Avon Azaro Radials
which so many tire companies have
launched new products with such fanfare. As it turns out. this is not only fun
for me (it's another day at the track).
it's beneficial to you. the consumer.
Competition is awesome for development. whether it's through racing
or marketing. It forces the tire companies into making better products.
By BLAKE CONNER
PHOTOS BY KEVIN WING
II....Tou·re going to another tire
•
intro?" Managing Editor Scott
Rousseau asked. "Yeah. I don't know
what the deal is this year." was my
reply. This year has been the year of
the tire. I don't recall another year in
Just look at World Superbike last
season. a tire that propelled Ben
Bostrom to six wins in a row the previous year wasn't capable of netting
him a single victory this year. and I
doubt that he suddenly forgot how to
ride. It was definitely a factor. Competition between the two primary
manufacturers in that series has
The Yamaha R6 and the Azaro Sp·Pro
track-day tires were a perfect
combination for the sinuous curves of
the Spring Mountain Motorsports track
(a.k.a. Pahrump).
pushed technology forward in leaps
and bounds. In the case of World
Superbike. one company got it really
right. while the other was blindsided
by their progress.
I can't think of a period of time in
the last 15 years when the motorcycle-tire industry has produced so
many good tires and been so competitive. There are many tires on the
market to choose from, and many of
them are really good. but don't skip
over some of the smaller companies
such as Avon. They are making some
good stuff.
Avon Tyres (that's how it's spelled
in the Queen's English) has just introduced its new line of Azaro radial
sport tires. which consists of three
model lines: ST AV45 (front) and ST
AV46 (rear) Sport Touring tires; SP
AV49 (front) and SP AV50 (rear)
Sport tires; and SP-Pro AV49 (front)
and SP-Pro AV50 (rear) Pro-Series
tires. The Melksham. England-based
company has been producing motorcycle. tires since 1911, and has been
producing tires since 1885. but has
really stepped up investment in the
motorcycle segment since they were
acquired by Cooper Tire USA in
1997.
28
NOVEMBER 6. 2002'
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