Avon St Tire Mileage

[markjenn]

I just got back from Laguna, doing a trip from Seattle, down through the WA/OR backrounds, then a swing through the W slope of the Sierras near Fresno (can you say HOT!), then a mostly super-slab trip home. 3900 miles all-together.

I started the trip with brand new Avon ST45/46s, inflated to 39/42, hoping to complete the trip without replacing tries, but it ws not to be.

Surprisingly, the front wore out first at about 2600 miles - plenty of center tread, but the sidewalls were completely beveled away with the tire extremely V-shaped. I replace it in Merced CA with the only thing they had - a Dunlop D208 which I don't care for much on the FJR. Great service and reasonble prices form Merced Motosports BTW.

The rear made it home, well into the wear bars. Overall, given the high temps, speeds, and twisty roads, I'm happy with the rear mileage, but 2600 from a front is a new low for me.

I'm going to try Pilot Roads next. Some have suggested that the Pilot Road front and ST46 rear might be the mileage champs.

YMMV.

- Mark

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Wow Mark, that's the lowest milage I've ever seen! Last year folks were claiming 12000 to 15000, which I found very hard to believe ( If your getting this kinda milage you should be driving a scooter! .. n a real scooter not a Hardly Ableson ). Lately I've heard of 6000 miles from a few guys on the Avons. I wonder if the tire compound has been changed ?

I've been sticking with the Pilot Road rear / Pilot Sport front for the last three sets, averaging about 6000 a set.

Sounds like a great trip you had, any pics?

 

[ohiofjr]

sounds like heat to me. back in bias ply tire days if you got the rubber too hot it would disapear just like he described it. I don't see why a more modern tire would not do the same thing.

 

[zorkler]

i would give avon a call .

 

[skyway]

My last Avon was on the wear bars before 6K, but the front looked like it could have gone a little further.

Those who are getting upward of 10K must be trailering for half of it.

 

[smitty141]

I have got as little as 2500 miles out of a rear. The most was around 4000. The front was shot around 5000 miles. I just order 2 rears and a front at one time :bigeyes: ...That way I can ride for 5 or 6 weeks without having to order new rubber... :blink:

 

[JREW]

The posts I've read from guys who like the Avons seem to also like them because of wet riding ability. I'm wondering if heat has anything to do with it. Maybe high mileage in colder wetter climates?

 

[seadog]

This is not what I want to hear! I just installed a set of Avons yesterday-haven't even left the garage yet. I've been through three sets of Bridgestones and am happy with the milage but I got tired of the front tire cupping so badly...oh well, time will tell.

 

[madmike2]

I had 5,000 on the Avons when I totaled the '04 and had 40% left. Maybe I made a good decision to put the PR's for WFO-4.

 

[FJRay]

I just mounted the fourth Avon on the rear of my 03. the first two rears were Stones and they were good for about 3k each and I get right around 10k out of the Avon. The fronts go a lot farther so I change them when the cupping gets bad. I ride reasonably hard for an old fat guy and ride in any weather other than snow so thats my story on the Avons.

 

[eaglemike]

I was under the impression that 42 psi is the current recommended pressure for the front. Three psi is not a lot, but if your gauge is reading a little high, that might make a difference..............

 

[markjenn]

Perhaps Eagle. But I think the most likely scenario is that I simplly overheated the tire with the curves and the temps. I recall stopping for gas and finding the tire too hot to touch even after a 15-minute break. I've heard people say that the FJR has a lot of front end weight bias too, but I have no hard info.

I've heard of folks running 42 in the front, but have never felt comfortable running this much front tire pressure when you're really charging.

I've complained about tire mileage to Dunlop before (a rear Dunlop D220 evaporating in 3200 miles of fairly essy running) and their canned response was that conditions vary and they make no guarantees. I suspect Avon would say the same.

- Mark

 

[MCRIDER007]

I recall stopping for gas and finding the tire too hot to touch even after a 15-minute break

Mark, since an overheated tire is also a classic sign of underinflation I have two questions. Are you reasonably sure that your air pressure guage is accurate and did you ever check your tire's psi during your trip? Living in eastern Washington I have ridden is some pretty hot weather but I do not ever recall having a tire that was too hot to touch. I am wondering if you might have had a very slow leak that resulted in the high tire temperatures.

 

[markjenn]

I checked it midway through the trip and it was the same 39 psi as when I left. In the shop I have a fancy gauge, but on the road I use a pencil. Both said the same thing.

I don't think it is terribly unusual for a tire to get too hot to touch, but I was surprised that it ws too hot to touch 15 minutes after rolling up to a gas pump. So I agree with you that the tire was overheated, but I don't think it was due to under inflation.

- Mark

 

[MCRIDER007]

I checked it midway through the trip and it was the same 39 psi as when I left

It would have been interesting to see what the psi was when the tire was so hot. The internal air volume (and psi) increases about 10 percent when the internal tire temperature increases (about) 55 degrees F. Your psi hot could have been over 50. Makes me wonder if the tire was defective and had weak sidewalls (which would result in more flex and more heat being generated). I have had similar experiences with other sport touring tires, every once in a while I get a set that lasts only half as long as the previous set.

 

[markjenn]

I wonder about sample-to-sample variation too. I've had a few odd premature wear issues with Dunlops, Metz, and now Avon. I've never had anything but great service from Michelins, so I wonder if they have the QA/QC issues buttoned down a little better.

- Mark

 

[Skippy]

I just returned from a 6,700 mile round trip from Florida to Laguna CA taking in several mountains ranges and some of the best twisties America has to offer.

My Avons had about 1700 on them before I left, and the rear needed to be changed after about 4300 miles, the front stayed on.

I had the rear changed by Reno Motorsports, a great bunch of guys and they do it while you wait.

I think the rear burned out because we burned through OK. at between 120-140 in 4 hours or so, east to west from Ponca City.

Coming back, I kept it mostly below triples and the tire now has about 4000 miles on it and still looks good for at least that, maybe more.

I dragged the pegs and have no chicken strips, so the bike was certainly pushed through the corners, and never once slipped or wiggled, other than under power out of a mountain turn in 3rd when I actually left a blackie on the road, what a buzz.

The front should last until I change the rear again, which should give it about 8000+ miles.

Hope this helps those that are thinking about the Avaons

 

[rogerfjrfaster]

I got 10,000+ out of my rear then got another 2,000 out of the front but had more on it but was getting ready for a trip so replaced front.I get great milage out of them,I have a air compressor so check before each ride on all three bikes and run 42psi all the time and 40-41 on the dunlops on the Wings.

rogerfjrfaster

 

[Yambone]

Got 7000-mi on my Avon rear tire, the front will easily go beyond 10K unless I swap the pair. Limiting factors were some coarse chip seal roads while crossing back-country OK a couple of times, and about 150-lbs of woman and gear additional weight for 2K miles in the SE USA. I'm fairly aggressive when on back roads with no traffic and you can see over the curvature of the earth. FJR: point and shoot over that distant horizon. Fun, but you can almost feel the rubber being filed away.

Got very similar mileage on my Pilot Road and 2 rear Metz-4s. The PR had a really narrow wear patch down the center at 42-psi--that time it was Texas chip seal at speed. So I tried 40-psi on the Avon. It wore more evenly, but still didn't get the big increase in miles I hoped for. I think I'll stay in the mountains next time where I belong... :agent:

Haven't heard of anyone getting only 2600 on the front. You must have been living on the edge, so to speak. But you coulda got a bum tire, as mentioned.