Avon Azaro / ST Storm - First Impressions

[Deleted account 211025001]

I just got back from scrubbing these in and thought I'd jot down my first impressions.

I'd wanted to get a pair of the new Dunlop Roadsmarts but, as the 19" version has yet to go into production I thought I'd try out the Avons, mostly on the back of the Bike mag review and the positive reports I've read on here.

Previously I have run 020's, Trailmax's and Battlewings.

I was expecting a lot from them and they scored marks straight away with their looks, a very sexy tread pattern

The first few miles out of Nottingham were on dual cariageway and at three figure speeds they were rock solid, so far so good.

Once onto the twisty bits I had mixed feelings. I really wanted to like them, once leant over they track really accuratley (more than any tyre I've yet tried) and the way they roll over is totaly linear, so smooth. But, initial tip-in just didn't feel right. Nothing wrong or scary as such, just not right.
They needed a bit too much effort and felt a bit vague.

As the ride progressed I got a bit used to this and was starting to convince myself that I liked them...............but still my initial feelings nagged at me so I decided to pull over and play with the suspension and, after trying a few different settings I have ended up with it set up quite different to how I have had it in the past and what a difference it has made

So, my first impression of the tyres, now the suspension has been changed to suit:

Very stable, at all speeds.

Turn/tip in, very precise and nice and quick.

Rate of turn is very linear with no effort required to change line - this one thing makes the tyre feel very secure, really nice .

Feel - more than I've had from the front on any tyre before, almost like normal forks(ish). This may be due to changing the front shock preload though

Grip (dry) seems more than adequate. No moments at all and the tyres have run almost all the way to the edge on the rear with a healthy margin on the front which suggests a good profile match between the front and rear.

I'll see how they go but, so far, I would say they are significantly better than any tyre I have yet tried so it's looking good.

Oh, and they were a good price, £148 fitted

FWIW the suspension settings I ended up with are (80kg rider):

Front - 4 clicks from max

Rear - Edge of adjuster knob on the max line and damping 1/8 turn more than standard setting

36/42 psi

Andres

 

[Steptoe]

I've a rear low profile Azaro on one of my 1150's.
Feels good, considering there's a tourance on the front

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

I've a rear low profile Azaro on one of my 1150's.
Feels good, considering there's a tourance on the front

Yeah, I know, point made, it's all a load of bollox really isn't it - it's fun though this playing with bikes and stuff

Now bugger off back to your Distanzias or what ever it was you were after the other day

Andres

 

[Bertie]

As stated on my previous threads, I love the Avon's, and would not consider changing back to the Anakees I had previously. If I lean any further over, I'll be able to get my elbow down......... I, too, dropped a notch of preload off the front from the standard setting, and the back's on Medium with a turn and a half of damping.....

 

[Peak Rider]

I've had a lot of experience with the Avons and it's been all good. If you are on a standard GS and riding solo with no panniers you could probably drop the tyre presssure a bit and you will get much improved feel, particularly at the rear. Happy to discuss.

[email protected]

 

[Highside]

Questions for the knowledge database.........

First some background......
I'm nearing the first change of rear, have factory fitted Tourances (I think, 2007 R1200GS) at the moment.
I want to go to pure road tyres as I don't have any interest in off road riding.

I'm a muscular (fat) 19 stone and have the settings quite hard because I figure it's like being 2 up!!!

I ride 2 up more often than not and will be heading off with Luggage and 2 up after new rear is fitted.

Qs.....
1 - What tyre(s) should I try?
2 - Any issues using road tyre rear and Tourance front?
3 - What settings/pressures should I be looking at using?

Any other pearls of wisdom very much welcome

Rob

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

If you are on a standard GS and riding solo with no panniers you could probably drop the tyre presssure a bit and you will get much improved feel, particularly at the rear.

Cheers, I'll have a further play at the weekend and see how I get on

Andres

 

[Peter Reilly]

I also wanted Roadsmarts to replace my Battlewings but fitted Avons (Storm/Azaro) as the Roadsmarts will not be out for another 2-3 months according to Dunlop. Have only done 10 miles so far but there is a huge improvement in the ride. My GS has WP Spin suspension front and rear, which is a lot firmer than the standard shocks. The ride with WP and Battlewings is quite harsh but the damping is very controlled and the handling is excellent. I played around with the settings (and there is lots to adjust with spin units on both ends) and concluded that the spring was maybe too stiff and/or I was not skilled enough to get the damping set up right.

The big surprise is that the Avons have immediately made the ride much, much more comfortable. Small bumps are much less noticeable and large bumps are much less harsh. This was a big surprise to me. The bike now feels more like I expected after fitting the WP units.

I am taking the GS to Germany next week and am looking forward to seeing how the Avons will do on a longer trip. My guess is that the Battlewings have much stiffer sidewalls than the Avons but that you don't notice this on the standard soft suspension.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

The big surprise is that the Avons have immediately made the ride much, much more comfortable. Small bumps are much less noticeable and large bumps are much less harsh. This was a big surprise to me. The bike now feels more like I expected after fitting the WP units.

I am taking the GS to Germany next week and am looking forward to seeing how the Avons will do on a longer trip. My guess is that the Battlewings have much stiffer sidewalls than the Avons but that you don't notice this on the standard soft suspension.

Yeah, I'll second that - much smoother and a big surprise to me too (on standard, past it's best, suspension).

Wait 'till you see what they are like at speed on your trip - a big improvement on the Battlewings (not that they were bad)

Andres

 

[Peter Reilly]

I have now done about 1,500 miles on the Avons including a track day. Overall I am very impressed. The handling is much better, very light steering and easy turn in. As menioned above the ride is also a lot better than the Battle wings I had before.

Grip in the dry is excellent. I managed to ground both pegs and the RH engine bar at Brands Hatch despite having stiff WP suspension and therefore more ground clearanve than standard. The tyres got very hot and sticky, more like a sports tyre than a touring tyre.

Intially I didn't like the feel in the wet at all, not confidence inspiring. I did 1,200 miles through France and Germany including some of the wettest weather I have ever ridden in. After a while I realised that 1) the tyres were gripping fine and 2) the 'problem' was that the tyres make the sterring feel very light which I think was giving me the illusion that they weren't gripping. With dual purpose tyres you get constant low-level vibration coming up through the bars which gives an impression of good grip; you don't get this at all with the Storm/Azaros.

Wear looks like it will be OK as well. The mould pimples were still visible on the front after 1200 miles of enthusiatic riding across Europe (I did enjoy triggering the speed cameras in Germany; they take a photo of the front of the bike). After a track evening at Brands, the surface was a little chewed up but I have lost hardly any tread depth.

Overall, I much prefer these to previous tyres (Tourance, Anakee and Battle Wing).

 

[t'other dave]

Interesting reading of how people define how good the new tyres fitted are to the old ones as in rides bumps better , maybe its because you've altered the suspension to a better setting, not that the tyre is better. Also the previous tyres were obviously worn and allthough at the time you felt they were ok (you progressed through the wear with out noticing them go off there best) you now have fitted new tyres with the perfect profile ie not slighty flatted in the middle, the first 500 - 1000 miles on new tyres is sweet handling whatever the make.

 

[Peter Reilly]

I did not alter the suspension setting when I had the tyres changed. I think I am smart enough (just) to recognise that if I had changed the suspension at the same time then the improved ride might not have been down to the tyres.

Regarding the profile, I fail to see how a squared off profile will make a big difference to the ride. Ride quality is more down the the tyre construction and especially sidewall stiffmess. The Bike magazine GS tyre test mentioned how good the ride was with the Avons.

 

[t'other dave]

The profile helps with turn in between how smooth the tyre/bike goes from side to side also with white line tracking, your right carcase construction does help with the way it absorbs bumps and the like but dont for get your old tyre was precisly that, old, so its had 5000 miles to soften up and wear slightly.
Sorry I do not read the bike mags anymore so can not comment I stopped reading them when I realised most writers were just collage grads who got the job because of there writing ability rather than motorcycle knowlage/ridimg skills and one of the bigger publications recommended 1 brand of tyre every test till the manufactor stopped supplying them with tyres f.o.c suddenly these tyres became worse than evil.
Apologies Pete if you thought I sounded like an arse.