Avon AM26 Roadriders

[89500inPA]

Several other riders including myself have found that the rear brake of the GS500 can be a little grabby and lock the rear wheel without too much effort. Even on dry pavement at a strong stop the rear can start sliding, especially if you have grippy pads in the rear. For this reason I only use standard organic pads on the rear of my bike and the stronger sintered pads in the front. That and a more cautious foot solved the issue for me. 

I can't speak to the tires, I have old BT45s on mine that are needing to be changed. I will probably do that soon but have not picked out a tire yet.

[peteGS]

Well the 450 has a drum on the back 

It's good enough for a bit of drag into corners for stability if necessary and for hill starts...

[gsJack]

Several other riders including myself have found that the rear brake of the GS500 can be a little grabby and lock the rear wheel without too much effort. Even on dry pavement at a strong stop the rear can start sliding, especially if you have grippy pads in the rear. For this reason I only use standard organic pads on the rear of my bike and the stronger sintered pads in the front. That and a more cautious foot solved the issue for me. 

I can't speak to the tires, I have old BT45s on mine that are needing to be changed. I will probably do that soon but have not picked out a tire yet.

The GS has a strong rear brake that should be well used but respected.  I low sided my 97 GS purchased new the first month I had it when a car pulled out on me and I hit the brakes hard.  Had 4 old Hondas with drum rears I put 230k miles on before the first GS.  I learned to use that rear brake well and use to joke that a GS rider needed 100k miles of GS experience before using HH pads on the rear.     Later model GSs came with HH front and FF rear pads, my 97 and 02 didn't have friction grade marked on OEM pads as required by fed regulations now.

I like the Roadrider tires myself and have put most of my last 40k miles on Roadriders and never found them to be a problem in the wet.  Good tire well suited to the GS for most and give great tire life.  I was using radials back during the years we were travelling to the mountains to play but the name brand bias tires have all been upgraded in both profiles and compounds since then and the difference between bias and radials in the wet isn't so great now.

[Paulcet]

This may sound funny...but what type of pavement are you guys riding on? Around here we have a lot of oiled and stoned roads where over time the stones have slowly diminished...could it be an oily surface that  I am experiencing?

It seems odd that these tires would be so good for some on the same bike,even at different sizes,from some being great to mine being terrible...seems like as soon as I touch the brakes they lock up.

What speeds do you guys ride at when in the wet?

I see a variety of pavement.  Asphalt, concrete, chip-seal...  I am more careful in the wet, of course.  Once I did slide the rear pretty bad on some slippery pavement braking for the curve, but that was just a bone-head move on my part.

[goobydoo]

I guess Ill just go out in the rain and hope for the best from now on and keep trying!

I have a hard time believing a tire with the tread depth and type that it has could be as good on dry pavement as it is and as poor as it felt the other day on wet.

[applecrew]

I've got over 60,000 miles on the Roadriders and have had great success with them. Most of my riding is highway commuting and I get very good wear - I average about 13,000 miles on the rear (130-70/17) and 26,000 on the front (110-70/17). Dry pavement grip, to me, is excellent. As for wet weather... and being a year-round rider I do my fair share... I have not had any issues with wet traction. To be completely honest, when the going gets wet I ride very conservatively. I tone it down big time. I have no need or desire to find the tire's traction limits in the rain - it's more important that I get home in one piece.

Sure there are other tires that may grip better in the rain, but I am primarily a commuter riding 13,000 miles a year. I need tires that wear well and still give a great ride. Hands-down Roadriders offer me the best bang for my buck.

Of course, YMMV...