Tires Question, and yes I searched first. . .

[Kunkies]

. . . I have had a high mileage spring/summer.  It is time to replace my 3rd set of tires.  My first tire replacement was the Dunlop Elite III's; long lasting yet not so good on traction, noisy.  Now, I have the Avon Cobra AV71/72 front/back.  I love the Cobras; didn't last long yet superior traction even in wet conditions.  I was going to pull the trigger on Metzler ME880's due to all the positive feedback here, yet they have been replaced with the ME888 (high mileage) and I'm trying to avoid another Dunlop Elite III experience.

[I feel a long thread coming on] Can someone who has tried both the Avon Cobras AND ME888's chime in on the differences between the two?  Any feedback would be appreciated.  I'll be pulling the trigger on new tires in about 1-2 weeks. 

Thanks in advance for your input,

-Bob

 

[F6Dave]

I've tried both.  In fact, with well over a quarter million miles on my 2 Valkyries I've mounted over 50 tires.

The Metzeler is a very good tire, but in my experience won't last as long as the Avons.  With the Cobras I get about 12K from a rear, but less than 10K with the Metzelers.  The Avon front lasts far longer.  I just changed one on my '99 Interstate and it had over 19K miles.  The Metzeler doesn't come close to that.

I tried the Bridgestones several years ago and they were good but pretty noisy.  Their mileage was similar to the Metzelers.

I gave up on Dunlop when my '98 Tourer was new.  There was a bad batch of the OEM D206 Dunlops with belts that delaminated, creating a bulge in the tread.  It was so common that MCN ran an article on the problem.  It happened to me and I had to limp home 30 miles at a walking pace.  When I called Dunlop's customer service they said they'd make a note of it, and hung up.  I changed brands after that.

[98valk]

I have a Conti-go rear tire on front, installed backwards
getting close to 19k on it, still plenty to go.
Excellent grip all weather.
Quad-boss sealant/balancer installed.

E3 on rear, getting close to 20k on it, might get 21k.
zero problems with traction, excellent grip all weather.
ceramic beads installed.

tar snakes? only spiked tires work.

[falconbrother]

I can't seem to get much out of a rear tire.  Of course, I can't stay out of the throttle.  Running a new set of Cobras and the rear is already squaring off.  Dang..  Really would like a rear tire that goes farther. 

[Six-Cylinder Hooligan]

What pressure are you running in that rear Cobra?? I run 45psi in mine on an '00 I/S. I'm getting 11-12k miles per tire & I use the throttle A LOT.

Cheers!
-Art

[Lyle Laun]

I ran Dunlops, good mileage but horrible everything else. Went to Cobras, loved them but poor mileage. Went to Metzeler 888's and they are as good as the Cobras but get about 50% more miles out of them.
I will be staying with the 888’s

Lyle

[h13man]

I can't seem to get much out of a rear tire.  Of course, I can't stay out of the throttle.  Running a new set of Cobras and the rear is already squaring off.  Dang..  Really would like a rear tire that goes farther. 

I'm running a Cobra on the rear and its wearing fast. Expecting 9,000 mi. maybe. I ran Exedras before and got 11,200 mi. running 38 psi (under inflated by my shops observation). I will go back to the Exedras but they are noisy @ 55-60 mph. range. Front has 14,000 with a 1,000 mi. left.

[davit]

I can't comment on the differences between the two tires, but would suggest, if you're not already, trying one of the dynamic balancing methods such as Dynabeads or Ride-On.  They will keep the tires balanced as the wear, and at least in the case of Ride-On, cooler.

Also think about your downshifting technique.  If clutch re-engagement is not perfectly smooth, it will exacerbate wear and "squaring off" of the rear.  I believe there is something in Shop Talk discussing this.

[clanky]

I too gave up on the Dunlops or any of the "high mileage" tires because they don't grip.  I run on AVON Cobra tires now and yes they don't get great mileage but they grip the road much better and if you've ever had to slam on the brakes you'll appreciate the grip over less mileage.  Our Valks don't have ABS so technique will have to play into stopping quickly, but without good grippy tires it's all moot.
I tested the new BMW 6 cyl tourer to find out how ABS works.  On my 6th "hard stop" I finally got the ABS to kick in( only on the rear tire) .  I realized that prior to the ABS kicking in, I was stopping so much faster than on my Valkyrie, there must be something about the tires that are contributing to a very quick stop.  That's when I bought my first AVON Cobra tires and don't plan on changing.  They are quiet and grip well.  I think of them as my Loreal component in that I'm worth spending more bucks on tires.  My 2 cents worth.

[msb]

Amazing how different riders' experiences with the same tires can vary so greatly...there's a lot to be said about discussions on riding techniques, air pressure, and also road conditions/surfaces where one mostly rides. I've basically run 3 brands of tires in the 15 years I've had my Interstate - E-3's first, then Metzlers, and now Cobras. Definitely the Cobras work best for: longer tread wear (especially the rear); better traction in all conditions (Metzlers were close); and are by far the quietest. I believe that the tread design of the Cobras makes them run smoother & quieter even when the inevitable flat spot or slight cupping starts appearing (which I've found to be far later than the previous 2). Do a lot of 2 up riding... 44-45 psi in the rear and 40 in the front. May try the ATT CT next tire change, but for MC tires I'll be sticking to the Cobras.