Avon Gripster AM24 Questions?

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CMDDIL3%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Is anyone using the Avon Gripster AM24 on their dual-sports bike? I need to replace my stock Dunlop’s on my '08 XR650l and I am looking for more street orientated tires this go around.

Michael

Very nice on road, footpeg scrapers. Off road kinda uncertain but not bad aired down to 12/15. Wearing well too.

they handle great on my klr. i have about 8k on them and the rear is about 80%worn.

Hated them off road... yes "uncertain" is a good description. The Pirelli MT90AT is much better... MUCH better. There is also an ST version which is harder rubber & lasts longer on the hiway. I have something like 5000 miles on my STs & there is some left. I dumped the Gripsters at mebby 4000 with some meat left but they were squaring off some & they really wern't too good on gravel roads... and terrible on mud & wet grass.

Edit - I really love the Scorpion MT90AT... I have tried most of the usual suspects & have 2 sets of wheels, Scorps are the official "road" tires on my KLR. I'll get them again when these are done.

I ran them on my KLR650 and they were great for street! Terrible for anything other then hard-pack dirt and even that is questionable! I just replaced my gripsters with dunlop 606's. The rear was gone but the front has 50%+ on it. Its 21" and you are welcome to it, just pay for shipping and its yours for the testing!

I ran a pair this summer on my KLR, pretty much all highway and loaded with gear. I pulled them off with about 12,500 miles, rear was pretty well gone but still alot of tread on the front.

I thought the were fine on gravel, but on an F650 D, which is a pretty good gravel bike.

I don't have experience with the Gripsters, but as mentioned above, another tire to look at is the Pirelli Scorpion MT90. These tires were amazing on pavement both in the dry and wet, and tread life was phenomenal. I was running the more street oriented ST version.

I got 10K out of the rear, 7K of which was running mainly highway speeds with a full load of gear (Caribou cases and a top bag). The rear squared a bit as I crossed the prairies, but I rounded it back out once I hit the mountains.

The front's still going with about 15K on it. I have no reason to think that it shouldn't last another 5K. Wet braking is awesome with this front, and although it hates loose stuff offroad, on good gravel, handling and braking are superb.

I'm riding a KLR, just for the record.

Travis

Ditto. On gravel I don't like the front tire much. Loosey Goosey...


Great for street and for mileage though

Everyone Thanks for the advise!!! I was looking at going with the Pirelli Scorpion MT90, but was unable to find them in an 18" for the XR650L rear wheel, I will keep looking though. I did go ahead and order a set of the Avon Gripster's since my stock Dunlop rear is 80 -85% gone.

Michael

It is a great tire for road use. Definately a 70/30 tire. I don't know how people get 10k out of a tire, I get 3500 max out of a rear and it is toast.

Near 2 years ago the wife and I on 2 KLR's, spent 3 months in Mexico/Central America. For this ride I put Gripsters on both bikes. Our trip was 7400 miles and the tires still had 30% tread wear left when we got back to the US. I run Mefos here in Colorado.
The Gripsters were great on the pavement, which was most of our trip. We did do some dirt roads, 1000 miles or so. Fortunately, we didn't have rain on the dirt. The Gripsters nickname is Slipster. We are planning, next year, to spend 6 months on our motos in Mexico/Central America. I would use the Gripsters again for our type, mainly highway, riding.

If you need a street only tire, the Avon road riders are great. Obviously they are no good off road, but they make a great commuter tire. I had the gripsters and they were fair on gravel and hard pack but thats about it.

Ah, yes... The Slipsters!

For what it's worth, you could do a set of Duro Medians at about 1/2 the cost. They work better than the Slipsters in about all off road situations and as well on the pavement. I've had great experience on my KLX. I am fairly confident you would too on an XR650L. The only thing that I am not confident in is if the bike is fully loaded. I don't ride that way so I have no idea. Some riders have not done well with them, but it seems a majority do have good experience and many continue to run them. I have for over 25,000 miles. I replace them at 4000-5000 miles due to flattening of the rear tread center and checking on the front. They're not totally shot, but lose grip off road and get slightly wonky on hard cornering. But at under $100 a pair!... hard to beat.

I'm running the Pirelli scorpion MT90AT's and find them extremely good on the road. One of fairly few dual sport tires that has a high silicate, sport style rubber compound. Very smooth and sticky on the road, even in the wet. I suspect the Avon is good too, but haven't tried that model. I love their sport tires. The cheaper tires tend not to grip very well, especially in the wet.

the gripster are very good in the wet

I've not had any problem in any road conditions with the Duros and I can ride the bike pretty hard. they're as good as the Avon "Slipsters", which do work VERY well on the road. That's why I recommend the Duros. They just plain work. I can ride with my friends on their supermoto Aprilia (sure he can out accelerate me and is actually a better rider too), a Ulysses with a competent rider, and a few other supermoto 650s and 400s. Wet is no worse than any other tire I've ridden on any other bike. That's the point - they don't work like a cheap tire, they're just priced like one.

Well I received an email today from where I ordered the Gripsters. It stated that they where back ordered with no estimated arrival date, so I canceled the order. I did some searching and found the Pirelli Scorpion tires in an 18" for my XR so I ordered them and with any luck next week be putting them on to replace my stock Dunlops. After reading the bulk of the replies, I was a little discouraged about the Gripster's but after what I have read I am looking forward to the Scorpion's. Thanks everyone.

Michael