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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Avon Cobra Chrome vs Michelin City Grip 2 — Compared (May 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

Tire A Avon

Avon Cobra Chrome

Summer Premium Touring tires

Avon Cobra Chrome tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
79/100
8 owner reviews
Dry
89
Wet
84
Comfort
89
Treadwear
65
Handling
83

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin City Grip 2

Summer Premium Touring tires

Michelin City Grip 2 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
93/100
7 owner reviews
Dry
96
Wet
94
Comfort
86
Treadwear
90
Handling
93

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Michelin City Grip 2 — better treadwear, wet and handling. Pick the Avon Cobra Chrome if comfort matters most to you.
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Category breakdown

5 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) City Grip 2 leads by 7
A — Avon Cobra Chrome
89
B — Michelin City Grip 2
96
Why this score
SourceCobra ChromeCity Grip 2
Tyre Reviews owners 89 96

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) City Grip 2 leads by 10
A — Avon Cobra Chrome
84
B — Michelin City Grip 2
94
Why this score
SourceCobra ChromeCity Grip 2
Tyre Reviews owners 84 94

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Cobra Chrome leads by 3
A — Avon Cobra Chrome
89
B — Michelin City Grip 2
86
Why this score
SourceCobra ChromeCity Grip 2
Tyre Reviews owners 89 86

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) City Grip 2 leads by 25
A — Avon Cobra Chrome
65
B — Michelin City Grip 2
90
Why this score
SourceCobra ChromeCity Grip 2
Tyre Reviews owners 65 90

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) City Grip 2 leads by 10
A — Avon Cobra Chrome
83
B — Michelin City Grip 2
93
Why this score
SourceCobra ChromeCity Grip 2
Tyre Reviews owners 83 93
DriverReviews owners 90 –

Scores at a glance

Avon Cobra Chrome vs Michelin City Grip 2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryAvon Cobra ChromeMichelin City Grip 2
Relative Score 80 92
Dry 89 96
Wet 84 94
Comfort 89 86
Treadwear 65 90
Handling 83 93

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Avon Cobra Chrome

The Avon Cobra Chrome is widely regarded as a high-performance cruiser tire that excels in wet weather handling and cornering confidence. While many riders praise its stability and grip, the user experience is polarized by reports of inconsistent tread longevity and isolated, severe structural failures.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather grip and handling confidence
  • Improved cornering stability compared to OEM alternatives
  • Effective at tracking over road imperfections like white lines and cat's eyes
  • Strong performance on heavy touring motorcycles like the Honda Goldwing

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life, particularly in high-heat environments
  • Reports of structural issues including tread separation and blistering
  • Lack of a center wear indicator makes monitoring tread depth difficult
  • Occasional reports of sudden loss of traction in damp conditions

Observations

  • Goldwing owners report high satisfaction with wet-weather performance, though some experienced dangerous tread separation at highway speeds.
  • Harley-Davidson riders report mixed results, with some noting premature wear and others experiencing traction loss on damp surfaces.
  • Users in high-ambient-temperature climates (e.g., Australia) report significantly lower mileage than those in cooler regions.
Tire B Michelin City Grip 2

The Michelin City Grip 2 is widely regarded as a superior upgrade over OEM scooter tires, offering significant improvements in cornering confidence and wet-weather performance. Users consistently praise its predictable handling and enhanced grip, though experiences regarding ride comfort and road feedback remain somewhat polarized.

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and stability during cornering
  • Strong performance in wet weather conditions
  • Predictable handling and improved road feedback
  • Noticeable performance upgrade over stock scooter tires

Cons

  • Requires a short warm-up period to reach optimal stickiness
  • Can feel stiff or transmit excessive road imperfections
  • Front tire wear can be accelerated on heavier scooter models

Observations

  • Users on Vespa models report high satisfaction with cornering confidence and reduced bumpiness on rough roads.
  • Owners of heavier scooters, such as the Yamaha Tricity, note that front tire wear is more pronounced due to suspension weight distribution.
  • Performance on small-diameter wheels (12-inch) is noted as highly effective, providing braking power that exceeds the limits of standard scooter suspension components.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Avon Cobra Chrome B · Michelin City Grip 2
CategorySummer Premium Touring tiresSummer Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Avon

Michelin

Winner: Michelin City Grip 2 — better treadwear, wet and handling. Pick the Avon Cobra Chrome if comfort matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin City Grip 2 scores 90 vs 65 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin City Grip 2 scores 94 vs 84 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin City Grip 2 scores 93 vs 83 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin City Grip 2 scores 96 vs 89 on dry.

Tire A · Avon Cobra Chrome
Tire B · Michelin City Grip 2

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.