Avon Roadrider cracking Again

[pete]

Only just started reading this thread . Sorry .
Just checked the Avons on my '77 GS750E and sure enough , the rear is "cracked" (more like SPLIT) . The tread has long splits going around the tyre (down in the grooves) . Scary stuff .
I'm fairly careful with checking pressures so that's not an issue .
$hit tyres that I'll never buy again . Pity , because they felt very planted , wet or dry .
Bring back the Spitfire II's please .

Cheers , Simon .

Bugger Simon! I was hoping this was a US thing, but I guess not...

[simon kuether]

Only just started reading this thread . Sorry .
Just checked the Avons on my '77 GS750E and sure enough , the rear is "cracked" (more like SPLIT) . The tread has long splits going around the tyre (down in the grooves) . Scary stuff .
I'm fairly careful with checking pressures so that's not an issue .
$hit tyres that I'll never buy again . Pity , because they felt very planted , wet or dry .
Bring back the Spitfire II's please .

Cheers , Simon .

[Griffin]

OK. Chapter...2. I got the new RR from Denis Kirk in the mail and now mounted on the Bike. She did in fact send me a pre-paid UPS return label to send the defective one back. We'll see if I get any money back.....Dont know how many miles Ill be able to get on it as my summer "fun time" is limited. And then it will start snowing again.....

Ahh...bellying back up to the bar after the "bad night out" I see...

I'm sure you'll watch your new tire like a hawk and keep us posted on what happens with your refund.

The fact that a tire develops cracks within a year or two, and is not deemed to be a "factory quality defect", hence a pro-rated warranty just isn't right though, IMHO.

[bonanzadave]

OK. Chapter...2. I got the new RR from Denis Kirk in the mail and now mounted on the Bike. She did in fact send me a pre-paid UPS return label to send the defective one back. We'll see if I get any money back.....Dont know how many miles Ill be able to get on it as my summer "fun time" is limited. And then it will start snowing again.....

[Dogma]

I'm about to replace a RR on the rear of my 1000. No troubles from it, other than a little bit of sawtooth in the last couple 1000 miles.

[posplayr]

Sh!t !! Whatcha gonna do Chef ? I just bit the bullet at Dennis Kirk and as much as I hate to say it .....I ordered another Road Rider . I know....gluten for punishment . If it were anywhere but DK I woulda opted out of the Avon but being as they are so close to me and they waved the shipping, including the shipping for bad tire going back, and the DK rep actually went to the warehouse and hand picked the newest RR they had (4510). Ive been riding a 7 mile windy road back and forth to work and the RRs feel great. Yes even the defective back tire. Today I had to do the 7 miles home in the pouring rain. RRs stuck like glue.

Oh yea....I also got a set of EBC Organic Kevlar® Brake Pads from DK

Yea I was kinda shocked when I saw that. The bulk of the miles on those tires are the one way trip Bill made to Baco to Reno last year. 1K Miles is probably even a streach

[bonanzadave]

You trying to reconvert me back the the RRs?

Lets let the future be the judge... Ill keep ya posted

[tkent02]

. Today I had to do the 7 miles home in the pouring rain. RRs stuck like glue.

You trying to reconvert me back the the RRs?

[bonanzadave]

was looking at Chef1366's Avon RR's, he has deep splits in the tires. They are maybe 2 years old with 1000 miles.

Sh!t !! Whatcha gonna do Chef ? I just bit the bullet at Dennis Kirk and as much as I hate to say it .....I ordered another Road Rider . I know....gluten for punishment . If it were anywhere but DK I woulda opted out of the Avon but being as they are so close to me and they waved the shipping, including the shipping for bad tire going back, and the DK rep actually went to the warehouse and hand picked the newest RR they had (4510). Ive been riding a 7 mile windy road back and forth to work and the RRs feel great. Yes even the defective back tire. Today I had to do the 7 miles home in the pouring rain. RRs stuck like glue.

Oh yea....I also got a set of EBC Organic Kevlar® Brake Pads from DK

[posplayr]

was looking at Chef1366's Avon RR's, he has deep splits in the tires. They are maybe 2 years old with 1000 miles.

[bonanzadave]

Dear Dave,
If you have what you believe is a defective tire you should take it back (if possible) to the place you bought the tire, have the dealer examine it and if it is a warranty with less than 50% wear the dealer will call their distributor for replacement. If it is more than 50% worn the tire will be prorated. Very sorry you have experienced an issue with your tire.

Best regards,

Sukoshi Fahey (Ms.)


Avon Motorcycle Tyres North America
4600 Prosper Dr. Stow, OH 44224
800-624-7470 x 3135 www.avonmoto.com

[themess]

I don't think it is too much of a leap to infer that given your serious concerns about Avon RR's and that beyond just "not buying anymore", you would urge replacement of any RR (not just at end of life) regardless of the outward appearance of the RR tire.

Given your background and understanding of the field, your stated lack of confidence in the Avon product (based on an apparent corporate failing to institute appropriate quality control), it certainly sounds like you "should be" urging the immediate replacement of any Avon tire products.

Is that true?

To be consistent, yes, I should be. But I'm not completely consistent. It is a matter of balancing unnquantifiable risks against known costs.

For Road Riders, yes. I would buy other tires immediatly or very soon. For other Avon tires, already in use and in apparently excellent condition, I would continue to use, but replace with another company's tire, and do so earlier than usual. And I would send Avon a letter explaining why.

[posplayr]

If I'm not mistaken, there was another thread on RRs with cracks, which had several other instances.

I worked a long time in quality assurance. An organization never ignores quality problems in just one area. If RRs crack, there are (or will be) other problems that we won't know about, because those problems aren't visible.

This was more than one bad batch of rubber (and I know rubber mixing very well.) This was a bad recipe, plus a lack of design quality control. plus an inadequate system for responding to field complaints. My recommendation: Neve buy Avon tires.

I don't think it is too much of a leap to infer that given your serious concerns about Avon RR's and that beyond just "not buying anymore", you would urge replacement of any RR (not just at end of life) regardless of the outward appearance of the RR tire.

Given your background and understanding of the field, your stated lack of confidence in the Avon product (based on an apparent corporate failing to institute appropriate quality control), it certainly sounds like you "should be" urging the immediate replacement of any Avon tire products.

Is that true?

[posplayr]

Your odds may be right but I really doubt Pirelli or Bridgestone or even Shinko has a failure rate anywhere close to 10%. As for replacement, I had one replaced only to fail again. I don't think they are entirely unsafe, but I wasn't about to take off on a high mileage trip with them.

Confidence is so paramount to our endeavor, I don't want to think about whether my rear tire is going to rupture do to a defect, especially with so few miles.

Twice burned I see your point; I'm just batting better odds makeing me more complacent. Truth be told I probably will never buy anymore RR's either as I will only be running radial on my GS1100ED and GSXR1100G. The GS750 seems fine and will hoepfully be gone before needing any more tires.

So you have maybe a 1 in 10 chance of getting a bad tire; it is up to personal risk tolerance (risk of replacement not risk of crashing) . I dont think anyone has had a failure have they?

Your odds may be right but I really doubt Pirelli or Bridgestone or even Shinko has a failure rate anywhere close to 10%. As for replacement, I had one replaced only to fail again. I don't think they are entirely unsafe, but I wasn't about to take off on a high mileage trip with them.

Confidence is so paramount to our endeavor, I don't want to think about whether my rear tire is going to rupture do to a defect, especially with so few miles.