Looking for rear Avon tire

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Lotus be carefull with that 888. In my experience they don't like the painted lane lines, crosswalk paint and tar snakes.

 

[lotus]

Watch this space...Goodyear having purchased 'Avon Tyres' have announced they will be producing and releasing Avon tyres sometime in 2026...

i copy and pasted this.....
'
Avon Tyres, one of the motorcycle industry’s longest-established tire brands, will receive a fresh focus as part of the wider Goodyear group of brands. Having incorporated Avon into its family in 2022, Goodyear is looking ahead to the future with a reinvigorated approach to the Avon brand.

Now sitting alongside the Dunlop brand in Europe, the incorporation of Avon into Goodyear’s portfolio gives European bikers an even more comprehensive offering than before, with industry-leading products across all sectors of the motorcycle market. The new, more focused, Avon range includes the Cobra Chrome tire for cruiser and custom bikes, as well as the popular Roadrider MKII which sits as a complementary offering alongside Dunlop’s strong sports touring range.

Furthermore, Avon will continue to produce the 3D SUPERSPORT hypersport tire, Spirit ST and Streetrunner sport touring products, Trailrider and Trekrider for adventure use, Safety Mileage MKII and Speedmaster MKII classic designs, and the Viper Stryke for scooters. This focus on key designs ensures the Avon brand still offers riders its most popular products, sitting as a strong partner offering alongside the Dunlop range, which covers everything from off-road to hypersport tires and everything in between.

Goodyear’s long-term strategy for its two famous motorcycle tire brands focuses on further developing its motorcycle centre of excellence in Montlucon, France, where many of the premium products in the Dunlop range are currently developed alongside World Championship level racing tires for Moto2™ and the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Ben Hoge, General Manager, Motorcycle Europe, Goodyear, stated: “Dunlop and Avon have proud histories and exciting futures. The ranges are highly complementary and meaningfully differentiated, so this gives us the opportunity to offer a wider selection of tires, with one of the youngest product portfolios in the industry, to the trade and riders alike.

“As we plan for 2024 and beyond, we will reveal new product lines, technology upgrades and clear market positioning for both brands.”

In addition to this continued commitment to motorcycle tires, the Avon brand will remain a key part of Goodyear’s portfolio in the passenger vehicle segment.

Thanks for the heads up.........

In my previous post, I had found a Metz Marathon 888 rear tire to replace the Avon. I was concerned the 888 was discontinued.
I went onto the Metzeler site and asked if the 888 had been discontinued.
This is the response I got back.......
--------------------------------------------
Thank you for reaching out to Pirelli/Metzeler of North America.

The Metzeler Marathon 888 Ultra is not discontinued; it could be on Backorder with your Dealer of Choice.

Thank You.
--------------------------------

Hmm....surprised by this since I didn't see that line on their site.

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

If you have not put any money on the 888, why not try the Cruise Tech tire.

 

[Nashvegas]

Thanks for the feedback. I also ride faster than most riding it as a sport bike(changed the GT pegs to R for this reason). I was taken by the style at first and then fell in love when test riding the first time. Because of my riding style, I was concerned by the negative reviews of the CruiseTech.
I went ahead and found a rear Metzler Marathon 888 on ebay. Hope it's not a scam..... :-(
My front Avon is good for awhile, so didn't try to find one now. Understand not good mixing brands, etc. I was planning to pickup a front 888 later this summer, but didn't check to see if they've been discontinued or not. My bad. I've looked and don't see any. Argh
Does anybody know if the 888's have been officially discontinued? I've looked on the Metz website and don't see them, so I guess that means they're discontinued.
With my 2022 GT having "cornering traction control" I don't want to start throwing different sizes on the front/back to change the geometry.
I did not expect to face the challenges in getting a replacement tire for this thing.....

I can tell the difference between the Cruise Tec and the Cobra, but it is darn close. The 888 is not even close, like be really careful if you like to ride “sporty.” Mine is sealed in a black garbage bag now to use as a spare in case I can’t find another Cruise Tec or the elusive Cobra. THAT’S how not even close it is. Now if someone just wants to putter around in a “reasonable” manner it will work just fine and the longevity of the tire would probably be very good. The 888 is the harder compound, cruiser tire. The Cruise Tec should’ve been named the Super Sport or something along those lines. Just my two cents on the subject.

 

[lotus]

I can tell the difference between the Cruise Tec and the Cobra, but it is darn close. The 888 is not even close, like be really careful if you like to ride “sporty.” Mine is sealed in a black garbage bag now to use as a spare in case I can’t find another Cruise Tec or the elusive Cobra. THAT’S how not even close it is. Now if someone just wants to putter around in a “reasonable” manner it will work just fine and the longevity of the tire would probably be very good. The 888 is the harder compound, cruiser tire. The Cruise Tec should’ve been named the Super Sport or something along those lines. Just my two cents on the subject.

Yeah, you guys a probably right about the 888. I do ride faster than most on this thing. Too late I'm afraid, as it's coming in a couple days.
Shy'ed away from the CruiseTec after several posted complaints about the weird wear patterns and being 'garbage'. My local bike
shop guy said they were on the lower end of the Metzler line when looking at the price compared to other makes. He showed me they were
$100 cheaper than comparable makes, IF that's an indicator of quality. Might regret this purchase.
Everybody has an opinion.......

 

[vsteel]

My understanding is the 888 is for long distance and less about sportiness. I think Fortnine once said about them, heavy as **** and wear like iron.

 

[Tal]

.....my avon Cobra is at its end and i have a Cruisetec going on this monday.....Ive had the Cruisetec wrapped in a blanket in my shed for a couple of months. I have a few friends who have been running these Cruisetec's for a while and love them so...fingers crossed.

 

[lotus]

My understanding is the 888 is for long distance and less about sportiness. I think Fortnine once said about them, heavy as **** and wear like iron.

I received the 888 yesterday and had installed today. The comment about "heavy as **** and wear like iron" was interesting and curious if this was true.
I weighed the 888 Marathon and it came in at 22.6lbs. When the Avon was removed, it weighed in at 18lbs. So the Marathon does weigh ~5lbs more. When
comparing the Marathon with the Avon, I noticed right away the Avon had way less sidewall stiffness. Maybe the 888 will be a harsher ride.
I have not had a chance to ride yet, so don't know.
This is all moot since neither tire is available any longer. By the way, the date code on the 888 was 1023, so it was sitting in the warehouse for awhile. The Avon
I removed was 1223.

 

[lotus]

Just got back from a hour ride taking my favorite route and I'm smiling. I was able to ride at MY limits with chicken stripe within an inch of the limit with occasional top speed of 120mph. Even with the old Avon on the front, it felt rock solid in the corners and at speed. I'm happy I'll get more mileage with no sacrifice in performance. Small downside is, it is heavier, but the 888 deserves a two thumbs up.......
Oh yeah, forgot to mention that when the tire installer was doing his thing, he pointed out (had never seen it before) the abrasive inner coating
on the wheel bead. Of course, this is to prevent the tire slipping on the wheel under torque. He was impressed.

 

[vsteel]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that when the tire installer was doing his thing, he pointed out (had never seen it before) the abrasive inner coating
on the wheel bead. Of course, this is to prevent the tire slipping on the wheel under torque. He was impressed.

The rocket is the only one I have ever seen that non smooth rim bead but then again I have not had a bike with that much torque.