Sorry to do this to you all....... Avon vs Bridgestone
Sorry to do this to you all....... Avon vs Bridgestone
Have been running a bridgestone set up of 014 front and 020 rear and have been considering going to the Avon Azaro sport touring tire. Has anybody already tried this? My main reason for the change is mileage, the 020 has performed excellent in my opinion, I "heard" that I may get more kms out of the Avon. The avon does cost a few $ more however. I'd be interested to hear from anybody who has been down this road. Cheers, Ian.
- Squiffythewombat
- Posts: 1406
- Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:51 pm
- Location: Canterbury, Kent
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I have had both sets of Avon's, and can only find one area that lets them down.
In the damp, they can ( if you`re pushing hard ) let go on the rear..i must be honest and say it happened only twice, but it did happen.
Reality is though...that if you go about like a loony in the damp / wet then the law of averages will catch you up.
Other than that i have nothing bad to say about them...
I had the St 45 /46 combo first and did two track days. went to Assen and approx 3000 mile stint before winter set in, and still only just got to the wear markers on the tyres.
The vipers i have now are the sports ( not super sports) and are superb in the dry and wet (last weekend being the test, as i was out in the down pour on my way back home from Norfolk)...l
I would recommend them to anyone..but just say use sense and ride sensibly in the bad conditions ( some thing we should all do)..!
In the damp, they can ( if you`re pushing hard ) let go on the rear..i must be honest and say it happened only twice, but it did happen.
Reality is though...that if you go about like a loony in the damp / wet then the law of averages will catch you up.
Other than that i have nothing bad to say about them...
I had the St 45 /46 combo first and did two track days. went to Assen and approx 3000 mile stint before winter set in, and still only just got to the wear markers on the tyres.
The vipers i have now are the sports ( not super sports) and are superb in the dry and wet (last weekend being the test, as i was out in the down pour on my way back home from Norfolk)...l
I would recommend them to anyone..but just say use sense and ride sensibly in the bad conditions ( some thing we should all do)..!
Ride it like ya stole it !
- Spacemonkey
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed May 04, 2005 7:35 pm
- Location: In a web of intrigue..
I've just replaced my Azaro STs on my Duke as the rear got punctured. I had done a genuine 10000 miles on them and although they were barely legal at the front, the rear had another 1000 or more miles to go. A bit square but so's Steven Hawking, but he's gonna take over tha world as Davros soon. Anyway back to the tyres.... Great tyres in my opnion. It's great to get back on round profile rubbers, as the handling was getting a little tramliney for the last few miles, but ok for commuting. I get mine from FWR tyres in Sarf London for £175 fitted a pair. Bargain and goodnight.
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over...."
i work for a tyre specialists in plymouth and have run most tyres on loads of different bikes and the feed back we get from the azaros is that they are slipery in the wet, however im trying the new viper sports on my bike and they are one of, if not the best tyre i have ever used, even better than the pirelli diablo corsa.
the tyres heat up very quick in the wet and dry and the grip level is fantastic.
if any one is due for a new set of boots soon try them.
by the way i got mine for FREE.yeeeeee haaaaaa
the tyres heat up very quick in the wet and dry and the grip level is fantastic.
if any one is due for a new set of boots soon try them.
by the way i got mine for FREE.yeeeeee haaaaaa
a landrover d2 and a ktm, i had to have a honda to restore relability in my life.
- VTRgirl
- Posts: 2281
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 3:22 pm
- Location: Sunny Queensland, Great Southern Land
Most over here go for the Bridgestone 020 & 012S. Don't think we have Avon (apart from little old ladies selling make-up from a catalogue...). I've used Pilot Power for my last two changes, front & rear & couldn't be happier. If they're available in the UK, I highly recommend them! First time I had then, left the shop in the pouring rain & felt super confident straight away. Rode the 120km home like a wild thing
.

VTRgirl wrote,
I've used Pilot Power for my last two changes, front & rear & couldn't be happier. If they're available in the UK, I highly recommend them! First time I had then, left the shop in the pouring rain & felt super confident straight away. Rode the 120km home like a wild thing
Not wishing to pour water on your fireworks, you should really take it easy until you've bedded your new tyres in, at least until the sheen is gone. That sheen is a releasing agent which is used in the tyre mould when manufacturing it and can be very slippery especially in the rain
Chris.
I've used Pilot Power for my last two changes, front & rear & couldn't be happier. If they're available in the UK, I highly recommend them! First time I had then, left the shop in the pouring rain & felt super confident straight away. Rode the 120km home like a wild thing
Not wishing to pour water on your fireworks, you should really take it easy until you've bedded your new tyres in, at least until the sheen is gone. That sheen is a releasing agent which is used in the tyre mould when manufacturing it and can be very slippery especially in the rain

Chris.
- VTRgirl
- Posts: 2281
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 3:22 pm
- Location: Sunny Queensland, Great Southern Land
Thanks Chris, yeah I know. I'm normally the most cautious rain-rider I know, and new tyres & rain? Nightmare. That's why I couldn't believe the grip these things had. The tyre shops over here tend to buff off the "wax" if you ask nicely (I find I get excellent service if I wear a low cut top...sirch345 wrote:Not wishing to pour water on your fireworks, you should really take it easy until you've bedded your new tyres in, at least until the sheen is gone.

VTRgirl wrote
Thanks Chris, yeah I know. I'm normally the most cautious rain-rider I know, and new tyres & rain? Nightmare. That's why I couldn't believe the grip these things had. The tyre shops over here tend to buff off the "wax" if you ask nicely (I find I get excellent service if I wear a low cut top... ). Rubbing with alcohol works too. Don't worry, I've seen far too many young fellas stack it before they've made it out of the bike-shop drive-way to not be aware of the new tyre slide syndrome.
As long as you know thats the main thing, i'd hate for anybody to have an OFF if I could have helped them avoid it.
I usually give my new tyres a rub with emery cloth just to remove that sheen before I go out on them!
Chris.
Thanks Chris, yeah I know. I'm normally the most cautious rain-rider I know, and new tyres & rain? Nightmare. That's why I couldn't believe the grip these things had. The tyre shops over here tend to buff off the "wax" if you ask nicely (I find I get excellent service if I wear a low cut top... ). Rubbing with alcohol works too. Don't worry, I've seen far too many young fellas stack it before they've made it out of the bike-shop drive-way to not be aware of the new tyre slide syndrome.
As long as you know thats the main thing, i'd hate for anybody to have an OFF if I could have helped them avoid it.
I usually give my new tyres a rub with emery cloth just to remove that sheen before I go out on them!
Chris.
- Stormin Ben
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 12:23 am
- Location: Birmingham