Avon Cobra Trike Tire Regrets?

[mhgoldwing]

No regrets with the tire but after a year of owning the trike the front tire has a slow leak. The first year we bought it was in February and hauled it home in a snow storm, parked it for the winter. The tire keep good air pressure all winter and through the summer riding season. But now this spring has a slow leak, about 3 pounds a day or so. I have tried checking with soapy water around the bead and valve steam and have not found anything. Also clean the tire with a wet rag to look for and nails, screws etc bought found nothing. Any thoughts? I suppose I need to take the wheel off and do some more detailed checking or possible take into a dealer to have it looked at?

Check the valve stem; both at the valve and the mounting hole.

 

[firefighter4634]

Check the valve stem; both at the valve and the mounting hole.

So I jacked up the front of the trike tonight and set a large tub under the front tire filled with water. No leak around the vale stem but did find tiny bubbles ( wasn't that a song?) coming from the seat around the rim. So might just wait and see if warmer weather and some riding makes it seal back up, if not I might have to take the wheel off, break the bead, clean around the rim and try to get it to seal that way.

 

[lgjhn]

So I jacked up the front of the trike tonight and set a large tub under the front tire filled with water. No leak around the vale stem but did find tiny bubbles ( wasn't that a song?) coming from the seat around the rim. So might just wait and see if warmer weather and some riding makes it seal back up, if not I might have to take the wheel off, break the bead, clean around the rim and try to get it to seal that way.

Firefighter, I've had to do that to a couple of rims that have come into my shop for repair. What I think, IMHO, happens sometimes is that a tire gets mounted onto these aluminum rims and soapy dish detergent type of water is used for the lubricant. That stuff will slowly corrode the aluminum at the tire bead interface over time. I've had to break the tire down and remove it from the rim, then wire-brush, scotch-brite, etc. to try to get it back to where it looked like it would seal. So far, I've managed to get em to seal but one of em was pretty ugly. I suggested to the owner of that one that he may want to start looking for a replacement rim for the next tire replacement that comes up.

 

[bikerbillone]

Firefighter, your post #22 on the Cobra bead, I have a feeling that is your problem. My first and only Cobra, I had that slow leak that was just totally annoying. Finally had to confiscate a kiddy pool and found it that way, truly a hassle finding the leak. By very carefully searching and rotating the wheel with the tire still on the rim I finally found the bubbles. If at first you don't find the bubbles, don't give up, could be you just missed them on first turn.

 

[1dn5up]

Being I know my tire dealer well , I watched the tire monkey replace mine. After removal there was a little oxidation on the wheel bead. So I asked if it could be removed before the newtire was installed. At that point he had the big can of bead sealer in his hand ready to paint the bead. Yup - NFG I said. After I won the dispute , I asked him why the two dots , yello and red ? His answer was , That means it’s a good to go tire inspected by 2 inspectors ! He got highly insulted after I re educated him on the marks.

Yup he was pissed with me:Shrug:. Then the owner and I had the discussion on the whole process. His response; I’m lucky just to get help to do this stuff, let alone try to educate them. Plus there going to do what they please anyway.

Cant teach old dogs new tricks :Joker3:. Or they just know it all!

 

[CrystalPistol]

I had an instance of leaking at the bead with a Elite II rear on my 1200 ... but nothing on the trike's front Cobra.

What was leaking on the 1200 was I had "Ride On" in it's tires, stem looked like it rotted away, Ride On tried to stop that leak successfully at last but by then I guess tire was low enough the bead unseated some, Ride On seeped in and tire bead reseated "differently" and by then, Ride On had hardened, bead area leaked, tire was flat next time I want to ride. I broke both down, cleaned out Ride ON, re-inflated with new metal short stems.

 

[1dn5up]

Elimentry, new tire, new stem ! Forgot to mention that in my last post, had to insist on that also.

 

[Burnerboy]

I'm on my second Avon front tire, I don't know the difference between any other tire, cause this is all I know, BUT I do like it, and will most likely purchase another, when needed

Ronnie

 

[MDO]

I'm on my second Avon front tire, I don't know the difference between any other tire, cause this is all I know, BUT I do like it, and will most likely purchase another, when needed

Ronnie

Just curious, are you using the dedicated trike tire or the regular Avon Cobra front tire.

I'm asking because I have a HD Freewheeler & Avon does not make the trike tire in my size, only for Gold wings & Tri-glides. I have heard good things about their Cobra tires though and they have that size for my FW.

 

[CrystalPistol]

...& Avon does not make the trike tire in my size, only for Gold wings & Tri-glides....

What size is that?

 

[wingit]

No Regrets

My Avon trike on GL1800 trike has 26000 miles with little cupping

compared to the Michelin Pilot badly cupped at 20k and taken off.

I slow down on corners some if no one is behind us

Speeding around curves is safer with a plane or boat if we can see ahead.

Love the Dragon & Dragonwagon trike

 

[bikerbillone]

I had the 'slow leak' with the Cobra, I mean it was so slow, I nearly never found it. The problem was around the valve stem.

 

[jredman]

Avon Trike Tire is far Superior in my opinion. I did the MPA first. Lasted a long time but when it got a little worn it was unstable and vibrated. Been using the Avon for the last 60K miles. Super smooth and will last 20K miles Plus if properly inflated.

 

[CrystalPistol]

I had the 'slow leak' with the Cobra, I mean it was so slow, I nearly never found it. The problem was around the valve stem.

So then, the Cobra held up it's end, it was that stem that failed you.

 

[bikerbillone]

So then, the Cobra held up it's end, it was that stem that failed you.

Yes, that is correct, valve stem failure an most difficult to isolate. If others are getting mileage out of this tire, I may certainly reconsider my option of going back to the BT45. I'll know when I get to the end of my Cobra's life.

 

[CrystalPistol]

I've had BT45 and MPA and a Macadam rear tire on front of ours, I still have a near new looking MPA hanging on a wall, and a Cobra on the front of the trike. The Trike is a pleasure ride, and the Cobra Trike tire adds a lot to the enjoyment.

After failures of even some near new stems in my '95 Tbird and my 1200, I swore off rubber pull in stems. , I purchased enough metal valve stems in various lengths to let me equip all my vehicles thusly. The GL1200 bike takes really short ones, the GL1500 trike takes a 90 degree up front and regular #413 length ones in rear alloy 15x7s, they were all done ASAP when UPS delivered, as did my utility trailer. The remainder, get metal at next tire change. All mine use 0.453 " stems, and those I have with TPMSs are FoMoCo and the sensor is opposite stem.

I now have a 2003 Forester and a '92 Thunderbird remaining with rubber pull in stems (must have been good ones), won't be long now. Have spare stems and even some extra gaskets.

Years ago, went to check psi in my police car's tires while fueling at the area office in wee morning hours & two stems crumbled. Tires were near new as were stems, certainly less than a month old. I had to call dispatch, get another unit to come by office and loan me his spare … and the next day during business hours, I was at tire shop swapping all mine to metal on that car.

 

[FRR]

Answer is simple for me. I've got a BT-45 on now. Cost $110. My second one 10k in it now and looks new. Last one got over 20k. Avon would run my $180.00 for maybe a few more miles. Did the math. Answer was obvious.

 

[bikerbillone]

FRR, yes I think about the cost comparison too, so I will have a decision to make.

 

[Meandave]

Have had mine on for 2 years and so far I am happy with the tire. I think the trike rides and handles better than it did before the Avon Trike tire.

 

[Burnerboy]

Just curious, are you using the dedicated trike tire or the regular Avon Cobra front tire.

I'm asking because I have a HD Freewheeler & Avon does not make the trike tire in my size, only for Gold wings & Tri-glides. I have heard good things about their Cobra tires though and they have that size for my FW.

opps! Sorry, I just read this question post this morning 9/8/18

I'm using the dedicated TRIKE TIRE...........So far so good, no problems at all!

Ronnie