Another tyre question

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szrdave · #16 Post by **szrdave** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:06 pm

mangocrazy wrote:...stability?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BaIKFp ... be&t=5m32s

D-Rider · #17 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:55 pm

Wow - some serious lean-angles there

blinkey501 · #18 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:37 am

szrdave wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:...stability?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BaIKFp ... be&t=5m32s

That was impressive, Yep i think i know which tyres i am going to use for track days

blinkey501 · #19 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:50 am

Do you mean these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190-55-17-DUN ... 336b55c943

Or these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dunlop-Sportm ... 415efd33c4

szrdave · #20 Post by **szrdave** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:53 am

The top one, I've never used slicks but apparently they're quite sensitive to bike setup. Plus you'd need warmers and wouldn't be able to ride to the circuit and back (if you do?)

I'm actually using a D211GP front and a Sportsmart rear for a little more longevity and grip in the wet, which was good at Anglesey as it rained all morning!

Most of the track tyres can be picked up cheap as race scrubs in the summer, I've used Dunlop D211GP and Metzeler Racetecs road and track and rate them both, although probably prefer the Racetecs. The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa and Michelin Power One would both be awesome on track, not sure how road friendly they are though, and I'm keen to try the new Bridgestone R10 as a lot of club racers are liking them.

blinkey501 · #21 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:00 am

I was thinking of buying a couple of spare wheels and fitting some slicks, but now you have told me that i won't bother...
I will keep an eye out for good pricess on the road tyres thanks

#22 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:10 pm

szrdave wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:...stability?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BaIKFp ... be&t=5m32s

Er yes. I think that answers all my questions, fully and completely...

ReggieGasket · #23 Post by **ReggieGasket** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:06 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Reggie, these Dunlop Sportmax GPs of which you speak - what do they do to the handling? Do they make the bike steer quicker, and if so is that at the expense of stability? And what are they like on warm-up? Can you happiliy iuse them without tyre blankets?

Many people now use tyre warmers at track days. It's a good idea as they are fairly cheap and it means you can get on it. However, I've never bothered and I've never had any issues. These road legal race tyres are so good you can run a decent pace and then build it up by lap 2-4 depending on the weather. My brother who did a lot of track days on a GSXR1000 got into using slicks, but he was going fast in the fast group and had a lot of power. I'm normally fairly quick, but I'm not pushing anything like the really fast boys and I just don't need more grip. Here's me at anglesea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z43medH_-QI

I should point out my clutch was slipping that day, so I wasn't trying too hard [honest]

ReggieGasket · #24 Post by **ReggieGasket** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:28 pm

D-Rider wrote:
ReggieGasket wrote: The most recent tyres I used were Dunpop Sportmax GP,
.... from the pre-punctured series?

Nice one, just spotted that

bigun · #25 Post by **bigun** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:03 pm

I usually buy scrubs for the track from the TDR forum (track day riders). I've been using Dunlop Qualifer RR's which have been superb and last quite well. Depends what you go for I usually get a pair of tyres for around £70. I found last season that it's actually the heat cycles that were killing the tyre. Tyre warmers are on the cards this season to prevent it, the idea being once the tyres are warm you keep them warm. I did an open pit lane day and my tyres were knackered by mid afternoon even though tread was still ok. The heat cycles literally had turned the tyres blue. I was sliding it into corners as the compound went past its best. Must have looked good but I shit myself when I wasn't expecting it the first few times!

ReggieGasket · #26 Post by **ReggieGasket** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:38 pm

Probably worth trying to work this out a bit, as I expect to use a track tyre on the road until the tread is gone. I can't say I ever had a problem with the tyres going off, but I've always used sticky road tyres rahter than anything that was out and out a race tyre - as far as I know.

#27 Post by **mangocrazy** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:19 pm

I doubt you'd get tyres up to the kind of temperatures you'd achieve on a track day in normal road riding, even in the height of what we laughingly term summer. As Bigun says, it's the heat cycles that kill tyres - going from stonkingly hot to cold and then back to hot again.

I've had sticky (road) track day tyres go off and slide, and it really isn't something I'd like to repeat. There was plenty of tread left, but they were shagged and had to be replaced for safety's sake.

If you're intending to do a lot of track days, then tyre warmers make sense even if only for avoiding the heat cycling. For the odd track day here and there it's probably overkill.

ReggieGasket · #28 Post by **ReggieGasket** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:45 pm

Thinking about it, my experience with using second hand tyres from proddy racers goes back to when I had a CBR6 around 2002 onwards. In those days they were usually Pirelli Super Corsas. I would put them on in the summer and use them for road and some track days. I never used tyre warmers and the tyres were always great. They would get very hot on track days, but would warm up well on the road too. The CBR felt great on them. When I got the Falco a few years ago I bought some Dunlop SPortmax GP and I used them the same way and never had any problems. I wonder whether some track tyres are now more extreme and therefore you can't use them in this way? Also, I used to feel that the road riding would clean up the tyres after a track day and take the tyres back to fresh rubber. Will try to find out more about this. It's also possible that I'm not really going fast enough to push the tyres past their best.

blinkey501 · #29 Post by **blinkey501** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:03 am

szrdave wrote:
Most of the track tyres can be picked up cheap as race scrubs in the summer, I've used Dunlop D211GP and Metzeler Racetecs road and track and rate them both

Well mallory is in three weeks time and i have managed to purchase a pair of part worn raceteks with plenty of life in them.
I am really looking forward to getting out on track, i just hope the weather is kind