Avon Distanzia

[Anonymous]

Had one of these on for the front past couple of weeks. Using in conjunction with the Tourance still on the rear which to be fair makes an odd couple...

Although  a bit knobbly, they seem to be primarily road rubber. The profile is very much a V shape as opposed to most front rubber I've seen for stroms which is more rounded (presumably to be offroady?)

Personally, so far,  I love the tyre, although I think it could be a matter of taste and not for everyone. Some riders on reviews really hated them -  It makes the front very light and twitchy (which I like - I really missed my old Fazer's sharp road handling). It tips into corners VERY quickly with this on. Effect seems exaggerated by the fact my old front was squared off to hell, but I've had plenty of new tyres in the past and this one is more pronounced than most. Took a fair while to scrub in, but seems OK - presumably slightly harder rubber in the centre. Only used in light drizzle and seemed OK, but not pushed the braking in anger in the wet yet.

Will be interesting to see how well it wears. Given word Distanzia I'd expect it to be good - some reviews suggest 6000 miles - we'll see.

[2112]

Wasabi as a confirmed Distanzia fan I'm not at all surprised by your comments. They do have a fairly aggresive front profile which does help the 19" front turn very sweetly indeed. I've had them on Transalp's, a Varadero and my Vee and they worked great on all of them. I used to get about 5,000 from a rear and 8,000 from a front (I tend to lob tyres at about 3mm rear 2mm front). They are incredibly grippy in the dry and shrug off gravel with ease, not the most outright grip in the wet but loads of feel so you know well before you get to the limit. Not too bad in the 'clarts' either  

[Juvecu]

I'm confuzzled :wtf: is the 'clarts'?

[2112]

'Clarts' are a Northumbrian term (most likely from the pits) for either mud or shite, depending which context they are used in. For example 'the boss has found out we're in the clarts now', would refer to shite. If however you were 'axle deep in clarts' it would most likely refer to mud. You'll be telling me next you don't know what a 'jougal' is...

It's a dog by the way and if it has muckle chollers it has big teeth too.

[Juvecu]

Hehe, quite amusing, it sounds like you could speak "English" to me, but if you wanted to in a way that means I won't understand a thing you say I find it quite odd how many dialects and accents there are in a place this small (relatively speaking.) In South Africa you could travel the whole country and you'll never have any problems, people speak the 'same' language just about everywhere. Here it's almost like you have a different dialect and/or accent every 20 miles (I might be exaggerating a bit.)

[2112]

Here it's almost like you have a different dialect and/or accent every 20 miles (I might be exaggerating a bit.)

It's not as far apart as 20 miles in Northumberland ! The difference in someone born & bred from Ashington to someone from Morpeth is incredible for only 5 miles ! Newcastle is the same, you can tell which part of the 'toon' people are from. Maybe we have really strong accents up 'ere or maybe we are 'tuned' to it locally I don't know. One can of course trot out the Queens English newsreader style when required.

[Juvecu]

One can of course trot out the Queens English newsreader style when required.

But what's the fun in that, right?  

[2112]

You're not wrong gadge  

Gadge = man
Mort = woman

[Anonymous]

Wasabi as a confirmed Distanzia fan I'm not at all surprised by your comments. They do have a fairly aggresive front profile which does help the 19" front turn very sweetly indeed. I've had them on Transalp's, a Varadero and my Vee and they worked great on all of them. I used to get about 5,000 from a rear and 8,000 from a front (I tend to lob tyres at about 3mm rear 2mm front). They are incredibly grippy in the dry and shrug off gravel with ease, not the most outright grip in the wet but loads of feel so you know well before you get to the limit. Not too bad in the 'clarts' either  

Glad someone else likes them shows I'm not going completely loco . I bought it on a bit of a whim online then read the reviews afterwards - nearly all of which slate the Distanzia heavily. Probably a bit TOO much feedback for many riders at a guess, plus they don't look like 'proper' knobblies. Don't care - I like 'em'

.

[Hutchie]

I have them on my old ratbike xt600, front is a 21 inch (I think) and is fine, plenty feedback, nothing exciting either way, and the rear is brilliant on the road, and not bad offroad, but locks up instantly at the least sniff of back brake in the wet (and it's a drum brake). All caused I reckon by the xt being very light, almost too light for the tyres if that makes sense.

However, I've thought quite a bit lately about sticking them on the weestrom, because they wear brilliantly, and I like the 'predictability' about them and I think they'd be much better suited to the heavier weestrom, especially 2 up.

Keep us posted on how you get on with them eh Wasabi, cheers

[2112]

And don't forget the Distanzia was the top 'dual purpose' tyre in a Bike magazine tyre test last year