Wobbly tyres (Avon Storms)

[Bnonn]

Hi everyone. An update on my Storms issue.

I returned the bike to Road and Sport today, and they rebalanced the wheels for me at no cost. At my suggestion, they also re-aligned the front and rear wheels (also at no cost), since I had a sneaking suspicion that this, rather than a balancing issue, could be behind my wobble, due to the way the bike tracked left all the time when left to its own devices.

Having had this done, I went for a bit of a mozy, paying particular attention to low-speed coasting and deceleration where the wobble was most noticeable and turned into a minor headshake. The problem seems to be mostly gone, but there is still a very slight shimmy, and it still tracks left. My conclusion at this point is that the geometry of my bike simply produces this naturally, and it will be either magnified or dampened by certain types of tires. The Storms are obviously a tire which, for whatever reason, have a tendency to slightly magnify (or possibly cause) a shimmy, which is a trade-off I'm willing to make against their excellent sticking power, since the wobble is virtually unnoticeable now anyway, and doesn't affect handling in any way that I can discern.

That said, I hope that Avon will take this issue into consideration in developing the Storm+1, since this is evidently an issue which has caused quite a few people grief, and is amplified into an unnerving problem given even a slightly poor wheel balancing and/or alignment. For my own part, I'm not going to go to the extreme of getting another pair of Storms fitted. I'll keep an eye on the problem, and report back if it gets better or worse. I am expecting that, consistent with the experience of others, it will diminish as the tires wear in.

[Blackbird]

Well done and pleased you've got a satisfactory result. It sounds like you are now in a similar position to me. I'll let you know when/if I hear from Avon.

Geoff

[Big Dave]

I'll let you know when/if I hear from Avon.

Geoff

Oh no, Avon calling.

[Squeak the Rat]

Hello is there a problem?

[imdying]

Hello is there a problem?

Now you're showing your age!

[shadyfarmer]

i just put an avon storm on the front of my triumph speedmaster,,if you let the handle bars go at 70--80ks it wobbles so much you have to take hold again ,,it never did this before tyre change has anyone had this problem with these tyres ,we have double check wheel balance and it is perfect any theories on this problem

[riffer]

Interesting. I've got a Viper Sport on the front and a Storm on the rear of the RF.

I have nothing but good to say about these tyres. Compared to them, the Metzeler Roadtec Z6s I had were rubbish, and I loved them.

I can pitch the bike into a corner and take my hands completely off the bars and it tracks perfectly.

Mind you, I was very fussy about wheel balancing when I got them put on, and I am equally fussy about tyre pressures. I find that they tend to lose pressure a bit on the cold mornings, and hate being too low as they tend to wallow a bit.

I also redid my steering head bearings just before I put the tyres on, which may have made a big difference too.

Check your steering head bearings might be a good idea. And then tyre pressures and wheel balance.

[shadyfarmer]

just got tyre changed to another brand new avon storm ,and it still wobbles but not as bad as before,,just got new warrant all bearings checked and bike shop checked balance is it just these tyres or what

[Blackbird]

just got tyre changed to another brand new avon storm ,and it still wobbles but not as bad as before,,just got new warrant all bearings checked and bike shop checked balance is it just these tyres or what

I understand that as a result of all the feedback from NZ, Avon have changed their production process slightly to improve quality control. Although I have only heard from the agent, the root cause was apparently variability in the thickness (and hence mass) of the bead which sits inside the wheel rim. This makes sense as it would produce lateral forces and the resultant shimmy. You may have a set of tyres from the original shipment to NZ where there were obvious problems.

I've now covered nearly 6000 km on my Storms and the front still shimmies at town speeds, but not badly enough for me to do anything about it. They are still the best all-round tyres I've ever had on the 'bird and they will probably last another 2000 km before replacement, but that's the effect of torque and the Coromandel coast road rough chip for you!

[shadyfarmer]

I understand that as a result of all the feedback from NZ, Avon have changed their production process slightly to improve quality control. Although I have only heard from the agent, the root cause was apparently variability in the thickness (and hence mass) of the bead which sits inside the wheel rim. This makes sense as it would produce lateral forces and the resultant shimmy. You may have a set of tyres from the original shipment to NZ where there were obvious problems.

I've now covered nearly 6000 km on my Storms and the front still shimmies at town speeds, but not badly enough for me to do anything about it. They are still the best all-round tyres I've ever had on the 'bird and they will probably last another 2000 km before replacement, but that's the effect of torque and the Coromandel coast road rough chip for you!

in other words i should tkae this one back too

[crazybigal]

i have a z6 on the front and a storm on the rear of my blackbird, perfect!
I do think that the z6 rear had more cold grip than the storm, ill be watching to see how many k's i get out of the storm, i go through a rear every 8000k and a front prob 20,000k hence the mismatch, just didnt want to change my near new front to match the storm and i realy wanted the storms.

Interesting. I've got a Viper Sport on the front and a Storm on the rear of the RF.

I have nothing but good to say about these tyres. Compared to them, the Metzeler Roadtec Z6s I had were rubbish, and I loved them.

I can pitch the bike into a corner and take my hands completely off the bars and it tracks perfectly.

Mind you, I was very fussy about wheel balancing when I got them put on, and I am equally fussy about tyre pressures. I find that they tend to lose pressure a bit on the cold mornings, and hate being too low as they tend to wallow a bit.

I also redid my steering head bearings just before I put the tyres on, which may have made a big difference too.

Check your steering head bearings might be a good idea. And then tyre pressures and wheel balance.

[riffer]

I had the Z6 on the front, and found that it horribly triangulated.

Started out great, but after about 8,000 kms it was shagged. I must ride harder than you do - I seem to chew through tyres. I'm on my fourth front after 30,000 kms. I had to change it last month as I was getting nasty push in the front end going over Haywards - after one too many front end slides it had to go.

I've heard the Avons are not great for the last 1/3 of their life. We'll see how long I get out of these ones - I put about 350kms on the bike each week - so I reckon I may get six months out of them.

What sort of wear is the rear experiencing on the Bird? I'm surprised how roughed up the Storm gets on the RF - more like a sports tyre than a Sport Tourer - it's actually bubblegummed on the edges by the end of Grays Rd... I haven't gone over the Takas yet but I imagine I'll give them a fair bit of wear on the hill.

[Hitcher]

I've heard the Avons are not great for the last 1/3 of their life.

I only had problems with my rear Storm for the last 500km before I replaced it. That was after 14,000km on an FJR1300, and you should see what one of those can do to a lesser tyre like a Conti Road Attack!

[riffer]

Indeed. Are you limiting the application of all the usable torque with the FJR Hitcher, to get such large mileage?

The front-end slides a front-heavy bike like mine goes through in winter give me the screaming shits, which is why I went for a sports tyre at the front this time.

I'm loving the Storm at the rear though. Even when cold, it doesn't spin up... neither did the Z6 but as you said, lesser tyres may give you grief.

What's your reasoning behind your bagging of the Contis?

[Hitcher]

What's your reasoning behind your bagging of the Contis?

I wish I had taken photos of the rear. It lugged up something chronic around the sides. Most unpretty. I think KoroJ had something similar happen on his ST1300. I know a lot of riders swear by them. I was singularly underwhelmed.