MC Tested: Avon TrailRider Tires

Don't let that evocative name mislead you. Just like the big-boned adventure bikes it's intended for, Avon 's all-new TrailRider "adventure sport-touring" tire isn't going to get you very far on a slippery or sandy singletrack. But if your vision of adventure involves lots of hairpin-shaped switchbacks or hammer-down highway slogs, these new boots will be tough to beat.

Though designed essentially for sport touring, this is more than just an Avon Storm with chunky tread slapped on. Two years in the making, this is Avon’s most technologically advanced ‘tyre” yet, says engineer Ash Vowles, describing the unique requirements of a tire that can withstand sportbike-level power and cornering loads and still work well across a much wider array of conditions than standard sporting rubber.

The TrailRider replaces the long-running Distanzia 90/10 (road/off-road) at the top of Avon’s dual-sport tire pyramid, and it incorporates for the first time many features borrowed from the 103-year-old British brand’s hypersport product line. These upgrades include: triple-compound rear tread, a “super-rich” silica rubber formulation for improved cold and wet grip, and trick 3D siping (on radial versions only) for precise temperature control.

A jointless, zero-degree belt uses Avon’s advanced variable belt density technology to layer more wires near the center to reduce tire growth at high speeds, increasing stability and lowering running temperatures for improved longevity. Proprietary chemistry allowed a breakthrough in the (usually stubborn) silica dispersal process, Vowles says, so there’s more silica—an important gripping agent—in the TrailRider than any Avon tire before. Science!

The results? Significantly improved wet grip, a slight improvement in dry grip, and a slight decrease in rolling resistance (all compared to the Distanzia). We tested these claims with a 190-mile lap of the Bavarian countryside along the Germany/Austria border on three familiar ADV machines: the BMW R1200GS, Moto Guzzi Stelvio, and Triumph Explorer 1200. We traversed everything from cobblestone streets to tight mountain roads to high-speed autobahn in sunny, 70-degree conditions; then, as if by design, an afternoon thunderstorm put the wet-weather improvements to the test.

What is 3D-siping? Small slits in large tread blocks allow a tiny bit of tread flex to generate heat for quicker warm up; interlocking “teeth” molded inside each slit precisely control the amount of flex to prevent overheating. The TrailRiders felt ready right off the kickstand, no need to tiptoe up to operating temp. On OEM Metzeler Tourance tires, BMW’s GS is one of the lightest steering bikes in this class. There was no degradation whatsoever in handling behavior on the Avon-equipped GS, suggesting a neutral tire profile and a stable carcass, and on the autobahn the Avons remained unfailingly predictable and planted right up to the Beemer’s electronically limited, 145-mph top speed.

Excellent outright grip was confirmed during a spirited session on the Triumph. Even against all that triple torque with the traction control switched off the rear TrailRider resisted breaking traction, and the front reliably stayed put even when pushing that front-heavy bike hard into tight, downhill hairpin turns. The only time we could get the TrailRider to misbehave, in fact, was when we didn't rev-match while downshifting the slow-revving, heavy-flywheeled Guzzi, causing the rear wheel to lock and slide momentarily—but that's a bike problem, not a tire issue. On any road and any ADV, the TrailRider is a very confidence-inspiring tire.

The most important consideration for many tire buyers is wear and longevity—the one thing that you can't test in a single day. Vowles says internal testing shows mileage on par with the exisiting Distanzia—which we know to be excellent, based on recent experience with our Suzuki V-Strom long-term testbike. The same longevity paired with significantly improved performance, especially in wet and cold conditions? Winner.

The TrailRider is available in 18 sizes to fit nearly every adventure bike and dual sport on the market, including multiple 17- and 21-inch sizes; pricing is TBD.