Avon Storm 3D X-M Tires | Gear Review

Avon Storm 3D X-M Tires.
Avon Storm 3D X-M Tires.

At first glance, a sportbike’s mission is pretty clear—hustle down a twisty road as quickly as possible—but out there in the real world practical matters muddy that clarity. For example, often you have to ride some distance to get to where the good roads are, and you’ll spend most of that time on the middle of tires, not the edges. Bald tread in the center of an expensive and super-sticky rear tire combined with barely-worn shoulders prompted tire manufacturers to develop dual-compound tires, with a harder compound in the middle for all that boring stuff between the exciting bits. Avon’s dual-compound Storm 3D X-M is billed as a high-mileage sport-touring tire, designed to give you the best of both highway droning and backroad fun.

Avon says the Storm 3D X-M will deliver 15-20 percent more mileage than the current Storm range. It has interlocking three-dimensional points hidden in the tread sipes to improve stability and grip, limit tread flex and warm up the tire quickly. A super-rich silica tread gives good grip in the wet. A road-hazard warranty and a 15,000-mile warranty against the tread wearing out (certain conditions apply, but you suspected that anyway) are included. That’s all fine, but how long will the Storm 3D X-M last?

It’s impossible to say without wearing out a set, but I’m trying. Although Avon says the typical fitments for the Storm 3D X-M include heavyweights like the Honda Blackbird, Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki Concours 14, I levered a set onto my Honda VFR800, a comparative middleweight in such hefty company.

Advertisement

My riding habits pencil out to just about 50/50 highway and twisties, giving the tire equal opportunity to prove itself in its two primary habitats. After more than 5,000 miles, the middle of the dual-compound rear is showing signs of squaring off, but you have to look closely to see them. There’s still a lot of tread left before wear gets anywhere near the tread-wear indicator; I’m pretty sure I can get at least 10,000 on the rear, maybe more, before I start thinking about replacing it. The single-compound front tire is wearing evenly from shoulder to shoulder, and will probably match the rear for wear.

The Storm 3D X-M’s cornering performance on the street is more than a match for my skills, rewarding me with the narrowest chicken strips I’ve had on a bike in decades. Riding in the wet isn’t something most sportbike riders worry about, but here in Oregon the skies can open up any time. I’ve been caught out twice now, and the Storm 3D X-Ms handled wet pavement pretty well, and even cornered confidently—again, more confidently than me.

Unless you ride exclusively on the track, there’s no reason not to make the move to dual-compound tires for your sportbike or sport tourer. The 120/70-ZR17 front and 180/55-ZR17 rear for my 2000 Honda VFR800 have an MSRP of $181 and $232 respectively. I don’t yet know what the cost per mile will turn out to be, but whatever it is so far, it beats every other sport-only tire I’ve ever used.

For more information, see your dealer or visit avonmoto.com.

7 COMMENTS

  1. I have had them on my S1000R for 3000 miles and find they have very poor grip in the wet they spin up and slide a bit too, in the dry if you push hard on corners you can get the traction light flickering. The front seems to be very good no issues from that.
    Mileage is excellent so as long as you don’t push to hard they would be ok but I’m not impressed with the rear grip at all

    Terry

  2. I have real issues in the wet with the lack of traction on the rear. I have a set on my BMW K1300r and regularly experience the traction control doing its job. I’m afraid I will be looking for something with better grip in lieu of better mileage.

    • All rear motorcycle tires peel out and spin under hard throttle when it rains. It’s the nature of motorcycle tires. You cannot drive at the same speed in the rain with any tire. Unless of course you had metal spikes in your tires or something. Hard touring tires that last 10,000 miles are no match for wet race tires with very soft tread that only lasts 2000 miles, with large rain grooves. Silica enhanced tires are the best you can get for longevity and good rain traction. Grooves in the center of the tread, make rain riding safe. But you still have to go slow. Any loss of tractino is due to the slick asphault, and not the fault of these tires.

  3. in two consecutive rain days: 1 drop and 2 saves… all at low speeds, careful riding and all that stuff (normal rain day conditions and asphalt ).
    I’m afraid I made a bad choice on my last tyre change, too much coincidence, with more than 120000km experience in all weather condition I’ve never experienced this in such short time.

  4. Not great.. have 190/50/17 and 120/79/17 on my zx7r and sorry but I’ve also had issue with rear tire. Back to road 4’s this yr.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here