Observations – Radial Tires Dunlop Elite 4 – Avon Cobra AV71

[smokier]

Greetings All,

We just finished our Route 66 trip, putting just over 5000 miles on our rides in two weeks. We returned via Utah and Colorado to add some mountain roads and elevation changes. The bride was trailer free and started the trip with 7000 miles on a pair of Michelin Commander II. She now has 12k on the Michelin’s and they still look great.

I had read that the rolling resistance of Radial tires was less than Bias tires. In my mind that translated to likely better MPG’s. Since I was pulling a trailer with camping gear and clothes, figured all the MPG help I could get would be nice. The only front Radial found in the right size and load rating was the Avon Cobra AV71. The rear tire is the new Dunlop Elite 4 in radial, again in an appropriate size and load rating.

The Elite 4 is noisy on some surfaces. It howls a little on asphalt and tar patches for the first few thousand miles. This has gotten less noticeable as time and miles have past. The combination of a radial tire and a weighted trailer was not a good one. I believe this is due to the ‘softer sidewall’ profile of a radial tire. Adding the weight of the trailer and you get a washy/sloppy sensation in corners (on ramps, curves, etc.). This sensation took a little getting used to, without the trailer that sensation does not seem to be as pronounced. I WILL NOT do radials again. Since we trailer several times a season, there would be no way to avoid the washiness. As for the MPG’s benefit, there was none that I could see. We did ride serval roads out west without the trailer, the mileage seemed about the same.
The Elite 4 with 5k on it is starting to show the flat center section. This may be due to the trailer being on there for the majority of the 5k miles. Or, the longevity isn’t going to be like the Commander II’s. I suspect that I will get 12~14K out of the Elite 4. The Avon Cobra looks very good for wear. Both tires handled curves, wet pavement, etc. very well. The Avon is a quiet tire, and felt responsive when diving into corners.

The Michelin Commander II’s on the bride’s ride, still look great. If I didn’t KNOW better, I would think they had fewer miles than the Cobra and Elite 4, yet they have 7k additional miles. I *may* switch to BIAS versions of the Elite 4 and give them a run, with less trailer time. However, the noisiness and perceived wear will probably keep me in the Michelin house for a while longer.

Just some thoughts on Radials, and the Dunlop Elite 4. Your mileage, like opinions, may vary; hope the above was useful.

Ride safe,
Smokier