AVON Tires on my R1100RT

[kenk]

With 110,000 miles on my R1100RT, I have gone through approximately 12 sets of tires on this bike. Each of the last twelve sets was Metzler MEZ4 or ME880. On all the sets, the front tires would cup badly on the left side of the front and both sides of the rear after only 5-6K. When cornering with the cupped rear, the tire has an annoying hum. I've always filled the tires to 40 lbs. I’ve always thought this was simply a characteristic of the model of bike.

A few month ago, I mounted a set of AVON AV55 Storm ST tires. With 7500 miles front and rear, I see no cupping on the front, and very little on the rear. The tires are only showing ½ wear and have no hum at all. The cornering traction is fantastic and work extremely well in wet weather.

Usually with 7500 miles on a set of Metzlers, I would be replacing the rear before a big trip. These tires are still in great shape. So far, I am really impressed with the AVONS.

[kgadley01]

I've got a 99RT. it had Z-6's on it when I bought it. I now run 880's I've not had any cupping on either tire. I do my own balancing and I'm very particular.

[Red100RT]

Kenk, I agree with all of your observations about cupping front and back after around 6K miles. I just replaced a worn out set of Avon tires that cupped and hummed about as bad as any set of tires I have had on my 1150RT. I have begun mounting tires myself and have replaced Avons with a pair of Dunlops. Since I am too cheap to spring for a wheel balancer I have instead put 2 ounces of ceramic balancing beads in each tire, we shall see. I had the Avons installed at a Yamaha dealer since no BMW dealer is close and I suspect a not so good balancing job was done at great expense I might add. The closest dealer wants me to buy tires from him and he wants an additional $70 per wheel to mount and balance and I have to remove the wheels as he won't touch a BMW. Hence, I am in the tire mounting and balancing business. Not at all hard to do with good equipment and I kind of enjoy it as well.:whistle

I only wish I knew what exactly causes this cupping. Is it balancing or tire pressure or?? I have a hard time believing it is caused by a particular brand of tire.
J

[kgadley01]

Red100RT
You can get a tire balancer like mine ( static ) on E-Bay for about $ 75.00. I also get my weights on E-Bay... they pay for them selfs real fast...

[BuddingGeezer]

Kenk,
I only wish I knew what exactly causes this cupping. Is it balancing or tire pressure or?? I have a hard time believing it is caused by a particular brand of tire.
J

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

Ralph Sims

[jflavell2]

Having spoken with several different guys with different bikes about the wear issues the general consensus is they all wear the left side the most and the life expectancy is about 7500 to 10,000 miles reguardless of the make of tire or the cost! to the guy paying $70 per tire for mount and balance consider spending some time with the phone book and calling around I did and I'm paying $25 per tire one guy I spoke with will do them for $18 however he is a little far from me Good Luck Jeff

[Red100RT]

Having spoken with several different guys with different bikes about the wear issues the general consensus is they all wear the left side the most and the life expectancy is about 7500 to 10,000 miles reguardless of the make of tire or the cost! to the guy paying $70 per tire for mount and balance consider spending some time with the phone book and calling around I did and I'm paying $25 per tire one guy I spoke with will do them for $18 however he is a little far from me Good Luck Jeff

Better to not pay anybody, just do it yourself:bolt

[Red100RT]

Better to not pay anybody, just do it yourself:bolt

Oh, I tend to agree with tire life being 7.5K to 10K miles regardless of tire brand. I wonder if cupping is increased or decreased depending on tread design or pattern?

[kenk]

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

Ralph Sims

This is an interesting quote from this article....

'' If one looks at the pictures of the worn front tire and the worn rear tire, the squared off side band wear is evident at the typical lean angle for casual riding on typical roads. In comparison with the tread pattern of a new Avon tire, one will see a much deeper tread precisely at the point where the squared off side band wear will eventually appear (might the Avon designers know something about this wear?)."

Maybe the deeper tread on the side of the Avon tire helps to lower the heat on the sidewalls.

[Red100RT]

This is an interesting quote from this article....

'' If one looks at the pictures of the worn front tire and the worn rear tire, the squared off side band wear is evident at the typical lean angle for casual riding on typical roads. In comparison with the tread pattern of a new Avon tire, one will see a much deeper tread precisely at the point where the squared off side band wear will eventually appear (might the Avon designers know something about this wear?)."

Maybe the deeper tread on the side of the Avon tire helps to lower the heat on the sidewalls.

I don't know about deeper tread on side walls but the Avons I just replaced with Dunlops were the worst set of tires for cupping I have seen yet on my 1150RT. Only thing I can think of is tread pattern I don't know how depth might figure into this. I run 36 psi in front and 42 in rear. Cupping was extreme with rear Avons. Already took Avons to recycler and don't remember what model they were. Bought from Southwestern MC tires about maybe 3 years ago.

[bobh41]

I would like to know how a sane person could possibly run a tire down to the carcass as shown in the "Motorcycle Tire Wear" article?

Photo:

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/dunnywear.jpg

[Rollifahrer]

I had the same issues with Michlin and Metzlers. Getting the same good milage as kenk from the storms.

[kenk]

I don't know about deeper tread on side walls but the Avons I just replaced with Dunlops were the worst set of tires for cupping I have seen yet on my 1150RT. Only thing I can think of is tread pattern I don't know how depth might figure into this. I run 36 psi in front and 42 in rear. Cupping was extreme with rear Avons. Already took Avons to recycler and don't remember what model they were. Bought from Southwestern MC tires about maybe 3 years ago.

Key to what you stated is you "don't remember what model" of Avon tires that you had problems with.

The AVON AV55 Storm ST tires are a new design / compound. I AM NOT making a blanket statement that all Avon tires will provide great wear. I am only stating the AVON AV55 Storm ST is working great on my R1100RT and this is a big change over the last 12 sets of Metzlers.

[Rollifahrer]

I'm not trying to sell tires, but I was really frustrated with the other brands, especially the Pilot Roads. Uneven wear started to show as early as a couple thousand miles and started to affect handling at low speeds by around 6.

I upgraded to Wilbers about the same time I switched to Storms, so it may be a cumulative effect, but the bikes seems like new (I guess, it had 68K when i bought it).

There have been several threads about 1100RT tire wear and the PTTR (pulls to the right) problem over the years. A lot of opinions and a some true wisdom were shared, but my solution was switching to Storms (and possibly the Wibers). I hope this thread saves fellow oilers some money and headaches.

[BuddingGeezer]

Everyone comments about the left side of the tire wearing more than the right. Assuming we make the same number of right turns as left turns, the length of a left turn is farther than a right turn. Riders who ride primarily on 4 lane roads have an even farther left turn.

We simply have more mileage on the left side of our tires than the right side.

Ralph Sims

[RTs4me]

Quote: 'We simply have more mileage on the left side of our tires than the right side.'


So.........why do all my bikes here in the UK also wear out the left shoulder:dunno

Our right turns are longer than our lefts!

It's nothing to do with distance or turning radius, it's more likely to be due to the sideways thrust of the boxer motor.

[BuddingGeezer]

Quote: 'We simply have more mileage on the left side of our tires than the right side.'


So.........why do all my bikes here in the UK also wear out the left shoulder:dunno

Our right turns are longer than our lefts!

It's nothing to do with distance or turning radius, it's more likely to be due to the sideways thrust of the boxer motor.

Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki Harley tires wear more on the left. The bikes I just listed don't have a boxer motor. Most that have a transverse mounted motor have either the drive shaft, or chain on the left side which is the opposite side of you boxer. Most longitudinal mounted motors have the drive on the right. If the rear tire is in line the pulling forces should be the same on both sides of the tire. Since I have never been to the UK, I can't answer why your tires wear on the left side.

Ralph Sims

[Rollifahrer]

Everyone comments about the left side of the tire wearing more than the right. Assuming we make the same number of right turns as left turns, the length of a left turn is farther than a right turn. Riders who ride primarily on 4 lane roads have an even farther left turn.

We simply have more mileage on the left side of our tires than the right side.

Ralph Sims


My comment was that left side tire wear stopped after making a couple changes.

I hold my position in the left track on right turns until into the intersection. The arc of left turns is no where near 50% longer than rights, but left side wear was about 50% more with the other tires, old shocks and not loading to compensate.

My airhead has a boxer. Absolutely even wear on every set of tires.

The vast majority of freeway ramps are rights and 20 - 30 times longer than the arc of a turn on city streets.

There is more to it than the arc of turning tracks. Maybe something like a design anomaly that we compensate for by unconsciously countersteering. Want proof? Lift both hands off the bars, if it pulls to the right and you can correct by pushing on the left bar, you've been countersteering to hold a strait track and scrubbing rubber off the left side.

I developed a habit of lifting both hands to check tracking and shifting my weight to the left in order to slow the process. I then began overloading the left case. I still check regularly, but it doesn't pull, and my tire doesn't wear faster on the left.

Back to the point of the thread: I really like my Storms for a number of reasons, one being they don't wear unevenly.