TDK said:
Here is an old cached page on the ex500riders.com about the Avon AM51/52 maybe it will help..
>>>LINK<<<
sorry couldn't get it to do a link....
Moderator Note: Ok, I'll fix it...[/color]
When I went to reply, the URL showed up in the quote box, so I copied & pasted. Key statements:
ToeCutter wrote: Well, after a few hundred miles and a couple of rainstorms I can say the following:
These Avons are good tires, especially when compared to the stock Exedras. They handle well, have excellent geometry, and are very neutral. They are adequate in every category for road-riding, including wet weather, but it is not apparent at this point that they excel in any one category. Perhaps they will excel in mileage, but only time will tell. However, the compound leaves a bit to be desired for me. They just aren't as sticky as I'd like. Again, better than the Exedras, and a bit less glue than the BT-45s, but certainly not among the best.
I'm sorry that this report is...well...bland, but that is exactly how I view these tires after riding on them for a bit. They are adequate, but I liked the BT-45s better than these. I guess that's what I get for being cheap.
Avon appears to be coming out with a new X-ply tire in our sizes called the Roadrider that may very well compete with the likes of Pirelli's Sport Demons, and Michelin's Pilot Activs. Who wants to be the first to TOFTT?
I'll be riding as much as I can to wear these tires out. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to spend my time until I get new rubber.
GSJack wrote: I check in here regularly to read the tire section since the 94 and later EX500 tires and wheels are same sizes as my GS500s have. I ran a 110/70 Z4 and a 130/80 Z2 for the 02 season and put on another set of same for 03. For the 04 season, I wore out a pair of AM45/46 tires.
After three years of good sport touring radials, I decided to try the bargain price AM51/52 bias tires this year. They are not bad tires and if they would just change the profile shape of the rear they would be a real bargain. I found I was puting all the wear on the center 3" of the tire and during aggresive cornering I was running on a narror half inch strip where the outer inch or so of tread turns abruptly away. I was cornering on that abrupt corner and not getting any closer to the edge. The tire stuck good cornering on concrete or blacktop but if I hit a tar snake or a metal strip where a bridge connects to the road it broke away quickly every time.
After many miles the tire squared badly due to it's wierd shape and with about 9k miles on it I hit a construction grooved road where the grooves were a bit deeper and a bit wiggly in shape and the bike was all over the place. I replaced the rear with a 150/70 Lasertec. Ran the front AM51 another 800 miles and replaced it with a front 110/80 Lasertec. These Lasertecs are great so far but will hold off on final opinion till I wear them out next year. Really do give radial type handling with a bias tire like Metz claims. The AM51/52s probably had another 2k miles till they hit the markers but the handling had become too annoying.
In over 100k miles on the GSs, I've had OEM Excedra, BT45, ME33, GT501, Z4, BT010, AV45, and AM51 tires on the front, not including the new Lasertec. All of these tires bevelled and cupped badly except the old ME33 Laser which wore evenly all the way down. Since the new Lasertec front has the old ME33 tread pattern with modern construction and compounds, I decided to give them a try.
Toerider adds: Talked to an Avon rep at the Chicago motorcycle show a few weeks ago. It seems as though Avon was a bit quick to announce the RoadRider tires. They are coming, but won't be out until the fourth quarter of '06. Linky: Avon RoadRider
http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/?ProdType=TouringXply
Your 05 Ex500 probably came with the very average at best Bridgestone Excedra tires so any of the current name brand bias ply sport touring tires will be a big improvement. The newest and most up to date of these are the Pirelli Demons, the Metzeler Lasertecs, and the Michelin Pilot Actives all of which should give you noticeable improvement in both wet as well as dry traction.
