Avon HKM AM51/AM52?

**jrandom** · 11th January 2005, 11:17

The Zeal's GT501s are a bit over the hill, and the rear is sliding around like a slidy thing, which is not good for my underwear attrition rate.

I was going to replace them with Pirelli Sport Demons, but Kerry at Motohaus recommends the Avons. I suppose I'll go with his call unless I hear any good reason against it.

Anyone had any experience with the AM51 (front) and AM52 (rear) that they'd care to comment on?

**dveus** · 11th January 2005, 11:43

Thats what Kerry convinced me to put on the GSX, haven't had any scarey moments on them so can't really complain about the level of grip.
Ive also now put ~4000 k's on them and they look to have at least that left in them.

**vifferman** · 11th January 2005, 11:48

Originally Posted by jrandom

Anyone had any experience with the AM51 (front) and AM52 (rear) that they'd care to comment on?

No, but Kerry's word about the Avons I put on the VTR was true, so although that's not a statistically valid sample, I think you can trust him.
Dunno how they'll go for burnouts though.

I thought you were going to that other crowd near your workplace?

**jrandom** · 11th January 2005, 12:57

Originally Posted by vifferman

I thought you were going to that other crowd near your workplace?

Since I'm back at the main site in Kawana Street as of yesterday, there's no real advantage in going to any of the places in Barry's Point Rd. I'd still have to ride there and wait while the tyres were fitted.

Might as well ride over to Kingsland and let Kerry, the KB Preferred Mechanic, do it.

**Hitcher** · 11th January 2005, 12:59

I will be interested to hear how the Avons go. My only experience with rubber on my Zeal was with the OEM Yokohamas and the Arrowmaxes I replaced them with.

**jrandom** · 11th January 2005, 13:06

Originally Posted by Hitcher

I will be interested to hear how the Avons go. My only experience with rubber on my Zeal was with the OEM Yokohamas and the Arrowmaxes I replaced them with.

Kerry rates the Avons over both the Arrowmaxes and the Sport Demons.

And I've heard better things about Sport Demons than Arrowmaxes (yoohoo, Velox...)

So I'm looking forward to giving the Avons a spanking.

**Slim** · 11th January 2005, 22:24

Kerry recommends Avons to everyone, on everything.

If they're the Avons with a normal tread pattern, and not the funky looking S shaped, but very sparse tread pattern, you should be all right.

Here's what he's recommended for you:

And here's what I hated in the wet (although these are no longer available & redesigned as the AV49 & AV50:

They were absolutely fantastic in the dry though. Anecdotal evidence was that the tyres recomended to me (and finally changed to Bridgestones) were no good in the wet on 600s & 750s of various makes & models, but fine on bigger bikes. I know a guy with a Fireblade who raves about the Avons. Go figure.

Personally, I wouldn't ever touch them with a barge pole again.

**Antallica** · 12th January 2005, 05:36

Hmm, haven't had any worries with my GT501's. Weird.

**jrandom** · 12th January 2005, 08:33

Originally Posted by Slim

here's what I hated in the wet...

The tread pattern on that front tyre looks a bit too sparse for decent wet performance, but then what would I know.

The AM51 front Kerry's recommended seems to have a good thick helping of tread. One would hope that it'd do a bit better. It's OEM fitment on the Buell Blast, not that THAT means much...

Funnily enough the 'Avons suck in the wet' idea seems to ring a bell, possibly from discussions a while back on uk.rec.motorcycles. I can't remember.

Well, it's summer, and whatever open-road riding I do will probably be in the dry, so I'll give them a go and report. Will probably get them fitted at lunchtime today and go for a wee blat.

Ant - I really don't know whether GT501s suck or not, I'm not saying they do; the ones on my bike are just worn out and probably way past their heat-cycle lifetime. And when I've been feeling scared on a set of tyres, I'll feel more confident if I swap manufacturers for the next set. Shrug.

**jrandom** · 12th January 2005, 16:24

Ah, well, Kerry didn't get his Avon delivery today, so I went to Mt Eden and got a set of Pirelli Sport Demons fitted.

Because I'm impatient. And they were $5 cheaper at $355 the set.

Off to SH28 to scrub them in, now.

**Devil** · 12th January 2005, 16:53

Good on you. We've got similar bikes, I have the sport demons and haven't had any problems at all.
$330 fitted at cycletreads.

**erik** · 12th January 2005, 18:24

I've got sport demons on my zeal now too, fitted them myself for fun (and to learn how to do it). Haven't really ridden on them yet, just down the road and back. But it seemed to tip in a lot easier, I guess because my old tyres were so worn out.
The previous tyres were BT45's and they seemed to go well.

**Sensei** · 12th January 2005, 20:09

You don't see them on any race bike Eg GP /Superbikes so this would tell you how good they are . May be good for normal road riding on none HP bike's ??
SENSEI

**aff-man** · 12th January 2005, 20:28

Got the azaro sports tourers and they are NOT suited for a sports bike (no grip on the edge and reaqlly easy to hit the edge). Sports tourer yes but sports..no. Although in the wet they are wicked.

**gav** · 12th January 2005, 20:57

Originally Posted by Sensei 509

You don't see them on any race bike Eg GP /Superbikes so this would tell you how good they are . May be good for normal road riding on none HP bike's ??
SENSEI

Well, I guess if you had a GP bike this info may have been useful? So guess you won't be using Metzeler either in the future?