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Vintage tires question

Discussion in 'WERA Vintage' started by Norton 357, May 4, 2022.

  1. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    Heavy tires. Very stiff. I swear they have lead and excess steel in them.

    Avon suppliers: Vintage Specialties; Fast from the Past; some guy on the west coast - advertises in Vintage Views.

    I swear by Avons. 26 years worth. Yeah, I too long for Dunlops. But, at some point one needs to move along.

    Cheers,

    Dave
     
    yamageezer likes this.
  2. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Dave! I will check them out. I would like go with Avons if I can find them and they have a 120 rear.

    Aren't you running AM 22s front and rear on your B 50?
     
  3. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    Yes. Roadrider 90/90-18 front in 13984 compound. AM22 110/80-18 rear. I used to run a 130/70-18 rear as Ted Hubbard ran. Big tire. Heavy. Plenty stable. I think Mark Williams uses that tire on his H1 Kawi. Not as quick as the 110/80-18 rear. Rob Hall likes the current setup and he smokes the Hondas with it.

    Cheers,

    Dave
     
  4. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    I was at Kershaw and that was impressive. I 'm the one that has been helping Charlie Young for the last couple of seasons.

    I have checked around and can't find any 120 rears at all, I thought I had seen them in Contis but now all I see are 130s and that's too big for the Norton. I may have to try a 110 on the rear if I can't find a 120.

    Hopefully by the time the bike is ready there will be some Avons available
     
  5. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    Why is 130 too big? Swing arm width? I'd think it would be just fine.

    Cheers,

    Dave
     
  6. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    Yes, stock swingarm is just too narrow for a 130 and when I tried it before it made the steering feel heavy. The only way to run that width was to run it as far back as possible in the swingarm . I prefer a lighter, quicker feel and the 120 seemed perfect for our setup

    I don't know if the 130 radials are different but in the past we ran Metzler bias ply and a 130 was just too much tire for the bike. We are running that isolastic frame with stock forks and swingarm
     
  7. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    130 radials will have a flat, wide aspect and will be equally slow steering.
     
  8. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    83BSA I found an Avon AM 18 rear in 120 medium compound. Have you ever ran that one? I think this is the Super Venom that RD 400racer mentioned

    The front looks like it only comes in 19 though, so I would have to run a different tread on the front.
    Do you think pairing that with an AM 22 would be a problem?

    My other option is Conti with 100 front and 110 rear in race compound. The 120 Conti I found is not race compound.

    Big price difference in the two brands, Avon is about 1 1/2 x Conti price
     
  9. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    Dave, kinda off-topic (sorry James), but could you share Rob Hall's fastest laptimes at CMP on his Honda 350 and then your BSA?......Just interested.

    Thanks
     
  10. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    I've not used the 120. I'm unfamiliar with the medium compound.

    No problem with different treads - I do/did it all the time. Hell, Brit bikes wobble so much, you'll never notice. :crackup:

    Stick with race compounds. DAMHIK.

    Charlie -

    The Honda was 1 sec faster. He asked for a faster back sprocket, but nothing was possible - that was the smallest sprocket for the BSA wheel. In 25 years I never needed to go faster at CMP. Had he the proper (for him) sprocket, he might have equalled the Honda time. He had the Beezer hummin'.

    What was most impressive was Rob getting a less-than-optimal start, being in 1st midway thru the first lap, losing the front end in the tight left hander at the end of the back straight, picking it up on his knee and going on like nothing happened. A true Marquez moment . . . on a BSA. When I mentioned it to him, he simply said, yep, just another BSA slide. Yeah . . . .
     
  11. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    OK, I knew it was close....Interestingly, the Honda 350 chassis he is racing is one that I braced and modified WAY back in the day. It was the culmination of several learning steps in those chassis' for me, and I felt it was the best one I modified. I'm glad it wound up where it did, and with Danny / David Miller too......there's a "bitter side" to the story as well that you could probably relate to, that we will have to chat about over a martini sometime.

    Sounds to me you need to machine that rear hub like the 160's do!

    Yes, very impressive riding. I dont know if you've seen it from the track, but like I said, impressive. Tie that with his engineering and mechanical skills, and it really does demonstrate what racing is all about....if you know how to look for it. It really is skills from a bygone era.

    Always good chatting man....if you are ever down here twds Marietta, holler, even on a weekday....if I'm working I can give ya a tour of the shop. I think you'd like it....Building automated and robotic X-ray and ultrasonic inspection systems from scratch. Clean sheet design and engineering to fab, paint, testing, software. Mostly DoD stuff.....or lunch and a martini!

    Later man.
     
  12. ringdingding

    ringdingding TWO-STROKE MILITIA

    Try rogerkrausracing.com according to the site, he was a race car tire supplier, Avon approached him this year to sell motorcycle tires, race compounds.

    Don't buy the last Super Venom, I need one for the stock piped RD350. Listed for $255
     
  13. ringdingding

    ringdingding TWO-STROKE MILITIA

    Hi Charlie, you bringing a CB 350 to Mid-Ohio? Gonna kick your butt in V-2 on the stock piper! :Poke: Hope to see you there. :beer:
     
  14. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    James Stewart, sorry for opening the door to a couple sidesteps here in your thread, but I do have a set of avon and conti take-off's if you wanna come lay your hands on them if it will help with your choice.....Also, sorry I missed your invite to the Braves game sir, looked like it was a good game.

    Yo Rich Lucas! Waaasssuup.:beer:

    Even tho I cannot make a good case as to why, Mid-Ohio is not on my list, at least for this year. It should be rated higher on my list, but its not, and I honestly don't know why. I need to change that, because it is actually achievable....

    It is also the only opportunity all year to engage in a V1, and V2 class that I've had many years of fun competing in. :rock: :flag:

    Hope you are well sir. I saw Bucky at CMP this march, how come you don't join in there? I always enjoy seeing good Ol' Bucky, and you as well. Have you worked that 2-stroke hypnotic mind game on him? what is he racing now, and RD? WTH is up with that? He missed some races with mechanicals (NEVER happens with the mighty CB350:)) so I hope he snaps out of this Lucas induced (?) trance he is in.....I think since "Uch's" passing the only "Wizard" with the power to overcome his downturn into the bowels of 2-strokeed-ness is the mighty Stan Lipert......we shall see what the world has in store for Mr Sexton.:Poke::):D

    I do miss BS'ing with you guys, and watching "Rich Lucas the Giant Killer" ride!:bow:
     
  15. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    Charlie, are you back in town? I am going to SC this weekend and wouldn't mind taking a couple of tires to compare with what we had been running on the Norton. I leave early Thursday morning and will stay until Monday. Gerry has a Norton and a Bonneville ready for us to ride around the Clemson area.

    Rich, thanks for that info. I will try to contact Roger Kraus. It's looking like tires may be a last minute thing as Avons seem to be on backorder and no one is sure when they will get a shipment.

    I did notice that they only list an AM 22 in 120, the AM 23s appeared to go from 110- 130, so we may end up with 22s front and rear. After seeing what David's bike did on them I ain't skeered of that.
     
  16. cyclocrossfool

    cyclocrossfool Well-Known Member

    his rd looked a mess. talked to him about going up to can for vrra rd1. this weekend for 2 hr endurance race and sprints. havent heard back from him.
     
  17. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    Yep, got back last nite.....headed back south thursday from work...so, I'll be at the house tonite, tue, wed nites.

    Well, as you know Bucky's bikes have never been "show pieces"....but they do look good when he shows me a wheel and then muscles thru on the inside:crackup:

    A 2hr endurance race sounds like fun. I figured he'd be into that.
     
  18. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    Looking at Roger Kraus, that seems to be the go to place. He lists the 130/650, 18 rear and like Ken Essex said it will work on our current rims, providing it will clear the swingarm.
    Looks like 110 front in AM 22, no 100s.

    Any thoughts on soft vs medium compound? We are probably going to try to race 2 or 3 races a year. Would like to run 2 AHRMA next year to qualify for Barber, but not going to put a lot of races on tires
     
  19. Robin172

    Robin172 Well-Known Member

    Weren't you supposed to retire in January?
     
  20. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    Dang, not much gets by Ol' Scudder;)

    Yes is the short answer....I got cold feet.

    Current financial situation isnt helping any. Plus frikkin healthcare......:mad:

    Im working around 30hrs a week now, and still get healthcare with my employer. It actually worked out ok. We just took a big job for the US Navy that will last until around early 2024, right when I turn 62.....so I took the task.:flag:

    When are you racing again?
     

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