As to tire pressure, I now run 34psi in front and 35psi in rear. Stiff ride, good handling. Most of the time, I leave the rear shock setting at 3. With a load of about 60#, I put it on 4 and it takes the twisty hilly roads around central Texas like there's a groove. Smooth and comfortable.
I do a lot of hiway riding, from Austin to San Antonio, and lots of hill country as well as open road, like to Houston and even New Orleans. I am contemplating a tour from Texas to northern California this summer.
I do like the combination of Avon rear and Michelin front, but then this is the first time I've tried these two. Definitely better than the stock ones. At 10,500 my stock rear had been shot for a couple of thousand miles, just couldn't afford a new one.
've already put about 8,000 on the rear Avon, and it still looks pretty good. Still handles and rides well.