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Avon Roadrider cracking Again

  • Thread starter Thread starter waterman
  • Start date Start date
I sent them two messages with the second one containing the words:
"I'm not going to let this matter go until its resolved".
 
Just installed roadriders on my 650, great tire so far.

Ordered mine from Dennis Kirk, so we'll see how they do!

Maybe those tires are getting exposed to something in the warehouse....

Or maybe you over-stretched it or did something to promote surface chipping when you installed the tire?
 
Saw some big fat Avons (not road riders) on a HD in Atlanta a few months back. Same cracks as the original posted photos. Im watching my RRs....:-k.
 
1_v8_merc said:
Just installed roadriders on my 650, great tire so far.

Ordered mine from Dennis Kirk, so we'll see how they do!

Maybe those tires are getting exposed to something in the warehouse....

Or maybe you over-stretched it or did something to promote surface chipping when you installed the tire?
Click to expand...

The problem comes from a rubber compound that is too hard for the application, lacks anti-ozonants or antioxidants, or both. There are way too many reports of this problem for it to be how a few individuals mount tires, or how a few warehouses store tires.

(In a previous career determining causes for tire failures was part of my job.)
 
I just attached a picture of some Avon RR that are on my 81 GS750EX. I figure I bought these tires about 1.5 years ago ; the data code is 42 week of 2008 (4208)

All of the cracking is on one side of the tire. The pic shows the worst part and it is really only in one part of the tire.

The back tire has some very minor imperfections 1/4 of what is in the one spot on the front and again only one side. Date code is 38th week 2008.
 
Last edited:
posplayr said:
I just attached a picture of some Avon RR that are on my 81 GS750EX. I figure I bought these tires about 1.5 years ago ; the data code is 42 week of 2008 (4208)

All of the cracking is on one side of the tire. The pic shows the worst part and it is really only in one part of the tire.

The back tire has some very minor imperfections 1/4 of what is in the one spot on the front and again only one side. Date code is 38th week 2008.
Click to expand...

Looks like it is starting to crack. Those look to be pretty superficial, hopefully they will not get deeper like the ones on my original set. Mine cracked almost the whole way around tire, near rim.
 
waterman said:
Looks like it is starting to crack. Those look to be pretty superficial, hopefully they will not get deeper like the ones on my original set. Mine cracked almost the whole way around tire, near rim.
Click to expand...

Those crack (in the picture) are pretty small and not really a concern for me. They don't seem to have changed alto either. The fact that one side of both tires is better than the other makes me suspect they sat out, but that is just a guess.

How much separation in the date codes for the two sets of tires you have that are cracked?
 
I was just about to order RRs, but now reading this thread I'm not sure I want to... :-s
 
They are great tires, they won't be on there long enough to worry about the cracks. What bothers me is the lack of customer service, I might quit buying them.
 
tkent02 said:
They are great tires, they won't be on there long enough to worry about the cracks. What bothers me is the lack of customer service, I might quit buying them.
Click to expand...

If I was running bias ply tires I would order them.
 
posplayr said:
Those crack (in the picture) are pretty small and not really a concern for me. They don't seem to have changed alto either. The fact that one side of both tires is better than the other makes me suspect they sat out, but that is just a guess.

How much separation in the date codes for the two sets of tires you have that are cracked?
Click to expand...

See post #10, it was around 38 weeks difference. The second tire that was sent was older than original tire. They were not real fresh to begin with, but I figure like TKent states, they weren't likely going to last more than a year or two on my bike before being worn out.
 
Finally got the Bike outta the shed from Its long winters nap. Waiting on a VCG (valve cover gasket) after doing the valve adjustments.

Good news: The front Avon RR looks good.

Bad news: The back RR has some serious cracks nearly as bad as Watermans first photo. Both sides and not exclusively by the bead. I parked it in the shed around Nov. and dont remember seeing anything wrong. This RR has less than 1K miles on it. 0 miles in the last 6 months. Fudge :mad: !!

Forgot my camera at work.

I didnt deflate either tire before storage. There was a stretch of several weeks of sub 0 temps.
 
Last edited:
bonanzadave said:
Finally got the Bike outta the shed from Its long winters nap. Waiting on a VCG (valve cover gasket) after doing the valve adjustments.

Good news: The front Avon RR looks good.

Bad news: The back RR has some serious cracks nearly as bad as Watermans first photo. Both sides and not exclusively by the bead. I parked it in the shed around Nov. and dont remember seeing anything wrong. This RR has less than 1K miles on it. 0 miles in the last 6 months. Fudge :mad: !!

Forgot my camera at work.

I didnt deflate either tire before storage. There was a stretch of several weeks of sub 0 temps.
Click to expand...

This is why I have steered clear of Avons recently. For 30-40% more in price than the Shinko 230's or Bridgestone Spitfires, I wouldn't expect this cracking stuff so quickly. Maybe not a problem if you put 10k miles a season and wear them out first, but I would expect most people would reasonably expect 2 to 3 seasons at 3-6k miles/yr out of a tire. A lot of us have multiple bikes going and spread our miles out over different bikes. Don't get me wrong, I liked the Avon RR's I've mounted before, but this cracking issue has come up a few times.
 
Last edited:
Dave wanna post your date codes?

bonanzadave said:
Finally got the Bike outta the shed from Its long winters nap. Waiting on a VCG (valve cover gasket) after doing the valve adjustments.

Good news: The front Avon RR looks good.

Bad news: The back RR has some serious cracks nearly as bad as Watermans first photo. Both sides and not exclusively by the bead. I parked it in the shed around Nov. and dont remember seeing anything wrong. This RR has less than 1K miles on it. 0 miles in the last 6 months. Fudge :mad: !!

Forgot my camera at work.

I didnt deflate either tire before storage. There was a stretch of several weeks of sub 0 temps.
Click to expand...
 
bonanzadave said:
Finally got the Bike outta the shed from Its long winters nap. Waiting on a VCG (valve cover gasket) after doing the valve adjustments.

Good news: The front Avon RR looks good.

Bad news: The back RR has some serious cracks nearly as bad as Watermans first photo. Both sides and not exclusively by the bead. I parked it in the shed around Nov. and dont remember seeing anything wrong. This RR has less than 1K miles on it. 0 miles in the last 6 months. Fudge :mad: !!

Forgot my camera at work.

I didnt deflate either tire before storage. There was a stretch of several weeks of sub 0 temps.
Click to expand...


What size rear tire? I was wondering if it was a certain size that only developed cracking.

I am disappointed to hear another tire failure, especially with newer date codes. Really makes you pause on purchasing them.

My new to me 1100g has RR on it but I haven't checked to see how they doing. I haven't quite got the bike roadworthy yet. Someday soon, maybe after my son's graduation.
 
My second tire cracked during warm weather, after the winter. This was the replacement for the one that cracked during off season. I don't think the cracking was temperature dependent.
 
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