Avon’s New Cobra Slithers onto the Market

The people at Avon Tyres say they have been listening long and hard to what their cruiser, custom and touring customers demand from a tyre, and handling, durability and aesthetics topped the list. So when it came to designing a replacement for the popular Venom-R, Avon kept its list handy, and the tyremaker reports it has more than met these requirements with a new tyre range aimed at the power cruiser and customiser market.

Called the Cobra, the new wide tyre is visually distinguishable by its snakeskin pattern and snake’s head logo on the sidewall, and Avon has extended the serpentine motif to the tread pattern, describing the ‘aggressive’ pattern as having a ‘fang mark and coiling indentation appearance.’ But this tread is not just for show, Avon adds. It also has a venomous bite, so to speak. The Avon developed Force Following Grooves in the tread (FFG) follow the exact direction of forces that are transferred through the tyre. These channels in the tyre’s surface significantly reduce irregular and advanced wear on bikes that carry heavy loads.

Avon’s development team wanted to improve manoeuvrability at both high and low speeds, dismissing the common belief that wide tyres are unable to corner proficiently. A taxing undertaking, Avon adds, for a tyre suitable for fitment on stereotypically cumbersome machines. In order to achieve this goal, manufacturing techniques first used in Avon’s Viper range were adapted and applied to Cobra. WCTA – Wide Custom Tread Arc – is Avon’s new tyre profile that gives Cobra a nimble characteristic once reserved only for agile race-bred bikes, all without disrupting all-important stability.

To improve handling in the much wider Cobra sizes, the tyres are formed using A-VBD (Advanced-Variable Density Belt). This construction technology utilises a jointless belt of ultra-strong material. Above the carcass, these strands are wound closely together at the tyre’s centre for increased stability and wear resistance. Towards the tyre’s edges the fibres are then progressively spaced out to allow the tyre to take on a multi-compound effect as the tyre leans.

The Cobra is available in a wide range of sizes, incorporating fitments for Harley Davidson’s V-Rod, Triumph’s Rocket III, Honda’s Goldwing and Valkyrie with some suitable for custom bike applications.

Fitments:

Cobra AV71 Front
120/70ZR19 (60W) – Harley V-Rod
130/70R18 63H Honda GL1800 Goldwing,
120/70-21 62H Custom size
130/60R23 65V Custom size
150/80R16 71V Kawasaki VN2000
150/80R17 72H Honda Valkyrie

Cobra AV72 Rear
180/60R16 74H Honda Goldwing
180/70R16 77H Honda Valkyrie
180/55ZR18 (74W) Harley V-Rod, older model
200/60R16 79V Kawasaki VN2000
200/55R17 78V Harley Softail
200/55R18 79V Custom size
220/50R20 83V Custom size
240/50VR16 (84V) Triumph Rocket III
240/40VR18 (79V) Harley V-Rod, new
250/40VR18 (81V) Custom size
280/40VR20 (89V) Custom size
300/35VR18 (87V) Custom size