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[skratch]

The Avon Cobra wasn't designed for the Harley Touring models and has a lower load rating.  If you knew that and decided to do it anyway it's fine by me, but I don't think you should be recommending them to others who may not realize they are not suitable for the bike in question.

JMHO - Jerry

the Dunlop has a load rating of 80 which equates to 992 lbs.  the avon has a load rating of 74, which equates to 827 lbs.  that's a difference of  165 lbs, the approx. weight of many bsr's.

[Dan_Lockwood]

I'm curious now... I was at the local HD dealership a few years ago and they had the Dyno Drags setup in their parking lot.  Of course for $20 I had to try it out.

They had me remove the bags as they have to strap down the rear.

They then had me roll over some scales setup for the bike and rider.  I weighed in at over 1,100#.  Then you throw on the BSR, another 150#.

So just how are load ratings supposed to be used?  Is it for the bike and then you use the manufacturers load recommendations over and above that?

Is the load rating for EACH tire?  Then you combine the two for an overall vehicle load rating limit?  Just thought I'd throw that out too...

[coloradotom]

The Avon Cobra wasn't designed for the Harley Touring models and has a lower load rating.  If you knew that and decided to do it anyway it's fine by me, but I don't think you should be recommending them to others who may not realize they are not suitable for the bike in question.

JMHO - Jerry

Dude asked for Metzlers & Michelins which are 74 load rated & so is my Avon as are the Dunflops AEs in MT90. Took it for granted maybe.

[grc]

Dude asked for Metzlers & Michelins which are 74 load rated & so is my Avon as are the Dunflops AEs in MT90. Took it for granted maybe.

Both Metzler and Michelin had previously announced 180/55B18 tires that were designed specifically to replace the stock Harley branded Dunlops on the Touring models.  I believe the OP was talking about trying to find one of those.  I've just assumed for several years now that the volume wasn't high enough for other companies to design and produce a tire just for CVO Harley's, and I guess some people got their hopes up when news broke earlier this year about planned tires from two companies plus the American Elite version from Dunlop.  The AE version has been on the market for awhile now, but still no sign of the other two as best I can tell.

Jerry

[coloradotom]

I'm curious now... I was at the local HD dealership a few years ago and they had the Dyno Drags setup in their parking lot.  Of course for $20 I had to try it out.

They had me remove the bags as they have to strap down the rear.

They then had me roll over some scales setup for the bike and rider.  I weighed in at over 1,100#.  Then you throw on the BSR, another 150#.

So just how are load ratings supposed to be used?  Is it for the bike and then you use the manufacturers load recommendations over and above that?

Is the load rating for EACH tire?  Then you combine the two for an overall vehicle load rating limit?  Just thought I'd throw that out too...

It's each tire and you add them up. This how I figured out I could run the lighter load Avons without any trouble.

The Cobras are rated 60 front / 74 rear so that is 551 + 827 = 1378. Combined, it's 181 lbs less than the factory tires.

My bike is 838 wet & the tires can handle 1378, gives me 540 lbs left for load. I'm 200, wife is 110. Add back 9 lbs for lighter tires and that's 239 lbs of crap I can carry which is way more than enough, for me.

And that 9 lbs of unsprung weight I got rid of was noticeable.

[Unbalanced]

2 weeks before WV I had ordered the Michelin Commander II's.   The front tire came in and no rear came in.   After a week of calling around by the shop they finally spoke to drag and Michelin and they at that time were told they weren't in production yet on the rear tires.   Yet Drag and everyone else has a part number to order the tire.        Day before I left for WV ended up putting on the American Elites.   So far no complaints or issues.   Metzlers just didn't give me any life out of the tire lucky if I ever got 5-6k out of them.    I may end up trying the Shinko's just to see how they wear if the Michelins remain un produced.

[HUBBARD]

The AEs are a good bit different... 'Would like to hear if the AEs cup as bad as the HD Dunlops do???

You folks let us know when y'all get a Rear 18" CII on your Bike...

Just put AEs on this past Saturday, Ed.  Don't know if they're better than the HD Dunlops, or if I'm just wantem' to be.  Didn't get a chance to test 'em on the way home.  Too much dam traffic and law dawgs, and pouring rain, from Fancy Gap all the way home.  Tires seemed ok in the rain, but 'dem rear brakes ain't worth a chit when wet!  Later--HUBBARD

[TN]

I ran several 74 weight rated tires on mine, the pirelli and a few avon's, no better milage out of them, no cupping though. I just didn't feel comfortable riding fat chicks. 



TN

[Unbalanced]

I ran several 74 weight rated tires on mine, the pirelli and a few avon's, no better milage out of them, no cupping though. I just didn't feel comfortable riding fat chicks. 

TN

Load index  equates to          Pounds            Kilograms.

     74                                   827             375

[grc]

When it comes to safety items like tire load index, I believe it would be best to go by what the real tire and chassis engineers determined to be proper, not some stuff you read on the internet.

The idea that you can just subtract the load index weight in pounds of the front tire from the sum of the weights of the bike plus the weights of the rider/passenger/gear/accessories to justify running a lower index rating for the rear tire is severely flawed.  Perhaps if both ends of the bike carried the same static and dynamic loads you would just have two tires with the same load index.  But as we all know that is not the case, and the rear tire has a higher load index for a very good reason.  Second guess them if you want and at your own risk, but there is a good reason why real engineers set those standards and not just some guy from marketing.

Jerry

[TN]

I'm not saying it's safe to or even suggesting to use a lower load rated tire on the rear of our esteemed CVO's. Just the opposite actually, I went back to the 407 after it kept me from riding some sweet fat girls around the block several times. I just wanted to say that cupping wasn't an issue with them The 407 sucks as far as I'm concerned and right now I'm happy with the dunlop AE.    It took dunlop several years to get it on the market for the 180/55-18 AE compared to the rumors as to when. I've always been a michelin fan and look forward to their offerings of such.

To the gent that had a bad front AE, I had one too. This last tire change I replaced both tires with new AE's, I had beed running AE on the front with a 407 on the rear and I could always feel something wasn't right but just kept trucking on. After the new install I feel all is right with my tires for now.

Looking for some heffers to ride 


TN

[CVODON]

What Jerry said X2.

[Unbalanced]

I'm not saying it's safe to or even suggesting to use a lower load rated tire on the rear of our esteemed CVO's. Just the opposite actually, I went back to the 407 after it kept me from riding some sweet fat girls around the block several times. I just wanted to say that cupping wasn't an issue with them The 407 sucks as far as I'm concerned and right now I'm happy with the dunlop AE.    It took dunlop several years to get it on the market for the 180/55-18 AE compared to the rumors as to when. I've always been a michelin fan and look forward to their offerings of such.

To the gent that had a bad front AE, I had one too. This last tire change I replaced both tires with new AE's, I had beed running AE on the front with a 407 on the rear and I could always feel something wasn't right but just kept trucking on. After the new install I feel all is right with my tires for now.

Looking for some heffers to ride 


TN

TN,

I bet if you talk real sweet there's a certain WV gent that would ride with you.   
 
What's funnier yet is you saying you turn em loose ...    well there was that donation to the state of NC .     

[TN]

TN,

I bet if you talk real sweet there's a certain WV gent that would ride with you.   
 
What's funnier yet is you saying you turn em loose ...    well there was that donation to the state of NC .   

Ass, gas er grass I say. 

you azzhole So that's how it's gonna be 

[Unbalanced]