Topic: Avon tires today

[HondaMan]

I bought some Avon speedmasters a few years ago.  They were 19' tires for a harley chopper.  Within two years they were cracking.  I now almost always use Shinko.

Yep, there was a period recently when their tires were cracking, when young. This was the main reason they also moved out of England: there, the government would not let them use the chemicals required to make the rubber stable and long-lived with high traction, and the result was tires dying with cracked tread layers, quickly. I had one of those, too. Scuttlebutt says France simply offered to let them [continue to] employ the needed chemicals, and Avon closed up to move there, instead. I doff my cap to them for it: moving to another country simply to be able to make correct quality rubber deserves mention - like from the mountaintops - and loyalty, if they can get the carcasses back on track again.

[crashmaster]

I have Avon Cobra Chrome tires on my Harley, and I really like them. I've bought a ton of Avon tires over the years. Hope they are still good!
Flyin' - that bike is too pretty to ride! Wow!!

[Stev-o]

I bought some Avon speedmasters a few years ago.  They were 19' tires for a harley chopper.  Within two years they were cracking.  I now almost always use Shinko.

Yep, there was a period recently when their tires were cracking, when young.

Yes, this was a big issue years ago, I remember finding out about it just after I bought a set.  But I never had the cracking issue and still have Avons on my Z1.

Many forums, including this one, have threads about it going back 17 years...

https://www.google.com/search?q=Avon+roadriders+cracking&newwindow=1&sca_esv=bb8d476e17d32f17&rlz=1C1RXMK_enUS1184US1185&sxsrf=AE3TifMClnSS4Gf9lfpFFM_FWV25bhXD5w%3A1764610021310&ei=5c8tacTWEpKvqtsP1aTXsQM&ved=0ahUKEwiE3fLL9JyRAxWSl2oFHVXSNTYQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=Avon+roadriders+cracking&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[HondaMan]

I bought my current rear one when all that "cracking" was on the 'net, but mine has been fine, too. I had bought the front one just before all that, it's never suffered, either. I suspect the ones I happened to get were sitting in some warehouse from a time when they were OK? I often get strange looks from the dealer where I buy my tires: he's never stocked any Avons (always much cheaper tires), says they are too expensive. They do cost more, but I've had such long life and solid traction from them for so long I haven't wanted to use any others.