Date: 28-03-24  Time: 21:36 pm

Author Topic: Avon storm 3D XM tyres  (Read 1868 times)

Ricky

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Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« on: 23 June 2017, 03:38:34 pm »
Hi having a issue  with the handling with the FZS ,the front feels odd, sorry that is not a correct term but it is hard to describe.
The front feels  like it is moving  about and tram lines to. Feels unstable  and I am rapidly  loosening confidence  in the bike.
I have Hyperpro springs and 10 oil,R6 shock with Luke's setting.
The tyres  are Brigestone 021. They where on the bike when I bought it last year  and where almost  new. I have now done nearly  5000 miles on them and have noticed  the front  is wearing odd,the right side has what feels like a ridge slightly off centre, but the left side seems normal,I know  the 021 have a issue  with the front does any one else have any knowledge of the issue?
I am going  to change  tyres and have seen a offer on line for Avon storm 3D XM for£153 delivered I know  when it comes to tyres every one has some thing to say but the offer ends tomorrow and money is a bit tight at the min.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Dudeofrude

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #1 on: 23 June 2017, 04:11:20 pm »
At the end of it new tyres will always perform better than old one regardless of brand etc. Everyone has their own opinions and preferences to tyres but when money's tight I do the same as you. On my old bike I stuck a set of continental contimotions on simply because they were £119 for both. They performed perfectly fine for what I use the bike for as will 99% of all branded tyres.

These companies spend millions developing tyres so they know what they are on about despite what other people might think.

I say go for it, at that price it doesn't matter if they only last another 5k 🖒

robbo

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #2 on: 23 June 2017, 04:29:11 pm »
If you're on a tight budget Maxxis Supermaxx ST's,endorsed by Chris Walker are under £110 at present.
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PieEater

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #3 on: 23 June 2017, 06:44:17 pm »
I would take the Avons over the Bridgestones any day, more confidence in the bends and longer lasting. They are my tyre of choice though I've not tried others other than Bridgestones as I have been really happy with the Avons and haven't seen the need to change. If you get a puncture on an Avon within the first mm of wear they will replace the tyre for you free of charge.
« Last Edit: 23 June 2017, 06:52:44 pm by PieEater »

AyJay

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #4 on: 23 June 2017, 08:44:44 pm »
Bridgestone 021 and 023 fronts do seem to feel very different when worn to how they feel when they're brand new, and on the Fazer 1000 Gen 1 in particular the steering is affected. When new, the bike seems to bank over quite slowly in a lovely flowing arc, but when worn, it drops on it's side in a flash.


Having said that, they are my preferred tyre. I've been through 27 sets of them on various bikes and although when worn the steering can feel odd, I still find them more confidence inspiring than anything else. Quite possibly, it's my riding style - I'm very heavy on the front brake and steer very quickly and decisively, i.e. I pin it to the ground, flick it in and get back on the throttle immediately. This seems to suit the tyre, I like the fact that it drops onto it's side quickly, so it's not an issue for me.


I've tried all sorts of other makes too, including Avon Storm 3Ds on my ZZR. The Avons were, by a country mile, the worst wet weather tyre. Zero grip. The bike would spin up on 1/4 throttle just crossing a white line on a motorway. Used to scare me witless. Mind, they are a very long lasting tyre.


I could definitely feel the difference in carcass construction going from Avon to Bridgestones though. The Avons have incredibly stiff sidewalls compared to the Bridgestones, I think, which I think makes them more consistent in feel as they wear.


I could be making all this up though!


Whatever you feel is the right tyre is the right tyre for you though. Try a few!

PieEater

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #5 on: 23 June 2017, 10:17:07 pm »

When new, the bike seems to bank over quite slowly in a lovely flowing arc, but when worn, it drops on it's side in a flash.
Precisely why I don't like the Bridgestones they seem reluctant to turn in when you want to corner, seeming to prefer being upright, and when they're worn they don't inspire any confidence. For me Avons are much more neutral, quicker to turn in and happy at whatever angle you want the bike, much more confidence inspiring (~2mm chicken strips on mine). I can't comment on wet weather grip as I don't use my bike in the rain, but I imagine the power a ZZR1400 puts down would be a struggle for most tyres to cope with in wet conditions over white lines. But as you say horses for courses, everyone is different and tyre choice is a pretty personal thing.
« Last Edit: 23 June 2017, 10:18:42 pm by PieEater »

AyJay

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #6 on: 24 June 2017, 12:19:13 am »
Yeah, I understand people who don't like Bridgestones, PieEater, and it is a 'feel' thing. I can chuck it around like no one's business, I have no problem braking hard into bends and it just speaks to me. I totally get it when racers say they have or don't have confidence in the front end, Bridgestones give me that confidence. Pirellis are also a good other option, great in the wet too.


I tell you one thing though, on trackdays, they do seem to overheat and get greasy towards the end of a session. I've had a couple of monumental slides when flat out in third and banked right over, real high-side territory. But then again, I was pushing them bloody hard and they are a sports touring tyre.



As for the ZZR, I've got T30s fitted now and have used BT023s and the are both a league better than the two sets of Avon 3Ds I tried. They don't change in feel as much as they do on the Fazer when they wear either. 


The Avons were fine in the dry, though, even did the Nurburgring on them, but in the wet, jeeezuz. I can't stress enough, it would spin up over white lines with just a hint of throttle in top at 50mph. With the first set, I thought they must be a duff set, but I wore them out anyway (9500 miles, would you believe, mostly commuting) but when the second set were just as bad, I swapped back to Bridgestones and problem solved. It'll take 3/4 throttle in third in the wet no problem (that's about max throttle in second on a Fazer) Go figure...

PieEater

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #7 on: 24 June 2017, 07:46:12 am »

If you're on a tight budget Maxxis Supermaxx ST's,endorsed by Chris Walker are under £110 at present.

Thing is with celebrity endorsements they are generally paid for in one form or another so I wouldn't necessarily base my buying decisions on them. I know that Ron Haslam uses Bridgestone's on his track day bikes and I would trust that he wouldn't want to ruin his business by using a tyre that he didn't have any confidence in but I imagine he will also be getting some kind of kickback for doing so.

robbo

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #8 on: 24 June 2017, 08:11:39 am »
I quite agree about the celebrity endorsements, I mentioned the Maxxis mainly because of their price if on a tight budget, and Walker features in the advertising blurb for the particular model I was referring to. He won't be using them on his outfit that's for sure :lol .
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Ricky

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #9 on: 24 June 2017, 11:53:30 am »
In the MCN the other  week they did a big test on tyres, it is amazing the difference.  They used a Yamaha MT07 tracer and a very experienced rider and loved some and not keen on others. With all the money the tyre manufacturers spend it seems strange when they get it wrong.
The tyre  they love is the Metzeler Roadtec 01 which had a score  of 20 out of 20. Bit more expensive than my budget but my mate has them on his guzzi and he says they are  the best tyres he has ever  had, but we have all heard that before  lol.

robbo

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #10 on: 24 June 2017, 12:45:34 pm »
The Roadtec 01's scored well in MCN tests last year as well as this. At the time I thought if the MCN office get a load of free tyres they're hardly going to slag them off. I decided to go for the 01's this year after speaking to a member of the forum who had given a set a good workout and was happy to renew with the same. A recommendation from someone whose opinion you respect is worth far more to me than all the road tests and adverts etc.
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seangee

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #11 on: 24 June 2017, 09:56:00 pm »
If your front tyres are worn that's normal and they all do it when worn. If they still have plenty of tread it sounds like they are cupped. I'm personally not a fan of 021s and like many love to criticise tyre manufacturers when I have to change a front tyre prematurely.


But if I'm honest its my riding style that kills them. I tend to use only my front brakes. Current job has me doing long distance commuting (180 miles per day) and a lot of that is motorway filtering. When I changed my last pair I still had 3mm in front, 4mm at the rear but the fronts were pretty focced in the same way you describe. When I changed them I needed to replace the front pads but hadn't even broken the factory glaze on the rears. So I decided to consciously use the rear brake (only) for controlling my speed when filtering.


Too early to tell conclusively but after 4k miles the front still feels like the day after I put the new tyres on. Last set was wandering all over the road by 3k. Not saying you need to change the way you ride or that one way is better than the other. I stopped using the rear because of an arhtritic foot. By the time I started getting physio, which has really helped, I had just got out of the habit of using my foot and it had never occured to me to wonder why it was that I was wearing front tyres out quicker than rears.
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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #12 on: 24 June 2017, 11:05:58 pm »
In the MCN the other  week they did a big test on tyres, it is amazing the difference.  They used a Yamaha MT07 tracer and a very experienced rider and loved some and not keen on others. With all the money the tyre manufacturers spend it seems strange when they get it wrong.
The tyre  they love is the Metzeler Roadtec 01 which had a score  of 20 out of 20. Bit more expensive than my budget but my mate has them on his guzzi and he says they are  the best tyres he has ever  had, but we have all heard that before  lol.


Only problem with them tests is the fact they only use 1 bike. The mt07 is an incredibly light bike and also a twin so it power delivery and handling are vastly different to something like a zxr1400
So what may be good for one isn't necessarily good for the other. That's why these forums can be helpful as you get the option of people that actually use the bike in question and almost definitely aren't paid for their opinions haha

Mustang

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Re: Avon storm 3D XM tyres
« Reply #13 on: 25 June 2017, 03:30:16 pm »
I have had a set of these on my other bike, a heavyish BMW R1100S and the front is going as described by the poster. It seems to be wearing worse than the rear mile for mile. Still not had a single moment on them all through the the winter done my ROSPA course and toured the Dales in the pouring rain. However you mates fitted them to his BMW S10000000xrx whatever sports adventure thing and he's spinning the rear up in the wet. Could be the huge difference in power though.

Well the BMW is long gone, I’m on a new set of Avon’s on the FZS, going great. I had the part worn Avon’s off my mate and fitted them to my FZ1, just done Donington Park Monday, very hot day and had no trouble on them, middle of the inters group, just over 2 minute laps.
They do look melted though
« Last Edit: 29 June 2018, 05:03:35 pm by Mustang »