tire for the rear. In addition, you need to pay attention to size, weight and speed ratings. Beyond those potentially life altering items, you also have options for black wall, narrow white wall, and wide white wall. To make matters worse, there are at least three different types of specifications commonly used for tire sizes today, so you may need a conversion table if you cannot find the tire you want sold with the same type of size specification you are used to using! That is why my front tire is an MT90 instead of a 130/90. Here are the exact tires on my bike today:

Front Avon Venom-X AM41 MT90B16 74H
Rear Avon Venom-X AM42 150/90B15 80H
(All AM41s are front tires, and AM42s are rear tires.)

I ordered my tires from Southwest Moto Tires in Tucson AZ, and I highly recommend them. Wherever you buy them, you are gonna want to deal with someone who turns tires over fairly fast so you don't get old stock stuff where the rubber has started to change with age. If you buy form a local place where you can see the tires, always verify the manufacture date code on each tire - you really want something within the last six months, but certainly not older than a year.

I have seen some comments in the past several months that Avon has dropped the "X" from the Venom designation, and from their web site, this appears to be true. Your best source for verifying available tire sizes and designations is the manufacturer's web site. The Avon tire site is:
http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/us/en/...CruiserTouring (http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/us/en/Product.asp?ProdType=CruiserTouring)
Hope that helps!

Next, TFD69 . . .
I don't think the type of riding has too much bearing on the choice of tire size and styles (for handling questions ONLY - it certainly would for speed and load ratings). Frankly, I want my bike to handle the best it can no matter where I am riding, and these Avon's on my bike are an order of magnitude improvement over the crap Yamaha shoveled at us when we bought the bike new!! I personally believe they stuck that fat front tire on there for nothing but style, with absolutely no concern for the riding experience. Of course, I went straight from the fat ugly Brickstone to the MT90 Avon, so I cannot say for certain how much of the change I experienced is due to the better Avon tire or the narrower size, but I do attribute much of it to the size.

I ride my bike every day - that's how I got 19,000 miles in a bit over 1 year. City, highway, solo, two up, long distance touring, commute to work, shopping, etc. I do NOT think the wider front tire is better at touring long distances at highway speeds. It is true that the narrower front tire makes a more dramatic improvement at low speeds, but it also greatly improves the handling in curves. The feel of the bike at highway speeds is now much more of being "one with the bike" that just sitting on a bike and trying to control it. The bike is much more responsive to shifting body weight and leaning than it was with stock size. And besides, no matter how long and far you ride on the super-slab, you are still gonna have to slow down and turn off the road some time!

In short, I do not feel the narrower front tire is a compromise in any way. Best of luck to all of you. I hope you are as pleased with whatever skins you mount as I have been



Guys,

Goose has hit every argument right on the head in changing from a 150/80 to a 130/90 front tire on the RS Venture. So if you don't mind, I'd like to provide my history on this change. And I don't know if I was the first to make this change because I didn't get a RSV until August of 2000. In fact I was basically forced into a new Venture because I totaled my 93 on a great road south of Mountain Home, Arkansas called Push Mountain Road. At that point in my riding career, Linda and I were ready for a new Venture because I was getting tired of working on an aging bike. (flame off, my 1st gen friends)

But soon after getting a new Venture we took it to Arkansas for a long weekend ride and I was never so disappointed in all my life of how it handled, compared to the handling of my 5-1st gen Ventures. That big fat Brigstone 150 front tire just wallowed terrible in the corners and was a beast making a tight U turn. And long before they were worn out, I started looking at my options for a tire change and a set of Dunlop Elite IIs were on my list. Of course everyone was telling me that Dunlop didn't make a set of Elite IIs for the RSV, which I said "Bunk". So I made up my own sizing and ordered a set of Elite IIs, a MV85-15 (150/85) rear and a MT90-16 (130/90) front. There was nothing anyone could say to convince me that this bike needed a 150 wide front tire. I was in the shop when my mechanic mounted the front one and he took one look at me and said he didn't think it would mount up, where I said lets try anyway. Well it popped on like it was made for that rim and just looked right when I put it on the bike. And when I took it out for a spin and hit a few curves, I knew I had found the right tire combination. And when I went back to the Arkansas Ozarks it was a pleasure to ride this bike. Of course I talked all of my RSV friends into changing theirs out and even a few that were riding Kawasaki Nomads who were also running 150/90s on the front. I think our manufactures think just because their bikes are cruisers, they need a fat front tire.....but a 150 when our 1st gen Ventures ran a 120? Go figure?

Anyway since the Fall of 2000 I have put over 100k on this combination of tires on 2 bikes, first Dunlop Elite IIs, Metzler 880s, and just recently the Avon Venoms.

[shoveldog]

I just got back from bike nite in Sharon PA and now have about 125 miles on the new Venoms I installed last night. I did the one size smaller on the front. The bike feels dramatically different. The Avons are everything you guys said they'd be! I ran into an '05 Venture owner and another '05 RSTD owner, both of whom will be needing tires soon. I hope I converted them for their sakes.

[Carbon_One]

I'm another convert to the Avon tires and smaller MT90 up front. What the guys have said in the past are all true. Great handling and ride, especially in turns and slow speed manuvering.
Got about 2 k on mine so far and couldn't be happier with them. I had the Dunlop D404's as oem tires and while they were OK the Avon's just beat these all out in ride quality IMO.
Larry

[venturejockey]

Any pictures out there on an RSV or RSTD?

[Tartan Terror]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle. My RSV is much better with the larger front tire thatn the other bikes will the narrower front tire make it more or less difficult to get out of those groove. I just figured the larger tire kind of bridged the groove and didnt so much fall into it.

[Sleeperhawk]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle. My RSV is much better with the larger front tire thatn the other bikes will the narrower front tire make it more or less difficult to get out of those groove. I just figured the larger tire kind of bridged the groove and didnt so much fall into it.

Been over some pretty groovy roads since I put the smaller front tire on a couple weeks ago. I cannot tell any difference going over the same roads, but definitly in the curves the bike is much easier to handle.

[Black Ice]

Well yes I love my Avons too. The smaller front definitely makes the bike feel lighter. Another thing I love about them is that they don't howl like those bleeping Bridgestones did. Very quiet. Very Happy!
Gary B

[V7Goose]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narrower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle. My RSV is much better with the larger front tire thatn the other bikes will the narrower front tire make it more or less difficult to get out of those groove. I just figured the larger tire kind of bridged the groove and didnt so much fall into it.
Tartan, I agree that logically, what you describe makes sense, but I have found the reality to be quite different. First, even tho the MT90 is technically a narrower tire than the 150/80, it isn't that MUCH narrower. An MT90 is still a big fat tire compared to what most bikes are running up front.

Secondly, I have NEVER owned a bike that tracked grooves and ridges as bad as my RSV did with the stock Brickstones! Holding that thing steady on the roads I ride every day was a nightmare. It seemed to have a mind of its own, and that vacant mind wanted to explore every single imperfection of the road surface, no matter how small! When I mounted the new Avon Venoms, this tracking TOTALLY vanished. I even found myself steering to every groove or rut I could find just to keep proving to myself that it wouldn't track them any more.

Now, here is some new information that I haven't really posted yet, as I am in the middle of an unplanned experiment. As the Avons wore down, some of this tendency to track grooves began to come back, but never to the horrible level it had been with the Brickstones. At 14,000 miles on the Avon rear tire, it had a spot that wore dangerously thin due to running with incorrect balance, so I had to remove it before I had ordered replacement tires. Well, I ride every day, and I wasn't about to let it sit alone in the garage while I caged it waiting for the new skins, so I decided to slap on the old Brickstone I still had sitting around for just such an emergency. What a rude awakening!!

My front Avon has 15,000 miles on it now, but still has lots of tread and a nice round profile (no center flattening). As I stated above, the bike had been exhibiting more groove tracking as the Avons wore down, and it just seemed natural for me to assume that this tendency to track the imperfections of the road was directly caused by the front tire; after all, the front tire is connected to the handlebars, right? And the handle bars is where you most feel this tracking. Now I don't think so.

As soon as I put that old Brickstone back on the rear (Avon Venom still on the front), the danged bike went loco tracking road imperfections again!!! Surprised the snot out of me! That rear Brickstone (which is quite flat, by the way), is directly causing this bike to act like is is having an epileptic seizure any time it encounters significant ridges or grooves. They are doing a lot of road work on the freeway I ride to work every day where they grind off the top surface and then lay a new layer of asphalt, and this leaves many short sections where the grinding wheels cut a little deeper than the pass they made next to it, This bike is downright SCARY on those spots now, where it was only a minor irritant before, even with the worn-out Avon on the rear.

I'm going to mount the new Avon on the rear this Sunday and ride the bike for a while with the existing Avon front tire (15,000 miles on it) and the new Avon rear. I'll let y'all know how that affects the tracking. After a few weeks, I'm gonna make a sacrifice for the sake of science and all my buddies here and pull off the Avon front tire and re-mount the old Brickstone 150/80! God how I hate the thought of doing this, but I just have to know much that front tire alone will change the handling of the bike with a new Avon Venom on the rear. Watch this site for new info as it develops!
Goose

[Snarley Bill]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle. My RSV is much better with the larger front tire thatn the other bikes will the narrower front tire make it more or less difficult to get out of those groove. I just figured the larger tire kind of bridged the groove and didnt so much fall into it. road my bike to vogel and back hit the twisties to the limit.road wet roads.no adverse affects what so ever.go for them you'll like them.the narrow front tire makes the steering more sensitive.did notice a little wallowing when pushing it in the twisties,but for a bike exceeding 900 lbs., i was impressed.bill :)

[Tartan Terror]

Wow that is some interesting info. Im not ready for tires yet, Just getting my new rear shock in next week and the new links so we will start there but the tire info is almost opposite than what I thought it would be. Few more miles and then on to the Avons I think. Got the Dunlops right now and they arent bad.

[Obber]

Here is another site for tires. They don't have free shipping but depending on how close you are to them, with shipping, it might be cheaper.:2cents:

[venturejockey]

You guys that are mounting your own what are you using. Tire irons? Tire changer? I've used both but don't have either at this time. Also what method are you using to ballance them? What kind of balance weights? The adheasive type or that old fashioned clamp on type? Have you been replacing the valve stims as well?

Eric

[V7Goose]

I use the Harbor Freight manual tire changer. Self-stick weights from JC Whitney. Put the axle in the wheel and set the ends on two jack stands. I'll probably use the same valve stem until I die.
Goose

[venturejockey]

I use the Harbor Freight manual tire changer. Self-stick weights from JC Whitney. Put the axle in the wheel and set the ends on two jack stands. I'll probably use the same valve stem until I die.
Goose

Thanks for the reply.

Do you have the Harbor Freight motorcycle attachment for the tire changer? I'm thinking about one of these cause the tire changer is not too much more expensive as two tire irons and a bead breaker.

Eric

[RoadKill]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle. My RSV is much better with the larger front tire thatn the other bikes will the narrower front tire make it more or less difficult to get out of those groove. I just figured the larger tire kind of bridged the groove and didnt so much fall into it.

I had the Dunlop 404, I think their called on my 2003 when I purchased it used. It was squirrly as all get out on grated bridges, grooved roads. tar snakes, since going with the Avon (smaller front stock rear), that has almost entirely disappeared. I have 5000 miles on mine and they don't even look worn yet.

[V7Goose]

Thanks for the reply.

Do you have the Harbor Freight motorcycle attachment for the tire changer? I'm thinking about one of these cause the tire changer is not too much more expensive as two tire irons and a bead breaker.

Eric
Hey Eric,
Yes, I have the motorcycle adapter - I don't see any way to use it without this. Point to remember: When you get it, it seems they all come with the rim clamps installed backward! You will have to pull them off and turn them around. Our rear wheel just barely fits in this thing, with the brake disk sitting right down on the support arm (or within a hair's width of it). This is not a problem, since the clamps hold everything in place and prevent any twisting or pressure on the disk. I only mention it because I initially thought it would not fit!
Goose

[venturejockey]

Thanks Goose.

[V7Goose]

I'm going to mount the new Avon on the rear this Sunday and ride the bike for a while with the existing Avon front tire (15,000 miles on it) and the new Avon rear. I'll let y'all know how that affects the tracking. After a few weeks, I'm gonna make a sacrifice for the sake of science and all my buddies here and pull off the Avon front tire and re-mount the old Brickstone 150/80! God how I hate the thought of doing this, but I just have to know much that front tire alone will change the handling of the bike with a new Avon Venom on the rear. Watch this site for new info as it develops!
Goose
Here's an update on my tire experiments and how the RSV handling has been affected:

Very brief background - for all the details, see the beginning of this thread and another one by me titled "Tire Talk - ":

I hated the handling with stock Brickstone tires, and it got really bad as the rear tire wore out.
I bought new Avon Venoms with an MT90 front size at 8,000 miles and RAVED about the improved performance.
After running about 4,000 miles on the Avons with everything else stock, I switched to shorter suspension links to raise the rear of the bike. I did not notice the dramatic handling change from the links that others had reported.
My rear Avon wore out at 14,000 miles - while waiting on a new tire, I mounted my old Brickstone rear for a week or two. The bike hated that tire so much I thought it was trying to kill me! Turned out that the worn Brickstone rear tire had more bad impact on RSV handling than the front tire.
I put new Avon rear tire on and all was right with the world again.
As the front tire continued to wear down, I noticed some increased squirreliness in the handling. About the same time, others here were commenting on the same thing. I guessed that maybe this was coming from a combination of the raised rear, narrower front tire, and worn front tire profile.Back to today - my front Avon was toast at 20,000 miles. True to my promise a few months ago (see quote above), I mounted the original Brickstone front tire last night (only 8,000 miles on it and it still had lots of tread). Initial report is the bike is handling fine today. So again it seems that all of the nasty bad handling problems I remember from the stock Brickstones were related to the rear tire much more than the front. I also noticed that the worn out tire I took off the front was considerably smaller in diameter than the old Brickstone due to lack of tread. What made this evident is that I could not roll the Brickstone under the fender without raising the bike quite a bit higher.

More importantly, however, is the fact that the bike did NOT revert to the real heavy handling at slow speed that it had with the stock tires. I attribute this completely to the fact that I now have the shorter suspension links.

Right now, my bike has an Avon Venom on the rear that only has about 4,000 miles on it and the stock Brickstone front tire that I took off 20,000 miles ago. When combined with the raised rear end, my initial impression is that the poor slow speed handling caused by the overly wide front tire is negated by the reduced trail from raising the rear of the bike.

My conclusions are that the handling characteristics of the RSV can be dramatically improved by EITHER changing to the MT90 or 130/90 front tire OR raising the rear of the bike.

I believe that doing BOTH changes (narrower front tire and the higher rear) is not optimal. Although I did not initially feel that the handling was bad after adding the shorter suspension links, I did notice it get worse as the front tire wore down. I think that this made the front even lower, which combined with the narrow tire made the handling just too quick for such a big bike.

My recommendations: If you have long legs and want the higher seat height, change out the suspension links to DiamondR's Leveling Links and keep a stock front tire size.

If you want to keep the rear of the bike at the same or lower height as stock, definitely change your front tire to the MT90 or 130/90 size.

Finally, no matter what you do, select a better brand of tire than the Brickstones. This alone will provide a lot of improvement! I have measured the actual width of the 150/80-16 front tire in all the major tire brands, and the stock Brickstone is about 1/2" wider that the stock size in other brands. This means that just buying a different brand of tires will actually give you a slightly narrower front tire even if you stay with the stock size. Good luck, and safe riding,
Goose

[Squidley]

Thanks for the followup Goose :happy34:

I have had the same descrepancies with my '99 as the bike has gotten squirrely now that the rear tire is shot. I figure I got about what you did as far as mileage 13K and I'm just going to replace both tires at the same time.

Lonna and I did a 10K trip this summer with the smaller front tire and I will stay with it upon buying a new set. I am totally impressed with the Avons and have mentioned that until there is something better, I will buy nothing else :no-no-no:

[Yammer Dan]

Igot a little less than 6k out of the Avon on the rear. Yep less than 6 thousand miles. But I think I know why. They were the best feeling tires I have ever rode and that includes a few. Going to slow down and see if I can get 10 k out of a rear tire!!!

[RickH]

Ahhhh Just a note here.

At least with the Avon the diameter of the stock size150/80HB-16 and the smaller width size MT90-16 both have a diameter of 25.100"


FYI

[V7Goose]

Ahhhh Just a note here.

At least with the Avon the diameter of the stock size150/80HB-16 and the smaller width size MT90-16 both have a diameter of 25.100"


FYI
Absolutely correct, but I am not sure what point you were getting at. The MT90 improves the low speed performance because it is narrower with a more rounded profile, not because it changes the trail by being shorter (which is is not, as you point out). I referred to my worn out MT90 as being shorter because the diameter of the tire will shrink as the thickness of the tread is worn away. This will obviously be a very small change (probably 1/4" max), but a change nonetheless. More importantly, I was contrasting the worn out Avon MT90 to the old Brickstone 150/80 with lots of tread left on it. I had to raise the front of the bike between 1/2" and 1" more to get the Brickstone under the fender.

The handling characteristics of the bike can be changed by either changing the steering geometry or changing the tire size/profile. If you make both changes, the effects can be multiplied even though only one of them changes the trail measurement. Based on my own experiences and the reports of others, it seems that whichever change is done FIRST (either the links or the narrower front tire) is the change that the rider most dramatically feels. In my case I did the tire first, and the improvement was dramatic, then when I added the links later, the handling did not seem to change that much. Others have reported dramatic improvement just from changing the links while still riding on the stock front tire. Now that I have the links on and went back to the stock front tire and the handling did not get ponderous again, I conclude that the links alone on my bike are making as big an improvement as I originally found from the MT90 tire alone. Hence, my suggestion that only one of those changes should be made, not both.

Your point about the measurements of the Avon tires specifically, as opposed to assuming it applied to all tires is well taken. Way back BC I had done some research on published nominal measurements from each tire manufacturer on both their 150/80 and 130/90 front tire sizes and stock rear tire sizes. I shared that information on this site. I do not remember the specifics for any particular brands (other than the Brickstone 150/80 was the widest of all by far), but I did find that two different brands have a significantly smaller diameter in their front tires compared to their rear. The point here is that by comparing published tire sizes and choosing based on that information, you can actually change the front/rear height and thereby the trail of the steering geometry without modifying the bike itself. I think the maximum difference I found comparing other brands to the stock Brickstones was about 3/4", which is almost as much as you get from the Leveling Links. The bottom line is that just because two different brands of tires are stamped 150/80-16 does NOT mean they are the same size - they are usually close, but not identical.
Goose

[RickH]

Goose:
Maybe it was me but in your other post it read like you were stating the thinner Avon was smaller and was really changing the rake which some may assume it is and not really understanding what is really happening here by using the other size. A lot of others state it is smaller when it's really thinner tire.

Now by raising the rear you are changing the rake. Good or bad I have no opinion on that adjustment. I would have to spend alot of time both ways to form one.

[BigShell]

My conclusions are that the handling characteristics of the RSV can be dramatically improved by EITHER changing to the MT90 or 130/90 front tire OR raising the rear of the bike.

I believe that doing BOTH changes (narrower front tire and the higher rear) is not optimal. Although I did not initially feel that the handling was bad after adding the shorter suspension links, I did notice it get worse as the front tire wore down. I think that this made the front even lower, which combined with the narrow tire made the handling just too quick for such a big bike.

My recommendations: If you have long legs and want the higher seat height, change out the suspension links to DiamondR's Leveling Links and keep a stock front tire size.

If you want to keep the rear of the bike at the same or lower height as stock, definitely change your front tire to the MT90 or 130/90 size.
Goose

Thanks Goose. Your conclusions confirm what I've experienced with various combinations of dog bones and tire widths. I think your recommendations are right on the mark.

[Monsta]

Now by raising the rear you are changing the rake.
It is my understanding that rake is a fixed number unless you change the triple trees. By raising the rear you are effectively reducing trail as well as putting more weight on the front...a good thing.

[V7Goose]

It is my understanding that rake is a fixed number unless you change the triple trees. By raising the rear you are effectively reducing trail as well as putting more weight on the front...a good thing.
The rake is the angle of the steering head related to a perpendicular line to the ground. The trail is the distance on the ground between an imaginary line drawn straight through the steering head and one drawn vertically through the front axle. Here is how Wikipedia describes it:
The trail dimension is determined by drawing an imaginary line through the steering axis (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steering_axis&action=edit) to the ground, dropping a perpendicular line from the front axle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axle) to the ground (which usually falls some distance behind the first line), then measuring the distance between these two points (the name arises because the drop point "trails" the steering axis point).[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rake_and_trail#_note-rbracing)
Trail ultimately defines the handling characteristics of a motorcycle, how stable it will be at higher speeds, how easy it will flick through S-turns, and how easy it will be to control at sub-idle parking lot maneuvers. Bikes with shorter trail will be very easy to handle at slow speeds and quite responsive when navigating S-turns, but at higher speeds these bikes will be more vulnerable to the road conditions and feel more unstable. On the other hand, bikes with longer trail dimensions may handle like a wheel barrow in the parking lot, require a bit more encouragement to tackle an S curve, but track straight and true like an arrow at freeway speeds, offering little response to the road until the handlebars are activated by the rider. The trick for the motorcycle designer is to find some happy medium for the intended design.
By just raising the rear of the bike without making any other changes, the rake angle becomes slightly steeper AND the trail becomes shorter. In contrast, lowering the bike by putting smaller diameter tires on both the front and back so that the bike remains level would not change the rake but WOULD produce a shorter trail.

Putting a smaller diameter tire on the front while also raising the rear will decrease the trail by more than just raising the rear will do.

Because of the confusion pointed out by several folks here, I generally TRY to avoid using the term "smaller" when talking about tires, preferring instead to say "shorter," "narrower," or "smaller diameter." I'm sure I don't avoid it all together, since I am constantly catching myself typing the word, then going back and correcting it to one of the others, but I try. Thanks for making sure this was clear to everyone.
Goose

[SNOW700R]

:7_2_102[1]: :beersign: Avons are the best thing I've done on my bike. I could feel the difference just leave the parking lot. My buddy is going to switch his front over first thing this spring also. Ride on!

[medalhead01]

Ok. I have an 06 RSV with the stock Dunlup tires. I have never really liked them much and have been looking for new ones. Yes, I agree with you all that going through curves on the highway can be a little scary at times, and the tires do track with almost anything on the road which make the front pull form side to side.
I have read all these post in the past and every one talks about the Avon tires. I have looked that them, is it me or what, they look like a racing tire with little tire tread pattern More like a modified slick tire. I was concerned with how this tire react to slick spots on the road, ie; water, oil.
I was looking at the Michilen commander tire. I see your point with the small diamiter front tire. \
So, please tell me about small tread pattern on the Avon tires.

[Squidley]

Rich,

I have run Avons for the last 3 years and I have NEVER had any problems with traction wet roads. These tires are very sticky and will carve a corner like nobody's business. The only reason a tire has tread in it is to disperse water and give traction in wet conditions.

Obviously one has to use good judgement with road conditions, slowing down when wet or adverse road conditions are present. I have never encountered any problems with over 30000 miles on Avon Venoms.

The Michelin Commanders are a good tire also, Freebird has a set on his '99 and he really likes them. They are a good tire and obviously another choice to look at....Just .02 worth from the peanut gallery

[Tartan Terror]

Ok so let me get this straight!!! Everyone agrees that if you have the links stick with the stock size front as the narrower one will make it too responsive and maybe in some cased a little squirley. You guys are confusing me. But definitly the Avon!!

[V7Goose]

Ok. I have an 06 RSV with the stock Dunlup tires. I have never really liked them much and have been looking for new ones. Yes, I agree with you all that going through curves on the highway can be a little scary at times, and the tires do track with almost anything on the road which make the front pull form side to side.
I have read all these post in the past and every one talks about the Avon tires. I have looked that them, is it me or what, they look like a racing tire with little tire tread pattern More like a modified slick tire. I was concerned with how this tire react to slick spots on the road, ie; water, oil.
I was looking at the Michilen commander tire. I see your point with the small diamiter front tire. \
So, please tell me about small tread pattern on the Avon tires.
The tread pattern in the Avon Venom tires seems to be the new industry standard for heavy cruiser or touring tires. You will see lots of similarity with Dunlop EIIIs, Metzeler 880s, etc.

I have been completely impressed with the total handling characteristics of these tires specifically (traction, wet roads, etc.) and the RSV with the Avons (no tracking problems, neutral turning effort, stability). I have 20,000 miles on Avons with my 05 QuickSilver, and I have ridden in light misty rain, frog stranglers, all-day storms, patchy rains through the mountains, high speed solo runs, two up marathons, footboard-dragging runs through the twisties in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas Hill Country, slew the Three Sisters, and just plain old boring runs to and from work dodging the stupid cagers. At no point have I wished for anything more than what the Venoms could deliver to me. I'd guess that the tread pattern on the Venoms seems just about perfect to me, at least compared to anything else I have ridden on. Good luck,
Goose

[V7Goose]

Ok so let me get this straight!!! Everyone agrees that if you have the links stick with the stock size front as the narrower one will make it too responsive and maybe in some cased a little squirley. You guys are confusing me. But definitly the Avon!!
Hey, you're not confused at all - you boiled it all down to one neat sentence!

Stock tires if you raise the rear, narrower front tire if you do not raise the rear.
Goose

[Tartan Terror]

Good because its buying time and and Im Scottish! That means Im only buying 2-- not 3 as an experiment. I like the look of the lartger tire anyway.

[RickH]

Michelin Commanders are pretty good tires but if I remember right also have the lightest load rating almost 200lbs less than the Avon and the Junketlzers which still seems to be enough and I've never heard of a failure with them compared to the Junketlzers which seem to have trouble keeping the tread on them not blowing big chunks off of.

Avon tread design and compound works for me. Even on the Wing I get good wear and they eat tires. I haven't seen a tire yet that won't loose some traction on oily wet roads with tar snakes. You have to adjust, anticipate and overcome.

[medalhead01]

ok. Goose. Went on the Avon site and looked and read about there tires. I like to looks of the front tire with the rain groove in it. Along with confused. With your tire set up, narrow in front, I will not have to put leveler linkage on my bike. What you are saying is the the narrow tire lowers the front end a bit to change the rake and trail.

[RickH]

At least with the Avon the diameter of the stock size150/80HB-16 and the smaller width size MT90-16 both have a diameter of 25.100"


FYI

Key word smaller width and or thinner but same diameter!

[V7Goose]

ok. Goose. Went on the Avon site and looked and read about there tires. I like to looks of the front tire with the rain groove in it. Along with confused. With your tire set up, narrow in front, I will not have to put leveler linkage on my bike. What you are saying is the the narrow tire lowers the front end a bit to change the rake and trail.
I am saying that with the narrower tire in the front and stock suspension links you will have fantastically improved low speed handling on an RSV. I also feel the overall handling and maneuverability of the RSV is improved, not just the low speed handling, but that is where you will notice the most dramatic improvement.

HOWEVER, the MT90 tire does NOT change the rake or trail. That would only come from a tire that has a smaller overall diameter than the stock front tire. There ARE some brands of tires where the MT90 or 130/90 front tire is a smaller diameter than the stock 150/80, but that is not the case with Avon Venoms.

The improved handling is a result of the changed tire profile. The narrower tire causes the tire to lean into a turn more smoothly when running below the counter-steering speed (about 6 MPH). Wider tires or flatter profiles cause what I'll call a tipping point where the tire suddenly reaches a point where it acts like it is falling over a cliff. On the RSV with stock tires and stock suspension, as soon as the bike committed to a low speed turn the forks would try to slam all the way to full lock, causing the rider to constantly push out on the inside bar to keep that from happening. This is what caused the bike to feel so darn heavy and ponderous. By putting on the MT90 tire in front (and a good tire in the rear), the bike totally lost any tendency to force the front wheel into a turn. With the narrower tire, the steering at parking lot speeds is almost neutral, meaning you no longer have to try and force the handlebars to the position you want. The bike will hold just about any line you put it on.
Hope that helps,
Goose

[86er]

I only have one concern. On other bikes that I had with the narower front tire the bike would catch a groove in the road or a join in the concrete and would make it hard to handle.

The tread pattern in the Avon Venom tires seems to be the new industry standard for heavy cruiser or touring tires. You will see lots of similarity with Dunlop EIIIs, Metzeler 880s, etc.

I have been completely impressed with the total handling characteristics of these tires specifically (traction, wet roads, etc.)
Goose

ok. Goose. Went on the Avon site and looked and read about there tires. I like to looks of the front tire with the rain groove in it.

As I understand it, the Avon Venom was the first motorcycle tire to be completely computer designed. The tread on the front that cuts all the way across the tire is there to keep the center cut from tracking grooves in the road. When I first put them on a bike I tried to make it follow grooves and it just flat wouldn't do it!

I was at a track day at Barber race track one day talking to the tire supplier to the racers and asked him what he thought of the Venom. He said that racers here don't use them as much, but in areas where there is more rain that is the main tire on tracks. That said a lot to me.

I have had the Venom on three different bikes and each one handled better with the Avon, whether on dry, wet, rain grooved, metal grooved or Tar Snake laden roads.

My 86 had Venoms on it when I got it and I switched to EIII rear and D404 front (they don't make an EIII front) because I was told that the Venom was too much tire for the 1st Gen. I now know that the issues I have, probably will be cured with a fork brace and new stearing head bearing. I will be going back to the Venom on my next change.

I don't work for Avon; that's just my :2cents: + :2cents: + :2cents: worth!

[RickH]

Todd said:
I was told that the Venom was too much tire for the 1st Gen.

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Somebody was talking out of their rear end making that statement.


Somebody that doesn't know the 1St.Gen Venture that's a sure bet!!!!!


As you now know Todd the Venom is the tire for the 1St. Gen. and a bunch of other machines. I wouldn't listen to what they said much any more. They were doing that Jim Carry imitation in "Pet Detective" talking out their butt!

Yea, Fork Brace, Progressive Springs and really dial it in with some solid mounts and SS lines!

[86er]

Yeah, Rick, that was in the first couple of months that I owned my 1st Gen. We were up at Deals Gap and he was on an early 80s police Guzzi (nice bike!) and said that he bought an 86 VR new. I now know that if he knew anything, he would still own that 86!!!

I plan to do the steering head bearings, solid motor mounts, fork brace, springs and ss lines in that order,
and as :mo money: permits!

I enjoy riding easy, but there are times when I like to ride hard and I know this bikes potential!

[Yammer Dan]

TOO MUCH TIRE??? Avon is the best feeling tire I have ridden on but then I've only been riding since 1963.

[V7Goose]

OK, I'll admit that I don't know what "too much tire" would be, other than too big! It sure sounds like one of the stupidest things anyone could ever say. Even if they were trying to say it was better than the bike needed, that's not a bad thing!

But hey, I don't work for a tire company or a race track, so what do I know? :080402gudl_prv:
Goose

[reelay]

i have an 88 i have venom tires , super brace, solid engine mounts, new head bearings. got them all from rick ,and am completly safified with the handling impoovement each item made. going to do fork springs this winter. only thing i noticed with the enging mounts was .it made it a lot easier to pull the front tire or maybe that was the barnett clutch conversion lol

[Geezrr]

Just replaced my rear tire, Avon Venom. I am sure I could have gotten another 800 - 1000 miles out of it, but was getting the bike serviced and $32.50 for tire change was a good price.

How many miles? 13,800 miles, even the chicken strips had some good wear on them. I found the Avons handle so much better that I do spend more time cornering...:cool10:

[Venturous]

I have had my 83 for eleven years and have put over 80,000 miles on it. Right after I got it I put a set of Dunlap Elites on it and it was a lot better than what I had. The next set was Metzler 880's and I felt that was an improvement over the Dunlap's. I just put on a set of Avons and so far feel they are better than any. I was impressed with the front tire wear on the Metzlers as I put 22,000 miles on it and it still had a lot of tread. but I went thru two rear tires and wore both out.
Part of the rear tire wear was related to running some at less pressure for awhile due to screws in the tires. On these Avons I am planning to keep a close eye on pressures and see how well they wear.
So far, I really do like how they feel.
RandyA

[Geezrr]

I have had my 83 for eleven years and have put over 80,000 miles on it. Right after I got it I put a set of Dunlap Elites on it and it was a lot better than what I had. The next set was Metzler 880's and I felt that was an improvement over the Dunlap's. I just put on a set of Avons and so far feel they are better than any. I was impressed with the front tire wear on the Metzlers as I put 22,000 miles on it and it still had a lot of tread. but I went thru two rear tires and wore both out.
Part of the rear tire wear was related to running some at less pressure for awhile due to screws in the tires. On these Avons I am planning to keep a close eye on pressures and see how well they wear.
So far, I really do like how they feel.
RandyA

RandyA: I had a roadstar before my RSMV and went through a variety of tires with it. Dunlops I was not impressed with, ME880''s I was very impressed with. Same here tho, two rear tires to one front. that seems to be normal with me. Has been that way on almost every bike I have had in the past 35 years.

Switched to the Avons at 11,000 miles last spring on the RSMV, (stock tires were not doing well at that point, something about metal coming through the rubber?), and it was like a new bike! Will stick with them for awhile.

[Venturous]

The one thing I did like about the Dunlaps was the availability of the raised white letters. I thought that looked good on my bike.
RandyA

[wkboard]

Jockey thanks for asking!
Goose thanks for answering!
I was wondering the very same thing. I think I can do that tire change thing myself. So far the Yamaha Mechs that I have talked to do not know anything about a VR. I hope I find a good Mechanic some day, or just keep learning from all of you!!!
Thanks,
Alan..

[E-Fishin-C]

The one thing I did like about the Dunlaps was the availability of the raised white letters. I thought that looked good on my bike.
RandyA

My avons have white lettering .I use white tire marker.:rotfl:

[Cdnlouie]

Just a thought about comparing different types of tires. I wonder if we are doing a valid comparison between the previous old worn tire brand and the newly installed tire brand? At every new tire change you are going to notice a significant difference in tire behaviour and perhaps wrongly assume that they are better than the older brand. It has to be hard to remember how good a new tire handled when it was first put on, compared to the new one. It would be nice if we could rule out this subjective aspect of comparing the new with the old.

[Jerry W]

Ok, you guys are so cranial it just makes my head hurt to try and understand what all you have said. I have run Avons for several years. I put them on my 1996 Royal Star and loved then and plan to go to Avon's when I need tires on the 2006 RSV I bought in April.

I just want to ride and have fun, I retired in April and bought the RSV in May. I guess what I am asking is what tire sizes you are thinking I should go with. I always used the same size as what came on the '96 Royal Star and loved them. The 2006 RSV is a different bike and does not sit as low as the '96, I also have short legs.

Without having to understand exactly why, could I get you to let me know what is the best Avon Venom tire size for my 2006 RSV. I ride in town, out of town, highways, anyplace I can find pavement. I plan to do quite a bit of traveling since I retired, and will be riding double most of the time.

I realize this got a little long, you guys amaze me on your discussions and your understand of all the dynamics of bikes. I am just happy go get to ride. :beer:

[Freebird]

Just a thought about comparing different types of tires. I wonder if we are doing a valid comparison between the previous old worn tire brand and the newly installed tire brand? At every new tire change you are going to notice a significant difference in tire behaviour and perhaps wrongly assume that they are better than the older brand. It has to be hard to remember how good a new tire handled when it was first put on, compared to the new one. It would be nice if we could rule out this subjective aspect of comparing the new with the old.

I think there is some validity to this line of thought but let me give you one example. After the trip to Colorado, my rear Michelin Commander was pretty well shot. It may have made it a while longer but I didn't want to chance it on the Vogel trip. It turned out though that a friend and member here gave me the rear wheel and tire off his bike. He had it left over after his trike conversion. So, I found myself with a new rear Bridgestone. I had forgotten how awful the Bridgestone tires were until I headed to Vogel with this one. These have to be the worse tires on the market for our bikes. This thing just HOWLS if you get off dead center even a little bit. For example, you get a little cross wind or something where the bike is not running straight up. My hope was to wear this one out and by then the front would probably need replacing and I could do the set. I am leaning toward staying with the Michelin but haven't ruled out trying the Avons that everybody seems to like. I seriously doubt now though that I will wait that long. I may try to tolerate the Bridgestone the rest of this summer but that will be the most. Come spring, I will have a new rear tire. Probably go with another Michelin and then maybe after I wear it out, it will be time for a complete set and I can try the Avon then.

[Tom]

Just a thought about comparing different types of tires. I wonder if we are doing a valid comparison between the previous old worn tire brand and the newly installed tire brand? At every new tire change you are going to notice a significant difference in tire behaviour and perhaps wrongly assume that they are better than the older brand. It has to be hard to remember how good a new tire handled when it was first put on, compared to the new one. It would be nice if we could rule out this subjective aspect of comparing the new with the old.
Ok I am the Guinea Pig..I put a NEW set of Metz 880s on because I had to have new tires to got to Big Bend Park.While the tires were somewhat close to Avons as far as handling the road noise and roughness was TERRIBLE. I took my wife for a ride last weekend and didnt say a word about tires but she told me half way thru the ride "get me home,I hate these tires. When you put Avons back on I will ride with you again." So after 1500 or so miles I have Avons being installed on my bike today.Anyone want some Near newMetz880s,1500-1700 miles or less cheap?

[Ramblingman]

Well after all the talk of Avons I went with them too on my trip home from Texas...Tom was a gentleman and set me up to have them done in Kerrsville...well I have to say ...I'm sold on Avons ...I have the links so I went with the correct size front.. the bike feels about 300 pounds lighter ...I found with the Dunlops it liked to climb high in the curves ...not anymore...takes the line I want it to take ....and the difference is noise the wife noticed frist time out .... I pulled a trailer home and they made a difference dong that also ....As Squid says ...till I find better ....these are the tires that go on my bike!!!

[RickH]

Without having to understand exactly why, could I get you to let me know what is the best Avon Venom tire size for my 2006 RSV. I ride in town, out of town, highways, anyplace I can find pavement. I plan to do quite a bit of traveling since I retired, and will be riding double most of the time. :beer:



Here are the Tire sizes for the RSV.



I want to add a note here because for what ever reason I still see others mounting other tires. Yes, the Michelin is a pretty good tire but has one of the lowest weight ratings. Yes, the new Dunlop EIII seems to be another good tire (kind of funny how much it looks like the Avon) and the Metzliar is just a piece of junk IMHO!



I like the Avon Venom tire. Great grip, Good wear 16,000 on a rear is good enough for me! The front tire has a broken up center groove which has less tendency to hang in ridge grooves than the Dunlop design.



The Avon Venom has proven it's worth and they do stand behind them.





Front: MT90-16 .800 THINNER THAN STOCK


Part# AV-320




Rear: 150/90HB-15 BLK 80H AM42 Venom


PART # AV-336



Air them up tight! Side wall stated Max pressure! Let the suspension soak up the bumps. Not the tires! They will run cooler and give you longer mileage when they are at the proper pressure. Check the air pressure often! Please your life may depend on it!
:soapbox:

[V7Goose]

Air them up tight! Side wall stated Max pressure! Let the suspension soak up the bumps. Not the tires!
I disagree with this last bit of advice. My personal testing has shown me that my 05 RSV does NOT handle the best when fully loaded and running max pressure in the tires. If the bike is not loaded to max GVW, it doesn't make much difference, but when fully loaded, if the tires are at max sidewall pressure, the bike feels a bit twitchy in high speed sweepers - quite sensitive to any road surface imperfections.

Under the identical conditions where it was "twitchy", simply lowering the tire pressure to about 40 front, 44 rear (maybe 38/42) completely removed all negative sensations. Since this was done in the middle of the day on a long ride, the before and after comparison was the best it could be. Just my opinion. Ride safe,
Goose

[RickH]

Goose

We'll just have to agree to disagree!

I don't have any twichy feeling but when the tire pressures are lower they will run hotter (tested and confirmed) Hotter tires wear faster. I have found the bike feels more washy mushy on lower pressures like your not part of the bike.

If you want a softer ride take some air or preload out of the suspenion. That's why it's adjustable.

[Tartan Terror]

I wasnt gonna get involved in this one but I very much agree with goose and so does the Avon sales and technical staff.

[V7Goose]

Goose

We'll just have to agree to disagree!

I don't have any twichy feeling but when the tire pressures are lower they will run hotter (tested and confirmed) Hotter tires wear faster. I have found the bike feels more washy mushy on lower pressures like your not part of the bike.

If you want a softer ride take some air or preload out of the suspenion. That's why it's adjustable.
While your comments are generally valid and should be considered in a generic tire discussion, there are certainly reasons whey every manufacturer of every motorcycle, and every manufacturer of every tire publish specific inflation pressures for each combination, and these are virtually never max sidewall pressures.

If the subject was as simple as you would have us believe, every tire manufacturer would simply state to run all their tires at maximum pressure so you would get maximum life out of them. That would supposedly be best for them and best for their customers. In reality, it is not.

The best tire pressure for each bike and its owner is going to be based on a combination of the tire design, the load on the bike, the conditions, the suspension settings, and the individual's specific riding style. There is not going to be a single pressure right for everyone, but the right pressure is more likely to be closer to the vehicle's recommended pressure than the maximum permissible for the tire as stamped on the sidewall.
:080402gudl_prv:
Goose

[RickH]

Goose

Your points are well taken. Please don't take this as bragging because it's not just to let you know what I have found and why.

About 4 years ago I would agreed with you more than I do now. Only because a couple seasons ago I got to work with Avon on some tire issues they were having. Short version over the season I spent a lot of time on the road and the phone with their engineers. Mounted and rode many sets of tires and recorded tire temps at a range of temperatures and monitored wear. This is where it all started. Most of the testing was done with a GL1800 but there was some RSV input for comparison sense the weights are close on temperatures and wear monitoring.

I'll stand by my opinion of what I found and learned during this time. Some of the results where surprising like the almost 30 degree lower tire temperature on a tire being ran at stated max temperature verses what the motorcycle manufacture said should be used. Results in all of this was Avon risen the recommend tire pressure.

Now you can check this if you like but sense I have the Avon information in hand I will use it.

Yamaha states the RSV/RSTD should be running 36 front and 36 rear with a light load and 36 front and 41 rear on heaver loads. Avon recommends 36 front and 42 rear all loads. Now the front is with 4 psi of the states max side wall and the rear is 8 psi light of max side wall. Personally I wouldn't drop it below 47 on the rear but that's me.

Now for the Honda states GL1800 the pressures should be 36 front and 41 rear.
Avon states 41 front (stated side wall max) and 42 rear (stated side wall max) It was 41rear but was raised.
Found the best wear and lowest temprature was at 46 psi rear. Which is where I run mine now.

So with this additional information you can make your own mind up. But facts are fact and the tires will wear better with higher pressures. And for my riding style they handle better too.

Now you know what I know.

[Jerry W]

Thanks for all the information, you guys are awesome.

[TEW47]

Received this from Avon. With my weight I need to run 48 to 50 psi


Dear Mr. Weir

Please feel free to revisit Avon Tyres with me. So we both together can
see/read the info that you have requested, plus some.

www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/ (http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/)

See, fitment guide - click; see, Choose A Manufacturer; see, the down
arrow
- click; see, Yamaha - click; see, Model/cc type in "1300"; see, go -
click;
see, XVZ 1300 Royal Star, Classic, Tour Deluxe (1995-2001) - click; see,
Front (AM41) Venom 150/80-16 71H @ 36 p.s.i. (@ cold temp.'s) and Rear
(AM42) Venom 150/90B15 M/C 80H @ 42 (42 = a misprint) should read 44 p.
s.i.
(@ cold temp.'s).

NOTE; the front size, your MT90B16 74H AM41 Venom is not the OE size
fir
this model of motorcycle.

So plus time for this custom front fitment.

Please feel free to view the attachment that I have sent you.

Note; Based on a 170 lbs rider with no luggage; see, Venom Tires with
reinforced construction (for both the MT90B16 74 AM41 Venom and
150/90B15
M/C 80H AM42 Venom); see, Front Solo 38-40, 2 up light 40-41 (loads)
and 2
up heavy (loads) 42-43 and Rear Solo 44, 2 up light (load) 46 and 2 up
heavy
(load) 48-50; now see (that the bottom of this page) NOTE; This is a
wide
range recommendation for average conditions only. High speed riding
and/or
High road temperatures may require a moderate increase in pressure
(also).

I hope that I have answered your question. If not, please feel free to
call
me at 1-800-624-7470, Mon. thru Fri., 800 to 1700 hours PDT.

Thank you for your interest in buying and using Avon Tyres.

Regards, Keith

Avon Motorcycle Customer Service
c/o Hoppe & Associates, Inc.
PO Box 5112
Lynnwood, WA 98036 USA
1-800-624-7470

www.avonmotorcycle.com (http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/)
www.avonracing.com (http://www.avonracing.com/) - Racing Tyres
www.avonmoto.com (http://www.avonmoto.com/) - For all the Promotions and Contests!

-----Original Message-----
From: Gene & Margie Weir [mailto:weirsaved@bellsouth.net (http://owebmail.bellsouth.net/agent/MobNewMsg?to=weirsaved@bellsouth.net)]
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 2:39 PM
To: info@avonmotorcycleusa.com (http://owebmail.bellsouth.net/agent/MobNewMsg?to=info@avonmotorcycleusa.com)
Subject: TYRE PRESSURE

What is Avon recommended tyre pressure for a '07 Yamaha Royal Star
Venture?
AM41 MT90B16 74H and a AM42 150/90B15 80H. Thanks for your help.

Thomas Weir
3401 Roberts Lane

[wizard]

Thank you for posting about the miss print on Avon's website. For the past 6000 miles on my Venoms I have been riding under-inflated!

[Cdnlouie]

Thanks Tom and Freebird, for the "apples" and "apples" comparison, that is a very informative and helpful comparison. There are so many factors that change the handling characteristics of a tire (Ie. age, wear and not to mention the bike itself) as well as the circumstances where it is ridden (wet, dry, pavement surface, cold or hot temperatures, air pressure, rider weight, to name just the obvious ones) that seriously jeopardize comparisons. I really appreciate the effort by everyone to describe and share their experience with tires, it is always an interesting discussion.

[Everette]

This might not be the place to post this, but here goes. My venture is a 03 and the rear tire was replaced at 8000 miles by the previous owner. I have only had the bike for a couple of months. I was in the mountains of North Georgia yesterday and noticed a wobble when I was in a tight curve which was most of the time. It was very noticable. I never felt like I was going down but if I did not have a near death grip on the handle bars the wobble would be there.
I guess I'm thinking I should go to the Avon front tire, that this may cure the problem.
Any Ideas?
Thanks,
Everette

[GeorgeS]

This might not be the place to post this, but here goes. My venture is a 03 and the rear tire was replaced at 8000 miles by the previous owner. I have only had the bike for a couple of months. I was in the mountains of North Georgia yesterday and noticed a wobble when I was in a tight curve which was most of the time. It was very noticable. I never felt like I was going down but if I did not have a near death grip on the handle bars the wobble would be there.
I guess I'm thinking I should go to the Avon front tire, that this may cure the problem.
Any Ideas?
Thanks,
Everette


I don't think you have a Tire problem, related to the wobble.

You said " Death Grip " I think you need to check the Torque Setting on your Steering Head, Fork Alignment, Fork fluid level, engine mounts, etc etc.

You need to get this fixed, Its very dangerous !!!

[Everette]

Maybe a death grip was overstatement, but there was definently a wobble in the curves. Like I said I never felt out of control, but could feel the wobble if I had a light touch on the handle bars.

Everette

[RickH]

Maybe a death grip was overstatement, but there was definently a wobble in the curves. Like I said I never felt out of control, but could feel the wobble if I had a light touch on the handle bars.

Everette

What are your tire pressures?

[V7Goose]

That condition is not normally caused by a front tire - it's possible, especially if the tire is badly worn or cupped, but I'd really look elsewhere first. Steering head bearings are the most likely culprit, but bent or misaligned forks or frame also. Even loose swing arm bearing or rear axle can do it. Good luck finding it!
Goose

[Dusty]

Just want to make sure I order the right tire. From what I've read Avon sounds like the tire for me, but I was on the Avon site and found Venom and Venom R tires, but no Venom X?
My dealer only knows what Yamaha tells him so I need the right information to order.

Thanks,

[Everette]

OK, It appears I have a bad gage. My front tire was at 29psi. Just bumped it up to 36. The back tire is and was at 40psi. Hopefully this is the problem. Hopefully.
Thanks
Everette

[Christo]

After reading this entire thread (2 days *G*) I see that the Avons are the preferred by many. I will try them when the time comes to replace my Metzlers.

One comment I have... I just put on my Metzler 880's this year, and I was IMPRESSED to say the least. I think I have had Dunlops, and I think a Bridgestone, and I always thought that my RSV handled weird. Now I am a small guy, about 5'8" with a 31" inseam, and I always felt it difficult to handle my RSV in slow turns - parking lots & U Turns on the road, and I thought it was just the nature of the RSV... until this year when I put on my new Metzlers - I feel like I have a brand new bike. It rides easier, it turns easier, it handles easier, and the ride is smooth.

I read this forum, Delphi's, and VentureRider's, first B4 I made my decision. I read about the Metzler's and their "chunking", but most said this was just a bad batch. So far I have put about 2K miles on the new rubbers, and I am completely happy.

So, my 2¢ and some change - I can't wait to try the Avons when my Metzlers die out (based on all the praise I have been reading on the 4 forums I read about Avons), but I love the Metzlers. My Metzlers are the best tires "I" have ridden on in the last 8 years, thus far. I don't recommend the Dunlops or the Bridgestones.

[GunnyButch]

Personally I like the Avons at max cold pressure on the sidewall.

[RickH]

OK, It appears I have a bad gage. My front tire was at 29psi. Just bumped it up to 36. The back tire is and was at 40psi. Hopefully this is the problem. Hopefully.

Thanks

Everette


Yea a good tire gauge and proper air pressures are good start to solving handling issues.



I read about the Metzler's and their "chunking", but most said this was just a bad batch.


That has been an issue with them for a long time and why I will never run them along with problems with them years ago. NO Metliars for me!


Personally I like the Avons at max cold pressure on the sidewall.

Yea Buddy! Happiness is tight tires!:happy34: