Kicking Up A Storm

The inclement mid-January weather was just a coincidence, but Avon clearly wanted to attract attention at last month’s Trade Expo when it exhibited the Storm-ST, the successor to the acclaimed Azaro-ST. In fact it was pretty much the only thing on the spacious stand as the company wanted to focus attention squarely on its new flagship Sport Touring offering. Avon’s decision to promote the Storm-ST at Expo runs in parallel to the launch of the Viper Xtreme trackday tyre and follows a 12 per cent increase in Avon motorcycle tyre sales in 2006.

As far as tyre tread life is concerned, market observers agree the Storm ST’s predecessor, the Azaro-ST, has earned a reputation for lasting longer than a Duracell rabbit. And, with this in mind, the fact that Michelin didn’t include an Avon product in the recent CERN comparative could be seen as a backhanded complement. That is, at least, how the Avon representatives Tyres & Accessories spoke to are interpreting the omission.

Not to be outdone, Avon are quick to point out that the Storm has already been tested and approved for fitment to all major motorcycles in conjunction with the well-respected German TUV agency. And what’s more, the Storm was designed and is now manufactured at Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe’s production headquarters in Melksham.

As far as design is concerned, the Storm-ST is the first tyre to include Avon’s new ‘Reactive Footprint’ (RF) technology. Reactive Footprint technology marries Avon’s unique variable belt density (VBD) carcass with Lifetime Profile Engineering (LPE) and is designed to produce a footprint which changes size and shape, depending on the bike’s lean angle. Avon reports that the result is a contact patch that grows as the bike leans, giving more grip in corners whilst minimising wear rates when travelling in a straight line.

Avon clearly thinks this technology makes dual compound products redundant as, due to the fact that it is based on one compound, it eliminates the wear issues some users have reported with two compound tyres.

Pete McNally, Avon’s Motorcycle Product Manager explained, “These new technologies combine to make a tyre that doesn’t just handle well when new but also in the last 25 per cent of its life. With Storm-ST it’s not just the compound that’s harder in the centre and softer at the edges, it’s the whole tyre. We believe we are the first manufacturer to produce a reactive footprint tyre for motorcycles.”

The Storm-ST also features a new “Super-Rich Silica” compound (SRS) for grip in both wet and dry conditions and which allows the tyre to quickly warm up to reach optimum working temperatures. ‘Inverted Front Grooves’ (IFG) on the front tyre, a system pioneered by Avon in the late eighties and only now being adopted by the competition, resists ‘stepped-wear’ and ‘cupping’ to deliver smooth handling throughout the tyre’s life. A further advantage of the IFG configuration is improved wet braking and shorter stopping distances.

An Advanced Tread Arc Combination [ATAC] is also built into the Storm-ST. This varies the tread profile across the tyre for better handling and stability, whatever the lean angle. The ATAC profile results in neutral contours, ensuring smoother transition on lean angle changes, and noticeably increases stability, especially under heavy braking

Avon adds track day tyre to Viper range

Avon has also released the new Viper Xtreme, a super-sticky sports tyre aimed at track day enthusiasts. The Viper Xtreme line-up will include a 120/70R17 (58W) AV61 front with 180/55R17 (73W) and 190/55R17 (75W) AV62 rears. Both front and rear tyres feature patterns derived from Avon’s acclaimed Viper Sport and Supersport tyres, but with fewer grooves to lay down more slick rubber and enhance grip.

With the fastest Viper yet, Avon has decided to include its unique Advanced Variable Belt Density construction, hitherto only used in rear tyres but now also applied to the Viper Xtreme AV61 front.

The construction is based upon a jointless belt of Aramid fibres running around the tyre’s circumference. At the centre of the tread the fibres are very closely spaced for maximum stability. Nearer the shoulders the strands are more widely spaced, broadening the tyre’s footprint at higher lean angles. When used in the front tyre, the A-VBD technology optimises the way in which the carcass and tread distorts under load, leading to cooler running temperatures. This allows the use of a softer tread compounds generating improved cornering grip.

According to the company, the new profiles have proved so successful in Viper Sport and Supersport that Pete McNally, Avon’s Motorcycle Product Manager, was keen to ensure that these design principles were carried over into Xtreme. He explained, “Instead of the standard 190/50R17 rear we will offer a 190/55R17. The bigger aspect ratio results in a higher overall diameter and brings the full benefits of the ATAC profile to the 190-section tyres fitted to many of today’s sports bikes.”

Viper Xtreme rear tyres also use a monoply casing construction as opposed to a standard two-ply construction. This makes the tyres lighter and more compliant. The first Xtreme tyres went on sale last month, retailing at approximately £209 for a pair.

Great British classics

In addition to the company’s range of sports and sports touring tyres, owners of classic bikes can rely on Avon to make tyres to fit their chosen machines, most of which hark back to the days when Britain was the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Avon’s 2007 product line-up is no different for owners of bikes ‘of a certain age’. The Speedmaster AM6 range covers the most popular front sizes of 3.25-17, 300-19, 300-20, 300-21, 325-19 and 350-19.

Avon’s Safety Mileage MkII AM7 provides rear sizes to match a wide range of wheels; 3.50-19, 400-18, 400-19 and 500-16. Norton Commando fans, amongst others, are served by the 4.10-19 Roadrunner Universal AM9, also available in MT90-16 universal guise.

And for those looking for something with a flatter profile suitable for sidecar work, the 3.50-19 Sidecar Triple Duty provides the perfect solution.

The Storm-ST is available in 15 sizes:

Front – AV55
110/70ZR17
110/80ZR18
120/60ZR17
120/70ZR17
120/70ZR18
130/70ZR17

Rear – AV56
150/70ZR17
150/70ZR18
160/60ZR17
160/70ZR17
160/60ZR18
170/60ZR17
180/55ZR17
190/50ZR17
200/50ZR17