I love avon tyres for their grip and wet traction,but I'm very disapointed with the cobras.I could get 14-15000 miles out of a venom rear.The one I just took off looked like I was using it for track days,10k and was shot.
I really wish they would bring back the venoms.Best tire i've ever run.
couldn't agree more, near 10K and avon cobras are shot leaking air thru the tread very slowly and still some inside tread left (just barely) with plenty of outside grooves left and although am a heavy rider, not a huge tire burner fast speeds. I have 10-12 pinholes all the way around the rear avon cobra just left of center. Plus, the outside angled grooves of rear tire is flairing out, not comforming to the curvature of the tire which also concerns me. Time to replace. Leaving front Avon Cobra on another season also at 10K miles has nice wear and plenty of tread left, but will probably replace next season sometime or for sure the following season at beginning of April. Seems a few readings I have seen the Avon Cobras are not lasting well without major issues for some of us even before 7K miles.
I just got in Thursday a Shinko SE890 Journey for 125 bucks, free shipping. Going the cheap route this time since was expecting the Avon cobra rear to last another 2-3000 miles (most of this riding season-thought wrong) and hoping this Shinko will last 8-9K. Avon Cobras new priced out at only 152 bucks for rear tire so not much more really (2nd cheapest radial I found next to Shinkos) . Metz and Dunlop Elite III were near 200 or above and doubt I will get that much more longevity mileage out of either, especially the Metz. Heard dunlop's do last longer overall though, just the price is a tad bit much for what you get.
If these Shinko's last 9K, I'll be happy and mostly good reviews and might even get the matching Shinko SE890 Journey front tire to match in next 1-2 years when needed since front tire is only 110 bucks. Only other matching radial rear size I found is the Bridgestones and not so sure I like the tread pattern but is right behind Avon Cobras in price around 162 bucks.
I've always thought Michelin makes good tires that wear well and long (for vehicles at least), just wish they made an OEM size for our Valks.
I'll be replacing my scooter tires as well soon now 7 years old showing aging (small weather/aging cracks especially rear tire) with 12K miles on the OEM tires being Kenda's Executioners. Great reviews on them was a tough choice between those Kenda's again and the Michelin City Grips, but mixed it up this time and got the Michelin City Grips.
It's time to replace the tires if you start to think 'what will happen if my tires blowout going down the road due to age/mileage' as seeing on this website some have had tire blowouts although not all age/mileage related am sure. It also got me thinking tire blowout recently since the young 7 year old neighbor girl came to my house on Friday asking me to pump up her totally flat rear tire since mom was home but not dad and no tire pump apparently. I saw her rear 16" bicycle tire showing the cords all the way around and was thinking, who sends their kid down our hill with cracked/aged tires with cords sticking out all over the 15 dollar bike? I pumped up to 30 psi (max was 35) and all of a sudden, the inner tube popped LOUDLY so bad that it also blew a big hole right thru the paper thin cord-showing rubber tire itself. Pretty sad if the inner tube popping can burst a bicycle tire just from the pressure of the burst, split it so bad looked like a 12 gauge blew it apart - golf ball sized hole in outside rubber tire. Sad part is the parents next door are rich (or in debt to their butt) and they apparently don't care enough to spend 20 bucks for new tires/inner tubes on a run down 15 dollar worth 16" bike for their only daughter still at home. Sort of glad the rear inner tube and tire popped on me since wasn't safe to drive down our steep hill, especially since she just learned how to drive a bike and her parents are never out going for bike rides with her.
