Front tire suggestions for chip seal sandpaper roads

[Valkorado]

I have an Avon Cobra on the front, and really like the tire and ride at 40 PSI when combined with the Austone Taxi Tire on back.  Problem is, the rural area I live in is exclusively chip seal roads, which acts like sandpaper on soft bike tires.  At right around 10k, the Cobra is near the wear bar at the center, and at $185-ish a pop Avons are painful for me to purchase.  As Murphy's Law would have it, we are planning a trip to the Jackson Hole, WY area later this month.  Any suggestions on a front tire that handles well and is either a longer lasting (preferred) or less expensive than the Cobra?  Good handling is a must; if I can't find a tire that feels similar to the Cobra, I'll probably just bite the bullet and order another of those.

[0leman]

Some have had success in putting a rear tire on the front.  More tread, longer lasting.   I haven't tried it yet, maybe next tire.  I am getting around 10K on a d404 front tire with chip coated roads.  I feel that it handles pretty good and no cupping.  Paid $110 for the tire delivered 3 weeks ago..  Just a thought.

[98valk]

many threads on this board, search is your friend  
a rear tire in the front is the way to go. I use a Conti-go, very happy with it. some threads.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,12541.40.html

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,975.msg13576.html#msg13

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,36508.0.html

[Valkorado]

Thanks guys, I will research that.  CA, did you have to set up the Conti-Go to run backwards like I have read elsewhere?

[R J]

The buzz around motor shops is if ya run a rear tire on da front, make the arrow go backwards.

In other words, reverse it on the wheel when ya install the tire.

Our 1st Harleys on the CHP, ran the same tire front and rear.    Front was always mounted backwards on them, that is if it had an arrow.

Later in life we got new motors who ran different tires on each end.

The 1st motors had Good-Year tires, the ones with the diamond in the center of the tread.

This is the tread I'm referring to:

[98valk]

Thanks guys, I will research that.  CA, did you have to set up the Conti-Go to run backwards like I have read elsewhere?

yes I did and the tread pattern then was in the same direction as the metzel tread pattern it replaced.