Avon Storm 2 Ultra on an SV?

[chezza]

So, after 15k my Michelin Pilot Road 1's need replacing (puncture forced). Not bad mileage I reckon, mainly commuting and the rear had squared off due to the 70% motorway use, but at £142 for the pair I thought I would get them again.

Ordered them and was then told 3 days later that there would be a 2 week delay. Sadly I can't wait that long as its my only commuter. Anyway, the long and short of it is that I cannot find the PR1's for the same price anywhere and have been offered the Avon Storm 2 Ultra's for the same cost. They are arriving today.

I tried to do some lookups to see how people have found them on sv's but not really found a great deal.

Anybody out there with real world experience with these tyres ?

Cheers
Gav.

[PuggledPrune]

I have them mate, but to be fair that's all I've had. I don't have anything to compare it to.

However in my short experience they have done everything I have asked them to. Commuting including two scottish winters, as well as regular Sunday runs. Can't fault them.

[Red Herring]

If you have managed to get 15k out of a tyre, and 70% of your riding is on a motorway, then just about anything black and round is going to work. Your only concern would be getting something soft and grippy designed for trackdays as that will wear out a whole lot faster, but such tyres tend to be expensive so stick to your budget and you'll be fine.

[chezza]

yeah Im not a nutty rider, enjoy the odd blast so wanted a tyre that is mainly aimed at the commute but able to stick in the dry - Im sure the tyre will outlast my talent !!

[dkid]

Take a look here http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=146219

And here http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=147955


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[chezza]

Cheers Dkid - good links ! eased my mind in the main.

[PyroUK]

I have them, they are my tyre of choice but only used the ones that come as standard before and one other set, think they were bridgestones. I think they are a good tyre, plenty of grip in the dry and wet.

[chezza]

Cheer pyro - I will update the thread with my progress with them. I had the d220 as standard and they were awful !

[Grant66]

Storm ultras are pretty good in my experience. Although I'm comparing then to BT 21's (which was like riding on black banana skins)

[JulesW]

Avon Storm 2 Ultra has been a good winter tyre for me.

[prisspringle]

another thumbs up from me, tho i haven't try'd any others on the sv.

chris

[Nobbylad]

I prefer the RoadSmart II's myself. The Storm 2 Ultras just don't seem as good as their predecessors.

Still a very capable tyre though.

[badbreed]

I've just replaced my Bridgestone 023s with a pair of avon ultra 2 and I must say. Great tires.
I had no confidence in my 023s and felt every time I lent over o would lose the back end.
Avon ultras had been fully scrubbed in after 30 miles of fast twisty roads.
After getting them fitted I left the fitters and the heavens opened. Oh great new tires and a wet greasy road.
No problem for the avons.
They get my vote.

[chezza]

Cheers for the replies guys. Being fitted today so looking forward to trying them.

Oh, I assume the title was changed by the mods for something a bit more meaningful ?

[badbreed]

How much is it costing you to have them fitted.
I just got the garage to supply and fit a fair for £183 which I thought was pretty good.

[chezza]

Pretty much the same price. Had a good weekend on them, nicely scrubbed in now. Not sure on them though.

Grip is fine no problems there at all but the front doesn't feel as positive as the michi's did. But I was running on square tyres for ages so it may be a case of me not used to round tyres.

The bike rolls into corners ok but jut doesn't feel as sharp. We'll see how it goes.

[mep]

I too have them. There were on my bike when I bought it and. So far so good. They seem to last for ages too.

[chezza]

So - final Avon update from me. I have managed to get 19k out of the front and rear this time round on the storm ultra 2's with 1.5mm to the wear marker on both. The riding to be fair has been mainly commuting with very little scratching around which is a shame. All said though very good mileage in deed for a £142 set of tyres.


Wet Performance:
Whilst I got outstanding mileage on these tyres I was never convinced in the wet, they would spin easily if the taps were opened a little and never really felt planted like my old PR1's did so confidence was never really there.


Dry Performance:
This is where I had no issues with the tyre, once I got used to the round profile again the tyres felt great. Loads of grip for my talent level (just out of stabilisers). Seemed to turn in nice and sharp and gave good feedback through the turn.


Where Next:
Well, I did look to try these again as the mileage is enormous for a commuter but the wet weather performance was always in the back of my mind, not only that couldn't find them for cheap again. So I have instead decided to try the PR3's for £160 a set. Lets see how I get on with those.

Cheers
Gav

[Bibio]

how the fek are people getting such high mileage out of tyres. you must be riding like a granny on smack. i'm lucky if i see 6k.

[andrewsmith]

how the fek are people getting such high mileage out of tyres. you must be riding like a granny on smack. i'm lucky if i see 6k.
Try 3k but I'm trying to lay black lines out of corners

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[DJ123]

Try 3k but I'm trying to lay black lines out of corners

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I guess you are using a super soft track tyre to get that low mileage?

[PyroUK]

I have yet to make it a full 12 months on a single set of tyres.

Either through misfortune or changing bikes.

I have no idea what a reasonable mileage is to get out of tyres lol.

Not gonna change soon either, I'm running M7RR's on my current bike, got them last summer and they'll be changed again soon as they have now done 2 track days and a 3rd will probably see them off, or at least beyond what I would want to keep putting them through with no tyre warmers.

[The Idle Biker]

Try 3k but I'm trying to lay black lines out of corners

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LMFAO :rolleyes: X

[andrewsmith]

I guess you are using a super soft track tyre to get that low mileage?
Michelin pr3 lol

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[chezza]

yeah no real fast riding for me during this set of tyres, no tours in France was just straight commuting which was rather dull... the shoulders on the tyres look new !

So yep, Grannie riding for me lol -

[aesmith]

If you have managed to get 15k out of a tyre, and 70% of your riding is on a motorway, then just about anything black and round is going to work.
Not sure I agree with that. High mileage commuters tend to ride in worse weather, and at busier times than people who just ride for pleasure. I would put wet grip high on my wish list, and for example the Metzlers that I had before were rotten, even a granny type rider finding that the rear would easily spin when exiting a wet roundabout, or even one just from opening the throttle at 50mph or so in a straight line.

[Red ones]

I think that's a little simplistic.
M probably going to get 15,000 miles out of my BT021 set. I've run Metz X6, D 220 and PR2 before for 10,000+ miles.

To do that you do need grip in the cold and wet. Despite their reputation the D220 isn't a bad tyre. It drops off fast in the cold, but so did the Z6.
If not yet had a tyre on a SV that you couldn't spin up on a cold wet day even at 60 mph on the motorway. (I don't advise it kids, I never meant to do it with any of them but I did it with all of them!)

Never tried Avon, but I've liked the BT021. They're not like the BT dual compounds of 10-15 years ago; they wear more evenly and have more grip on the edges in colder weather.

I'd agree high mileage commuting does need some reliable rubber that doesn't fill your pants with adrenaline every time you go out in the rain at 2C

[aesmith]

That's interesting about wheelspin. I never once span the rear on the CBR600 using earlier Metzlers, but have done so a few times on the less powerful SV.

[Corny Gizmo]

That's interesting about wheelspin. I never once span the rear on the CBR600 using earlier Metzlers, but have done so a few times on the less powerful SV.

Torque. ;)

[Jamesreabrookes]

I just got a pilot power 2CT front for mine as old was showing signs of cracking so have front and rear matching now.
Ordered form Germany on line arrived within 2 days - pretty impressive and cheapest price i could find as well

[yorkie_chris]

Torque. ;)

Torque, less anodyne power delivery and worse rear suspension!

You would be amazed how much a decent rear shock improves grip and tyre life. Not so valid for the OP like! I still never managed to get anywhere near that mileage.

[chezza]

PR3 Update:

So, 1 week in (250 miles) with the new PR3's (£160 from Tyreleader) and the difference to the AV2's is incredible - the wet/damp grip is way ahead of any of my previous tyres. From the riding I have done so far they haven't stepped out of line at all:


roundabouts = no movement
on the gas when entering motorways = no spin
heavy braking in the wet = no squirming.... just brilliant


Granted I am no knee down road warrior, certainly not in this weather but the confidence these tyres inspire to me really helps to make the ride 100% more relaxing and actually allows more concentration time to put towards seeing what other cars/bikes/lorries/cycles are doing.


Highly recommend these tyres to anyone for grip - as to longevity, well we will see. The 19k from the AV2's will be hard to beat and I can only imagine the compound on the PR3's to be softer with the grip they are providing. I will report back when I have to change them.

[yorkie_chris]

I seem to remember Baph getting loads of miles from PR2... though he'd definitely "had his moneys worth" out of them lol