PS: The 180/60-16 Avon AV72 Cobra finally came out here and I will go for that one. Avon sent me a document of compliance for the AV72 in combination with a 130/70-16 AV45 Azaro ST. So that`s my first step towards homologation.[/quote]

Did you finalize the homologation with the cooper/avon tires? What did you take for the rear wheel : 150 or 180 with? Did you ride this combination 130 / 150 or 180? How about the performance? I´m just thinking about the change to the cooper/avon tires and I´m looking forward for the right combination.

... sorry for bad english, my mother language is german.

Especially with Metzeler ME33 it dont works. I had it on my bike too. The rear wheel is no problem. (Only the space to the chain is very small so sometimes the chain hits the tyre - the size of the metzeler is nearly 180 - But I think its not really dangerous) The front weel is a big problem. When you brake hard the front wheel touches the cover of the bike (very down under the horizontal cylinder). And this part you can only cut away (but you damage your bike then) or every time when you break hard the tyre touches the cover of the bike. And the problems gets bigger, when you break in hard curves. (I THINK ITS DANGEROUS). The next thing was, that the bike looks really ugly after changing the tyres. The speed display is when you ride 100km/h 10km/h wrong! TÜV will never accept this! And last but not least, when the tyres gets bald, the performance is really weak.

I changed back to Michelin and was happy.

PS: When it fits to F1, it dont fits to the PASO 750 automatically. The covers are different. Its easy to make a wheel change to the F1 but not for PASO 750. I had never seen a good working possibility on the PASO 750. I would be glad it some persons have a really good working possibility for my paso.

I just talked to Ducati Motors Germany, after I blamed them for their missing pressure to the tire-producing companies regarding the Paso tire dimensions.

A very nice guy gave me a call from Ducati Germany from the German INTERMOT fair.
The official announcement of Ducati Germany is, that they are in hard discussion with AVON/Cooper-tires for the long term availability of the Paso tires. Avon/Cooper sees the market as a unique selling point, due to Metzeler/Pirelli isn´t interessted in selling any tires of these dimensions anymore... even when they have the rubber tooling for that available and the market worldwide is existing--> stupid italian managed company!!

So on the INTERMOT fair, Ducati will again push AVON/Cooper to make an official announcement. As long as this is not done, the only way is to use the Metzeler Sportec and ME (what do I know) combination.
Ducati expects something official until the end of this year.
Avon/Cooper need 300 pcs. of each tire to compensate the rubber tooling - that shouldn´t be any problem - or?
-> Question: Can we do anything? YES! We can collect all requests for tire sets worldwide and forward this information to Ducati Germany.

What about the the forum admin? Would you like to collect the needs?

AT LEAST some good news about 16" tires

How fast they want to sell those 300 tires? If in one year, then its not possible, but in few years it is, IF ALL Paso 750/906 owners shall need new tires to they bikes... That is one important point, how fast they want, that they tool is "payed"...

I know that if they start to make new 16" tires, they are better compound/material, than Michelins and newer design also, so they will be better tires, than Michelins are... But price can be also higher, than normal 17" tires....What is right, if thinking 17" conversion, or stay waiting new 16" tires? Nowbody knows, what future will bring..... I have such situation, that i have near all needeed stuff to 17" conversion, but i want keep my 750 Paso as long as possible with 16" wheels, cause it is designed for that and much better looking with low profile tires, than 907 with 17" tires.... I have new(from 2004) set of Michelins in my 750 Paso and i drive with it very low kms currently, cause i use ST2 for dayly drives. Anyway i want buy such new 16" tires, if they start to make them....

Btw, i am very happy with new Michelin pilot road 2 in my ST2... Now driven about 14 500kms and still can make some 2000 kms. With older pilot road it was maximum 13 000kms. New version have harder mid part and softer sides..... Seems, that Michelin managed to make better tires also for sport touring bikes, cause pressure for that come from race tracks.....So, i am waiting also beter tires from Avon / Cooper, IF they start make new 16" tires to Paso...

Great piece of news .

Ciao

If we try to make a list, I believe we run the risk of collecting only a small number of replies, which would not look good. I don't think we'd get more than a couple of dozen replies, and even that would take some time.

Instead, I think Jon Slocum, representing the Ducati owners of New York, and Mike, representing Ducatipaso.org, should join in with the German effort to persuade Avon to come to the party. I believe the US and Germany were the biggest individual markets for the Paso, and I believe we can honestly give an assurance that there are at least three hundred Pasos still on the roads.

plus numerous Sports, Bimota DB1 and ... (?!)

I think, that MUCH MORE, than 300 16" Pasos! I quess, that half(50%) what was build are still in roads....

Btw, Skins idea is very good!

Good stuff, Jon. Yourself and Banner65 will be offical Paso Heros if you can make this happen. Perhaps you could get in touch with Banner65 to find out who to call?

Awesome, you guys rock!

great news, i want to keep my paso750 all original with standart whells and tyres....

Unil now, nobody posted for collecting the tire quantities needed from Cooper/Avon.
So I gonna make it and forward these information by end of this year (Dec. 31st 2008) to Ducati Germany and Cooper/Avon.
Please reply with an email to me (Banner65@gmx.net) regarding your needs for front and rear tires, your name and location (country/town). This is information is NOT binding - only information.

In between, I contacted a german tire manufactuer (company "Heidenau") for new tooling of the Paso 16`` tires. They also want to prepare a business plan and need quantities - the market volume - of the tires (calculation of the invest, r&d costs, armotisation, pcs. price, etc. ).

So please, if you are interessted in a long term supply of the 16`` tires, let me know.
I cannot promise anything, but I can try to do the best.

Keep the Paso´s riding!

Banner

Would it be better idea to start new topic about this thing? Something, like we did with ordering new FAR mirrors... Somebody? Banner?

Anyway i am intrested surely of those 16" tires to keep my 750 Paso as long as possible with 16" wheels....