Tale of tyres and joining in again

[treedragon]

Well for the first time in a couple of decades I went riding with the boys, albeit a slightly different version of said species and definitely a tone or two greyer they were at that. All part of easing myself back into riding but it was Ducati as far as the eye could see when all were amassed for take off. 

So this was gooood for me I felt, as I nearly didn’t go, I tend way too insular on the social side and was never that comfortable riding in the middle of a group. But I went and had decided I wasn’t going to be sat at the back despite historically I was either tootling along behind quite content to go with the flow or way out front where no one else was silly enough to be.  As long as I wasn’t stuck in the middle of a bunch of unpredictables, including self, all vying to  be some sort of Freddy Spencer clone. I guess truth was I would do anything other than mix it too closely back then. I liked speed I did, still do at that and learning to get the sustainable best out of a bike and self. I had the advantage then of reasonable funding opportunities......... sigh, (they are right you know it was better “back then”), which meant the latest bike, horsepower with the latest greatest handling to give me options for avoiding my fears, so much of my riding ended up a solo affair.

But I digress as they say - so here I was in the lot with all these feisty beasts in black, red and yellow snorting and rumbling around me with apocalyptic vigour, rear tyres near kin to something off a Boeing 737, the situation quite reversed from the last group ride I remembered. The two of us in the corner, me thinking “Damn! should I take a head start”, the bike inaudibly purring underneath me, also I was wondering if there was something to prove. Mind you I had already primed the scene by saying that I might well get sidetracked by photo opportunities so don’t wait for me........

In my eyes at least, and only mine it seems, I was astride the best looking bike, (until the MV Augusta joined us later that is), and the humble performance was not such a big deal. Ahem, well to hell with the humble bit as it turned out later, give it near death (with consideration) and see how well she really runs, was closer to the point. The XZ sang a beautiful note in the higher revs with the motor feeling sooooo good, and that loverly fairing is such a treat.

The initial ride out of town was..................... well a tad civilized I felt, a little too cautious it seemed to me, I could have sworn the unspoken rule was ride at the upper limit you know the “powers that be” will let you get away with and NOT sit below the posted speed limit especially if road conditions were this good. I must be getting old maybe, because after all we were on a “ride” not a Sunday cruise. It gave me hope though as damned if I would be outdone by a mere 350cc plus advantage, expensive tyres and a brand name. Technically they all had the measure but the XZ felt good and I was in a slightly perverse mood and had not really appreciated the ceramic rear tyre, but I did later.

I understand that many forum members likely have different road surfaces than here. We are blessed with a good surface of standardised gravel chip bonded together with tar products, it can make for a nice and grippy surface, a short tyre life,  with each and every irregularity neatly flowed into the w(?)hole and of course a suitable sprinkling of those long smooth strips and patches of pure smooooth tar generally just beyond the apex of that blind corner, perfect for those seat of the pants thrills in the wet. The ride was a delectable mix of not too long straights and mouth watering corners of all persuasions, winding through a sea of green semi wilderness and up to the lake for coffee and good company.

Well we finally hit some open road and the pace pushed up a little or two, the XZ  singing a song of “let’s do it”, with every bump, hump and trackline superbly telegraphed to whatever was most tender as finally I got to appreciate the modern suspension......  on my last bike. But I loved it, how could one not, out on a bike with a comfortable ride position, good wind protection, and only the slightest niggle about why the no brand rear tyre was called a “Challenger”. However as it turned out I never got to look at a lot of scenery as I rapidly became aware of a rear’s propensity for emulating the everlasting grip free when pushed beyond the sedate. Reminds me of those ad’s for Ginsu knives the “never get blunt” or in this case “never wear out, the only set you will ever need”, so naturally my attention became riveted by every nuance of the road ahead with bulk sub cerebral calculations on how to continue having so much fun and living to tell about it.

There was this one “mOmenT” - a wet tar event several lifetimes long, a seat of the pants thrill in which I swear my rear orifice sucked to the seat so hard and fast it lifted the bike out of it’s impending pirouette and aligned me for the next corner. But you just keep on riding don’t you.

The coffee was great if lacking in volume, the excellent warm buttered cheese scone slid down like...... well the rear on THAT corner. In due course the camera found it’s way into my hand as it is wont to do when something catches my attention but here I have to admit that with such a fine line up of bikes available, what did I do?  I photographed a Koromiko (it’s a shrub), and a lichen covered thingy on a roof and some wooden frippery on the barge boards. Sad isn’t it, you would have thought that at least the MV would have caught my attention and been recorded for posterity (of the non suction variety). I am obviously in need of training up on camera etiquette when on bike rides.

The ride back was relatively uneventful and even more scenic especially as I now had a thorough grip on the bikes behaviour under duress. I was accorded the honour of being waved into second position at take off for leg two, maybe suspiciously so. I would like to think it was because that’s where I had ended up in the first leg, it was earned maybe, or because it was more the natural place for a great machine, but I can’t help wondering if it was because those behind had seen the suction event and wanted me where they could see me, after all they had brakes and could likely stop in time :)

Lead machine was a race bike in street clothes having a slow day (in deference to retaining his license), and you know what, he just never seemed to button off in the corners brake lights almost never seen with me working like a Trogan finding it very hard work to keep in range, everything tempered by a mix of fear and pride I guess  ;D  It was soon obvious that he didn’t need brakes because he had TYRES, real ones and that brakes were only for the small fry with ceramic hoops. It certainly reminded that tyres are all. However my pushing the boundaries a little served to show me that the rear wheel braking on an XZ is goooood even with "that" tyre.

At the end his tyre had this ripply, well toothed chewing gummy look about it, you could pick little balls off it and likely use them as all purpose stickum and mine? well in a previous life it was.......... no hang on it’s probably immortal and definitely stickum resistant which doesn’t help with my "waste not want not persuasion", but it's got to go. The front is a goner anyway, an ancient Bridgestone getting a tad too triangular and slick looking, a replacement is on the way but there doesn't seem too much choice for rears so maybe I should be grateful for at least the bike is upright, unscathed and I am still here to tell the tale - with scope for an encore........... sigh.
I don’t think that phase about “older and wiser” made it out here to the colonies.

The whole event was a real treat bringing me fair and square back into motorcycling, it’s social aspects and further showed me what a capable bike the XZ can be. Good tourer, great on gravel roads (beats a Boeing tyred monster any day, can you say ball bearings), cheap to run, nicely quirky and able to aquit itself honorably in modern company.

So I will be doing this again, the cheese scone was worth it  ;D  ;D  ;D

[Brian_Matthewson]

Nice writeup  :)
Almost poetic  ;D
Thanks!
Brian

[Tiger]

 8)...and I bet you still have "TH ;D AT" grin on your face... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D... 8)

Congratulations on your "Born again" ride...and write up 8)

                   8).......TIGER....... 8)

[jasonm.]

Simply put, you would like a better tire(tyre).  I think most can say AVon Super Venom is the best. If you can find them. They have limited mileage life. But I like safety over everything. I'd rather get 6ooo miles and be "stuck" to the road like Fast Freedie than geth 10k and have to drive like I am on ice in the corners.  I have Metzelers now...good but not the best. Wonderful write up.

[inanecathode]

I heard from a confidential source super venoms might not be as grippy as they could be.

[Rick G]

First time I've ever heard that Inane, I would take it with a grain of salt.
Jason , I never get more than 5-6 thousand from any rear tyre , Cheng shin to Avon . The only one that I didn't get that milage  on ,  was  a IRC Duro tour , a singular piece of junk, dead at 1800  miles.

[inanecathode]

Me personally, i've only had dunlops. For some reason i always end up with dunlop tires on everything. Either comes with the bike, or they're on sale or whatever. I do have pirellis (if thats spelled right lol) on the 83 i've put like. 30 miles on. Just from what i can tell the dunlops are alot flatter, wider contact pattern but the tread doesnt wrap too far around the tire, stops about 10 degrees before the super venom does. Just from feeling it, the pirellis feel alot softer than the dunlops i've had, but maybe thats because of tire age.
Just from feeling a super venom though (and testemonial from my anonymous source) it feels alot harder than the road rider (i think thats it, the replacement for the super venom)

[Lucky]

I think the super venoms are the best tire i've felt on this bike, very grippy. i'm seriously upset they are NLA.  i think the replacements are road runners, not riders.

[Rick G]

I had a pair of Dunlop elite  8 something or other and it took them forever to bed in , untill then, they were real slippery.

[Tiger]

 8) AVON...THEEEEE best bang for the buck, pound sterling, yen, etc, etc... 8)

                  8).......TIGER....... 8)

[h2olawyer]

The Avon tyre that replaced the Super Venom is the RoadRider.  It also replaced the RoadRunner.  They're cutting down the number of different bias ply tyre lines, like Metzeler did when it came out with the Lasertecs.  I've sure liked my Super Venoms, too.  The rear is about gone, now.  About 5,000 miles on them & the front would go the distance of a second rear.  However, since Avon no longer makes the Super Venom, I'll be getting a set of RoadRiders for Silver V & think I'll try some Pirelli Sport Demons on Tractor.

H₂O

[jasonm.]

like I said, the AVONs don't last long but it's the best ride and handling for this bike. I want them to stick and last 5k +. So the Super Venom does. I think the new pirellis are just Metz's Lasertec. Which are good, but still not the Avon S.V.  I have the Lasertec I know.  Plus some tires are 3 ply others are 4 pply. The S.V. is 4 ply my lasertec 3 ply...yes, I feel the difference. S.V. is very slightly more stable at the 1 ton mark. This could simply be the shape as well.

[visionless]

Love my Sport Demons!!!  Great grip in the twisties.
             Chris

[h2olawyer]

The Sport Demons are available in different speed ratings & sizes than the Lasertecs & the tread pattern is vastly different.  I know Metzeler & Pirelli are related companies (as are Cooper & Avon) but their tire lines aren't generally copies of each other - they have their own unique specs.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I like how squishy my perellis were to put on, dont you h2o?

[Tiger]

I know Metzeler & Pirelli are related companies (as are Cooper & Avon)
H₂O

:) Cooper own's Avon... ;)

            8).......TIGER....... 8)