Avon Tires??

[gch71]

Fellow heads, just put on Avon Road..something tires on my bike and I am not happy. Bike is a 1974 R60/6, I have driven and performed the maintenance on it for over 20 something years, I know how she feels. When riding below 60mph everything is smooth but passing 60mph bike feels like she's on marbles, its squirrelly, swaying side to side I don't like it. I re-greased the wheel bearings, re-lubed the steering bearings, tightened the steering nut as required and checked the friction on the steering wheel, all is as required... and that was four years ago and rode over 10,000 miles with no problem, now I put on new rubber and its like wooooow not a good feeling. Any thoughts out there? Thank you...

 

[20774]

I had a pair of Roadriders a while back...didn't really notice any issues with them. Did you mount the tires? What tire pressures are you running? Have you checked the mold line on the side of the tire all the way around to ensure that the bead is fully seated?

 

[lkchris]

If they don't have sizes 3.25-19 and 4.00-18 they don't offer a tire for Airheads. There are NO metric equivalents for these sizes.

 

[150428]

Avon Road Riders

Hi.I also run Avons on my 1975 R90S and have no issues like your describing.As for tire pressure i run 32F and 36R , what do you have at the moment ?. I changed from Metzler to the Avons and the difference was unbelievable , the bike was more flickable / less input was needed for cornering and stability at speed was improved, i suppose you could say more sensitive on the road but in a positive way.What tires did you have before ?, old style tread pattern ?.

 

[gch71]

If they don't have sizes 3.25-19 and 4.00-18 they don't offer a tire for Airheads. There are NO metric equivalents for these sizes.

If that's the case then, off they go, I got them from Bike Bandit. I had them mounted by a shop here in Houston, they are on and seem to fit. Tire pressure is at the recommended PSI, I'll adjust and inspect tonight for the third time, if no better by tomorrow...off they come.

 

[20774]

If they don't have sizes 3.25-19 and 4.00-18 they don't offer a tire for Airheads. There are NO metric equivalents for these sizes.

The Motorcycle Superstore (the only one I looked at) offers inch-sized Avons in the AM26 style. I ran these same inch-sized tires a few tires ago.

If that's the case then, off they go, I got them from Bike Bandit. I had them mounted by a shop here in Houston, they are on and seem to fit. Tire pressure is at the recommended PSI, I'll adjust and inspect tonight for the third time, if no better by tomorrow...off they come.

I wouldn't throw the tires away until you've checked them. While I agree with Kent about inch tires versus metric, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to throw the baby out with the bath water. Before I was "enlightened", I ran metric tires for years. Never really had any adverse affects or problems with them. My biggest issue was that they have a lower profile and the bike sat lower to the ground which rendered my side stand essentially useless.

 

[150428]

Hi Glen. The tires should be 3.25-19 and 4.00-18 as been stated. Be aware that if the incorrect rear tire profile has been fitted the speed reading will be out, not much but enough when your speeds get up to the high end of triple figures.Had a incorrect tire size fitted once and this is how i know all of this .

 

[rangerreece]

Glenn

Kinda looks like an Army Mohawk and dress khaki's in you avatar... I'll bet those were good times.

 

[ccolwell]

Two thoughts: before you toss them 1) I would try higher pressures than BMW recommended, say 32-32 and 2) how far did you ride on them? Sometimes there's enough release compound on the tires to make the first 75 miles or so slippy.

 

[gromulin]

If they don't have sizes 3.25-19 and 4.00-18 they don't offer a tire for Airheads. There are NO metric equivalents for these sizes.

I chose the Avons for my 75/5 because they were one of the few that still carried the correct sizes. They were recommended, purchased and installed by Ted Porter's Beemershop, so I'm pretty sure they know whats right for these old airheads. I had ancient Metzeler metrics on it before, and did notice that these have a taller profile. Like the other poster mentioned, they seem quicker to respond to small inputs, but stick to the road just fine.

If you had a wider metric on before, you may want to check the top hat bushings. Beemershop found one of mine was wrong, and had been installed to create more clearance for the wider metric rear tire to clear the driveshaft. Maybe you have some offset between the two that is causing the 'squirellieness'?

 

[gch71]

Kinda looks like an Army Mohawk and dress khaki's in you avatar... I'll bet those were good times.

You are correct, they were good times. Awesome guys in the Mohawk group. The picture in the avatar was taken in May of '93, it was the start of the end for the Mohawk.. we were on a ferry flight of a few ships from Wiesbaden Germany to Savannah Georgia.....it took us a little longer then usual.... MMMMm lots of sightseeing and beer along the way.

 

[gch71]

I chose the Avons for my 75/5 because they were one of the few that still carried the correct sizes. They were recommended, purchased and installed by Ted Porter's Beemershop, so I'm pretty sure they know whats right for these old airheads. I had ancient Metzeler metrics on it before, and did notice that these have a taller profile. Like the other poster mentioned, they seem quicker to respond to small inputs, but stick to the road just fine.

If you had a wider metric on before, you may want to check the top hat bushings. Beemershop found one of mine was wrong, and had been installed to create more clearance for the wider metric rear tire to clear the driveshaft. Maybe you have some offset between the two that is causing the 'squirellieness'?

I checked the tires and bearings, damper, steering head bearings tightness again last night and didn't see any issues or looseness. Good point....I didn't think about the tire pressures though, ill try that today I drove it to work and it just soo happens we have a nice bottle of nitrogen for just such an occasion.

 

[gch71]

Two thoughts: before you toss them 1) I would try higher pressures than BMW recommended, say 32-32 and 2) how far did you ride on them? Sometimes there's enough release compound on the tires to make the first 75 miles or so slippy.

I've got about 100-140 miles on them already... Ill give it a shot with the tire pressure..

 

[PAS]

Make sure they were mounted in the correct rotational direction.

 

[gch71]

Make sure they were mounted in the correct rotational direction.

Hehehe funny you mentioned that I learned that lesion years ago,, a previous shop mounted the tires I got home ready to put them on the bike and realized they were backwards.... I was in the shop with these guys and they mounted them correctly. I thank you fellow airheads for all the info, I'm going to put a little more air pressure in and go for a ride this afternoon, Ill keep you guys posted.