@@AndyManCam Hi Andy, how did you find them for squaring off? I do a lot of mileage on dual carriageways as well as wanting plenty grip for spirited riding in Scotland, so plenty wet roads as well as dry.
Hey Darren. Seeing as i live 250km away from the nearest half decent bendy road, i also have had to do a lot of motorway. So far, I’ve had surprisingly little problem with squaring off, despite that. They’ve done a great job with the dual compound and i was pushing the tyres in the wet twisties right up to the moment before i switched then for new ones. I also noticed less weird ridging between the compounds, than i did on the michelin road 5‘s.
I work as a development engineer in Avon. It's really great seeing full life reviews like this, and realising we're doing a decent job. P.s. I have Spirit STs on my bike too 😉
@AndyManCam that info is classified 😉 We've recently been bought out by Goodyear (We've been owned by Cooper since 1997). Goodyear own Dunlop also (their motorcycle manufacturing plant is in France). So hopefully there'll be some interesting times ahead sharing technologies between companies 🤞 Cheers for the positive feedback, it's great to hear👍
@@l-dub1490 That does sound like an exciting shakeup! I can’t wait to see what comes of it and hopefully get to try some of it out first hand! Keep up the great work! 🙌🏻
Thanks for this Andy. My 2020 Kawasaki Z900 original Dunlop’s will be up for renewal in less than a thousand miles. I’ve been looking for reviews of the ST and this has convinced me to get a pair. Originally I was considering the Dunlop Roadsmart IV, based on reviews. However over the years Avon have been superb for me. You maybe too young to remember the the ‘Super Venoms’ back in the day. Phenomenal tyre and pleased to hear the Avon heritage is still there. Made in UK is a bonus too. Thanks again.
That might be the best explanation of tyre operation I've ever heard. Every day is a school day. I know more about rubber now than I ever did. And I've had some experience. Nah wot i mean? Superb, Mr Manncam . Good one. Happy travels 👍
Every single thing you have said there also applies to the Avon Trail Riders that I use on my Africa Twin (and previous bikes) and which is why they are my go to tyre now. Love em. Best I have used, ever. And I have used a LOT.
That's good to know that they're putting out the same quality across the board. These kind of tyres have also been a deciding factor for me as to whether I should ever make the change to an adventure bike. But it seems trail tyres are proving to be just as good. Food for thought!
Well I've been thinking about Avon spirit ST for my nc750s as the current tyres, which are Bridgestone are nearly done, so your video has sealed the deal, and with local prices lower than most it's a win, win 👍🏻
My son who has a 675R and 765RS absolutely swears by Avon Spirit ST he has tried lots of tyres as rides over 14k per year and nothing absolutely nothing as good as the Avons wet or dry absolutely fabulous.
Great to see you out and about Andy. Weirdly today was my first ride out in the Knox vented jacket of the year too, in my case on a new pair of Road 6s (I'm sure I was five mph faster than usual - could be self delusion!). Been on them since Pilot Road 3s so guess you love what you know... On that thought, so much of riding is about confidence, if you think the tires are good, you relax and ride better.. Off on tour 27th so we'll see!
I've gone from Metzler roadtec 01s to road 5s, to roadtec 01SEs and now to the Spirit STs. I'll be getting the Avons indefinitely now. They're the best sports touring tyres out there.
In the interest of fairness, i didn’t have the SE‘s long enough to form a real opinion. I sold the bike shortly after fitting them. But using the Road 5‘s as a yardstick, these Avons are so good that i can’t see there being any more than a 5-10% difference in ‚goodness‘ in either direction between those and these.
@@davidebraidotti6364, my experience is that the AVONs are a bit like a roadtec but better in every way. (As opposed to feeling like a better version of a road 5) Avons feel like they've a sportier profile whilst giving good grip always once warmed up and I'm getting more mileage from them. Additionally the AVONs seem to be wearing more roundly. The roadtecs about 2/3rds into the tyre life felt like they started to deteriorate. Loose a little grip, would start feeling very stiff and not give as much feedback and you'd feel the tyre going square a lot. Rear on a roadtec SE lasted me ~8k miles on a vfr 800. Ive done 6-8k miles on the AVONs and I reckon I might get 12K miles out of them.
Nice review Andy. Re the Road 6s I had a set fitted to my R1200R last week ready for a tour of the Highlands and Skye. In daily rain (often heavy) and gusty winds they were (like the Avons) faultless. Thr ride home yesterday was in our mini heatwave and again they were brilliant. Best tyres I've ridden on, but at a cost!
Cheers BYM. Glad to hear that the 6's are going in the right direction. They ARE expensive though, aren't they! The special military operation can't be helping matters much either.
What a great accolade for the Spirit ST's, Andy. In the 1960's I used the Avon GP's on my Nortons and Velos and they were excellent tyres. So it seems the quality and value of Avon tyres hasn't changed. I hope your lug hole has fully recovered from the op.
Absolutely Jim. Seems the only thing they don't do as much as the other firms is push their tyres so hard with advertising! The underdog heroes of the rubber world! Prices show that this is possibly changing as they gain traction though. Pun intended! 😜
ANDY!!! brother . I'm jealous of ur Alps trip!! Thank you for you for.your great review..as for me...I'll stick with my Michelin tyres...I have the Road 5s because of your review and do t regret it. I have the RSs on my Duc and love them. But again...very grateful 🙏 for your reviews brother and stay safe.
lol, nice one Andy, i knew they'd be good as i've been a big fan of the tyres predesessor the Avon storm 3D XM ! i could tell by the way you've been riding in previous video's and the temps etc that you had gained great confidence in the spirits, and i expected high miles as i'd gotten over 10,000 miles out of the storms on my ZZR 1400 abs Performance sport, and thats a heavy bike, esp two up touring, no issues at all and i'm not known for being esp kind to my tyres shall we say ! now looking forward to seeing if i can get them for my bmw 1250 gsa adv !! thanks bud, great review !
Cheers Andy! Yeah I've been very impressed. COnfidence is indeed very high! From what I've heard from others, the SPirits will likely give you slightly reduced mileage, but as a tradeoff you get increased grip and feel. A worthwhile tradeoff in my books as I'd always rather have more grip. Especially as 12,000km for a front with that level of confidence is extremely good as far as I'm concerned!
Michelin better start returning your calls since I got them for my motorcyle based on your all weather review! You are an internaltional ambassador for them 😀 But in any case, this is another awesome video, thanks for keeping us informed and entertained Andy!
If only! It seems that the world is getting smaller! UK Michelin won't send tyres abroad and German Michelin won't deal with me because it's an english channel!!
‘Holio fuck’, Andy (as AVE would say) what a comprehensive review and what a memory you have, good job young man. Kindest regards from Bonnie Scotland. Joe.
God I love your videos. I feel like I’m with you. The dialogue is exemplary! You had me at “Rubber Resume” Keep Em Coming Andy. If you pass Zürich pop in for tea. Or a sofa bed! Thanks again
Thank you so much BL! Very happy to hear that opinion! ☺️ I'll be sure to holler if I'm heading that way. Good lord I would love to head that way right now!! 😂
Hey Andy, I’ve used Avon storms on my bikes for years now, all weathers, absolutely brilliant tyres, long lasting too, glad you’re on the mend from your surgery too mate 👍🏼
Very underrated tyres, I wouldn’t have anything else now, I’m picking up my new to me CB1100RS up this weekend, it’s got Bridgestones on it but I might go for the ones you use on it , I’m glad you’re all pretty much healed up now too, I bet it’s a relief for you 👍
Congrats on the new ride Daz. Yeah very relieved about the ear. Sadly the back is up to its old tricks. Trying to make big changes but ‚the man‘ is fighting me on it!
Thanks Andy, I’m really looking forward to picking it up, it’s 5 years old but it’s mint , bit of retro , I’ve still got the Bmw 1200r but this is for sunny days, I feel your pain with the back, I had a head on crash with a drunk driver nearly 20 years ago in London and it’s left me with a weak back, luckily I was in a hgv so it could have been a lot worse , glad they fixed your ear buddy and I hope your back ease’s up too.
Sounds perfect, really is a beautiful machine. Yeah fingers crossed on the back front that something gives soon and i can get on the mend properly! Cheers!
After many years on Bridgestone, I ordered a pair of Avon Spirits today! A set is 30 euros cheaper than the Bridgestone T32's I usually uses for my 690 Duke. (at my usual online tyresupplier) Tried Michelin Rain...street something and Bridgestone S21. Great tyres but low mileage. Look forward to these Avons. 🙂
Cheers Andy. Yeah that's why I left this review until the end. The proof really was in the pudding! Real shame about the price, but then it seems that EVERYTHING is getting more expensive lately.
I got 22k miles out of my front and 17k miles out of my rear Avon Storm 3D XMs on a Fazer 1000! I did a lot of commuting miles and had to change the rear on a cross European trip where it finally got really low after seemingly lasting forever. Replaced them with the Spirit ST's which were probably grippier in the dry but were both shot at 8k miles (same riding and same bike as with the Storm 3D XMs).
I guess that's the point at which the hardness for longevity and the softness for grip cross over. I find that at 12,000 ish kms for spirited riding it's a good compromise. I'd rather change the tyres every season (or every 2 seasons in pandemic times!) and always have the grip. Horse for courses I guess! For commuting, you can't argue with the 3D XM's though.
I put Spirit ST's on my VStrom 650 around 8,600 miles ago. Since then I have done the NC500, plus a bunch of other riding while I was in Scotland in typical Scottish weather and loaded with camping gear. Last week I was in Snowdonia, again camping again in mixed weather plus lots and lots of day and short camping trips, in all weathers.... well not snow, no one sane rides in snow! I am nothing but impressed with the ST's and I think they will be good for another run up to Scotland later this year. No guesses what I will be replacing them with.
I feel exactly the same Neil. They just seem to keep going and haven't let me down in any conditions. I feel like I should try something else, even if just for the benefit of the viewers at home. But they've been so good that I'm hesitant to change the working system!
Back in the days thise tyres was a choise for a poor student, long lasting and cheap. Its been many years since l have had avon, but i remember them as good tyers for my racing bikes. Helmut Dhale set a world record at Nurburgring with avon long time ago.
Hi Andy, as others have said the storm 3d xm's great and are definitely worth you trying. Cheaper than the spirit st's but still an awesome tyre. I've used them for years and have them on two of my bikes at the moment.
Hi Andy I've found the spirits to be a great allrounder on the rear of my niken ,unfortunately they don't fit the fronts .I can honestly say that the TC has not intervened since these have been fitted .Yes I've tried .I have found them better than pr4,s in all conditions and they have lasted longer .Regarding ware the majority of the tyre has a lot left in it but the centre will be at the ware bars at 4500 miles ,I normally see 3_3500 out of a rear Michelin .I've also found that there appears to be no loss of grip during the coarse of the ware unlike others I've used .I ride all year and all weather's and these tyres have been superb .These have been my go to tyre for a while now and will continue to be .Unfortunately supply and demand etc has made tyre choice more difficult in the UK ,so if I can't get these i,'ll get the 3dsxm version.
Very happy to hear it and not at all surprised. I feel exactly the same way. Great grip and feedback, right to the last mile. I’ve almost never seen the traction control light or felt the ABS since I’ve had these tyres.
I'm surprised, just bought a set of avon spirit st. It was $200 cheaper then a pair of road 5. Maybe not in demand here in Canada. Great video, thanks.
Great vid as always mate, I have the 5s at the moment on my s1000r, which I absolutely love, but after your vid will definitely look at these Avons 🇬🇧 it will probably come down to the price now……keep up the great work 🎥 👊🏻
Thanks Kev. I reckon it pretty much always comes down to the price. No really bad tyres any more. So yeah, if the price is right, give them a go. If the 5's are cheaper, go with them.
I totally agree MrC. I'm sure that a better rider than me could find some more difference between the Sporty Bridgestones and the Spirits. But for my level, tyres like these show me that sporty rubber is simply bad economy and worth nothing more than posing rights! Nothing wrong with with sticking to older models. If the shoe fits!
Andy, I've mentioned to you before that I've always put Avons on my bikes and I've probably been through nearly all that Avon make for bikes (and cars) and currently run Storm 3D-XM on my Speed Twin which changed a superb road bike into a knee scraping monster, they are awesome and cheaper than the other current favourites. Soo much grip and feel, very predictable tyre. Currently have Heidenau K60 on my scrambler (just wanted to try them) which are also great but they will be replaced by Avon Trailriders. I would recommend Avons without hesitation. Yes I have had Michelin PR tyres too, they're not cheap and certainly no better.
Absolutely. On their own, they’re good. When you put the comparison in price to the more expensive Michis, most of us aren’t really getting anything extra for our money. Might have to consider since Storms now that everything is getting more expensive!
I just replaced my road 5's with road 6's primarily based on how well they did overall. Loved your review as you looked at the overall long term time on the tires to create your review. Awesome! It would be great to hear how the rear tire does from now to its end of life. 🤔 Thanks, Andy. 👍🏼
It is always good to find a tyre you get on with. I think if I only had 1 bike, I'd probably go for the new Michelin Road 6 as I found the 5 to be incredible on my Street Triple when I had that.
Good video AMC. I used Avon back in my 650 bandit days, best tyres for me and that bike. I must admit I’d just forgot about them since swapping bikes. Will keep them in mind 👍
The funny thing about tires is it depends so much on the type of bike you ride. Take the Avon Cobra Chrome as an example. They had a good reputation, but on a heavy cruiser they are a one way ticket to the hospital emergency room. Positively dangerous. Not only my experience, but out of the four bikes in my club running these tires, all had problems. I had to throw my Avon tires in the bin after less than 3000kms as the front tire was warped, and the rear would loose traction once you got slightly off the central tread. Thank god for traction control!. No issues with Bridestone, Pirelli, Dunlop and Metzeler tires on the same bike.
I just did the same with my Pirelli Angel GT 2`s. The front was done after 13500km (including 4 weeks in the swiss alps and italy) and the rear still has plenty of meat left. Just changed the front, since the back tire should be good for another season.
It's initially strange that this is becoming the norm, but at the same time I think I prefer it. Most of your cornering grip needs to come from that front so I'd happily trade a bit of longevity for that unshakable front end confidence! I'm hping my Spirit rear will last til spring next year too!
Great review Andy, I wish more/most people did an end-of-tyre-life review, instead of the far less meaningful new tyre "review"... 👍 It will be interesting to find out in time how much total rear life you get, and what the shape of it will be towards the end, and how that feels (some tyres feel pretty rubbish towards the end of their life, some less so (I put the Road5s in the "still providing good shape at the end", camp :) )). Avon need to cash in on this video!! :) (One M.Tryphonos used to shod his hub-centre steered bikes with Avons...)
Cheers Matt. I’ll see what i can do! 😉 I’d certainly put the Avons in that same camp too so far. Good shape still on the rear and no weird 50pence corners to speak of.
Hi Andy, appreciated the review, always looking for good tyres but I was wondering how many kms are you getting out of a tank of fuel on your CB. Cheers mate, keep the vlogs coming
It is indeed hard to find a balance between sticky and longevity. I slapped a set of Michelin Road 5 on my Yamaha FJ-09 (MT09 Tracer) AF the the stock Dunlops wore out and the Michelin are far superior. Look forward to try the Avon in the future.
My pleasure mate and thanks for the coffee!! 😚 They are Büse Toursport Pro Boots: tinyurl.com/yz9eyv4f The shin protection is about average. Sturdy, but not quite up to Motocross standards!
Glad you’re happy mate! I was very comfortable with dropping back to the Büses after my Daytonas finally died. They’re also impressively waterproof and very comfy!
Thanks andy a good review, do you think these tyres would suit a larger capacity bike?.i have a first generation rsv1000 and i need tyres ,any thoughts on the avon st?
The CB1000R is a 1000cc bike. So yes of course they’d suit a larger capacity bike! I thought they were great. I can of course sadly no longer vouch for them since Dunlop bought the company and moved production.
Hi Andy. Now then, let's get this straight: almost 17k kms out of the front, and looking like 21 - 22k kms out of the rear?! Jeez Louise! Are they made of Bakelite? 😂. That's impressive. The front looks like it retained a nice rounded profile too. Shame you didn't show a close-up of the rear. As others have said, it's hard to tear yourself away from what you know. I've had Michelin PR2s, PR4s and Road 5s on my Beemers (all sports tourers) and found them to be brilliant, especially in the wet BUT they've all exhibited strange wear patterns towards the end of life - especially the fronts. My current Road 5s are the same to a degree but what's most impressive is that they still feel good at end of life - a first for me. Trouble is I've never got more than 8k miles out of a rear (PR2 on an R1100S). The Road 5s did around 5.5k miles on my R1200S (front and rear both toast). Looking like about the same from the current Road 5s on my R1250RS. I'm not complaining about the mileage - these bikes are torque monsters and I do enjoy driving it hard off of corners. Anyhoo, your review has persuaded me to give summit else a try - hopefully those Spirit STs. Need to do a bit of research though cos this is a heavy and torquey machine. It may be that they are more suited to lighter IL4 machines? Dunno. I could be talking utter shite 😂. Great review, cheers. PS. Please show us a close up of your rear, including the profile (oo er missus) 😂😂😂
Haha! Not quite! All those numbers, but minus 5000km taken care of by the factory fitted Bridgestones. The Missenden Flyer had the Spirits on his GS a couple of years ago. There’s a video of his opinions out there somewhere. I really dropped the ball by not showing the rear. My bad. If it helps, they still look very round and last week in awful rain they were still sticking wonderfully.
@@AndyManCam Ah, I see... I blame my cloth ears (at least yours are real!). Still impressed though. Circa 10k and 13k miles front and rear respectively? 👏 Avon. I'll accept your description - man of your integrity and all that. Cheers! Edit: Jesus, I am daft - I meant 7.5k and 10k miles front and rear. Still blimmin good, mined ewe.
Hello Andy, Is the Knox Handroid Pod Mk IV CE Glove 3 season glove? How is the glove on a hot summer day? How is the glove on an ealry morning cold day of 45F/7.2C?
With heated grips or hand guards, definitely. Without heated grips, I’d want 10°C and up. I’ve had them on in 30°C and they were still pretty comfortable.
Hello @AndyManCam, would love to know how you get those floating 360° camera shots? I am also looking at getting a 2023 CB1000R, but would like to know how you find the headlight beam on your bike? I have heard a few complaints about the visibility it provides.
Check this out for some ideas! ua-cam.com/video/yJ656ulYdP8/v-deo.html 👍🏻 I find the headlight woefully bad, considering this is a 2020 bike with the most modern lighting tech available! Shame on you Honda!
British rubber is better than French. I might get a set of these Avon Spirit STs for my Sprint ST 1050. It's currently on Dunlop Sportmaxes which aren't great. I've got Avon 'RainExperts' on one my cars and they are pretty good too.
I think that's a pretty common state of affairs! I hadn't heard of them until I threw out a bunch of emails and Avon triumphantly answered the call! I've heard good things about the Avon Trail RIders, in case the Spirits aren't available. Might also be worth a look.
@@AndyManCam Been googling and am very interested in those trial riders. My current tyres aren't done for yet, but when they do somewhere in autumn, I am thinking of trying those out.
@@AndyManCam Sacre bleu. I have since asking this gone for the French. However I have to admit, second time I went out with them it was torrential and my god they did not disappoint. Genuinely made it feel like riding in the dry. Incredible tyre
Have you ridden 'em on gravel road, especially were I live ,we have alot of those , and every once and while , you end up on a gravel road for tens of km ...
I’ve ridden them through a fair few gravel roadworks and farm tracks. No real surprises. The deep and wide grooves give more grip than many 100% Road would.
Hey Andy, I've just put a new set of Avon Road Pilot 2's on my Yam. First set of new tyres in my riding career. Lots of conflicting info re: Scrubbing in...What are you thoughts if I may?
I tend to err slightly on the side of caution. Tyres certainly don't need the scrubbing in they used to, but they're still shiny when they come out and you have to get used to the different characteristic of different tyres or even how new tyres handle compared to old ones. SO with that said I just take it easy for the first couple of hundred kms but don't really worry about it too much. Considering most of my bigger rides start with 2-3 hours onthe motorway, that's never really an issue!
But how do they wear? Is the wear even? Do they cup a lot? I just picked up two rear 180/55/17 tires for $107 USD each. Excited to give them a try on my 2009 R1200RT
What the heck? 12K with kms to go? I think i got 10+K out of a Metzeler back in my Bandit 1200 days but nowadays? Unthinkable. Riding the Conti Road Attack 4 at the moment and its the best i had by far. But don't see more than 5-6K coming out of that. 12K+ that's crazy talk ;)
When I was a wee nipper, i often saw my dad address his female commanding officer and he always used the marm as in farm variety. As did all the other military minions. Later on, when i was in the cadets, we also had a female officer and we also addressed her with marm as in farm. Seeing as how the Queen is the uppermost commanding officer of them all, I’d say she probably goes by the military marm as in farm rather than the very civilian ma‘am as in ham. As you were.
Today I just drove on the wrong side of the road!! Or is it the right side?? Either way my girlfriend says I need to stop watching British guys ride motorcycles😂😂😂
I can most certainly second Andy's abilities to push those tires in the most adverse of conditions. Bravo Avon.....Bravo👍🇬🇧🇬🇧
Seconded (though I thought that almost went without saying... ;) :D )
Cheers chaps. It’s all down to the rubber (thats what she said)
@@AndyManCam Hi Andy, how did you find them for squaring off? I do a lot of mileage on dual carriageways as well as wanting plenty grip for spirited riding in Scotland, so plenty wet roads as well as dry.
Hey Darren. Seeing as i live 250km away from the nearest half decent bendy road, i also have had to do a lot of motorway. So far, I’ve had surprisingly little problem with squaring off, despite that. They’ve done a great job with the dual compound and i was pushing the tyres in the wet twisties right up to the moment before i switched then for new ones. I also noticed less weird ridging between the compounds, than i did on the michelin road 5‘s.
I work as a development engineer in Avon.
It's really great seeing full life reviews like this, and realising we're doing a decent job.
P.s. I have Spirit STs on my bike too 😉
As far as I’m concerned, you guys are nailing it! What’s next?! 😉
@AndyManCam that info is classified 😉
We've recently been bought out by Goodyear (We've been owned by Cooper since 1997).
Goodyear own Dunlop also (their motorcycle manufacturing plant is in France).
So hopefully there'll be some interesting times ahead sharing technologies between companies 🤞
Cheers for the positive feedback, it's great to hear👍
@@l-dub1490 That does sound like an exciting shakeup! I can’t wait to see what comes of it and hopefully get to try some of it out first hand! Keep up the great work! 🙌🏻
@@AndyManCam Cheers dude, ride safe, and keep up the great work you're doing on your channel 👏😎👍
Thanks mate. Same to you.
Thanks for this Andy. My 2020 Kawasaki Z900 original Dunlop’s will be up for renewal in less than a thousand miles.
I’ve been looking for reviews of the ST and this has convinced me to get a pair.
Originally I was considering the Dunlop Roadsmart IV, based on reviews.
However over the years Avon have been superb for me. You maybe too young to remember the the ‘Super Venoms’ back in the day. Phenomenal tyre and pleased to hear the Avon heritage is still there.
Made in UK is a bonus too.
Thanks again.
Cheers TB, my pleasure and happy to help. I’m afraid i am slightly too young to remember the Venoms, but only just it turns out! 😅
Trying to remember... I'm sure the Avons on my bandit were Avon viper sport 🤔14years ago... Good tyres👍👍👍
I can believe it. I have nothing but good to say about my experiences with Avon so far.
That might be the best explanation of tyre operation I've ever heard. Every day is a school day.
I know more about rubber now than I ever did. And I've had some experience. Nah wot i mean?
Superb, Mr Manncam .
Good one.
Happy travels 👍
Cheers TT! Just regurgitating all the nonsense I've gathered over my 4 decades! Same to you mate! 👍🏻
Every single thing you have said there also applies to the Avon Trail Riders that I use on my Africa Twin (and previous bikes) and which is why they are my go to tyre now. Love em. Best I have used, ever. And I have used a LOT.
That's good to know that they're putting out the same quality across the board. These kind of tyres have also been a deciding factor for me as to whether I should ever make the change to an adventure bike. But it seems trail tyres are proving to be just as good. Food for thought!
Well I've been thinking about Avon spirit ST for my nc750s as the current tyres, which are Bridgestone are nearly done, so your video has sealed the deal, and with local prices lower than most it's a win, win 👍🏻
My son who has a 675R and 765RS absolutely swears by Avon Spirit ST he has tried lots of tyres as rides over 14k per year and nothing absolutely nothing as good as the Avons wet or dry absolutely fabulous.
Totally understand that Stuart. They really are VERY good!
Great to see you out and about Andy. Weirdly today was my first ride out in the Knox vented jacket of the year too, in my case on a new pair of Road 6s (I'm sure I was five mph faster than usual - could be self delusion!). Been on them since Pilot Road 3s so guess you love what you know... On that thought, so much of riding is about confidence, if you think the tires are good, you relax and ride better.. Off on tour 27th so we'll see!
It's so true Steve. And once you realise it, it's a revalation! WHo care if you were fatser or not, it's all about how it feels isn't it!
I've gone from Metzler roadtec 01s to road 5s, to roadtec 01SEs and now to the Spirit STs.
I'll be getting the Avons indefinitely now. They're the best sports touring tyres out there.
Glad to hear it Samuel. Some have been sceptical of my thoughts so glad there are many oout there feeling the same way!
Hello! Why do you prefer these over the roadtec SEs?
In the interest of fairness, i didn’t have the SE‘s long enough to form a real opinion. I sold the bike shortly after fitting them. But using the Road 5‘s as a yardstick, these Avons are so good that i can’t see there being any more than a 5-10% difference in ‚goodness‘ in either direction between those and these.
@@davidebraidotti6364, my experience is that the AVONs are a bit like a roadtec but better in every way. (As opposed to feeling like a better version of a road 5)
Avons feel like they've a sportier profile whilst giving good grip always once warmed up and I'm getting more mileage from them.
Additionally the AVONs seem to be wearing more roundly.
The roadtecs about 2/3rds into the tyre life felt like they started to deteriorate. Loose a little grip, would start feeling very stiff and not give as much feedback and you'd feel the tyre going square a lot.
Rear on a roadtec SE lasted me ~8k miles on a vfr 800. Ive done 6-8k miles on the AVONs and I reckon I might get 12K miles out of them.
Nice review Andy. Re the Road 6s I had a set fitted to my R1200R last week ready for a tour of the Highlands and Skye. In daily rain (often heavy) and gusty winds they were (like the Avons) faultless. Thr ride home yesterday was in our mini heatwave and again they were brilliant. Best tyres I've ridden on, but at a cost!
Cheers BYM. Glad to hear that the 6's are going in the right direction. They ARE expensive though, aren't they! The special military operation can't be helping matters much either.
What a great accolade for the Spirit ST's, Andy. In the 1960's I used the Avon GP's on my Nortons and Velos and they were excellent tyres. So it seems the quality and value of Avon tyres hasn't changed. I hope your lug hole has fully recovered from the op.
Absolutely Jim. Seems the only thing they don't do as much as the other firms is push their tyres so hard with advertising! The underdog heroes of the rubber world! Prices show that this is possibly changing as they gain traction though. Pun intended! 😜
ANDY!!! brother . I'm jealous of ur Alps trip!! Thank you for you for.your great review..as for me...I'll stick with my Michelin tyres...I have the Road 5s because of your review and do t regret it. I have the RSs on my Duc and love them.
But again...very grateful 🙏 for your reviews brother and stay safe.
Thanks mate! The trip was insanely good! Possibly the best yet! Don't blame you for sticking with the 5's. If it ain't broke....
lol, nice one Andy, i knew they'd be good as i've been a big fan of the tyres predesessor the Avon storm 3D XM ! i could tell by the way you've been riding in previous video's and the temps etc that you had gained great confidence in the spirits, and i expected high miles as i'd gotten over 10,000 miles out of the storms on my ZZR 1400 abs Performance sport, and thats a heavy bike, esp two up touring, no issues at all and i'm not known for being esp kind to my tyres shall we say ! now looking forward to seeing if i can get them for my bmw 1250 gsa adv !! thanks bud, great review !
Cheers Andy! Yeah I've been very impressed. COnfidence is indeed very high! From what I've heard from others, the SPirits will likely give you slightly reduced mileage, but as a tradeoff you get increased grip and feel. A worthwhile tradeoff in my books as I'd always rather have more grip. Especially as 12,000km for a front with that level of confidence is extremely good as far as I'm concerned!
Always entertaining and informative. Thanks for bringing us along Andy.
Thanks mate, my pleasure entirely!
British made tyres fit for British weather 🇬🇧 Great review 🍻
I know right! Anything designed to keep British vehicles on British roads, can't be half bad!!
Michelin better start returning your calls since I got them for my motorcyle based on your all weather review! You are an internaltional ambassador for them 😀
But in any case, this is another awesome video, thanks for keeping us informed and entertained Andy!
Agreed - I bought my first set of Road5s based on Andy's mid-life review, and am now on my 3rd set!!
If only! It seems that the world is getting smaller! UK Michelin won't send tyres abroad and German Michelin won't deal with me because it's an english channel!!
@@AndyManCam that's a ridiculous policy they've got! They'd struggle to find a better ambassador 😇
I don’t understand it either. Sadly it rings true for a lot of brands that are supposedly international.
‘Holio fuck’, Andy (as AVE would say) what a comprehensive review and what a memory you have, good job young man. Kindest regards from Bonnie Scotland. Joe.
Haha! I haven't seen an AVE vijeo for a while now! Many thanks mate and happy scottish riding!
Excellent video, Andy.
Quality.
Cheers muchly LL! I just had to tell the tale, the Tyres made the story!
God I love your videos. I feel like I’m with you. The dialogue is exemplary! You had me at “Rubber Resume” Keep Em Coming Andy. If you pass Zürich pop in for tea. Or a sofa bed! Thanks again
Thank you so much BL! Very happy to hear that opinion! ☺️ I'll be sure to holler if I'm heading that way. Good lord I would love to head that way right now!! 😂
Hey Andy, I’ve used Avon storms on my bikes for years now, all weathers, absolutely brilliant tyres, long lasting too, glad you’re on the mend from your surgery too mate 👍🏼
I can understand why. They make good hoops! Cheers very much Daz. All pretty much healed up and back to 'normal' now.
Very underrated tyres, I wouldn’t have anything else now, I’m picking up my new to me CB1100RS up this weekend, it’s got Bridgestones on it but I might go for the ones you use on it , I’m glad you’re all pretty much healed up now too, I bet it’s a relief for you 👍
Congrats on the new ride Daz. Yeah very relieved about the ear. Sadly the back is up to its old tricks. Trying to make big changes but ‚the man‘ is fighting me on it!
Thanks Andy, I’m really looking forward to picking it up, it’s 5 years old but it’s mint , bit of retro , I’ve still got the Bmw 1200r but this is for sunny days, I feel your pain with the back, I had a head on crash with a drunk driver nearly 20 years ago in London and it’s left me with a weak back, luckily I was in a hgv so it could have been a lot worse , glad they fixed your ear buddy and I hope your back ease’s up too.
Sounds perfect, really is a beautiful machine. Yeah fingers crossed on the back front that something gives soon and i can get on the mend properly! Cheers!
After many years on Bridgestone, I ordered a pair of Avon Spirits today! A set is 30 euros cheaper than the Bridgestone T32's I usually uses for my 690 Duke. (at my usual online tyresupplier)
Tried Michelin Rain...street something and Bridgestone S21. Great tyres but low mileage.
Look forward to these Avons. 🙂
Can't argue with that saving! ANd I'm pretty sure that you'll be happy with the performance mate. I know I was!
A very useful thorough review.
Thanks very much Geof!
Good real world review of the Avons, we have seen you riding them in previous videos so the proof is plain to see, pity the price is going up.
Cheers Andy. Yeah that's why I left this review until the end. The proof really was in the pudding! Real shame about the price, but then it seems that EVERYTHING is getting more expensive lately.
I got 22k miles out of my front and 17k miles out of my rear Avon Storm 3D XMs on a Fazer 1000! I did a lot of commuting miles and had to change the rear on a cross European trip where it finally got really low after seemingly lasting forever.
Replaced them with the Spirit ST's which were probably grippier in the dry but were both shot at 8k miles (same riding and same bike as with the Storm 3D XMs).
I guess that's the point at which the hardness for longevity and the softness for grip cross over. I find that at 12,000 ish kms for spirited riding it's a good compromise. I'd rather change the tyres every season (or every 2 seasons in pandemic times!) and always have the grip. Horse for courses I guess! For commuting, you can't argue with the 3D XM's though.
I put Spirit ST's on my VStrom 650 around 8,600 miles ago. Since then I have done the NC500, plus a bunch of other riding while I was in Scotland in typical Scottish weather and loaded with camping gear. Last week I was in Snowdonia, again camping again in mixed weather plus lots and lots of day and short camping trips, in all weathers.... well not snow, no one sane rides in snow! I am nothing but impressed with the ST's and I think they will be good for another run up to Scotland later this year. No guesses what I will be replacing them with.
I feel exactly the same Neil. They just seem to keep going and haven't let me down in any conditions. I feel like I should try something else, even if just for the benefit of the viewers at home. But they've been so good that I'm hesitant to change the working system!
@@AndyManCam if it ain't broke.....
Absolutely mate. That’s what I’m thinking. A test of new stuff is all well and good. But if they’re rubbish, you’re stuck for at least a season!
Back in the days thise tyres was a choise for a poor student, long lasting and cheap. Its been many years since l have had avon, but i remember them as good tyers for my racing bikes. Helmut Dhale set a world record at Nurburgring with avon long time ago.
I think that's why they slip under many radars, But they're definitewly doing something right now. I have total confidence in them.
Hi Andy, as others have said the storm 3d xm's great and are definitely worth you trying. Cheaper than the spirit st's but still an awesome tyre. I've used them for years and have them on two of my bikes at the moment.
Hi Trevor. Could be worth a look then. Cheers!
Hi Andy I've found the spirits to be a great allrounder on the rear of my niken ,unfortunately they don't fit the fronts .I can honestly say that the TC has not intervened since these have been fitted .Yes I've tried .I have found them better than pr4,s in all conditions and they have lasted longer .Regarding ware the majority of the tyre has a lot left in it but the centre will be at the ware bars at 4500 miles ,I normally see 3_3500 out of a rear Michelin .I've also found that there appears to be no loss of grip during the coarse of the ware unlike others I've used .I ride all year and all weather's and these tyres have been superb .These have been my go to tyre for a while now and will continue to be .Unfortunately supply and demand etc has made tyre choice more difficult in the UK ,so if I can't get these i,'ll get the 3dsxm version.
Very happy to hear it and not at all surprised. I feel exactly the same way. Great grip and feedback, right to the last mile. I’ve almost never seen the traction control light or felt the ABS since I’ve had these tyres.
I'm surprised, just bought a set of avon spirit st. It was $200 cheaper then a pair of road 5. Maybe not in demand here in Canada. Great video, thanks.
Great vid as always mate, I have the 5s at the moment on my s1000r, which I absolutely love, but after your vid will definitely look at these Avons 🇬🇧 it will probably come down to the price now……keep up the great work 🎥 👊🏻
Thanks Kev. I reckon it pretty much always comes down to the price. No really bad tyres any more. So yeah, if the price is right, give them a go. If the 5's are cheaper, go with them.
I think most tyres and bikes have more talent than most riders on public roads. With my 600cc bike and my talent level I'm still using Pilot Road 4!
I totally agree MrC. I'm sure that a better rider than me could find some more difference between the Sporty Bridgestones and the Spirits. But for my level, tyres like these show me that sporty rubber is simply bad economy and worth nothing more than posing rights! Nothing wrong with with sticking to older models. If the shoe fits!
Andy, I've mentioned to you before that I've always put Avons on my bikes and I've probably been through nearly all that Avon make for bikes (and cars) and currently run Storm 3D-XM on my Speed Twin which changed a superb road bike into a knee scraping monster, they are awesome and cheaper than the other current favourites. Soo much grip and feel, very predictable tyre. Currently have Heidenau K60 on my scrambler (just wanted to try them) which are also great but they will be replaced by Avon Trailriders. I would recommend Avons without hesitation. Yes I have had Michelin PR tyres too, they're not cheap and certainly no better.
Absolutely. On their own, they’re good. When you put the comparison in price to the more expensive Michis, most of us aren’t really getting anything extra for our money. Might have to consider since Storms now that everything is getting more expensive!
I just replaced my road 5's with road 6's primarily based on how well they did overall. Loved your review as you looked at the overall long term time on the tires to create your review. Awesome! It would be great to hear how the rear tire does from now to its end of life. 🤔 Thanks, Andy. 👍🏼
Agreed! Not enough "whole life" tyre reviews about, Andy's are the best by far!! :)
I do what i can! With tyres lasting on average 2 seasons a set, it could take a while to cover the full spectrum! 😂
It is always good to find a tyre you get on with. I think if I only had 1 bike, I'd probably go for the new Michelin Road 6 as I found the 5 to be incredible on my Street Triple when I had that.
I can imagine that. The 5's are good, so better can only be... well.... better! But yeah, once you've found the groove, stay in it!
Good video AMC. I used Avon back in my 650 bandit days, best tyres for me and that bike. I must admit I’d just forgot about them since swapping bikes. Will keep them in mind 👍
Cheers Wats! Definitely worth keeping in mind mate!
Excellent review 👍🏽
Many thanks Carl.
Very impressed with the Trailriders on my KTM 790 ADV, buying another set 👍😀
Glad to hear you've found your tyre mate.
The funny thing about tires is it depends so much on the type of bike you ride. Take the Avon Cobra Chrome as an example. They had a good reputation, but on a heavy cruiser they are a one way ticket to the hospital emergency room. Positively dangerous. Not only my experience, but out of the four bikes in my club running these tires, all had problems. I had to throw my Avon tires in the bin after less than 3000kms as the front tire was warped, and the rear would loose traction once you got slightly off the central tread. Thank god for traction control!. No issues with Bridestone, Pirelli, Dunlop and Metzeler tires on the same bike.
Very interesting. I guess it’s important to get the right model for the machine.
I just did the same with my Pirelli Angel GT 2`s.
The front was done after 13500km (including 4 weeks in the swiss alps and italy) and the rear still has plenty of meat left.
Just changed the front, since the back tire should be good for another season.
It's initially strange that this is becoming the norm, but at the same time I think I prefer it. Most of your cornering grip needs to come from that front so I'd happily trade a bit of longevity for that unshakable front end confidence! I'm hping my Spirit rear will last til spring next year too!
Apart from being a very good tyre, they look great.
I totally agree mate. Top hoops.
Great review Andy, I wish more/most people did an end-of-tyre-life review, instead of the far less meaningful new tyre "review"... 👍 It will be interesting to find out in time how much total rear life you get, and what the shape of it will be towards the end, and how that feels (some tyres feel pretty rubbish towards the end of their life, some less so (I put the Road5s in the "still providing good shape at the end", camp :) )). Avon need to cash in on this video!! :) (One M.Tryphonos used to shod his hub-centre steered bikes with Avons...)
Cheers Matt. I’ll see what i can do! 😉 I’d certainly put the Avons in that same camp too so far. Good shape still on the rear and no weird 50pence corners to speak of.
I had some on my klr 650 it was the best tires i ever owned.
Not surprised. They really are very good!
Better than all the rest by a mile .
Too kind mate. CHeers. Unless you're talking about the tyres! 🤪
Hi Andy, appreciated the review, always looking for good tyres but I was wondering how many kms are you getting out of a tank of fuel on your CB.
Cheers mate, keep the vlogs coming
Hi Kahi! I tend to get about 250 km to a tank. 230 if I cane it, 275 if I touch it up!
👍 Great review
Many thanks TTD!
It is indeed hard to find a balance between sticky and longevity. I slapped a set of Michelin Road 5 on my Yamaha FJ-09 (MT09 Tracer) AF the the stock Dunlops wore out and the Michelin are far superior. Look forward to try the Avon in the future.
The first set of tyres after Stock is almost always a revelation!
@@AndyManCam indeed
Don’t know why they keep putting the rubbish tyres on. I think they’re changing that gradually, but not fast enough!
@@AndyManCam I suspect that it’s because it’s the only way that manufacturers can sell those rubbish tires lol.
Haha! You’re almost certainly right! „Buggered up the mix again boss, what are we gonna do with this lot?…“
„Hang on, I’ll call Honda…“
Thanks for the review. My next tires will be Avon Spirit ST. What kind of boots did you wear? Does your boots have good shin protection?
My pleasure mate and thanks for the coffee!! 😚 They are Büse Toursport Pro Boots: tinyurl.com/yz9eyv4f The shin protection is about average. Sturdy, but not quite up to Motocross standards!
@@AndyManCam , Got the Busse Toursport Pro Boots. Good shin protection, well made.
Glad you’re happy mate! I was very comfortable with dropping back to the Büses after my Daytonas finally died. They’re also impressively waterproof and very comfy!
Thanks andy a good review, do you think these tyres would suit a larger capacity bike?.i have a first generation rsv1000 and i need tyres ,any thoughts on the avon st?
The CB1000R is a 1000cc bike. So yes of course they’d suit a larger capacity bike! I thought they were great. I can of course sadly no longer vouch for them since Dunlop bought the company and moved production.
@AndyManCam are they still made in Britain,?
@paul8161 i don’t think so, but I’m not sure
Hi Andy. Now then, let's get this straight: almost 17k kms out of the front, and looking like 21 - 22k kms out of the rear?! Jeez Louise! Are they made of Bakelite? 😂. That's impressive. The front looks like it retained a nice rounded profile too. Shame you didn't show a close-up of the rear. As others have said, it's hard to tear yourself away from what you know. I've had Michelin PR2s, PR4s and Road 5s on my Beemers (all sports tourers) and found them to be brilliant, especially in the wet BUT they've all exhibited strange wear patterns towards the end of life - especially the fronts. My current Road 5s are the same to a degree but what's most impressive is that they still feel good at end of life - a first for me. Trouble is I've never got more than 8k miles out of a rear (PR2 on an R1100S). The Road 5s did around 5.5k miles on my R1200S (front and rear both toast). Looking like about the same from the current Road 5s on my R1250RS. I'm not complaining about the mileage - these bikes are torque monsters and I do enjoy driving it hard off of corners. Anyhoo, your review has persuaded me to give summit else a try - hopefully those Spirit STs. Need to do a bit of research though cos this is a heavy and torquey machine. It may be that they are more suited to lighter IL4 machines? Dunno. I could be talking utter shite 😂. Great review, cheers. PS. Please show us a close up of your rear, including the profile (oo er missus) 😂😂😂
Haha! Not quite! All those numbers, but minus 5000km taken care of by the factory fitted Bridgestones. The Missenden Flyer had the Spirits on his GS a couple of years ago. There’s a video of his opinions out there somewhere. I really dropped the ball by not showing the rear. My bad. If it helps, they still look very round and last week in awful rain they were still sticking wonderfully.
@@AndyManCam Ah, I see... I blame my cloth ears (at least yours are real!). Still impressed though. Circa 10k and 13k miles front and rear respectively? 👏 Avon. I'll accept your description - man of your integrity and all that. Cheers! Edit: Jesus, I am daft - I meant 7.5k and 10k miles front and rear. Still blimmin good, mined ewe.
With that level of grip and confidence, definitely. I’ve had tyres that lasted longer, but by god did i wish they’d hurry up and wear out!! 😂
Hello Andy, Is the Knox Handroid Pod Mk IV CE Glove 3 season glove? How is the glove on a hot summer day? How is the glove on an ealry morning cold day of 45F/7.2C?
With heated grips or hand guards, definitely. Without heated grips, I’d want 10°C and up. I’ve had them on in 30°C and they were still pretty comfortable.
Ok 👍👌 Andy
CHeers Chema!
Hello @AndyManCam, would love to know how you get those floating 360° camera shots? I am also looking at getting a 2023 CB1000R, but would like to know how you find the headlight beam on your bike? I have heard a few complaints about the visibility it provides.
Check this out for some ideas! ua-cam.com/video/yJ656ulYdP8/v-deo.html 👍🏻 I find the headlight woefully bad, considering this is a 2020 bike with the most modern lighting tech available! Shame on you Honda!
British rubber is better than French. I might get a set of these Avon Spirit STs for my Sprint ST 1050. It's currently on Dunlop Sportmaxes which aren't great. I've got Avon 'RainExperts' on one my cars and they are pretty good too.
I’ve been incredibly impressed. For patriotism alone i would go for British again! 🫡
I'll be honest. Never heard of them. Will check then out. No idea if they are available in the sizes for an Africa Twin.
I think that's a pretty common state of affairs! I hadn't heard of them until I threw out a bunch of emails and Avon triumphantly answered the call! I've heard good things about the Avon Trail RIders, in case the Spirits aren't available. Might also be worth a look.
@@AndyManCam Been googling and am very interested in those trial riders. My current tyres aren't done for yet, but when they do somewhere in autumn, I am thinking of trying those out.
I hope they do the trick. If you end up half as pleased as I’ve been with the Spirits, you’ll be a very satisfied customer!
If you were to pick money no object the Avon’s or Michelins which would it be?
I reckon that out of patriotic pride, I’d choose the Avons!! (I was in France last month and most people i interacted with were rude!😆)
@@AndyManCam Sacre bleu. I have since asking this gone for the French. However I have to admit, second time I went out with them it was torrential and my god they did not disappoint. Genuinely made it feel like riding in the dry. Incredible tyre
They are really very very good. It was a win-win choice to be honest mate. Enjoy the boots!
Have you ridden 'em on gravel road, especially were I live ,we have alot of those , and every once and while , you end up on a gravel road for tens of km ...
I’ve ridden them through a fair few gravel roadworks and farm tracks. No real surprises. The deep and wide grooves give more grip than many 100% Road would.
Hey Andy, I've just put a new set of Avon Road Pilot 2's on my Yam. First set of new tyres in my riding career. Lots of conflicting info re: Scrubbing in...What are you thoughts if I may?
I tend to err slightly on the side of caution. Tyres certainly don't need the scrubbing in they used to, but they're still shiny when they come out and you have to get used to the different characteristic of different tyres or even how new tyres handle compared to old ones. SO with that said I just take it easy for the first couple of hundred kms but don't really worry about it too much. Considering most of my bigger rides start with 2-3 hours onthe motorway, that's never really an issue!
But how do they wear? Is the wear even? Do they cup a lot? I just picked up two rear 180/55/17 tires for $107 USD each. Excited to give them a try on my 2009 R1200RT
They wear very well. Good grip and feel right up to the very end 👍🏻
If you had to pick between the Avon Spirit ST’s or the Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE’s what would you install again?
I already replaced them a second time with the Avons, so definitely them again!
What the heck? 12K with kms to go? I think i got 10+K out of a Metzeler back in my Bandit 1200 days but nowadays? Unthinkable. Riding the Conti Road Attack 4 at the moment and its the best i had by far. But don't see more than 5-6K coming out of that. 12K+ that's crazy talk ;)
I know right! And that's 12K of enjoyable riding too. No weird shaping or loss of traction. Voodoo!
ribbed 😃
3D ribbed, no less! For her multidimensional pleasure!
I say old boy, Liz is addressed as ma'am as in ham, not marm as in farm. Carry on old chap,
When I was a wee nipper, i often saw my dad address his female commanding officer and he always used the marm as in farm variety. As did all the other military minions. Later on, when i was in the cadets, we also had a female officer and we also addressed her with marm as in farm. Seeing as how the Queen is the uppermost commanding officer of them all, I’d say she probably goes by the military marm as in farm rather than the very civilian ma‘am as in ham. As you were.
🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 thanks for your great Video
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
Today I just drove on the wrong side of the road!! Or is it the right side?? Either way my girlfriend says I need to stop watching British guys ride motorcycles😂😂😂
Haha! It’ll twist your melon when i tell you that i live in Germany then!! So i drive on the right side too! Or is it the wrong side?…
Wow. What an advert that poses as a review. Take away your 'dis-claimer' and this is just a sponsored advert.
Except it’s not. I’ve been paid nothing, i just really like the tyres. So much so that i bought another pair. So far, this ‚advert‘ has cost ME money!