Warning about ordering Avon trike tire

[mhgoldwing]

I've noticed some confusion on the new "Avon Cobra Trike" front tire, especially when talking about ordering the tire. Be careful! It's confusing and you could end up receiving the wrong tire. I wrote to Avon yesterday regarding this and suggested they change the info.

There are four things that must be present when ordering:

1. The numerical designation "AV-71" (This is used for an entire line of tires not just the trike tire"

2. The words "Avon Cobra Trike" are embossed on the sidewall in large letters (Look for this in any picture shown) and require the vendor to substantiate that the tire they're selling you contains this.

3. The tire is "V" rated for speed

4. The tire is a radial.

[jaxbobg]

A little technical info needed here.

Looks like this is the flatter profile trike tire everyone has been asking for.

However, I've read and been told we need to run a bias ply rather than radial on the trike front because they have a stiffer side wall. If the Avon is a radial, will it make a difference in ride and handling?

I currently run a BT45 rear, reverse mounted on the front of my trikes, which I can mail order for $100 to $120. Looks like the Avon runs $150 to $200+ online. Is the new tire worth the price difference, considering mileage expectations and resistance to cupping?

Just wondering.

[tfdeputydawg]

Along the way, I have noted these 3 statements made, that for some reason, have become "gospel" in the trike world and are not really gospel at all

1. The stiffer side wall of a bias tire is needed on the front.
Not sure why this was ever stated to begin with?
2. Run the rear tire reverse rotation when mounted on the front.
This was actually stated by a couple of tire manufacturers but, later disappeared from their web sites.
3. Run 41/42psi in the front tire.
I have a much smoother ride w/36psi!

[mhgoldwing]

A little technical info needed here.

Looks like this is the flatter profile trike tire everyone has been asking for.

However, I've read and been told we need to run a bias ply rather than radial on the trike front because they have a stiffer side wall. If the Avon is a radial, will it make a difference in ride and handling?

I currently run a BT45 rear, reverse mounted on the front of my trikes, which I can mail order for $100 to $120. Looks like the Avon runs $150 to $200+ online. Is the new tire worth the price difference, considering mileage expectations and resistance to cupping?

Just wondering.

The bias ply recommendation we all use is for sport bike rear tires where using on the front. However, the Avon Cobra Trike tire was specifically designed for the trike as a radial. The ride and handling (IMO) are quite superior to either the BT-45 or MPA.

Check this out: http://www.avonmoto.com/blog/4958

[hogcowboy]

There's a saying in the bike world. "Any new tire will feel great. It's how they feel after a couple thousand miles that counts." Is that true with trikes? All new tires feel great but after a few thousand you are back to what you had. Not being able to lean would seem to take a lot of the "feel" out of the question. But maybe now you really do feel the things. I'm not on a trike yet and the wife is on a Spyder which has it's own tire quirks.

[jaxbobg]

The bias ply recommendation we all use is for sport bike rear tires where using on the front. However, the Avon Cobra Trike tire was specifically designed for the trike as a radial. The ride and handling (IMO) are quite superior to either the BT-45 or MPA.

Check this out: http://www.avonmoto.com/blog/4958

Okay, I'm good with the fact that the radial was designed for a trike. I like radials on a vehicle.

What mileage have you experienced and is it worth the price difference?

[mhgoldwing]

Okay, I'm good with the fact that the radial was designed for a trike. I like radials on a vehicle.

What mileage have you experienced and is it worth the price difference?

tire hasn't been on long enough to determine mileage.



If it achieves the same as the others I will buy it again simply because the ride and handling are so much better.

- - - Updated - - -

There's a saying in the bike world. "Any new tire will feel great. It's how they feel after a couple thousand miles that counts." Is that true with trikes? All new tires feel great but after a few thousand you are back to what you had. Not being able to lean would seem to take a lot of the "feel" out of the question. But maybe now you really do feel the things. I'm not on a trike yet and the wife is on a Spyder which has it's own tire quirks.

this is different because the tires most of us have been forced to use to obtain any decent kind of mileage are bias-ply, heavy wall, sport bike rear tires. When you put them on the front of a trike they are so stiff and hard, 41 psi, that you feel every grain of sand on the road.

Ok, a little exaggeration but they do ride harsh and feel little things they shouldn't.

The Avon Cobra Trike front tire is a radial with flatter tread area, v speed rated, and designed specifically for trikes. Yes, there's that much difference!

[Gold Rush]

Okay, I'm good with the fact that the radial was designed for a trike. I like radials on a vehicle.

What mileage have you experienced and is it worth the price difference?

Bob I can't speak to mileage from personal experience but I was in our local trike shop a couple weeks ago and the topic came up. The owner said Richard from MotorTrike told him they have been running a test on a few of their GL1800s and have gotten as much as 35K out of them. On Texas roads covered in that crushed granite that is a HUGE accomplishment.

[Phu Cat]

FYI, I e-mailed Avon earilier this afternoon and about 45 minutes later a phone call came to the house and the caller ID showed "Mickey Thompson". Well I knew this had to be a joke of some kind cuz you guys in racing know the real story of MT and I can see by the phone number it's not my cousin Mike that we used to call Mick back in our drag racing days. So it turns out to be the guy from Avon returning my call about their having a tire for the Triglide in the engineering process. I got the impression (he didn't say this) that since there aren't a whole lot of Tglides on the road as compared to 'Wings, they're not in as big of a hurry, but he did say they'll scream 'loud and long' when it's available. I just never expected anyone from Avon to take the time to call me, a nobody, at home!

PC

[Illini_Triker]

Took mine out Sunday for the first time with the new Avon Trike tire and New Progressive front Springs don't know its the tire or the springs but the ride was great, before the front would bottom out on a lot of bumps in the road did not have any bottoming out

[djs14534]

Hi Everyone I have not mounted my new tire yet but contacted Avon. I contacted them asking what air pressure should be in the new trike tire. Their response was that it should be 42-44 PSI. Anyone with mileage on their's I would like some feedback with how it changed the ride and handling if any.

[HarleyPap57]

FYI, I e-mailed Avon earilier this afternoon and about 45 minutes later a phone call came to the house and the caller ID showed "Mickey Thompson". Well I knew this had to be a joke of some kind cuz you guys in racing know the real story of MT and I can see by the phone number it's not my cousin Mike that we used to call Mick back in our drag racing days. So it turns out to be the guy from Avon returning my call about their having a tire for the Triglide in the engineering process. I got the impression (he didn't say this) that since there aren't a whole lot of Tglides on the road as compared to 'Wings, they're not in as big of a hurry, but he did say they'll scream 'loud and long' when it's available. I just never expected anyone from Avon to take the time to call me, a nobody, at home!

PC

With this said, looks like I'm replacing my 16" front wheel with a 18" Chrome one so I can use this tire. Love the idea of having radials on both the front and back.