Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Tires?

Ok, I know I should've paid attention from earlier posts. But, the time has come to purchase new tires. What is the best bang for the $? I've heard that Metzler Marathons are good as well as Avons (can't remember the model name). Interested in opinions and sizes. Want similiar size as a stock Bridgestone rear, or a bit wider, and as big as possible up front. I've changed the front fender to a Honda shadow and currently have a Dunlop 120/90 up front. I'd like to go bigger up front if possible? Oh, by-the-way, I'll never buy Dunlops again. I bought the front only 10 months ago, still has plenty of tread, but the sidewalls are already cracking! I'd take it back, but I bought it 2,600 miles away from here. The roads here on the Texas Gulf Coast are boring and straight, so I don't need really sticky (as in wears out quickly) tires. All opinions much appreciated. H.P.

Metzelers are the shiznits!! Take the hit, spend the money, get the Metzelers. Before the Speedmaster, it would never have occurred to me that the Germans would make good tires, but oh are those things good.

Ditto.

I think the Avon model you are thinking of is the Venom....and although I have never tried them, many folks here have spoke highly of them. I still have the stock Metzlers, and they seem pretty good to me. Still, price wise, you might find the Venoms to be less expensive(not sure about that)....

I have the Avon Venoms. In fact, I just had them installed last Saturday (coming of the stock Bridgestones).

I've only got about 100 miles on them so far but I see a HUGE difference in the handling. Where the Bridgestones would track into every friggin little rut, cut, and lane mis-match, the Avons go across them like butta'!!

100/90-18 AM41 front
170/80-15 AM42 rear

A very happy camper

hey bonny is there much of a visual width difference between the 100 avon and 110 bridgestone?

Frank

Nope, they look darn near the same.

The handling is what I can't get over. It's like night and day!

Yeah, the Venom looks like a sport tire, lower looking sidewall, more aggressive sport tread, instead of the ribs on the old Bridgestones. A much more aggressive looking tire (at least on the front)...

"it would never have occurred to me that the Germans would make good tires"

Roundslide, have you never heard of the Autobahn, i.e. highway with no speed limits...

I have the Metzler ME 880 marathons.
I love them, much better tire than stock.
good all around tire handles well in the rain.

Hi Roy,
I've had both the Metz and the Avons. I like the Avons way better. If you are thinking about the Metz stay away from the ME330 for the front. The ME33s look like they have a better tread pattern. The Stock front tire (Bridgestone Mag Mopus) is what was tracking not the stock rear tire (Bridgestone Exedra). I kinda liked the OEM rear tire too. I never got a nail in the two Exedras I had.

One thing to note is if your front-end starts to have an oscillation issue, chances are real good that the front tire is bad, although you may have lots of tread left on it. Check your headset and bearings, but you'll most likely find the culprit being that front tire. I speak from experience with the ME330. The ME330 had 4K miles left on it, and when I changed it out, no more oscillation. My third front tire is currently the Avon AM42 Venom and in concert with the AVON AM42 Venom rear, it kicks buttocks cheeks.

Now that you can't get Carlissle tires, I like Avons.

If you decide to go for the Metzlers you might want to give these guys at Southwest Motorcycle Tire a try;

http://arizonamoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=SWMT

They don't seem to do a lot of Avons but I just priced a set of Marathons for my Trophy from my dealer;
Front $142 Rear $202

From Southwest;
Front $95 Rear $118
Even a deal on mounting can't make up for over a $130 difference. Plus if you order two they don't charge you shipping and if you're out of state no tax either

Keith

Sorry old boy, only Avon Tyres and BP gas for me. A proper English Tyre and proper English petrol in a proper English bike and all that, eh what?!

They have Avons as well for the BA or Speedy just not for the Trophy. I didn't look very close the first time around because the Venom is the only Avon line they seem to carry and I'd need ST45/46's for the Trophy - which the Trophy guys seem to love BTW.

100/90 - 18 $95
170/80 - 15 $119

they have white-walls to if you're so inclined for $96 and $135.

Keith

Hiya Greg

".. proper English Tyre and proper English petrol in a proper English bike .."

Well trousered Sir!
And you even bothered to spell 'tyre' correctly - nice attention to detail old boy
Pip, pip, what what?

Just a 2nd recommendation for Southwest Tires, a business that's local to me. I always hear good things about them around Tucson.

My good Man, you might as well put Chen Shing Tyres on an Aston as put Hun tyres on a Triumph! Bloody unsporting eh what?

OK, I've ordered the Avons from southwest. Thanks alot, Jazzplayer, for the info. H.P.

I am thinking of getting the Avon Venoms 100/90-18 and
170/80-15 for my America. How are your experiences with them thus far?

Phil - Do you ride a Speedmaster or America? Did you tube the Avons - any issues with tubing?

Thanks

Ken

Hi Publican,

Ride an 02 BA.

Even though the Avons are primarily tubeless, several people are and have been running these tires with no problem.

The 3 tires I ordered from Southwest got here today. Gotta give these guys the thumbs up. Best price, no shipping cost for a box that weighed nearly 50 lbs., and no tax - they arrived in 4 days from AZ.

You get your new rubber yet HeliPilot?

Keith

I guess I will probably need to replace mine this summer with over 13k miles on them. I found a shop in Tulsa that quoted me $49.95 for the front and $83.95 for the rear. these are Dunlops. I haven't heard much about that brand on this site.

-PES

PES, my front Dunlop started to have sidewall cracking after only 10 months! I don't know how old it was when I purchased it, or if it got too much sun here on the Texas Gulf Coast. I just bought a set of Avon Venoms. Very happy with them. H.P.

Heli, thanks for the info. I will probably look into the Venoms, since they seems to be so much better in ride and handling. Oh yeah, guys.. how are they wearing??

-PES