best tires for a commando

Status
Not open for further replies.

cbacejr

Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
36
I'm replacing both tires on my bike and was thinking about running K81s front and rear. Is that the way to go or is there a better setup?
 
I put TT100s on when I first put my 850 together. Switched to Avon AM26 once the Dunlops wore out. Modern tread, much less susceptible to tar snakes and drawbridge gratings. That groove running down the center of the Dunlop loves to follow any line in the road, or catches on the grating of a drawbridge like a train wheel to a track - very disconcerting the first few times it happens, and never really gets comfortable.

I run 100/90 - 19 front and rear. Some go 90/90 front

When I ran the K81s, they were 4.10-19 front and rear
 
I have just ordered my third set of Avon Road Riders

straps and damn expensive Metzler tubes
 
If you ride hard and love cornering hard then go for the Avon Road Riders, they will out grip the old style K81s any day and handle just as good in the wet.

Ashley
 
Avons for me too. Just had my wheels rebuilt to have the correct 2.5" rims for their 19" front and 18" rear Roadriders on my Commando. I now run 19/18 Roadriders on the Vincent as well.
 
Torontonian said:
AM 26 :arrow: Never go back !
Click to expand...

'You see the recurring theme here? I went from stock K81s, then Dunlop Sport Elites, and now Avons. Yep; do it!
 
I will vouch for the AM-26 Avon’s. These are great tires. I use 100/90-19" Front and Back with WM-4 Rims on my 74 850 Interstate. The tire is spec for that width.
These are very stable and tracks well. I run my pressures @ 34-36#. The rear always wears out first so I switch the front to the rear and put a new skin on the front. So (bonus) only one new tire per season. If you need to get the period look then the K81’s will get you the points but if you are into riding the bike then the Avon’s have the edge. I will concur that the Avon’s work well in the rain. I got caught a couple of times (not liking it mind you) in a good downpour two hours from home. I hate cleaning my bike. :cry:
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
I really like the knife edge the K81's give when twisting the back roads but forgetaboutit when it comes to rain grooves in the pavement on the freeways.
I just put on a set of k81's.
I'll be trying the Avons next time I think.
 
The ones I've perked up on handling reports have mentioned Battleax more than once. Would take some pressing to beat Avons listed but do note the cracking apart thread recently posted by more than one. Fullauto says he likes 110 on both ends best and so do I after experimenting years on various combos. if rear spins to easy d/t hopped up engine then try 120 with a slight sense of running in boots till hi throttle play over come inertia and traction matters more. I find Cdos with good air balance ff/rr are light to steer so like the brake patch way bettor of 110 than any steering ease of smaller.
 
hobot said:
The ones I've perked up on handling reports have mentioned Battleax more than once. Would take some pressing to beat Avons listed but do note the cracking apart thread recently posted by more than one. Fullauto says he likes 110 on both ends best and so do I after experimenting years on various combos. if rear spins to easy d/t hopped up engine then try 120 with a slight sense of running in boots till hi throttle play over come inertia and traction matters more. I find Cdos with good air balance ff/rr are light to steer so like the brake patch way bettor of 110 than any steering ease of smaller.
Click to expand...
It was Fullauto who got me to change to the WM-4 rim in 19 inch rim size. I don't know if you can get 110 or 120's in 19" rim size? "Edit" Just checked the website and you need to change rim size. I have never experienced the cracking issue as of yet. I try to keep the tire manufacture date within the 5-year mark.
Tom
CNN
 
I run K-81's on my 850 with the skinny, stock 19" steel WM2 rims. They stick just fine. The Japanese rubber on them is probably better than the original when they were considered "the cat's nuts" back in the day. I can't speak for Road Riders but I had tried Avon Super Venom's when they were around as a road tire. They stuck real good but it was hard to get the bead seated evenly all the way around. Again this was on skinny-ass stock wheels and don't know if the new Road Riders would have the same issues on them. Also had premature weather cracking with the Avon tires. Don't know what wheels you're running but if the originals, I'd consider the K 81's in 4.10x19.
 
Ya know we should all pitch in for a few rim sizes and tire sizes to pass around for personal tastes and general consensus. To me only thing that matters on my plain Trixie is they hold air for the ride and front brake grip as pressing traction on un-tamed Cdo's ain't fun to me. Try google seach BT45's accessnorton Commando as the pilots said things that made me nod in recognition more that other tires. I'm more concerned with Peel's deal and amazed that she got better predicable grip control the harder aired, ie: rounder peakier profiles I tired till go too rough to get home on. Also considered the wider rim extra mass so decided to stick with stock size rims first go around. For non thrilling routine holiday like commutes I'd fit widest rear for the mileage, especially the center. One neat thing on good roads on hi air tires is the isolastics work better.

best tires for a commando


BT45's in here
tires-t1110-15.html
avon-roadrider-am26-tire-90v18-t11568.html
 
hobot said:
Ya know we should all pitch in for a few rim sizes and tire sizes to pass around for personal tastes and general consensus.
Click to expand...
That's true, there are a lot of different rim sizes people are using which open up the practical tire search a lot. The choices for myself and others with stock rims are what, two? three?
 
Avon RoadRiders work really well. Bike steers straight, no white lining and good grip. The rolling chassis has been blueprinted. Downside is 3 - 4,000 miles/rear - but it goes with the grippy compound. With wear on the front the forks can go into a wobble hands off but only at about 30mph, no bother at other speeds. As the rear wears it can white line a bit but no problem even in the wet. As Eddie has done I've got 2.5in ally rims as recommended by Avon but 19" dia front and back, 100/90 as in my photo. Been riding in parts of the beautiful Shropshire hills testing the bike. Great scenery and empty roads - half hour from the door :D . The lightweight crank (for anyone who's interested) is definitely different to standard. Not as good plodding through slow traffic but definitely revs quicker especially noticeable at about 3,000 plus and the bike is super smooth at 5,000 plus.
 
Hm neat so flywheel choice summary is optimality for plodding city commutes/off roading lugging or tossing cares to the wind, hm... I wonder if lighter fly wheel would make power pulses more prone to tire break free, especially on leans.
 
Downshifting , a bit lighter stops it locking up the rear tyre , or dragging it more correctly .
Tecnically to light and itll lock up too , on the overun / downshifting .

Throttle set no idle for better engine brakeing .

Stocks a little heavy for playing Mario Andretti . High Tensile rims are THINNER , thus LIGHTER .
If such things still exist with the wonders of modern tecnology .

The wider rims would help wear the sides of the tyres , if you wear the ends of the footrests .
Would also increase clearance banked , being fatter at the sides . WM 3 F & 4 R . unless
youre running scrawney tyres such as a 3.00 19 Front . Then in snow or gravel , thinners better .
 
BillT said:
I put TT100s on when I first put my 850 together. Switched to Avon AM26 once the Dunlops wore out. Modern tread, much less susceptible to tar snakes and drawbridge gratings. That groove running down the center of the Dunlop loves to follow any line in the road, or catches on the grating of a drawbridge like a train wheel to a track - very disconcerting the first few times it happens, and never really gets comfortable.

I run 100/90 - 19 front and rear. Some go 90/90 front

When I ran the K81s, they were 4.10-19 front and rear
Click to expand...


I'm looking at buying the Avon AM26 100/90 - 19's for my 73' 850 Commando... you still a fan of this tire? Thanks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top