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Re: [St] New Avon Storms

At 06:33 AM 9/10/2008, John wrote: 
Shane,

Short story. You will love the performance of the Storms, but not the mileage.

Well I beg to differ here John, as I got great mileage out of both my sets of storms. Now I had them on my VFR. When I bought it had dunflops, that felt like rock, chattered and wiggled in turns and were scarey. The rear took a large nail at 600 miles and was replaced with a Qualifier. It also felt like a rock, chattered and wiggled like it was on oil in turns. I got about 400 on it and had the rear slide badly while traversing a well banked off ramp (you know the kind that are marked for 30mph, but banked so well that taking them at 65 should be effortless. I ditched it quickly since I figured that any tire that would slide in that curve when I only going 35 was going to kill me.
I bought a set of Avon azaros, loved them and was getting great mileage out of them (about 5000 at both ends and plenty of tread left), when I got another nail, this one bent badly as was driven in so the belt was bubbled on interior surface and the tire unpatchable.
I bought my first set Storms then and rode the heck out of them. I mean I rode in everything with them without a complaint (even a surprize snow storm).
I had nearly 9000 on the set when I again fell victim to nails (Okay the front had a drywall screw in it, the back had two of those screw nails for crates). I probably still had another 1500-2000 miles on them though.

I'd have to check right now to see exactly what the mileage on the storms on the VFR have right now (since it is sitting in the warehouse at work waiting for parts from a hit an run).
But I can tell you this, I'm torn between putting another set of Storms or a set of viper sports on my RC51. It really can't wait much longer as the lazertec on the front is starting to slide and the crappy (and too wide) shinko on the rear has me skidding the rear tire up to every 6/10th effort stop.


Long story. I bought a pair of Storms and a pair of 021s for both bikes last summer. I needed a rear on my Superhawk, put the Storm on it, running off a Bridgestone 014 on the front. Liked the Storm immediatley, enough to wonder how good the front will be, but I doubt it will last 4000 miles. Spooned the 021s onto my RS earleir this season. Like them alot. The RS came with 020s, and worked well with them. A few years ago I got a real good deal on three pairs and a couple extra rears of 010s, 012s, and 014s. Was fighting with the RS the entire time, hate those, will never go back. At 22,000 miles on the RS, I spooned on the 021s and changed the fork oil, and she is back to normal. I thought the 021s were great...until yesterday. I'll get back to that.

Finally ran off the front 014 on the Superhawk, put the new Storm on it. Rode the bike for the first time on Sunday with Storms fore and aft, albeit the rear is pretty worn. LOVE THEM!. Last night I washed both bikes, and I take my bikes out for a little spin after washing to "blow dry" them. I had had a conversation with a riding buddy about brakes and braking on Sunday, so I did a little experiment. First on the SH, on a secluded street in my neighborhood, I made progressivley harder and harder stops, front brake only, from about 10mph or less. It didnt take long to get the rear tire in the air. Now understand I am not a wheelie or stoppie guy, and stopping that hard scares me, but I was trying to verify some things my friend had said about braking in general over the weekend. This is the first time I have ever raised the rear wheel off the ground, and we are talking inches, not feet. I did it 3-4 times, same result each time, launching a little
further each time. OK, enough abuse to the suspension. Went and washed the RS. Took it out to blow dry. Tried the same thing. Locked the front wheel and skidded. Thank God I was going slow. After a few attempts, I finally got it's back tire up a few inches, but what a difference. The Storms on the SH never lost traction or squealed, it slowed, and when braking overcame inertia, back end came off the ground. The 021s on the RS squealed, slithered, broke traction, and when braking overcame inertia they would skid before they raised the back end. And mind you, the RS has WAY better brakes than the SH.

I've heard comments like this before about 'stones, which is why I'm not anxious to try them.
I must admit that I am considering the Pirelli diablos as a second choice for the RC51 as a street tire. I have ridden a set on a VFR and was able to brake with the same confidence that the avons yield on my big heavy, linked brake equipped VFR.

Is this a fair comparison? You tell me. Tires are the same size, rims are the same size, bikes a within a few pounds of one another, similar in scope,geometry, intended purpose. Yeah, wheelbase is a bit longer on the RS, but its not a Goldwing...or a Hayabusa, for that matter. Same stretch of pavement.

Anyway, that's my two cents for what it is worth, anyone else feel free to chime in. I wanted to answer Shanes inquiry specifically, but am curious as to other's opinions on my little experiment.

Shane, mileage wise, like I said, less than 4k on the rear Storm, no data on the front. On 021s I would usually get 5k out of a rear, 7k out of a front, or therabouts...

John

Shane, all I can tell you is this. My VFR is heavier than you triumph, yet I ride it hard. It will lift the rear tire doing stops all day long with no tire problems, and I have never slid the front end with the Storms either.
And I get much better mileage out of my Storms than I ever did with a duncrap.

Is this an apples to apple comparison? No, but I feel it is a fair evaluation of a tire intended for your bike and mine.

YMMV.



JohnS
A Dragon Ascending
"Forging my body in the Fires of my Will"

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