News The return of whitewall tires with the Avon Cobra Chrome

Will we soon see a revival of whitewall tires? Very retro in style, this feature is quite common on custom bikes, vintage motorcycles, and custom bikes with show bike undertones. For a long time, it was also one of the characteristics of the Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic (until 2017, when whitewalls disappeared with the arrival of the Milwaukee Eight).

Avon is bringing this type of tire back by completing the complete redevelopment of its iconic Cobra Chrome range, thus reviving its whitewall heritage and bringing one of the brand's most recognizable motorcycle tires back to life. This initiative comes four years after Avon was integrated into Goodyear's motorcycle brand portfolio, alongside Dunlop.

The Cobra Chrome is positioned as Avon's flagship product for cruiser and custom motorcycles and plays a central role in its new product strategy. The range now includes 77 references, including 14 sizes featuring the characteristic white sidewall design. To revive memories, the brand can also draw on its past: Avon supplied tires for the Triumph 1600 Thunderbird LT.

Made in France

To enable the production of Cobra Chrome in Montluçon, the manufacturing processes had to be adapted to the new facility. The return of the white-sidewall Cobra Chrome posed particular technical challenges for the French factory. The white rubber compound was reformulated to improve resistance to discoloration, while the sidewall assembly process evolved from a primarily manual operation to a more automated one.

Dmitri Talboom, motorcycle product manager at Goodyear, explains: "To align Avon's production with Goodyear's quality and performance standards, the Cobra Chrome range underwent extensive re-engineering. Montluçon played a crucial role in this renewal."

Mr. Talboom added: "Whitewall tires are a defining part of Avon's heritage and remain a distinctive choice for riders of custom and cruiser-style motorcycles. We are proud to see this iconic design return to full production."

The Cobra Chrome is now part of a more streamlined Avon motorcycle range that also includes the 3D Supersport hypersport tire, Spirit ST and Roadrider MKII tires for sport-touring applications, Trailrider and Trekrider products for adventure, and the classic Safety Mileage MKII and Speedmaster MKII products.

The Avon Cobra Chrome tire is available in 77 front and rear sizes covering 15- to 23-inch rims, including 14 sizes with a white sidewall design. The majority of sizes are on sale now, with the remainder being released throughout 2026.