avon ultra 3d xm

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Mar 10, 2014
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uk
Dropped off the rear wheel of my st1100 at the local tyre dealer and asked him to fit an Avon Storm to it, thinking it would be a Storm 2. Picked the wheel up today and an Avon Storm 3d xm has been fitted. I've found quite a few launch type reviews, but not to many real life reviews, can anyone on the forum who has put some mileage on these tyres give me their thoughts please
 

Ron

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I have about 2000 miles on my 1100 (front and back) Avon 3D tires. Too few miles to say for sure. It seems to grip and handle nice, rain or shine. I am hoping for at least 8000 miles. I would like more. :D

Supposedly improved with more miles. Every time I've bought the new upgraded, improved, better, or ??? it seems it does not deliver more miles. But I'm trying to be hopeful. :)
 
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Ron

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I never did that good. I usually get about 9K on the front. I ran a rear 'til it was smooth but no cords. I went right at 13K on it. It was local and to and from work.

There are so many variables for tire life I usually only compare your mileage on one tire compared to your mileage on another model tire. If you ran 13000 on a Storm and 9000 on a Metzler MEZ6, I would not bother with the Metzler. Perhaps if it was on sale considerably cheaper, then maybe.
 
Joined
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Kendal, Lake District UK
I've had Avon 3D X-M on for about 2k miles now many of which have been done in the Scottish Highlands twisties in the dry and wet. I got under 5k miles out of my Bridgestone B23GTs.

I found them very grippy wet and dry although they don't like wet tar seams. On the motorway home the front wasn't so good causing the bike to feel lively and fidgety. This may be due to the deeper tread depth?

Another Pan on identical tyres had the same feelings about the tyres except his motorway issues verged on the dangerous. He was on his 2nd front because the original front needed excessive weight to balance it.

I use 42/42.

I'll use them up but won't replace with same. Inconsistent batches perhaps?

I can't get my head around 23k miles from a front??
 
Joined
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Yes on a 1300. I'm not sure that many tyres that work well with the 13 are rated for it? Michelin PR 3/4? The Bridgestones were good. If you look for F rated tyres the choice is limited indeed.
 
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Kendal, Lake District UK
I check my tyre pressures at least weekly with a digital gauge that is cross referenced occasionally with other gauges. I don't know if that makes me religious. Perhaps more religious than most?

I had the rear on for a few hundred miles before the front and like it. I'm quite a lightweight for a Pan rider I suspect at 165 Lbs fully kitted and the wife is lighter still. I'm aware that the Pan is a heavy bike. Here in the UK it's not really classed as a sports/tourer more just a tourer. Things are definitely different here and it's maybe difficult for us to understand each other's environment? (I have been to the States - Florida/Disney :) ). The tyres that are officially sanctioned for this weighty monster are limited and many use unrated tyres that work well and the tyres hold up.

Higher mileages are probably due to the use the bikes are subjected to. I'm a reasonably quick rider but I'm by no means a maniac and I like to make smooth progress. My mileage is almost entirely fairly twisty open roads where I'll be doing 60 to 80 mph where conditions allow and I like to work the corners a little but not with heavy braking and acceleration. If I were to cruise the 'flat top' (?) I'm sure I'd get many more miles for my rubber.

Temperatures may be cooler than some States too. We get anything from a few degrees below freezing (C) to 30 degrees max really (14 to 22 the summer norm) up in the North West corned of this beautiful part of England.
 

richpeabody

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yes
Do you suppose that the tire seeps are? The wheel? I'm kinda curious as to where the air goes in a week or even a month?
 

richpeabody

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Mundo...I have TPMS on my van, and the tire pressures don't vary but 2 or 3 pounds due to the outside temperature.....
My ST seems to lose about 4-6 pounds every two weeks.....
I generally over inflate by a couple pounds when I check them....
Have fun!
 

Byron

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Mundo...I have TPMS on my van, and the tire pressures don't vary but 2 or 3 pounds due to the outside temperature.....
My ST seems to lose about 4-6 pounds every two weeks.....
I generally over inflate by a couple pounds when I check them....
Have fun!
My guess is that the rim wasn't cleaned when the tire was mounted and debris left behind is causing the loss of air. Double check the valve stem core as sometimes a loose one will leak as well.
 
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Kendal, Lake District UK
Mundo...I have TPMS on my van, and the tire pressures don't vary but 2 or 3 pounds due to the outside temperature.....
My ST seems to lose about 4-6 pounds every two weeks.....
I generally over inflate by a couple pounds when I check them....
Have fun!
2 to 3 pounds a week seems a tad high. Did you have the valves replaced at every change? As following poster said, debris on rims? It's an issue I've had with my car, never on a bike. My tyres might lose 1 to 2 max a week. I'd check the valves aren't passing too.
 
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Land of Enchantment
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97 ST1100
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5950
I agree with Bryon & Mundo here.....my wheels- tires stopped leaking excessive air after I went to 90% valve stems several years ago. I'm running the new 3D XM on the rear with about 3K+ on it. Seemed a little skittish at 1st but there's what, I think 10/32 to start? Pretty deep tread really I don't remember but I think that was more than the old ME 880 I use to run on the rear.
The tire seems to have settled down after several heat cycles and a bit more aggressive riding, it's sets into corners really well and feels secure. Road it up to RockSTOC and thru several wet roads to include and nice 38 deg. early morning ride into Silverton, CO. on the way back home....... Rear tire never missed a beat. I get pretty good mileage out of my tires for the most part, my best was on a Avon RS II front @ 21,751.......so we'll see what this new rear with all this tread can do.

Best, Ed
 

T.G. Lewis

TG Lewis
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Firestone, Colorado
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02 ST1100abs
Haven't posted here for awhile; saw this thread and thought I'd offer my 2 cents. The '02 abs just rolled over 99,000, and runs better than it ever has....

Just got back from a 5k+ trip on the new XMs. Like them a lot. Construction much heavier, and seem to be holding up waaay better than the old Storm2s. Front, 120/70, took almost nothin' to balance, but the rear, 160/70, quite a bit. Slimed 'em, because I lived in fear of having to pull the rear wheel off on the road, as it presently has a trailer hitch.

Rims must be squeaky clean for tires to bead accurately. Failure to clean can also contribute to imbalance due to inaccurate "setting" on the rim. Shops won't do this due to flat-rate. The wrench makes the same amount per tire swap (at least that's how it worked last time I turned wrenches for $) and cleaning takes time he wouldn't be compensated for. Been using cooking oil for mounting lubricant for years. It works reeeaaally well.

I'm approx. 230lbs of solid beer-disposal unit, my wife pretty close. Had full soft bags and some gear on the rack and pulled a Uni-go trailer. Twisty roads solo from Colorado to Texas to Florida, picked up Laura in Orlando, then twisties back to Colorado. 65-ish mostly, 300-500 miles of 80 to 90 (any faster, and the Uni-go would frantically begin getting my attention...) 42lbs front and back, gauged every three days, kicked every morning in between. Rear wearing a little unevenly; plainly, the rear doesn't like this much weight, but again, MUCH better than the old Storm2.

Worked good in the dry, good in the wet, although I didn't ride what I consider fast. Typical Avon head-shake below 40-50 mph. Irksome but tolerable.

2 lbs loss per week? That's a leak. Check the tread carefully for a nail or some such. Small punctures can be fixed but only with high-quality patches internally.
Next, break out a spray bottle of soapy water and start chasing. I'd look at the stem first (just 'cause it's easiest); pull the cap and gently put a wetted finger tip on the top of the valve. If a bubble grows between yer finger and the valve, there's yer leak. Next, push the valve around a little and look for cracks in the base. Spray it with the soapy water. Look for bubbles. Check the beads next (easiest if the wheel's lying flat) and be patient. Rim leaks are harder to spot.

A 1000ft change of elevation is good for about a 1 lb change in tire pressure (42 lbs base pressure), give or take. If you start in Colorado, 5,000 feet and 42 lbs pressure, and end up in central Texas, you'll find 37-38 lbs in yer tires. Just sitting in direct sun is good for about a 2 lb. increase from a cool overnight. Pencil gauges are OK, but ONLY if you cross-check the accuracy against a known good digital gauge.

BTW: Slime, the company, makes a nifty little "tire top-off" 12v compressor perfect for traveling. Tiny thing, and cheap. $10 at Mal-wart.
 
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SteveST1300

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SO is anyone else running these on a 1300 I checked and they are rated for large spport touring machines including the ST1300. I may have to try a set in the future I have always liked the Avons until I had a failure.
 

970mike

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SO is anyone else running these on a 1300 I checked and they are rated for large spport touring machines including the ST1300. I may have to try a set in the future I have always liked the Avons until I had a failure.
Looks like you will be the beta tester on this tire for the ST. Let us know what your findings are.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
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17
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Central Illinois
I had Storm 3D's mounted late last year after getting ~15k on a set of Storm 2's. I have better than 10k on the Storm 3D's and they're holding up well, wearing even better than the Storm 2's. The better wear comes at the cost of ride & handling, tho. The 3D's have a harder rubber compound in the middle of the tread & it's not nearly as sure-footed as the Storm 2's. I have thought about looking for a pair of old Storm 2's hiding in a warehouse somewhere, but ... I prefer the Storm 2's but I ride what can get and don't know of a better OEM-size alternative to the Avon's.
 

JPKalishek

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I just installed a set on my Black bike. Like the grip so far (made a quick run to Lufkin as a test) and we shall see on the miles.
 
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DFW area
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I put a Storm 3D XM on the rear of my ST1300 with a PR3 on the front. Can't say that I like it. Seems ok from 0 to 60 but above 60 i have the sensation that the rear tire slips, or as some would say "walks"; this is after a 250 mile ride today. I will say that it handled the corners well but in a straight line above 60, not good. Tire pressure was at 42psi but it felt very uneasy all day, so when I got home, I promptly ordered a PR3.
 
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Nov 16, 2015
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Contwaraburg, Cent.
I've just put a pair of AV65/66 on a 95 ST1100AS and so far so good, a bit twitchy on the front. I normally run at 36 front and 44 rear but I see some of you run the fronts at 44? Im a fat old badtard weighing in at over 300lb (erm?) and so far haven't knackered the rear spring. Question should I run the front at 44 and would that make it even more twitchy??? Does anyone know if you can get an uprated rear shock for us fatties as I'm grounding out noe and then thanks to a low fitting Delkavic pipe and I really don't want to remove the centre stand. PS. The Delkavic 350mm cans are brilliant and only cost ?245 for the pair inc. the link pipes and gaskets and they give a good boost to mid range power.
 
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Joined
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Rochester Mn
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Well, I ran a 3d xm on my FJR because they say they'll go 15,000 miles....4700 to the wires in the carcass, never felt confident in the corners...rear tire only....had to put a Shenko Raven on in Billings Mt (shout out to MD Turley for his recommendation to go to HiTech Yamaha)....not impressed with the Avon, Shenko feels great.....got 7000 out of a previous one and felt good til the end...for a lot less money the Shenko's a better tire (for me)........ff
 
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