Well I've replaced my original OEM Dunlop's on my 2006. As you can see by the subject line I chose the Avon Azaro-ST 45 & 46. I did the change myself including the balancing. Here is a link to what I used and the process I followed. Here are some of my observations after basically the first tank of gas.
With both the tires air'd up to 42 psi, as I forgot Avon recommended 36 psi for the front with solo rider, it felt like I was on a different bike. The ride was softer yet you still felt what was being riden over. It also seemed to be rolling easier in a straight line as well as when you rolled it from side-to-side.
I have a slight theory here but can't really validate it. If you look at the first attached photo of the front tire moving from the outside toward the middle you will see that the chicken strip is clean and smooth. Next to it is a narrow lite grey strip and then the scuffed rubber. It is said that the surface of new tires are slick so you need to be careful for the first X number of miles. Some of that easy rolling feel has gone away with the first tank of gas. The reason I think it was rolling easier was the surface of the tire had not been scuffed away to expose core rubber. I don't know if it's a coating or simply a crust from the molding process that has to be worn away but I could feel the difference.
Anyway, the first day I take my local mountain route in reverse which is up to Mt. Baldy, across Glendora Ridge Road to Glendora Mountain Road to East Fork Road to San Gabriel Canyon Road (Hwy 39). I'm taking it easy only doing 25 - 30 mph in the tight turns and 45 + or - mph down 39. The thing I notice the most is that there is no transition from straight ahead to leaned into a turn and back again. Almost like your driving a straight line just leaned over part of the time. I also noticed that I was making little or no corrections to my line when going through the turns. It was almost as if all you needed to do was look where you wanted to go and it just went there.
Now I hadn't really found anything wrong with the OEM Dunlop's but the AV45/46's just felt better on the ground and for confidence level. On my confidence scale, with a range from 1 to 5, I'd put the Dunlop's at 3 as a starting point. The Avon's I'd rate as a 4+.
The next day (Sunday) I rode to the Rock Store with Marshal and again I was taking it easy and had the same GREAT! feeling with the new tires. It was like you were on rails when you leaned it into a turn. With the Dunlop's in the same turns I just seemed to be making more corrections with a lower confidence level.
Monday night after work I remember about the 36 psi front pressure and air down the tire. It was up to my route again only this time I was going to push is a little. I didn't get crazy because I don't consider myself an aggressive rider just someone who likes the canyons and hills. Without really trying or pushing the limit I was taking turns at 5 mph faster with the same or higher confidence level then I did with the Dunlop's. If I took the turn at the same speed with the Dunlop's I would have felt like I was on the edge.
Also, whenever I clipped a fallen rock on the road the tires seemed to just roll over it instead of climb it when the Dunlop's were on. I know it sounds like I might not have been happy with the Dunlop's but that is not true, I liked them because I didn't have anything recent to compare them too. Would I go back to the Dunlop's, probably not.
So far the AV45/46's don't seem to want to follow the rain grooves of the California highways or make any noise. Time will tell how long they wear.
For those that are concerned because Avon's weren't rated for the ST I believe that is in the past. Besides e-mailing Avon I checked the American and European sites and they both list these same tires for the ST1300.
Anyway that's one man's initial impressions of the AV45/46's from Avon.
With both the tires air'd up to 42 psi, as I forgot Avon recommended 36 psi for the front with solo rider, it felt like I was on a different bike. The ride was softer yet you still felt what was being riden over. It also seemed to be rolling easier in a straight line as well as when you rolled it from side-to-side.
I have a slight theory here but can't really validate it. If you look at the first attached photo of the front tire moving from the outside toward the middle you will see that the chicken strip is clean and smooth. Next to it is a narrow lite grey strip and then the scuffed rubber. It is said that the surface of new tires are slick so you need to be careful for the first X number of miles. Some of that easy rolling feel has gone away with the first tank of gas. The reason I think it was rolling easier was the surface of the tire had not been scuffed away to expose core rubber. I don't know if it's a coating or simply a crust from the molding process that has to be worn away but I could feel the difference.
Anyway, the first day I take my local mountain route in reverse which is up to Mt. Baldy, across Glendora Ridge Road to Glendora Mountain Road to East Fork Road to San Gabriel Canyon Road (Hwy 39). I'm taking it easy only doing 25 - 30 mph in the tight turns and 45 + or - mph down 39. The thing I notice the most is that there is no transition from straight ahead to leaned into a turn and back again. Almost like your driving a straight line just leaned over part of the time. I also noticed that I was making little or no corrections to my line when going through the turns. It was almost as if all you needed to do was look where you wanted to go and it just went there.
Now I hadn't really found anything wrong with the OEM Dunlop's but the AV45/46's just felt better on the ground and for confidence level. On my confidence scale, with a range from 1 to 5, I'd put the Dunlop's at 3 as a starting point. The Avon's I'd rate as a 4+.
The next day (Sunday) I rode to the Rock Store with Marshal and again I was taking it easy and had the same GREAT! feeling with the new tires. It was like you were on rails when you leaned it into a turn. With the Dunlop's in the same turns I just seemed to be making more corrections with a lower confidence level.
Monday night after work I remember about the 36 psi front pressure and air down the tire. It was up to my route again only this time I was going to push is a little. I didn't get crazy because I don't consider myself an aggressive rider just someone who likes the canyons and hills. Without really trying or pushing the limit I was taking turns at 5 mph faster with the same or higher confidence level then I did with the Dunlop's. If I took the turn at the same speed with the Dunlop's I would have felt like I was on the edge.
Also, whenever I clipped a fallen rock on the road the tires seemed to just roll over it instead of climb it when the Dunlop's were on. I know it sounds like I might not have been happy with the Dunlop's but that is not true, I liked them because I didn't have anything recent to compare them too. Would I go back to the Dunlop's, probably not.
So far the AV45/46's don't seem to want to follow the rain grooves of the California highways or make any noise. Time will tell how long they wear.
For those that are concerned because Avon's weren't rated for the ST I believe that is in the past. Besides e-mailing Avon I checked the American and European sites and they both list these same tires for the ST1300.
Anyway that's one man's initial impressions of the AV45/46's from Avon.
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