[Guest]

I've seen a couple of tire questions pop up and I was wondering what kind of tires are you all running on the track this year?

I was running Metzlers beginning last season didn't like much and switch to supercorsa's. I never ran Dunlop's but a buddy at the track says they kick ass, so I'll probable give them a shot.

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (Mike996)

Diablo Corsas

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (Mike996)

I'll most likely be running Michelin slicks. I used them for the first time last year and got hooked. I used to run the Pilot Race H2's but can get a deal on the slicks so I went that way.

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (Capt. Home Slice)

Capt......what is your deal on slicks if you don't mind?

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (hearing8)

Michelin schlicks!

I'd use Dunlop as well, but I like the underdog/overdog dynamic, 'cause here Michelin is a fat smelly monkey tire to some, and on the world stage, they're as liked as a 'free beer!' sign.

At my level, it may not matter that much, but I've always had strong confidence in Michelin. You should beware of changes to a bike with different tire brands. The Pirelli and Metzeler's may not be night & day different on a bike's suspension and set up, while Dunlops-Michelins or Dunlops-Pirellis are. Of course, you might not spend much time on setting up a bike.

I do believe even amateur racers can feel differences in brands of tires, and but it's more of a matter of whether we can adjust sufficiently to a tire's characteristics, of heat up, traction, breaking of grip, sliding ability, how they perform under braking (how the sidewall handles that), etc.

The sad thing is, the big dogs get the exclusive Plutonian compounds, while we schmucks get a violent, cold slap in the face, a bill for $350 or $400, and a cackling tire salesman who points at us and says "You're NOBODY!! Go around that racetrack on your pee-bike, and try to FEEL like DuHamel!" *

(*Your rider of comparison may differ. I've aged only somewhat gracefully these past few years...I counted three gray hairs on my goatee this AM...)

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (hearing8)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hearing8 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Capt......what is your deal on slicks if you don't mind?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not sure if these are the best prices but a sponsor of our club is a distributor.

Three hunnit for a new set, but that was last years prices. Don't know what this years are yet.

From another source - Good condition take offs are like $75-100 a set.

 

[Guest]

I use Michelin M2/S2 rear/front. I've used Michelin slicks and didn't like them. The DOT has more sideway flex thatn the slick does and I got better drive off the corner with the DOT rather than spin with the slick.

I've used Dunlop DOT and slicks and liked them both, but I found my lap times were slightly better with the Michelins, and better lap times means better contingency money.

For me, the difference was coming off the corner... on Michelins the bike drove forward, where on Dunlops I seemed to be spinning and going more sideways.

These are my views only... your results may vary.

 

[Guest]

Re: (Hi-Side)

While I'm not as seasoned as some as far as trackdays (attend a few a year) I've found that the slicks were much more predictable, I could really feel what they were doing and when. The DOT race tires didn't quite give me that feeling even though the traction was spot on. I don't think that I'm good enough to understand exactly what the reason is and why the slicks feel better to me but they just do.

 

[Guest]

Well I'm sure I could adjust the suspension so that the bike works fine with slicks, but I like the way the bike handles now and most of the classes I run are supersport based classes anyways.

 

[Guest]

I run Dunlop slicks on my ZX10R and Pirelli DOT and Slicks on my ZX6R.

I like both brands and both have some advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (Mike996)

I started club racing on Dunlops. I switched to Pirelli/Metzeler and liked them more than the Dunlops. In my mind, I feel like the Pirelli's were a bit more forgiving and I was able to feel a slide coming a mile away. I didn't have that with the 'lops. Like I said in MY mind and my mind is not a terrible thing to waste

Look at AMA and other professional roadracing series and it seems like the Michelins and Dunlops are a betterer tire for the most part. .

But, for someone at my level who needs a forgiving, predictable tire, the Pirelli's work great.

 

[Guest]

I used to use Pirelli DOT race corsa's for my track days. I tried the Diablo Corsa's and got less tire spin with them believe it or not. Now I use them on the street as well as the track (same bike -R1) and love them. I won't use anything else.

 

[Guest]

Re: racetrack tire choice (Mike996)

Dunlop is releasing their new D209 DOT legal race tire in March. It's supposed to have a sidewall with a little more give. I'm gonna try some out in March. The latest issue of RRW has a pic of the new tread pattern. More slick (non-grooved) area on the sides for the front tire as well.