Avons - AV49/50s or AV45/46s?

It's tyre time, and I've just had a quote for some avons. I quite
liked the Azaros I had on the SV, but a couple of times I wish they
gripped a little more. However, their longevity far outweighs the
couple of times I'd thought "it might be nice for more grip". With
that in mind I've got quotes for the ST and the sports versions.

Has anyone tried the AV49/50 sports version? Is it a bit more grip for
a little less life, or a lot less life?

The quotes were 233ukp for the sports (AV49/50) and 201 for the AV45/46
(balanced and fitted to the bike).

 

<hijack, sort of>
I'm going to try some BT-014's next time round, I've decided.

That or possibly the Diablo.

</h,so>

 

The what now?

 

Eh?

 

What
Is
The
Di-ab-lo?

 

http://www.pirellimoto.co.uk/tires/catalogo/scheda.asp?ID=473

Perelli's 010/014 equivalent.

 

Bridgestone's own adverts list the 014 as the replacement to the 010, and as
I've always had 010's I'm tempted to give them a try, however the Diablo is
tempting as 'a change'.

 

This is the sticking point I've got. I was always chuffed with 010s
apart from the life. The AV45/46 has the life, but not quite the same
grip. Hence wondering about the sports ones - better grip and life
than an 010? I suppose there's only one way to find out.

 

Well I ride like a puff and get 5000 miles out of an 010 rear

 

No, that's because you ride a weak 600.




Ooh, that was worth getting a litrebike for.

 

Heh [1]

It's not really a proper one though is it?


[1] brake pads and tyres I seem to be very gentle on. Chains I knacker by
cleaning/adjusting them

 

Christofire says...

Heh, my 600 still trashed them in 3000 miles.

 

Doesnotcompute says...

 

They didn't last time I was there (1987!)

 

Twelve-bore...

 

Adjusting?

I've adjusted the chain three, maybe four, times on the Blackbird.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..64741../..15361.../..3157./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17
'^' RBR-Visited:14 Pts: 270 Miles:1248

 

In my exhuberance I initially adjusted the chain regularly doing it
incorrectly it would seem and thus knackering chains.

I now take the Blaney approach and leave it until the next service and ask
them to do it. Seems to work well ;-)

 

Andy Bonwick says...

I lived in Trowbridge just down the road from the factory back in 1984.
Two of the lads I drank with worked at Avon and raced a sidecar outfit.
They approached the bosses for some sponsorship for the coming season
cos Avon had just brought out *the* sidecar tyre to use that year.
Bosses said no, they couldn't help at all and the lads would have to buy
at full price. So they did.

The day after they had the tyres fitted, the sidecar outfit was taken to
work and parked on the trailer in the workers car park, right in full
view of the main road. On the sides of the tyres was written in big
white tyre pen "DUNLOP". Dunlop stickers were stuck in very prominent
places on the outfit and van in full view of the public. The sidecar and
trailer went to work every day for 2 weeks, until the bosses gave them
enough tyres for the season, to stop the embarrassment.

 

When I was taking the SV with the AV45/46s on for a trade-in, someone
(I think it was DNC) said "but it's got new tyres on it!"

I think they had 3K miles on, which in 010 standards is over half worn.
I didn't measure the tread depth, but I'd guess they would make about
8k miles from a set.

 

As tyres for the SV go, my opinions are:
Metzeler mez4: bad - lasted 5k, didn't grip.
BT020: Lots better - lasted ages (8-9k) and gripped better than above.
BT010: Better again - lasted 5k, gripped better by same factor of 020
over mez4.
AV45/46: 020 life with grip between 020 and 010.