Avon Cobra's? Difference between Bias & Radials
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Road Captain
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From: Illinois
Avon Cobra's? Difference between Bias & Radials
Can someone please enlighten Me on the good and bad of either? I'm goin on a 4500 to 5000 mile trip this summer and wanted to replace my stock tires, I believe the dunlops are bias, I run Avon Venoms years ago and really liked them, I was thinkin they were radials and was gonna try the Avon Cobra's which are bias ply.Thanks
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Either way, just don't mix Em!
Our bikes were sorta 'tuned' for bias, but I don't think you'd be hurt by running radials. Most back road shops and even dealers don't carry radials so keep that in mind, if ya have a flat, you'll be buying 2 if they don't have your tire. Venoms are bias, they might be available in radials, but I've never seen one. I hear the cobra is every bit as good as the venom, just a more modern version and some extra sizes available.
Our bikes were sorta 'tuned' for bias, but I don't think you'd be hurt by running radials. Most back road shops and even dealers don't carry radials so keep that in mind, if ya have a flat, you'll be buying 2 if they don't have your tire. Venoms are bias, they might be available in radials, but I've never seen one. I hear the cobra is every bit as good as the venom, just a more modern version and some extra sizes available.
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Illinois
Thats what I thought on the Venom's but a friend just got Venom's for his SG and said they are radials. I agree on shops carrying mainly Bias was kinda curious the diff. and also designed for bias tires
Last edited by Rich67; Jun 13, 2013 at 07:24 PM.
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From: Bedford UK
I've been using Avon tyres on my Harleys since the 70s, so let's start by putting things right! Avon Venoms that suit our Harleys are bias, as are the later Cobras. Some Cobras are radial, but not the versions that are suitable for your 11 bike.
You can learn more from the manufacturers website, from which you can transfer to the US one (and others).
From their website, recommended tyres for your bike are:
Cobra Pressure front: 2.6 bar (38psi)
Front size: 130/80B17 65H
Cobra Pressure rear: 3.0 bar (44psi)
Rear size: 180/65B16 81H
You can learn more from the manufacturers website, from which you can transfer to the US one (and others).
From their website, recommended tyres for your bike are:
Cobra Pressure front: 2.6 bar (38psi)
Front size: 130/80B17 65H
Cobra Pressure rear: 3.0 bar (44psi)
Rear size: 180/65B16 81H
Last edited by grbrown; Jun 14, 2013 at 05:37 AM. Reason: Corrections!
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From: sunny florida
I've been using Avon tyres on my Harleys since the 70s, so let's start by putting things right! Avon Venoms that suit our Harleys are bias, as are the later Cobras. Some Cobras are radial, but not the versions that are suitable for your 11 bike.
You can learn more from the manufacturers website, from which you can transfer to the US one (and others).
From their website, recommended tyres for your bike are:
Cobra Pressure front: 2.6 bar (38psi)
Front size: 130/80B17 65H
Cobra Pressure rear: 3.0 bar (44psi)
Rear size: 180/65B16 81H
You can learn more from the manufacturers website, from which you can transfer to the US one (and others).
From their website, recommended tyres for your bike are:
Cobra Pressure front: 2.6 bar (38psi)
Front size: 130/80B17 65H
Cobra Pressure rear: 3.0 bar (44psi)
Rear size: 180/65B16 81H
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That's true with his model Graham but I always ran Cobra's on my past bike , on my current bike I have Metzler's because my bike came with 18" front tire and 16" rear tire and Cobra didn't have tires in my load range and size to match , however they recently released in the Cobra line a 130/70R18 63H front tire and a 180/60R16 80H rear tire that would work , factory load rating call for 64H & 81H so these would work , my concern is I've never ran a radial tire and don't know if I will like them
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From: Bedford UK
That's true with his model Graham but I always ran Cobra's on my past bike , on my current bike I have Metzler's because my bike came with 18" front tire and 16" rear tire and Cobra didn't have tires in my load range and size to match , however they recently released in the Cobra line a 130/70R18 63H front tire and a 180/60R16 80H rear tire that would work , factory load rating call for 64H & 81H so these would work , my concern is I've never ran a radial tire and don't know if I will like them
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From: Bedford UK
Harley have used them on the V-Rod since it was introduced in 2002, the Deuce since 2002, XR1200 since 2008 and the SuperLow since it was introduced in 2011, possibly other models. I even have a radial Avon Storm on the rear of my Glide. 