Looking for AVON RoadRider MK2 Tires in USA
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What am I supposed to do with this information?
marshg246
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The 120/90-18 are available: https://www.motosport.com/avon-tire-roadrider-mkii-frontrear-tire?variant[AVN1WU1]=AVN1WU1-X001-Y012
and here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Avon-Roa...arch&sid=35cd42a5-ee42-4517-9d69-7a62823e5bf4
The 100/90-18 are available: https://a.co/d/crDW86W
Normally MotoSport has both.
Surprised that you need 18 in front - a lot of people switch to 18 rear and keep 19 front.
and here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Avon-Roa...arch&sid=35cd42a5-ee42-4517-9d69-7a62823e5bf4
The 100/90-18 are available: https://a.co/d/crDW86W
Normally MotoSport has both.
Surprised that you need 18 in front - a lot of people switch to 18 rear and keep 19 front.
marshg246
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Generally, since most Triumphs have 19" at the front aa do Nortons - so, the 19" fronts are more available. By the same token since most Triumphs have 18" at the rear, the 18" rears are more available. There were/are many more Triumphs than Nortons.
When I've bought from Motosport, Amazon or Walmart, they were always less than 18 months old and usually less than 12 months old. You can easily call MotoSport and ask them. I don't know who the Amazon seller is.
If you go with 100/90-19 MotoSport has them in stock. They also have 90/90-18.
BTW, you didn't say which bike. The early Commandos need smaller tires.
Thank you for the reply.
It's for a Dresda: https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/dresda.40145/
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Tyre size affects the trail. The bigger front wheel should make the bike more nimble, and when combined with the smaller rear wheel, the centre point between understeer and oversteer when the bike is gassed should be more towards oversteer - With slightly more trail, you might not have to countersteer so much when tipping into corners. On most motorcycles, when you accelerate and the rear goes down, they tend to stop running wide. It is the reason it is usually better to accelerate when in corners. With less trail, the bike usually tends to take on more lean, so you tend to ride slower. You cannot use a lot of power at high angles of lean, unless you have super tyres. If the bike stays more upright and oversteers in corners when you gas it, you can really give it the berries, even when you have shit tyres. Do everything slowly until you get faster.
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On the Suzuki RG250 two-stroke road bikes, the first model had an 18 inch rear wheel in the back, and a 17 inch in the front. The next model had 17 inch front and back. It gave the second model one half of a degree more trail - less understeer when gassed. A TZ350 Yamaha with 18 inch wheels front and back has 26 degree rake and probably 100mm of trail. - Neutral when gassed in a corner, so less high-sides. With the change in rear wheel size the RG250 Suzuki went from 25.5 degree rake to 26 degree rake. A Commando probably has more yoke offset which reduces the trail a bit more.
o0norton0o
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robs ss
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But if you're careful in tire selection a bigger or smaller front wheel does not necessarily mean a change in rolling diameter - so, no change in geometry. Similar care about rim width would mean little change in contact patch too.
AI - paahhh!
AI - paahhh!
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marshg246
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A team of special forces could not get me in a Walmart store, but a while back I was looking for three Shorai batteries. I always check Amazon and they had them for $209 which was the lowest I had found. Walmart.com popped up and at $179 for the same batteries and with the free, quick delivery without being a member. So, I now check Walmart.
I think (no proof) that all Avon motorcycle tires in the US come from the same warehouse and the sellers keep zero to small stock. If you look different days each of the three I currently check may or may not have stock. The last pair I bought came from Walmart.com not because of price but because they had both in stock. The date codes were 8 and 11 months old if I remember right.
BTW, often but not always the Amazon Avon tires are actually sold by MotoSport.com - that's how I found MotoSport.com
marshg246
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Not according to Avon: https://www.avontyres.com/en-us/tyres/roadrider-mkii They even have them in two speed ratings (H and V) H is all a Commando needs.
Who told you they were discontinued?
Avid Cycle, which is the Amazon seller cited previously in this thread said that size was discontinued. When I searched on Ebay none of the Avon dealers had this size either; in fact, no one has this size anywhere in the USA.
Maybe Avon did not update their site?
marshg246
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As I said in my post #4, Amazon had/has them. They had 7 when I wrote that, and they have 4 right now. Apex is not listed as the seller, Avon Tire is so my assumption is that they are straight from the US Avon distributor.
So, they are available in the US.
There are several sellers on eBay who have them but they are from France and the UK.
If I ran Avon (actually Goodyear), I would have dropped 18" front tires long ago - personally I know of no Triumph or Norton likely to be on the road that ever left the factory with them on the front. I'm sure there were some, I just don't know about them.
Every time I've written Avon for info, they answered: https://www.avontyres.com/en-us/contact/
Late last year I once again tried to clear up the confusion and was answered by the
Manager Motorcycle Sales & Marketing North America
Who said: "We stopped producing vintage race tires, but still make the street RoadRider MKII Universal 100/90-19* 57V and other RoadRider MKII. One of our distributors, Turn 14, has these in stock. Please find a local dealer who can purchase from them." And he included the 2024 tire lineup.
They actually have a robust lineup of motorcycle tires.
The .pdf document he sent is too big to post here. If anyone wants it email me.
We ordered from that very same Amazon page, then we called them and they told us they didn't update their Amazon page and they are discontinued.
I don't know what else to tell you.
PS i'm sure the 90/90x18 will be just fine.
marshg246
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OK, since their web site is not working, and they told you they can't fill the orders Amazon is willing to accept (no problem checking out with them - just did) and then cancelled the sale) I've reported them to Amazon - we'll see if they are even real.
I've also written my Avon contact - once I know one way or the other I'll report back.
Fast Eddie
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The 90/90 has about an inch less diameter than the 100/90.
So you’ll lose about half and inch of ride height. This will steepen the rake angle and make it turn a bit quicker, as will the smaller diameter.
It’s also a lot narrower, which again will quicken the turn in etc.
But the effect will be small and I doubt you’ll notice much difference on the street.
An inch smaller and and a chunk narrower will be noticeable visually though, it will detract from the aesthetics somewhat.
robs ss
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@_V_ , this is a couple of years old but may help...
...here is a spreadsheet I made a couple of years ago comparing suitable tyres (front & rear) The light grey is what I had and the darker grey is what I moved to.
It is worth noting that some makers sizing is misleading so charts should be looked at, particularly WRT rear swingarm clearance.
Cheers (again)
It is worth noting that some makers sizing is misleading so charts should be looked at, particularly WRT rear swingarm clearance.
Cheers (again)
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