Tire question (Azaro being disco'd)

[bljakkl]

I just ordered a new avon front radial. According to the guy at the shop they are only stocking a few sizes of the av45's which means it's being phased out. Not really my question though.....
My front tire is trashed. Back tire is a Dunlop radial that is no longer made, but in good shape still. Is there going to be a major handling problem between two different brand radials? I did some searching on the forum and mostly heard 'make sure you don't mix radial and bias ply'. But not much info on two different brand radials. Any opinions would be appreciated.

[steves]

Er, you should be fine. Some people contend that you should run mis-match tires but I don't really see the issue so long as they are the same sort of tire.

For instance don't run a touring front with a DOT track rear.

[DClark]

I just ordered a new avon front radial. According to the guy at the shop they are only stocking a few sizes of the av45's which means it's being phased out. Not really my question though.....

Azarros are being discontinued?

[ygolohcysp]

I don't have any specific knowledge of radial tires, but I do know at least the manufacturer's take on why you shouldn't mix and match. The tread of the front tire is specifically designed to "scrub" or "wash" the road before the rear tire gets there. The treads are designed to work together for pushing water out of the way, or sand or gravel.

While I could almost believe that, it seems like a stretch. If the front is doing that, then the front is likely to slide out. Also, if the tread pattern really mattered that much, then the tread would have to be syncronized with the rear, which isn't happening due to differences in diameters.

There may be other reasons why manufacturers suggest staying with the same tires that I'm not aware of.

It may also depend on how you ride. If you're pushing to extremes with speed and lean angles, then it might be worth making sure everything matches. If you're not, you'll probably be fine.

[Wild-Bill]

Offhand, I'd say that ygolohcysp is on the money with the whole front-tire-preps-for-the-rear thing. Seems to me that what they're dancing around is that the front tire--any front tire clears water from the road, providing a mostly cleared track for the rear tire. I suppose it's possible that the rear tire's tread on any matched set is designed to deal with what the front tire in that set leaves behind.

I prefer to stick with matched tires because of traction but not straight-line traction. It's not that I'm out there on the edge, it's that I don't like it when one end slides significantly more than the other in a turn. Make no mistake, even at moderate speeds and lean angles, the tires are sliding a little. So long as it's a gradual onset it's OK and you don't really notice it. When it's sudden or there's a big difference between the front and rear things start getting exciting. That's why I went from Dunlop 491s back to Metzler Lasers on my Interceptor. The Dunlops (matched) would lose grip suddenly. The Metzlers did it gradually, in a very predictable way.

For the record, I haven't had much trouble with any of the tires I've had on a Kat. Pirelli Demons, Metzler Z-6s, Avon somethings or others or--my current favorite, Michellin Pilot 2CTs. The Pirellis wore flat in the middle and needed a lot of effort to start a turn and the 2CTs felt terrific from the first; immediately confidence-inspiring.

[bljakkl]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm looking forward to getting the tire. The front is pretty worn on center and I really shouldn't be riding it. But all I've had for the past 3 years is a 18 hp supermoto (Honda crf230m). Fun in town, but not a long distance bike (but I've done it).
Anyway, I've still put about 700 miles on the Kat because I love the power and comfort. I won't be pushing the bike real hard around corners, but I do lean a little. Mainly I want to point the bike towards the horizon and go.

[DClark]

Just a thought-
I can't remember the last time I saw a Dunlop radial for the 1100. The last time there was a plethora of radial tires for the kat was around 2000, and back then, there was Dunlop, Metzler, Michelin, and Pirelli. I used both Mich (macadams which were junk) and pirelli (which were good).
Avon came out with Azarro around 2002 or so (don't nail on specifics as it has been a while) and while I love the Azarros and find them great on long trips (you'll love them, the bike will love them, they are the best thing since free samples at Costco), I was also saddened to see radial tires disappear for the Kat 1100.
The reason for this long winded post is that I think that rear dunlop on your bike might be pretty $^&#*ing old and regardless of condition (I bet it is less than perfect anyhow) you should replace it. Bite the bullet and get two new Azarro tires while you can.
Believe it or not, I got my '91 Kat 1100 used in '98 with only 4100 miles and it still had the original Metzler bias ply tires. Although they had plenty of tread and looked great, they felt like rocks.

[bljakkl]

Yes, the back tire is about 7 years old. As is the front. I am replacing the front as it is so worn. The rear will be replaced in the next couple of weeks. The bike was non-operational for about 7 years and it was stored in a heated garage. The tires are hard and the rear locks up way to easy under braking, telling me that it's hard and needs to be replaced. But, if the front goes I am toast. So it first, then next payday the rear. If the rear slides, I can control it. The front slides I am in trouble. So, I'm aware that they both need replaced just can'd do it all at once. I'll continue to only ride limited amounts til I have new tires on both ends. Thx for the advice.

[DClark]

Good deal. WHen I replace my tires, I take off one, have shop replace it, then repeat with other wheel, which is in effect what you are doing (Can't remove both wheels at same time w/o bike falling down!).
FWIW, the rear brake on my 1100 (which has azarros) has never been much more than a different place to rest my foot during braking. Has a wooden feel, on and off effect where either it doesn't feel like it is doing anything or else it is locked and skidding along! This is how has been on my other bikes though. My C14 with abs is the first bike where the rear really can work (just slam your foot on the rear brake pedal and let the abs do its magic.
You'll love the Azarros. Oh, while you are waiting to the tires, check the forks to see if they still have the original fluid. The original fluid fluid is horrible stuff, I think it looks like black water.I replaced mine with Redline medium oil, forks work much better, very cheap mod (about $9).
If you are wondering, air pressure for Azarros is same as stock (I emailed them about this).

[bljakkl]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to having both tires brand new and being able to head out for a longer trip.

Bryan