Avon tires on 1998 RSTC?

[Tatonka]

Sorry, I know we have posted a lot about the Avon Venom X tires, but most of the posts seem to be from RSV and later model RSTD (after 2001).

 

I'm looking for someone who has run the Avon rear 150/90 15 which seems to be slightly wider than the Dunlop.

 

Are there any Tour Classic owners (98/99) who have used the Venom and who can tell me if there is a problem because they are wider? I want to order a pair of Venoms (front- 150/80 16, rear- 150/90 15) because I like the fatter front tire.

 

Really appreciate the group and great bunch of riders. Thanks very much in advance for your help.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Tatonka

[pegscraper]

I've had the Avons on my '96 front and back. They fit fine. This is one area where the design of all these models is basically the same.

[Tatonka]

Thanks Pegscraper! You are always helpful and I appreciate it greatly.

 

Awesome demon you got there. I'll have to talk to you sometime about that 32 mm carb swap.

 

I should be in Indy on Aug 15-16 for the Legacy Run. Will be back there for a conference Sep 26-28. I picked up my XV920 last year from your neck of the woods and it took me all the way to Reno and back with no problems.

[pegscraper]

When you're in the area, give me jingle and maybe we can get together for a ride or something. We have a number of members in the Indy area too.

 

Those 32mm carbs unleash a lot of bottled up energy in these early Royal Stars. Bigger cams help a lot too.

[pegscraper]

I got thinking about something... You mention wanting the stock size front tire, and you mention wanting Avons. And I see WWs on your bike. Were you wanting to keep WWs on your bike? Unfortunately, Avon doesn't make a WW front tire in the stock size. They do make one in the narrower size that some like (I have one). For a WW front tire in the stock size, I know Dunlop makes one and Maxxis makes one. I don't know about Metz. What is on your bike now?

[Tatonka]

Thanks Lynn,

 

I decided to forego the WW this time. I'll need a new pair of tires by the time I get back from the trip if I cover all of the States I want to.

 

Like I told someone before, a Black in black on a black bike wearing black clothes and a black leather vest. Good thing I smile a lot.

[Tatonka]

Just to give an update on running my Venoms now that I have completed my trip for this year.

 

I had asked a few questions and read the info concerning various tires. I did not want to use the Dunlops and a few other tires were out of the running because of negative reports found here. I tried to buy the Avons through my shop where I was having the bike serviced before the trip but they came back with a quote of $ 384 for the pair plus installation & disposal of old tires, which would have made a total of over $ 500 for a pair of installed tires.

 

I checked some of the sources mentioned here in the site, but considered the best deal to be from Phat where I paid $ 262 for the pair including delivery. I ordered them on Friday and had them at home on the Monday evening. After reading about the tire pressure issue, I had 37 put in the front and 47 in the back (I was riding solo but weigh 314 lbs bare, plus a fairly heavy travel load with things stored in the hard saddlebags and hanging on the sissy bar and luggage rack )

 

I rode from DC to Indy, then Indy to Phoenix (with about 160 other bikes) mainly on highways (about 2500 miles) and then on my own Pacific Coast and Midwest before heading back to DC. I ran a total of 10,116 miles on the trip from Aug 5 to Oct 2 of which about half were on secondary roads.

 

I rode in the rain, wind, heat (111°F in Phoenix) and cold (36° in Montana) and found that rain, wind heat or cold had little effect on the tires. Very little tire noise (although I ran straight pipes) and most road conditions were not a problem including grooved roads under construction. Standing water did not cause any problems, but as with any tire, gravel and mud were not good. I went down in heavy mud once and in deep gravel once, both times on roads where I should not have been with a cruiser. I rode Going to the Sun, Spearfish, Badlands and every winding, twisting road that I could reach.

 

I kept the tires at 37F/47R and was happy with the handling. I can run the back tire for at least another 5.000 miles I think and the front for at least another 8-10.000 miles.

 

I was happy with the Avons in spite of the fact that they didn't have the WW in the size I wanted for the front. I ran black which actually looked good on the basically black bike.

[saddlebum]

Just to give an update on running my Venoms now that I have completed my trip for this year.

 

I had asked a few questions and read the info concerning various tires. I did not want to use the Dunlops and a few other tires were out of the running because of negative reports found here. I tried to buy the Avons through my shop where I was having the bike serviced before the trip but they came back with a quote of $ 384 for the pair plus installation & disposal of old tires, which would have made a total of over $ 500 for a pair of installed tires.

 

I checked some of the sources mentioned here in the site, but considered the best deal to be from Phat where I paid $ 262 for the pair including delivery. I ordered them on Friday and had them at home on the Monday evening. After reading about the tire pressure issue, I had 37 put in the front and 47 in the back (I was riding solo but weigh 314 lbs bare, plus a fairly heavy travel load with things stored in the hard saddlebags and hanging on the sissy bar and luggage rack )

 

I rode from DC to Indy, then Indy to Phoenix (with about 160 other bikes) mainly on highways (about 2500 miles) and then on my own Pacific Coast and Midwest before heading back to DC. I ran a total of 10,116 miles on the trip from Aug 5 to Oct 2 of which about half were on secondary roads.

 

I rode in the rain, wind, heat (111°F in Phoenix) and cold (36° in Montana) and found that rain, wind heat or cold had little effect on the tires. Very little tire noise (although I ran straight pipes) and most road conditions were not a problem including grooved roads under construction. Standing water did not cause any problems, but as with any tire, gravel and mud were not good. I went down in heavy mud once and in deep gravel once, both times on roads where I should not have been with a cruiser. I rode Going to the Sun, Spearfish, Badlands and every winding, twisting road that I could reach.

 

I kept the tires at 37F/47R and was happy with the handling. I can run the back tire for at least another 5.000 miles I think and the front for at least another 8-10.000 miles.

 

I was happy with the Avons in spite of the fact that they didn't have the WW in the size I wanted for the front. I ran black which actually looked good on the basically black bike.

wow never mind the hide left on your tires how much hide do you have left on your butt

[Tatonka]

I gave my update on the Avon Venoms after 10,116 miles in 2008. I run the 150 front and stock back blackwall tires.

I only ride my RSTC 2 ½ months a year because I live in Germany and just come to ride in August each year with the Legion Riders for the Legacy Run. I normally hang a 3-4 week fun trip on after the Run.

Both front and back tires looked good this August when I had the bike serviced (replace all fluids, oil filter and had the brakes replaced). I had planned to make a shorter trip than last year so only expected to go about 5,000 miles for 2009. Tire pressure 41 front, 48 back because I’m always close to max weight with baggage and my 300 + pounds.

Got into the habit of glancing at the tires every morning and never noticed any problems until I started riding in a lot of rain just after 16,000 miles on the tires. I thought it was ruts in the road that made my rear end feel slightly slippery occassionally. I glanced at the tires as usual and saw no problems. Did a few more miles next day and everything still looked fine (I have to admit I didn’t check wear marks and I didn’t look at the complete tread by moving the bike). I came out of a restaurant and was totally surprised to see tire ply on the rear tire. Found out where the nearest bike shop was, went there and ordered an Avon Venom tire and found a hotel for the night so I could have it installed next day.

Tire was replaced as planned, took a trip to just south of Detroit (put about 300 miles on the tire) to break it in.

Back tire had 16,600 on it and should probably have been changed at 16,000. The front now has 17,169 on it and I’m sure I’m good for another 5,000 miles. I’ll attach two pictures of the rear and two of the front. The rear never had the line in the middle, only the front one.

[fishinjer]

Looks like you got your mileage out of that tire

[RandyR]

16,000 miles is a good number. That would be almost double what my OEM Bridgestone is getting. Have an Avon ready to go on after the 400 mile run I'm making this weekend.

[Tatonka]

Thanks Fishinjer and RandyR,

 

Yeah, I got the mileage out of that back tire but guess I was lucky I didn't have a blowout or something.

I can only recommend looking at some of the other tips concerning the Avons especially tire pressure, date of manufacture and wear marks. And don't forget to break them in (it helps to find a large puddle and keep driving through it and then doing figure-eights to help get the coating off). I didn't really need to ride the 300 miles but I wanted to be sure before I loaded down the bike again.

I know it didn't look nice, but this was how I traveled this year. I carried that gas can after Carlsbad, NM and never had to use it because I tanked up every 100 miles. Later I found I was getting close to 150 miles per tank (4.8 gal) but promptly ran out (after I left the gas can in DC to head for Indy) at 150.3 miles at 1:30 am.

Boy are these bikes heavy but fairly comfortable to sleep on while waiting for the gas station to open

 

Ride safe and enjoy folks.

[Wanderer]

That rear tire is why you need to keep the duct tape on hand.