Shoud I be pissed at the dealer?

[marcorandazza]

I had the dealer pick up my Griso to put on a new rear tire -- I got 5,000 miles out of the Rennsport.

Now I'm figuring when I say "put on a new tire," they'll put what they found on there. The bike gets delivered today with an Avon Storm, low profile tire on the rear.

It looks nice enough, low profile and all. But, wouldn't you think that a dealer would put what they found on your bike -- or at least ask you what you want?

Of course, now that I really give the bike a look over, it looks a little screwy with a Rennsport front and a low profile Avon on the rear. And, on making my first merge, the rear slid out from under me (recovered fine).

1) Does anyone know anything about Avon tires? I've never even heard of the brand before. Is this a decent piece of rubber, or a POS? My indications so far are POS, but maybe it needs to get scuffed up a bit before it breaks in.

2) I really don't want to be a dick to the dealer, but jesus christ. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

 

[Penis Rotor]

When you say 'Low Profile' what profile is it exactly? stock sizes for the Griso are 180/55-17 rear and (Ooo-err? Can't remember:unsure: ) 120/70-17 front, that's it! While I experimented with a 170/60 on the rear I ended up going back to the 180/55.

Look, while the dealer should fit a tyre of the correct profile to the wheel it is really up to you, the customer, to specify a brand and, if you want another profile, to state what you want. I always specify and then check thoroughly, before re-installing the wheel, stuff like direction of rotation, pressure etc. and I have mine fitted by a co-businessman in Canberra because I don't do enough tyres to make them worth my while and Hal is very good and knowledgeable.

If they have fitted something other than a 180/55 then I think you have a right to ask why and request that the tyre be changed. On the issue of it stepping outon you? Well, yes, new tyres do take some care scrubbing in because they are coated with a releasing compound that allows them to come out of the moulds they are formed in. This why you are usually instructed by the fitter to 'Take it easy' for the first few hundred Kms, some shops, presumably for fear of litigation, will put a sticker on the dash or speed to remind the unwary.

As for Avons? They are one of the longest standing bike tyre manufacturers in existance. I'm currently on my second set of Avon Storms, in the correct profiles, on my 8V. I think they are a very good tyre, bags of grip, (Once scrubbed in and allowed to warm up.) with good life. They DO though run higher pressures than many 42PSI solo in the rear and 37-38 in the front. Add 3-4 PSI if carrying a passenger or for extended high speed running. I took the Avons on Hal's suggestion because Metzler Z6's were in short supply and he currently uses them as his 'Benchmark' against which he judges other 'Sport-tour' tyres and am more than happy.

In my experience Guzzis, especially the newer ones of a more 'Sporting' bent, don't take super-sticky tyres that well. The Guzzi big-block is a not very powerful but very heavy bike by contempory standards, it'll wear out sticky tyres in the twisties real fast, even if the pressure is increased over and above what is recommended by the manufacturer. But because super-soft tyres tend to suffer from more sidewall flex they simply, to me at least, don't seem to feel as secure as a stiffer sidewalled S/T type tyre.

All of this is simply my personal prefference though, you may have different requirements for your style of riding.

Pete

 

[marcorandazza]

Well, I've done a little research on Avons, which I wasn't familiar with before, and at least it wasn't some off-brand. Agreed I should have "specified" what I wanted -- and frankly, maybe the Avon is better than what I would have chosen. I'd just think that common sense would be that if you bring it in with a pair of Rennsports and say "put on a new rear tire," they'd put on something to match the front and the rubber they are taking off.

That said, I'm not going to gripe if this thing doesnt turn out to be a POS, and Im going to be open minded about it.

 

[Geordie]

There was a thread a while back about Avons. The size of the "180" rear was actually a fair bit wider (but within allowable tolerances). Someone on here had problems with it rubbing on the swing arm. Worth checking.

 

[johnno]

Hi, my friends have these tyres fitted to Triumph sprints and rate them.As PR says tyre size should be 180/55 zr17 if not get the tyre replaced.Personally i think dealer should have informed you before fitting but if you did not say what you wanted you cant really blame them.We live and learn.

 

[marcorandazza]

Well, I gave the Avon a workout today and I'm pleased to report that I'm quite pleased with it.

I still think it is bad form for a dealer to replace your stuff with another brand without asking -- but, I think I'm in a "no harm, no foul" zone.

 

[Penis Rotor]

The Metzler Rennsports have been superceeded anyway so unless your dealer could find some old stock he wouldn't of been able to fit one anyway.

The only way one can really find out what is avilable is by asking around. If you can find a tyre specialist you trust the best thing to do is ask their advice. That's what I do with Hal, he carries all the major brands apart from Bridgestone which he seems to have a pathological dislike of :lol: I have no idea why! Asking your riding buddies is also a good place to start but remember if they ride dis-similar bikes to yours then their prefferences may not be suitable for you.

At the end of the day it is really your responsibility to look after the care and maintenace of your machine. Tyres on a motorbike are much more critical than they are on your average family saloon car or hatchback. Learning a bit about what works and what doesn't and most importantly WHY will greatly increase your riding pleasure and add a useful safety margin to your abilities as a rider.

There is an old saying that 'Ignorance is Bliss' but I've always found this counter-intuitive and find the opposite to be true.

Pete

 

[guzzi jon]

I've always been really picky about tires, I only got 1200 miles out of my stock Rennsports before they were fully shagged. I tried others, but the Dunlop Qualifiers are the best tire I've had on my Griso, much better stick, feedback and handling, and I suspect they will go 2500 miles. I mostly ride in the twisty bits, so the sides wear out quicker than the center, but the qualifiers are the dogs danglies on a griso.... Pete rides pretty fast as well, but he keeps looking for white sidewalls for his 8V

 

[marcorandazza]

1200 miles only? Jesus! What do you do to that bike????

 

[Gary]

I specified Bridgestone BT020 battleaxe for my Stelvio as the dual compound should give a better motorway mileage. The standard Pirelli dual sport were flat lined after 6500 miles. It's all about choise and experience, scrub your new tyres in well, it's like riding on ice on new rubber.
Metzlers...... love them on Kwacks..........

 

[Penis Rotor]

marcorandazza wrote:

1200 miles only? Jesus! What do you do to that bike????

Jon rides it with gusto in the Canyons in So-Cal. I've ridden with him and he always looks like he's cruising to the shop for a pint of milk while I fade in the mirrors. This is with me both on my 'Vert and on my Scura and Jon can be on pretty much anything as long as it doesn't actually have pedals :laugh: .

I wore out the Rennsports on mine in less than?? 3,000Kms from memory, the 8V came with some sort of Metz Sportec that were so atrocious by 1800KM I threw them away! they still *looked* fine, but felt awful! Into the bin with them!

I can't see how you guys get such high mileages out of your tyres on a Griso? I ride like Gumby's Grand-dad and my tyres evaporate?? Perhaps some of you live in areas where the roads are a lot more forgiving? Around here they are made of rolled blue-metal and rip tyres to bits if you decide to have fun and even if you ride like me they wear out in not a lot of time. I thought 6,000Km to the TWI was pretty good for the avon. That's why I stuck with them.

What sort of roads are you riding on? What are your usual speeds and RPM in any gear? These should give a good indication of how much of the bike's power/handling/suspension etc. you are actually using. I know that both Jon and I use the red-line as the gear-shift indicator if we're having fun. If you never go over 6,000 it might explain a bit.

Before anyone gets in a lather I am NOT *suggesting* anything or casting aspertions on the bloke's riding ability, simply asking questions about how he rides and where. I'm such a useless rider that Blind Fredy's Cat can trounce me on a unicycle but how and where you use the bike will have a radical effect on tyre life. If you commute or travel in mainly built up areas with straight roads your tyres will last longer than if you live in the country and like to explore any twisties that are nearby. Add in being barking mad, like Jon, and tyre life diminishes in an unfortunate parabolic curve :lol:.

Fit good tyres, check the tyre pressures often, set up the suspension for YOU rather than factory nominated gnome and ride the piss out of it. (Psst! It's fun!!!)

Pete

 

[johnno]

I tend to wear tyres out in pairs at 3000 miles,not long ago i put Dunlop roadsmart on and hoping i might get 3500 miles.Interesting what you say about rds. In England tyres last ok but once you go up to scotland the tyre rate wear drops i would say your looking at 1000 miles less.I personally wish i was one of those riders who can get 5000 miles out of tyres .

 

[Muley]

1200 miles, 3000 miles ????hmy:

I run Metzeler ME 880's and, on the last three changes, have gotten 23,000 miles, 17,000 miles, and another 17,000 miles on the rear tires replacing the fronts only because they showed cracks like "dry rot" and not because of thin tread. I get around 5,000 to 5,500 miles on the rear of my KLR with semi-knobbies! My current set of Marathons on the EV has around 8,000 miles with many more to go, I hope.

Admittedly, I don't ride like Todd, but the cornering on dry roads is good enough for any sane person. They do tend to slip a little on wet, pucker factor curves though.

Sounds like someone is selling you Cheng Shins in disguise:silly:

Do you tire eaters pay any attention to air pressure:lol:

 

[guzzi jon]

Muley wrote:

1200 miles, 3000 miles ????hmy:
Do you tire eaters pay any attention to air pressure:lol:

Actually, the roads in So Cal are a bit abrasive, and we ride assertively. I got 1200 miles out of the rear Rennsport and the front was cupping and worn on the sides. I suspect the mileage has more to do with the roads, the temps we ride in and perhaps a bit from our style of riding. BTW, Pete doesn't ride like an old lady, he rides fast, and has to buy new boots every few months because of his riding style. I've had dozens of bikes, and many guzzi's, I would always rather trade for handling and traction over mileage, but I live in So Cal admist some of the best twisty roads in the nation, why would I go for mileage???? If I moved back to Oklahoma or Kansas, I would go for mileage, I live for corners.... If you have not backed a griso into a corner sliding both front and rear tires, you've not puckered yourself.....

 

[Muley]

guzzijon said:

If you have not backed a griso into a corner sliding both front and rear tires, you've not puckered yourself.....

The mere thought of that makes my sphincter contract:unsure:

'Tis a question to be pondered. Should one have sticky tyres that allow safer cornering at ever increasing speeds or brick-like skins that remind us to back off and live to pucker another day

 

[guzzi jon]

That is the question, and I suspect we each have our own answers......




BTW to answer an earlier post, I check my tire pressure before every ride.

 

[Penis Rotor]

guzzi jon wrote:

BTW to answer an earlier post, I check my tire pressure before every ride.

Yeah but most of us NORMAL human beings use a tyre guage, we don't just try and blow in the valve and if our ears pop that's good enough :laugh:

Pete

 

[Penis Rotor]

Muley wrote:

guzzijon said:

If you have not backed a griso into a corner sliding both front and rear tires, you've not puckered yourself.....

The mere thought of that makes my sphincter contract:unsure:

Last time I tried it was on my Scura in New Mexico while on the way to the National this year. It resulted in a broken brake lever:lol: . All my own fault, it was the first decent road I'd seen for days, in fact on the whole trip, so I left Sean on his Coppa and made a break for it. All great fun but I broke my cardinal rule, the '10 Minute' rule.

If I'm having whoopy-do fun I realize I'm a fat old turd and neither my concentration or my reflexes are what the once were. Holding the slide on the back is fine, it just pills it up nicely and makes it stickier. when the front starts following that is when I know I'm behaving like a retard and it's time to slacken off. Problem was I was having such good fun I ignored my own rule, once I'm past 10 minutes I start to make mistakes. That time the result was painless, (I just sort of sat down on the road!) and damage was minimal, (Roughed up plug cap, busted lever, bulk humiliation:laugh: ) but I'm not getting any younger and I *should* be being a bit more careful.

No, it is not all right to contact this poster and lecture him on road safety, responsibility, his age, his behavior or his riding style. If I want that sort of grief from arseholes I can get it every time I get a ticket

Pete

 

[johnno]

this cant be true ? can it ? i spend loads of money on tyres each year makes me feel ill .(muley post)

 

[rayrev]

I use Avon Storms on my honda blackbird - they are a great sport touring tyre that really come into their own in the wet. I've never felt at risk with the Storms on there, and that's riding the CBR all year round (and at speed) in some poor conditions. I'm glad to hear they fit the Griso tbh, I'd be asking for them.