 hen Larry Toby set up a pair of Kawasaki KLR650s so he and his daughter Clara could take off on the adventure of a lifetime–riding south from California and not stopping until they could see the Antarctic Circle more than 10,000 miles away and after passing through dozens of countries and crossing the Panama Canal, the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator–he chose Avon’s Distanzia tires for both bikes. And the Avons delivered. They fully lived up to all the claims of superior stability, superior grip and long-distance reliability. Emphasis on the long distance here. Larry fully expected to replace the tires at least once during this trip but those Avons went the full 10,000 miles and then some. He replaced them towards the end of this fantastic adventure because, well, just because.
How’s that for a testimonial? Now, it’s not likely that many of your dual-sport customers will be setting out for the ends of the Earth like Larry and Clara Toby did, but they sure can have the same tires the Tobys used. They’re available right now at Parts Unlimited.
The Distanzia, used on those KLR650s, is specially designed for larger capacity dual-sport bikes. Furthermore, since the overwhelming majority of dual-sport riders don’t go off-road all that much–some never venture into the dirt at all–Avon biased this dual-sport tire more towards on-road ability. The Distanzia has a rugged tread pattern and a rubber compound that blends excellent wet and dry road holding with long life characteristics. It’s a stable cruiser, too, and the Distanzia is available with an “S” (112 MPH) and “T” (118 MPH) speed ratings for small- to medium-sized bikes and with an “H” (130 MPH) and “V” (149 MPH) rating for the bigger machines. And as noted, because more dual-sport riders tend to spend more of their time on the road rather than in the dirt Avon has biased the performance of the Distanzia more towards its on-road ability.
However, when the mood strikes, those Distanzias are worthy companions off the beaten track. That rugged-looking tread pattern really complements the style and works towards the purpose of a dual-sport bike. And that Distanzia compound, so good on the road, is just as confidence-inspiring in the wet and in the dirt. The handling characteristics, off-road and on, are designed to complement and enhance the way large-capacity dual-sports bikes corner and how they change direction. The Distanzia is also stable in a straight line, and with long tire life (ask Larry Toby about that) as part of its credentials the Distanzia is an ideal choice for a dual-sports bike.
That Avon Gripster is a good pick, too. Once again designed with a bias more towards on-road rather than off, the Gripster’s computer-optimized tread pattern and its tough carcass construction make easy work of dirt tracks and mild off-road excursions. And the Gripster is aptly named. There’s excellent road holding here backed by predictable handling characteristics. The Gripster is best suited to lighter-duty dual-sport bikes and comes with a 118 MPH speed rating. It’s available in both tube-type and tubeless fitments.
When you think sportbikes, cruisers and customs Avon comes right to mind. Tires like the Vipers, the Venoms and the Azaros define those genres. Don’t let it stop there. That same Avon experience is available in the dual-sport applications, too. The Distanzia and the Gripster are Avons in every way, and like every other Avon they’re a savvy rider’s pick. You can ask Larry and Clara Toby about that… 
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