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track tires

DonJigweed

DonJigweed

Urban Achiever
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Location
Cognito
Moto(s)
will kill you
are NTEC's still the best tire you can buy? what about dot tires? dunlop's 207 (or was it a 208?), whatever the successor to the d364 was...i don't even see that anywhere, just sportmax Q4's and now i guess Q5's. i just got a track bike with sportmax Q3+'s on it....is that a decent tire? (it's been a few years since i've been on a racetrack...)
 
Best? Who can determine that? The Motoamerica guys are doing pretty well on Dunlops.

q3+ are fantastic tires. Probably wouldn't be my first choice for a powerful bike strictly used for the track, but you can absolutely turn respectable lap times with them. Burn them up the next time you go to the track, then talk to the tire vendor. Seems like Pirelli has the most representation at our local track days and they too are amazing tires. You really can't go wrong these days. If you are hard set on Dunlop, Racer's Edge in NV will send you whatever you need if you can't find it at your local store.
 
Dunlops are so freaking heavy they throw off my suspension settings. They grip great, but damn...

I've become a fan of hypersport tires for track days (as opposed to race tires) for the extra life and heat cycles, so for me it's Power Cup, Diablo Corsa, or similar.
 
If you'd like to try Michelin Power Cup2 or any Michelin tire give me a call at Race Pace MotorSports. I'm in San Jose but travel up and down the state attending AFM, CRA and CVMA races
 
be careful mentioning a "D364" around here! you are really showing your age! LoL! & Cheers!
 
Club race orgs stopped requiring "DOT" tires in "Stock" classes a few years ago. The DOT race tires were nearly slicks with tread anyway, offering almost no advantages like a different heat requirement. On top of that, street tires have become more and more useful at the racetrack with more grip and a wider range of operating temperatures. So the tire manufacturers stopped caring as much about making the DOT race tires.

Dunlop race tires still use NTEC technology. But its prolific. They don't seem to call it out in marketing as much anymore.

IMO for a 600 or larger bike, run Q3/4/5 in C & slow-B and run Slicks in fast-B, A, or faster.
 
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Going to slicks means added expense. Go easy on the throttle and a DOT tire will last a long while and riding a bike with less than 100hp helps.
 
+1 on lower HP bikes and tire life. When I was racing in AFM I used to get half a race season out of a front DOT race tire on my SV.

Also, +1000 on being mindful of heat/grip characteristics of DOT race rubber vs. DOT street tires. Yeah, they're both DOT approved, but make no mistake about it, race rubber needs heat in it before it will grip. Until then, it's like riding on ice.

Interesting info on the change in specs on DOT race tires and AFM classes. Hadn't heard about any of that before.
 
PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERBIKE (SC1) in the back and a SC2 up front on my 600cc track bike
 
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How do you guys feel about tire warmers? Worth it if you aren’t an advanced rider?
 
I used them for a few seasons when I was racing in the Midwest - colder there than here sometimes. When I moved here and raced with AFM I didn’t bother. The Pirellis I used to run were easy to get heat into.

On the out lap of a race or practice session I’d just do some hard braking to get heat into the front, and hard acceleration to get heat into the rear. Sometimes I’d do some start/stop warmups in the hot pit area prior to a session/race to do the same. Never had an issue with lack of heat when the green flag dropped.

So for track days you could try following the same approach - use a lap to get heat into the tires and then go for it. See how it works for you.
 
ran the Q3's, they did just fine at a brisk B group pace, on a fucking hot day. didn't even bring the warmers (haven't used them in over 10 years, not even sure they still work). was a little ham-fisted in T10 one lap and the rear squirmed maybe half an inch, that was literally the only moment with them.


appreciate the feedback. these statements really rang true for me

"q3+ are fantastic tires....Burn them up the next time you go to the track, then talk to the tire vendor. You really can't go wrong these days."

"The DOT race tires were nearly slicks with tread anyway, offering almost no advantages like a different heat requirement. On top of that, street tires have become more and more useful at the racetrack with more grip and a wider range of operating temperatures."

"Go easy on the throttle and a DOT tire will last a long while"

"use a lap to get heat into the tires and then go for it."

8Mnbc9U.jpeg
 
Alleygator said:
How do you guys feel about tire warmers? Worth it if you aren’t an advanced rider?
Click to expand...

I have chicken hawks and a propane powered generator for my slicks. I’m riding Laguna Seca this summer. Sometimes the mornings get cold. I still go east on my first lap or two.

I wouldn’t consider myself “advanced.” If you don’t run tire warmers, take it easy on the first lap, maybe even two depending on the weather.
 
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