I am considering building another vintage bike. Maybe something from an early era like 1960s. One of my big questions is how do the tires grip that are required by earlier bike rules. The bike would be restricted to 2.15 x 18 rims. From my searching on the internet the best tire I can find for these narrow rims is the Avon AM22 and AM23. They claim to be made with real race compounds. Because of their design they are wider than tires from other companies that say would work on these narrow rims. I have only ridden on slicks or DOT race tires. How do these Avon race tires compare to real race tires. I do not want to be on the track with other classes that blow by me because I have a severe tire limitation.
Those are pretty much the standard race tire. Good enough to drag hard parts and get your knee on the ground. You'll be limited by other stuff before you're limited by those tires. Otherwise its the usual pirelli bridgestone dunlop... pissing match.
They are race compound tyres. Continental make a radial tyre for vintage racing, it pretty much looks like a slick with a few grooves in it. Apparently they're good but if you end up in wet race they do seem to have some limitations there.
From what I see the AM22 110/80-18 is available in race compound bias ply F&R tires for these narrow rims and the AM23 in only a 130 rear size as a option. Avon AM22 - Avon Tyres AM23 Cantilever (avontyres.com) For 17" tires yes, but if you're talking about 18" vintage race tires with wider wheels the players are Metzeler Racetec, BStone CR11, and Conti Roadattack 3 CR, and these are radials
No....I mean " this track is a that tire track" or "those suck in the rain you need to use these" etc... and you forgot heidenaus.
Thanks for the clear input guys. And Robin, I did not know Continental had a sticky tire for narrow rims but I see it now. The ContiClassicAttack.
I have run the Avons and liked them on my CB350. The 130 AM23 rear is actually designed to have a good profile on a 2.15 rim. I ran the 110 18 front and the 130/65 -18 rear. They were really too big and heavy handling on a CB 350, but suited what I wanted.
I used AM 22s and 23s and they were just okay for me—superior to whatever else there was in the early or mid mid 90’s when I started using them, but not great. I used the on 2.15 /18 front and 2.5 /18 rear rims. The qualifications are, especially the 130/650 has a flattish profile that sort of limits lean angle, they are heavy, and they get slippery and blue readily when really hot. When the really good Dunlop vintage race tires came out around 2008 or 10, they were far far better, and I stopped using the Avon’s, but then Dunlop dropped them around 2015 so I had to go back to the Avons. I’ve never used them but I’ve heard the Conti radials are very good, superior to the Avons. The Contis specify relatively narrow widths for 2.15 rims. You’ll want to pay attention to that spec.
The AM22 110 is available for the rear as well, it is a great rear tire for the lighter bikes. I used it on my guzzi rear but it taxed it a bit too much when pushing, I ran am22 front and rear. It wore quickly on the rear, but as stated, knee down no problem.
I also tried the conti's in damp conditions and didn't like them at all, lots of people love them in the dry.