Rear Tire Wear

[STEVENRANKIN]

Joe, I'm with you on taking an airhead off road. I don't with mine, not like the guys I mentioned in my post, that is just crazy. I do however get onto dirt roads or back roads in fact I was rambling the other day on my RS and found the pavement running out and a fairly well groomed dirt road taking its place. The RS behaved herself because I didn't go crazy.

Nope, if I want to take an airhead off road, I will buy a GS or build a scrambler. To be honest, I have zero skills for riding off the pavement so if the dirt road gets too bad, I freak out. All I can imagine on my RT and RS is the trouble and cost to replace fiberglass fairing parts if I should dump the bikes, LOL.

Just thinking an evil thought, I get such a kick out of guys who put huge off road tires on their pick up trucks, crank them into the stratosphere and never get them dirty. Macho mania at its finest. LOL. Cheers St.

[jhall]

Today's ride put a bit more wear on the Kenda tire. Of the 135 miles, a few miles were on gravel, including one of my favorites that run through a creek bed for a few hundred yards. Never any problems on this road, but I would not even think of going through there if there's been recent rain. 20201120_114853.jpg20201120_114934.jpg

[STEVENRANKIN]

Hey Joe, that looks like the road going back into my grandparents house and our old family hang out. I remember the days when PA was still producing oil and roads like that were all over the place. My mom used to use the old "I used to walk a mile in the snow and mud to get to the school bus". Yes she did they lived a mile and a half off a paved road.

Anyway, I have been on roads like that on my RT a lot of times and I agree, I wouldn't ride them after a rain, a few times I had to and the street tires were fine.

Thanks for triggering the memory machine. St.

By the way, these were the roads I learned to drive on. My older cousin taught me in a 64 Scout 80, then one summer my dad purchased an old clapped out Mercury. The first day of driving the Merc, we tore out the exhaust up to the headers and the rear brake line got ripped out all on rocks. Day two the power steering lines went the same route as the brake lines and exhaust. The drum brakes in the front were so out of adjustment stomping on them caused a veer to the left. We just compensated for it and drove. A week later, my uncle forgot to compensate and veered into a tree. Thus ended the joy ride in the Merc.

Mixed feelings now as those glorious roads are mostly gone now. Oil production shut down, equipment was pulled out, wells plugged and the land sold to timber companies. Timber companies don't really need roads to use every day so in time, the oil company roads washed out of grew in. The only time they are opened up is just long enough for the log skidders and then they never match the quality of the oil roads.

[jhall]

I get 10 -12,000 miles out of the Avon AM26 Roadrider, rear, best performer I've had on my R100S.

I just ordered an AM26 on eBay. Thanks for your input.

Thanks to all for your input here. I am sure there are several good tires out there, looks like I'll get opportunity to check the AM26 out first hand.

[jhall]

Yesterday I received a notice from the Ebay vendor who sold me the AM26, said he was mistaken and had none in stock. So I ordered a Spitfire, which should be here by Dec 7th. That gives me time to get to a few things on the bike's to-do list: R&R sterling head bearings; install Progressive fork springs and fork seals; front tire; air filter, and miscellaneous other.

Does anyone know if the front & rear valve stems are common size, and available at FLAPS? Or are they odd ball size, so I need to get them from one of our vendors?

UPDATE: Never mind on the valve stems, I just looked it up in our archives, and it takes the common, small one. But the front needs to be short as possible, for my gauge's clearance.

Thanks Much,
Joe H

[m_stock10506]

Yesterday I received a notice from the Ebay vendor who sold me the AM26, said he was mistaken and had none in stock. So I ordered a Spitfire, which should be here by Dec 7th.

Just recently shopped for an AM26. Was told by the vendor that Avon has discontinued the AM26. The Roadrider AM26 has been replaced by the Roadrider MKII. The vendor you were using might not have them yet.

[PGlaves]

The 0.453" diameter valve stems at your FLAPS are the same diameter as OEM stems. Get the shortest ones you can. The 0.625" stems are way too big.