RodeRash Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I know a lot of people on this board use and endorse these tires. Since I will be shortly in the market for new tires, I thought I might try a set. When I went to order the tires, I found that the only the B model tires have a "Z" speed rating. The B model tires also cost an additional $20. or so each. If you regularly go deep into triple digit speeds with a loaded bike, make sure you buy the correct tire. As for me, I think I'll order Michelin Pilot Roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajjer9 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 As for me, I think I'll order Michelin Pilot Roads. I love these tires already have about 5k on em with LOTS of tread left campared to no tread at 5k on the pirelli diablo i had prior Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2equis Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Can anyone compare the Avon's and Pilot Road's ? Which tire is stickier and which tire lasts longer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykl Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Dammit, and I just had my A45/46's installed today... guess I'll have to take a close look at them before I go for my next ride. I do a bit of high speed riding, but usually all the bike is loaded down with is myself. I think I'll be alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykl Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Phew... after a walk to the garage to check, mine are Z-rated. Thank God the Honda shop ended up ordering the good ones. I've got maybe 50 miles on them so far. They feel 100% better than the old worn out Bridgestones that were on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfour800 Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Has anyone noticed the read end slide around during heavy cross winds with the Avons? I didn't notice this much at all with my Pilot Roads but the Avon 46ST moves around a bit too much for my liking. Other than that gripe I love the tires. Pilot Roads and these Avons are top notch in my book for stick and wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyv65 Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm on my second set of 45/46's (after a set of 35/36's, two sets of M-1's, and the original BT56's)-and these are the best street tire I've had on so far. The Sportecs were *slightly* softer on rough roads, but didn't stick any better (at double-the-speed-limit speeds), and they wore out waaay too fast. I haven't noticed any swaying with the rear tire in high winds (and we get them, occaissionally in CO), but I've put about 3mm of ride height on the Penske, too-that might have an impact. Bryan...still, the Pilot Roads sound interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodeRash Posted April 28, 2004 Author Share Posted April 28, 2004 My Pilot Roads arrived, and are waiting for me to get off my ass and get them installed. They are replacing a set of Michelin Macadam 100's. The Macadam's have about 3000-3500 miles on them, and have quite a bit of milage left, but I am getting ready for a long ride, and don't want to run out of tires in the middle of my trip. I'll remount them when the Pilot Roads are used up. The Macadam's have worked great on the BlackBird. They stick well, and the front tire has not cupped at all. I'm pretty sure I could get 6000 miles out of the rear, and maybe 9000 from the front. (My rear tires are usually shot at 4500) I'd buy them again, but they were obsoleted by the Pilot Roads, and are getting hard to find. I have run Michelin tires in the past on other bikes. I could never get a set to last, but these sport touring tires have made a believer out of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 My tires don't have anything that says "B" on them, and I didn't ask for anything like that. They do have a "Z" rating but I didn't see a service descriptor. Without a service descriptor, Z rated tires are assumed to be rated for sustained speeds of 150 MPH. Y rated tires are 186 MPH. With the old AV39/40 there was a specific set with the Y rating, but unfortunately that had shallower tread and less-sticky rubber necessary to earn that rating. I didn't like them. Where did this info come from? Got any links or more specifics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXera Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 RodeRash raised a good point. The following was copied from the Avon site. Maybe this information doesn't apply to the tires we have ordered. Apparently recommend the 49/50 combo. How fast have any of you had your 45/46's? My 45/46's are W rated which are good for 168 MPH. Bike Make: Honda Capacity: 1100 Model: CBR 1100 XX Super Blackbird Type: SPORT TOURING Start Year: 1997 End Year: Code: SC 35 Needs: ZR V300 Front Tyre Name: 120/70 R17 (58W) AV49-SP B Sport Rims: MT3.50-17 Size: 120/70-17 Pressure: 2.90bar (42psi) Rear Tyre Name: 180/55 R17 (73W) AV50-SP B Sport Rims: MT5.50-17 Size: 180/55-17 Pressure: 2.90bar (42psi) Q. What do the various elements of the tyre size actually mean?A. Using the example 180/55ZR17 [73W], 180 = the nominal width of the tyre, measured in millimetres. 55 = the height of the sidewall, expressed as a percentage of the nominal width. Z = speed rating R = denotes a tyre of radial construction 17 = the rim diameter, expressed in inches 73 = amount of load the tyre can carry, as a figure in a table W =Final speed rating of tyre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Involute Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Parts411.com has the tires with a "B" designation as well as the std (?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Right, the "B" tires are V300 rated (European 300 kM/h rating) which is equivalent to the US Y rating (186 MPH = 300 kM/h). Avon has always had these two options in the supersport tire range. I don't recall seeing any option other than Z rating in the sport-touring range, but they may exist. I've had my 45/46 to top speed a few times, but that doesn't mean much. Maybe I just got lucky. The rating is for continuous speed (5 minutes or more), because the major issue is heat buildup. That's why the V300 tires are thinner. The secondary benefit of thinner tread is less inertial mass trying to rip the tire apart (I believe at 186 MPH the effective load is over 2,000 PSI at the tread, if my math is right). The only time I've ridden at 180-ish for a long period of time I was still on the stock rubber. I held that for about 10 minutes. That's a long fucking time at that speed. My brain could probably not cope with much longer at that speed; just too much to process and consider. Also you run out of gas really fast at that speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodeRash Posted April 28, 2004 Author Share Posted April 28, 2004 Where did this info come from? When I went to order tires from MAW, they list by tire size. (Z rated tires will have a "Z" in the size designation like 180-55 ZR17) The B series tires have the Z in the tire size. They cost more, and are listed as OEM tires. However, this may not mean anything. There may be another speed designation on the tire itself. (I don't have a tire to check) Maybe someone on this board with a set could check this out and report what they find. The Avon motorcycle tire web site lists two different speed ratings for their tires. (as well as two load ratings) These two speed ratings vary according to how much weight is on the tire. In order to qualify for the higher speed rating (174 mph) the load rating drops down quite a bit. I would be happy to report to everyone that I was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXera Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Z rated tires are assumed to be rated for sustained speeds of 150 MPH. I have Z rated tires also, but at the end of that designation there is another indicator in parenthesis that gives the load index and speed rating of the tire. Mine looks like this: 120/70ZR17 m/c (58W). Doesn't this indicate the max. speed is the W rating instead of the Z rating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2equis Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 The only time I've ridden at 180-ish for a long period of time I was still on the stock rubber. I held that for about 10 minutes I'm only good for a minute or two at a time before I run out of road....Damn!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Doesn't this indicate the max. speed is the W rating instead of the Z rating? Yeah, that's the "service descriptor" I mentioned above. I'll need to go pop the bike on the stand and look all over the tires. But it's 95 degrees here now, and the bike is all the way downstairs, and this server room I'm in has a dedicated A/C set to a comfy 68 degrees. I'm only good for a minute or two at a time before I run out of road Come for a visit. There's a road here that has four lanes of new, perfect pavement and goes 60+ miles in a straight line. It goes from nowhere to nowhere, so it's barely travelled. I did pass a cop on it once, but as far as I could tell, he didn't even bother. Not that I could see him for very long. This road is where my GPS gave me my personal best of 182.7 MPH. Speaking of high speed, am I the only one with this fantasy...? To find a dry lake bed, where you know there's nothing to hit, get to top speed, and...close your eyes...? :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXera Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Speaking of high speed, am I the only one with this fantasy...? To find a dry lake bed, where you know there's nothing to hit, get to top speed, and...close your eyes...? Nope!! :naughty: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardCranium Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Speaking of high speed, am I the only one with this fantasy...? Yes. :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 The alternate fantasy is the same dry lake bed at night with no moon. You'd be out-riding your headlight by easily three times anyway. Hit the starter switch to kill the headlight, guidance by the stars only. Then when I get back there's a keg of Guinness waiting for me and a blowjob from Elizabeth Hurley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partmonster Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: :pointup: After reading that I need someone to hold me. Man what a fabulous mind !!! I could not have constructed that fantasy any better if I was stoned, drunk, tipping cows, while riding my bird through a cow pasture. Louie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted April 29, 2004 Share Posted April 29, 2004 Just before she blows me, I want her to huskily whisper the line from that movie she did recently. "I'm the devil." I about blew my load in the theatre. Cow tipping. Heh. I grew up next to a dairy farm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I just got back from a 1,500 mile road trip, which consisted of about 75% interstate and the remaining miles on 20mph-70mph twisties. Before I began the trip the rear was showing about 40% wear across the entire tread after 3,000miles that included one track day. Now the rear is down to the wear bar in the middle of the tread. I gotta say I'm pretty disappointed that the tire is toast after 4,500 miles. I had hoped that it would hold up a little better to the highway miles, but it has flat-spotted significantly. The front looks about %25 worn and has worn evenly, but appears to have lost some traction (have had the front end push a couple of times in fast sweepers). In fairness, I did have my Givi box loaded down with about 40lbs of crap, but bear in mind I'm no heavyweight at 160lbs. :???: Is this tire a dual compound construction? I assume not.. -Pace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I gotta say I'm pretty disappointed that the tire is toast after 4,500 miles. Cal and I among others had got hold of a bad batch,you sure you don't have one of those? Thats about the milage we got out of the first one,our replacement seems to be wearing alot better. JS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG BOY Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Contact John at Avon tires and tell him that you're very disappointed with the wear on your tires and you'll get a new rear no problem!! 1-800-624-7470 Fax 425-771-4246 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Thanks guys! Will I need to send him the old one or show some kind of proof of purchase?? -Pace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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