avon vs michelin tires

53xs650

XS650 Enthusiast
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Getting ready to buy tires, Looking at avon roadriders or michelin pilot activ. Looking at the front michelin center groove and wondering if it will want to follow grooves in pavemant? Anybody have that problem with them? Other tires I should look at? I am looking at 100/90-19 front and 4.00-18 or 110/90-18 rear. Thank you
 
Getting ready to buy tires, Looking at avon roadriders or michelin pilot activ. Looking at the front michelin center groove and wondering if it will want to follow grooves in pavemant? Anybody have that problem with them? Other tires I should look at? I am looking at 100/90-19 front and 4.00-18 or 110/90-18 rear. Thank you

Hi 53,
back in the day I liked Avons because they were British made and despised Michelins because they came from France.
These days they are most likely both made in the same tire factory somewhere in Asia so I dunno.
OTOH, the worst of modern tires is better than the rubber the XS650s rolled out of the factory on.
I'd advise you to go with the best tires you can afford although I buy the cheapest I can get.
 
Put these on My K1200 last summer, some ride reports I made on another forum.

250 miles on the Shinko rear /Pilot Activ front last night and all is good, Thought it was a bit wandery in the front at first but there was wind, on the ride home it was tracking like on rails including some "just wet" roads. tar strips were a non issue, No rain grooves to test "following" yet.


Over 3K on the combo now, just got back to Wisconsin, went to south Georgia, the Barber vintage festival, and back. I am quite pleased with both front and rear. 2 days of damp to wet including an hour or so of twisties in the rain with no issues at all till the connie rider I was with bailed out, and we changed to a less twisty state road in western Tennessee. Last two days were on the slab at 75 with strong gusty side winds, no problem.
 
I've got Avon's I can't recall the style on my bike now...but I like them well enough. I have Pilot Powers on my FZ1, LOVE them, but they are two totally different bikes.
 
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