tire Impressions- x3

[drmajor]

My 03' is on its third type of front tire and 2nd rear.

880-
The bike came with 880 and they stayed on for 13,200 riding 80% two up. That millage was nice and they got good MPG. But, they started howling at 4,000 miles. At 6000 they shook the bike in long 60+ sweeping turns in the mountains. I am pretty sure everyone nearby heard them too. Not knowing any better, they seemed like an OK tire except for the howling and shaking and BLAH performance.

AV45ST front / 020 rear...

WOW :) What a change!!!! The bike really felt alive compared to the 880. NC mountains felt really fun. The shape of the AVon really makes the LT feel glued to the road in turns and felt fine on the straights. Wonderful combination.

at 7000 miles [Labor Day weekend] we were at Deals Gap and I noticed the bike felt funny at slow speed. Since it was our last day up there, I brought it on home.

Funny, about the same time the clutch slave started leaking. Took to Touring Sports, Greenville and they fixed the clutch. They also called that the front tire had a split in it- 10" split.

I sent photos to Avon. They replaced the 45ST- FREE!!!!

While waiting on the new tire, I put a 020 on the front. This tire handles totaly different than the 880 and the 45ST. It's taking me some time to get used to it. It seems to turn in faster at low speed [<50]. Above that, its pretty stable.

Which to I like?
If I'm putting on for a LONG trip- it would be the 880 just so I wouldn't have to change them for a long time. They sure are BLAH - Not inspiring.

Other than that, I'd pick the 45ST front and the 020 rear...even though it means changing tires more often.

MPG- 880 was best at near 50 MPG at 60 MPH.
Avon/020 gets about 45-47 at 60 MPH
020/020 seems to get about 45 solid at 60 MPH.
60 MPH is for back roads.

[dshealey]

The Avon front BT020 radial rear is a combo I pioneered, and for the most part liked it. I found that the 020 front handled better after 50% worn than the Avon did though. The Avon started out great, but got gradually worse as it wore, so that it just did not handle the twisties good after 50% gone, but the 020 handled more linearly as it wore. I guess because the 020 wears more evenly, keeping near the same profile throughout it's life, where the Avon wore much faster on the sides in the twisties, leaving a pronounced center tread, where the harder rubber is. I think the 020 is a single compound tire, where the Avon is a dual.

I finally decided to just replace tires more often and stay with the 020s. If going on a LONG trip again though, I would possibly opt for an Avon front to insure it lasting out the trip, although my front 020 did last out my 10/10ths with a little left at the end. That surprised me, as I could not get over 9,000 from a front 020 on the SoCal highways.