Earlier this year British manufacturer Avon embarked on an interesting new project in conjunction with RiDE Magazine, as they looked to develop a replacement for the 15 year old Distanzia.
With the help of two avid readers and big ADV bike riders, they have now arrived at the new-for-2015 Avon TrailRider, which promises to be a huge step forward, and a better match for today’s heavier and more powerful machines.
Boasting a stiffer construction for improvements in handling, rubber compounds have also been advanced to increase performance in the wet, with a dual compound tread for mileage in the centre, and grip on the edges.
In the December 2014 edition of RiDE, the magazine caught up with official Avon tyre tester Richard Dobson at Castle Combe, where he explained just how much work goes into the design of new rubber. First off, Richard has been bench marking competitor tyres from the adventure bike sector, to see how the current Distanzia compares, and pinpointing areas that need improvement.
One piece of the puzzle included an intensely disciplined test lapping the circuit on a pair of Triumph Tiger Explorers, removing as many variables as possible, and riding the same lines over and over again. Richard makes use of a data logger which records exact speed, track position and lap time which it then breaks into sectors. In the interests of fairness, he also has to record wind speed, direction and ambient temperature, and all this is done against the clock, for just six laps, and that includes scrubbing in time.
A multi-million pound investment rests on his ability to learn a new tyre, inside out, in just ten minutes…
Still to come is on-road testing on the competition, and a stability test on a runway such as that at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire.
The new tyre will be available in bias ply and radial versions. The radial versions will also make use of the company’s 3D sipe technology, which delivers further improvements in stability as well as faster warm up times.
There will be six front sizes in 17, 19 and 21″, as well as twelve rears in 17 and 18″ for a wide range of adventure machines. As the UK’s biggest two wheel tyre distributor, you can rely on us to have it in stock as soon as it becomes available.
