The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Frame => Topic started by: bl**dydrivers on 22.12. 2024 04:09
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I’m currently having my hubs blasted, painted, laced and trued.
Could not be bothered doing it myself and would be quicker getting them professionally done
Thinking about tyres
It’s a 1962 BSA A10 Super Rocket
The original tyres are I believe 325x19 front and 350x19 rear
Think the originals were Avon Speedmaster’s
What’s the equivalent size for modern tyres?
Was recommended Avon Roadrider MK2
And don’t know what the modern size would be
Should I keep to the original look or go modern?
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Hmmm Tyres are a very personal choice I reckon but for what its worth most of us here locally are running Dunlop K70's front and back and they seem to be fine, although we are mostly riding on very warm to hot, dry tarmac. I find they feel fine when new but seem to wear quite quickly on the back and start to track white lines etc when worn.
I've heard lots of good things said about Michelin Classics but they are lower profile and look more modern, may not suit your taste.
I'm running Mitas E07 tyres on the Kwacka W800 which has spoked wheels and tubes, they have been excellent and really grip well for a compromise road/enduro style tyre. They have quite a big range of classic sizes available and very good prices.
Avons always used to be the go to brand back in the day but they're not made in England anymore and I have no experience of the recent ones.
TBH there are very few 'bad' tyres sold nowadays, and the classic old tread patterns actually work really well with the modern compounds so you would be best trying to find local opinion and see what's available in your neck of the woods to suit your conditions.
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I have found that K70s wear rapidly and the grip isn't that great. I had reluctantly switched to Roadriders and they are fine though I have always used Speedmaster/SM which has suited my BSAs very well in the past.
Have you seen the price of an SM these days, assuming you can still get one? Hence the switch to Roadriders.
P.S. the Star Twin is still on its Cheng Shin trials tyres. The handling is different but they work!
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I agree with Black Sheep about K70s, and also K71s (TT100) for that matter, in terms of rapid wear. Also agree about cost / availability of Avon SMs now but like them for the look, and they're quite grippy in more modern materials. Avon AM26 Roadriders last a lot better than Dunlops but look modern and may have a small but noticeable effect on gearing. Good grip though in the wet, I find anyway.
I snaffled a pair of classic Avon AM9 RoadRUNNERS earlier this year from Vintage Tyres for rear ends, and I am very pleased with them so far. Look 'right' on sportier bikes of the day for which they were designed and I hope will last longer than the previous K71s. (Hard to last less long to be honest!) But when I checked recently, wanting to get some more for future needs . . . the cupboard was bare. Maybe they'll come back.
Mitas are popular here but haven't tried them personally.
Michelin classics I don't know.
Sizes are going to be 4.10 x 19 for rears or 3.60 x 19 for fronts on standard rims I think, for tyres not described as 3.50 / 3.25.
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I use Heidenau K 34 and I am happy with.
Good handling and feed back.
cheers Klaus
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What’s the equivalent size for modern tyres?
Was recommended Avon Roadrider MK2
Should I keep to the original look or go modern?
Avon Roadriders on mine. Cannot fault them.
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Avon roadriders on the A7,did have K70's on the A10 but agree with wear comments and now have Mitas, had Mitas on the Notrun Model 7 for ages and they are good.
In the garage I have a 1980's 4.10 roadrunner, never been on a bike, it is still soft and I keep being told to use that, maybe this year *smile*
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Have a pair of Mitas European Classic Tyres 325-19 HO1 & 350X19 H02 on my Super Rocket, been on a couple of years now, decent grip and ride and half the price of the equivalent Dunlop or Avon
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I use Heidenau K34 on my older BSA’s and swear by the Avon mkII tires for my Norton’s. Have Michelin Classic on a few other older machines they have worked well. Agreed, tire type and use are a very personal preference.
Frank
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Ahhh, a good "what tyre" thread. Nearly up there with "what oil" threads in their ability to go on and on. ;)
For cost and performance, I don't think Mitas can be beaten for a good all-rounder, though the ST has Avons.
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100/90-19 57H TL Kenda K761 on the back of the GF. Universal tread and sticks really well.
Have a couple of Kendas on the Kwaka too - absolutely spot on although can't attest to wear rate at present (good prices too). Generally, I get about 5,000m out of a rear and around 12,000 out of a front.
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Used Speedmaster on the front & K70 on the rear for decades (several bikes) but K70's wear out a bit quick, so have been using 4.10 roadrunners. Need one for my latest bike, but they seem to have stopped production. Like everything else, progress is backwards .....
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years ago mine ran well on steel rims. :-:
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I might just get Avon Speedmaster MK2 on front and Avon Safety Mileage MK2 on the rear, see how it feels while getting to know the bike and then make a decision to go for the more modern like Avon Roadrider MK2
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Had good results with a Roadrider on the back. What does 'Safety Mileage' mean, always had a suspicion of things with 'safety' on them. *eek*
Bergs, did no-one tell you, the legal limit is 1mm *wink2* *pull hair out* *beer* *beer*
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Safety Mileage used to mean "so hard it lasts forever and skids on single rain drop".
The worst tyre I ever had was a "John Bull Rubber Company" re-mould (yes a bike remould) on the front of a BSA C11G, it skidded on a manhole cover and put me in a ditch on the 3rd day of ownership and it went in the bin on the 4th. Its was rock hard and crumbly.
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I like the look of a K70 on my Super Rocket and find the handling great at 30 psi. I had a part worn TT100 (K81) from my Commando and 'ran it out' on the back of the SR, whilst it handles fine it has a smaller rolling diameter that gears it down too much for my liking.
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Anything is better than the Firestone "All gum dipped" rear tyre that was on my Norton when I bought it. Clearly made out of a combination of banana skins and iron filings. Wouldn't grip, wouldn't wear out.
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G'day Ant.
I really don't care how many miles I get out of tyres as long as they grip. Their what keeps your bum off the ground. *whistle*
I recently fitted Dunlop Roadmaster TT100's on the A7 plunger and am really impressed. Old style looking but grip like poo to a blanket *eek* 360/19 front, 410/19 rear.
Cheers
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I replied to a question like this on the Triples forum. I have a 930 T160 with a big rear rim. I use Continental Road Attack 2 (130X18) after giving up on Avon. Later other contributors said how disappointed they were with Continental tyres, Turns out the tyres they bought were from the Classic range, made in Thailand I think, where the Road attack range (for modern bikes) was made in Germany with a big difference in quality.
Chris
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Can anyone recommend a good alternative to an Avon Roadrunner 410 x 19 for on the back of my Shooting Star please? I have always bought exactly the same tyres for my bike for as long as I can remember, so haven't thought about alternatives at all. Then this morning I sat down to order my new tyre for the forthcoming season only to discover that they have been discontinued.
All I want is another tyre which will fit my back wheel and do the job as well as the Roadrunner.
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Avon Roadrider?
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This is a very confusing area to me.
According to a couple of French suppliers those AM9s are still out there and available, in 4.10 x 19
See eg https://www.centralepneus.fr/pneu-moto/avon/universal-rr-am9/4.10-19-61h-1483191?adref=%2Fpneu-moto-4.1---19%2F%253Fbrands%25255B0%25255D%253D56
Others here in France also say they have them.
I got a couple of them last year from Vintage Tyres, but they then disappeared from the web site and haven't come back. They don't have any AM26 Road Riders either it seems from looking today, which although a bit of a modern profile for our sorts of machines, are I think pretty darn good and last well too.
It's getting difficult. Vintage Tyres have said 'good news' and that the full range will be available, the bike ones coming from Nova and made in the EU after the factory closure in the UK. Maybe that's where the ones referred to above in France come from. Just don't know. I guess Vintage Tyres' Melksham factory stock has now gone, and new supplies are proving less easy than was hoped (https://www.vintagetyres.com/blog/avon-tyres-good-news.html)
Or maybe not good.
Meantime . . .Dunlop K81 TT100s for similar look and performance on the SS? Musky likes them and he doesn't hang about, nor care about the
short life! At sub-Musky speeds I haven't managed more than about 2500-3000 miles on them on the rears of anything, but they are in keeping. K82s might also be out there, haven't looked, and then there are the Mitas and others mentioned in this and similar threads.
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