Avon Handling?

[chiller]

How has everyone else's impressions on Avon Storms handling?

I got these installed last week and finally got a chance to put some mileage on them. At first I couldn't figure out what was wrong that they felt too spongy, that was cured with the fact the tech at the shop put in only 36/36 into them, which would be fine if I was riding on my sportbike...

anyway put them back to 42/42, and what i find is that they fall into corners very nicely and they hold a line but they don't change lines mid corner easily at all... anyone else notice that? I can change lines easier on my worn out Michelin Pilot Roads then I can on the Avons...they stick nicely even with gravel mid corner at lean... I was able to get the pegs/feet to drag within the first little bit without really try. Hell they stuck so well even at 36/36 out of the shop that I had only about 1/2" of chicken strips when I got home (about 20 min ride home) and that was thru a nice drizzle...they just felt too spongy at that psi...

 

[sennister]

I just installed my first set about 200 miles ago. I noticed that my bike wanders more while riding in a straight line, but who likes riding in a straight line. I think the wandering may have more to do with the fact that my old Dunlops had been ridden past the wear bars and most of my riding is in straight line as most of the roads are straight. So my tires were pretty flat. The new ones are nice a round. I have noticed that they seem to track a little different than my old Dunlops. Not in a bad way but just different. Overall I think I like them. I hear that they really shine in the wet weather. I haven't had much rain riding yet. I think we have some rain moving in on Wednesday so we will see if I get out on the bike then at all.

 

[killerST6]

I have really enjoyed them over the stock tires, I have about 400 or so miles on them, bike is smoother, great in the corners and like sennister, I figure I will get to try the wet performance this week.

 

[Byron]

I ran through 2 sets of the Azaro and 3 sets of the Storm's. I always ran them at 36 front 42 rear which is what Avon used to recommend for the Azaro. If you were able to see the tires before they were mounted they had sort of a peak in the center. Once mounted they round out some. I remember when I switched to the Avon's from the Dunlop D220's I had to play a bit with the rear pre-load to achieve a neutral feel. To much pre-load and they wanted to dive into the apex, to little and they wanted to exit wide. Once I found a setting that worked it was just a matter of throttle control to make minor corrections in the turns.

 

[dduelin]

After an initial dislike of the feel the rear AV56 gave me when transitioning from patched pavement to smooth when leaned over I have come to speak very highly of these tires. I am running my third set now. I run 36/40 or 38/42 and get very even wear during spirited riding. I never noticed them difficult to change line but I can't say that I change line that much. If I go in wrong I come out wrong and blame the corner entry on myself. Last trip to the mountains some of the roads had lots of gravel in the corners and sometimes I did have to alter line to stay out of the worst of it but I guess because I have 15,000 or 18,000 miles on them I don't remember what the previous Metzeler Z6's felt like in the same situation. The grip is reassuring in all weathers and even in the gravelly conditions I mentioned above. On the first set I touched the centerstand once in a smooth left hander and lifted the rear wheel and began a long slow lowside at 55-60 mph. The Avon let me gather up the back tire like I knew what I was doing and leave a 30' darky on Hwy 129. The feel at the edge of grip was very progressive and controllable although I never what to feel it again. To me Z6's were a great improvement over Michelin Pilot Roads which were slow and numb to quick steering input.

 

[saaz]

I thought the Avons were as good as any other tyre in changing direction mid-corner, for a heavy bike at least. They felt very eager to turn in corners. I ran 36/42 in the Avons I have used. It is interesting as many others comment that the Pilot Roads feel like truck tyres in comparison. Personal preferences I suppose.