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REPARS · 05-13-2003, 02:58 AM

I'm running those Pirelli Dialbo Corsas on my track bike. So far I only have on track day on them, but they worked great. They heated up much faster then the D207RR's I was running. I will be running the same tires at my next track day. I'm happy with them.

JP

BBD_Racing · 05-13-2003, 04:05 AM

There are variables that make the number of heat cycles and overall laps shorter:

Hot track bad

Powerful bike bad

Fast rider bad

Spastic throttle hand (Kurtis Robert) bad

Smooth, graceful riding is both good form and also easy on tires. A guy like Kurtis on a mega power bike can kill a set in 10 laps. Freddie Spencer on a lightweight could probably ride a dozen sessions.

To all responders: how many miles are you getting and on what bike?

I have Pilot Sports on my Hawk and the rear is looking like 3K miles will be impossibly long. Haven't done a track day on them yet, but the Michelin race rep said they'd last less then the old Pilot Race because of heat issues. The Race tires were good for one blazing hot 6 hour endurance race, plus maybe 4 practice sessions. I figure 3-4 track days.

johnnyb · 05-13-2003, 04:31 AM

Metzeler, as you know, owns Pirelli--and if the Metzeler Sportec and Pirelli Diablo aren't close to the same tire with different tread patterns, I'd be surprised. Both are excellent tires capable of very high-speed track lapping, perfect for track days for guys who aren't professionals trying to win money from each other.

The beauty of these supersport street tires is that, as street tires, they're built to cycle through many hot/cold cycles--and you can ride them pretty much til the tread's gone (but that's me speaking as a magazine guy who never keeps a bike longer than a month or two, so I defer to longer-term users).

When you step up to Metzeler Rennsport or Diablo Supercorsa or Michelin Pilot Race, you're getting into race tires, which have more grip but also generate more heat, and break down much more quickly as a result. It's cool to have "race tires," but the fact is 90% of guys at track days will go just as fast on the supersport rubber; it's not their tires holding them back in other words.

Dunlop D208 is also very good, so is whatever those Bridgestones were at the GSX-R1000 launch in Australia a couple months ago... Until you can lap within about 20 seconds of Mladin or Gobert--which is tougher than it sounds--you truly don't need anything stickier. And, you can untape your lights after a track day and you're right back happy on the street. We live in great tire times, too.

rocketorM3 · 05-13-2003, 04:56 AM

drier climate of IT than the rainier Metzeler for DE so the Pirelli may stick a little better in CA than in say Seattles wet.

banda · 05-13-2003, 05:11 AM

It's cool to have "race tires," but the fact is 90% of guys at track days will go just as fast on the supersport rubber; it's not their tires holding them back in other words.

Bingo. Truer words were never spoken. Even if you do several track days per year, the only things that will really matter to you about your tires will be price, reliability, and longevity. There are very few riders putting themselves in a position where the difference between one tire's performance and another make any difference at all, and those riders are racing.

For example: Me. I have recently started racing supermotard. The actual race thing is a world of difference from track days, and my skills have really picked up. For some fun, I did a track day last month on my street bike, a SV650. Using the stock MEZ4s (a sport touring compound) I was passing liter bikes and supersports with supersport tires and even slicks in some cases.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that unless you're really spending the time and money to up your skills and ride competitively, there's nothing about a modern touring compound tire that's going to hold you back, even on track days. Save your pennies for other things. Supersport tires, and racing compound tires are a waste for anyone not gunning for contingency money at a competition.

SeanAlexander · 05-13-2003, 08:04 AM

Actually the Diablo has greater (read more and deeper) tread siping than the Sportecs. They are both basicly the same carcass and compound with different tread designs, but wet performance was one of the key design targets for the Diablo. Both tires are fantastic for street+track duty.

Randy_P_Moran · 05-13-2003, 08:52 AM

Hey! I can lap within 18 seconds of those guys at VIR on my SV650! Also at Road Atlanta. Am I a baddass or what? I use D208's (the regular DOT kind).

Tell Dunlop that Randy sent you. Don't be surprised if they look at you quizzically.

banda · 05-13-2003, 09:34 AM

That's pretty impressive. Are you doing any endorsements?

I'm at a similar point in my roadracing career. My next step in becoming even more competitive is to somehow find a way to get everyone else to slow down. I've tried asking politely. I've tried playing on my competitors sympathy ("come on, let me win. I let you win last time.") So far, no luck. Any advice?

On another front, I have found a way to keep fresh tires on my bike. Cheng Shin pays me to cover up their name on my tires.

Randy_P_Moran · 05-13-2003, 11:06 AM

Heheh, good one. I know of a better way to win, but it's risky. Disabling the competition's machinery while it's in the pits can sometimes gain me those extra minutes I need to avoid being lapped, but not always. And when the other guys find out...not pretty.

Hadji · 05-13-2003, 01:01 PM

What are you racing in Supermotard (Bike, tires, etc.)? I'm about to get into it with my DR350 shod w/Dunlop K750 front (paid $20 for it!!!) and Pirelli MT90 A/T rear. Both bike and tires seem adequate for my dual purpose riding, but I wonder how they will fare in the racing environment. Maybe I should wait until I get the KTM? MO, it's time for a supermotard test!! VOR, Vertimati, KTM, Husaberg, Husqvarna, etc. Whaddaya say Sean, JB? How about it?

While we're at it. Has anyone extensively ridden the Michelin Pilot Road, which supposedly comes stock on the FJ1300? I am due for a new rear tire on the R1100SBX in ~2K miles. It came w/Michelin Hi-Sports. I assume the Hi-Sports are similar in casing and compound to the Pilot Sports that replaced it. The literature for the Pilot Road makes it sound like a great sport-tour tire, no sacrifice in stickyness, but a major improvement in mileage. I've been happy with the Hi-Sports, but I don't know any better. Please feel free to recommend and share your knowledge of similar (Sport-Touring) tires for the R1100S.

Singles and Twins Forever!!

05-13-2003, 02:58 AM	#1
REPARS Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1	Re: The best street/track tires? I'm running those Pirelli Dialbo Corsas on my track bike. So far I only have on track day on them, but they worked great. They heated up much faster then the D207RR's I was running. I will be running the same tires at my next track day. I'm happy with them. JP

05-13-2003, 04:05 AM	#2
BBD_Racing Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 337	Re: The best street/track tires? There are variables that make the number of heat cycles and overall laps shorter: Hot track bad Powerful bike bad Fast rider bad Spastic throttle hand (Kurtis Robert) bad Smooth, graceful riding is both good form and also easy on tires. A guy like Kurtis on a mega power bike can kill a set in 10 laps. Freddie Spencer on a lightweight could probably ride a dozen sessions. To all responders: how many miles are you getting and on what bike? I have Pilot Sports on my Hawk and the rear is looking like 3K miles will be impossibly long. Haven't done a track day on them yet, but the Michelin race rep said they'd last less then the old Pilot Race because of heat issues. The Race tires were good for one blazing hot 6 hour endurance race, plus maybe 4 practice sessions. I figure 3-4 track days.

05-13-2003, 04:31 AM	#3
johnnyb Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1,597	Re: The best street/track tires? Metzeler, as you know, owns Pirelli--and if the Metzeler Sportec and Pirelli Diablo aren't close to the same tire with different tread patterns, I'd be surprised. Both are excellent tires capable of very high-speed track lapping, perfect for track days for guys who aren't professionals trying to win money from each other. The beauty of these supersport street tires is that, as street tires, they're built to cycle through many hot/cold cycles--and you can ride them pretty much til the tread's gone (but that's me speaking as a magazine guy who never keeps a bike longer than a month or two, so I defer to longer-term users). When you step up to Metzeler Rennsport or Diablo Supercorsa or Michelin Pilot Race, you're getting into race tires, which have more grip but also generate more heat, and break down much more quickly as a result. It's cool to have "race tires," but the fact is 90% of guys at track days will go just as fast on the supersport rubber; it's not their tires holding them back in other words. Dunlop D208 is also very good, so is whatever those Bridgestones were at the GSX-R1000 launch in Australia a couple months ago... Until you can lap within about 20 seconds of Mladin or Gobert--which is tougher than it sounds--you truly don't need anything stickier. And, you can untape your lights after a track day and you're right back happy on the street. We live in great tire times, too.

05-13-2003, 04:56 AM	#4
rocketorM3 Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 15	I would guess the Pirelli is geared mo towards the drier climate of IT than the rainier Metzeler for DE so the Pirelli may stick a little better in CA than in say Seattles wet.

05-13-2003, 05:11 AM	#5
banda Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 230	Re: The best street/track tires? It's cool to have "race tires," but the fact is 90% of guys at track days will go just as fast on the supersport rubber; it's not their tires holding them back in other words. Bingo. Truer words were never spoken. Even if you do several track days per year, the only things that will really matter to you about your tires will be price, reliability, and longevity. There are very few riders putting themselves in a position where the difference between one tire's performance and another make any difference at all, and those riders are racing. For example: Me. I have recently started racing supermotard. The actual race thing is a world of difference from track days, and my skills have really picked up. For some fun, I did a track day last month on my street bike, a SV650. Using the stock MEZ4s (a sport touring compound) I was passing liter bikes and supersports with supersport tires and even slicks in some cases. I guess what I'm trying to say is that unless you're really spending the time and money to up your skills and ride competitively, there's nothing about a modern touring compound tire that's going to hold you back, even on track days. Save your pennies for other things. Supersport tires, and racing compound tires are a waste for anyone not gunning for contingency money at a competition.

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05-13-2003, 08:04 AM	#6
SeanAlexander Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Newport Coast, CA Posts: 1,538	Re: I would guess the Pirelli is geared mo towards the Actually the Diablo has greater (read more and deeper) tread siping than the Sportecs. They are both basicly the same carcass and compound with different tread designs, but wet performance was one of the key design targets for the Diablo. Both tires are fantastic for street+track duty. __________________ I thought I'd found true happiness in my personal bath body bar.... Then I tried DOVE! with 1/4 moisturizing cream!!!

05-13-2003, 08:52 AM	#7
Randy_P_Moran Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 56	Re: The best street/track tires? Hey! I can lap within 18 seconds of those guys at VIR on my SV650! Also at Road Atlanta. Am I a baddass or what? I use D208's (the regular DOT kind). Tell Dunlop that Randy sent you. Don't be surprised if they look at you quizzically.

05-13-2003, 09:34 AM	#8
banda Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 230	Re: The best street/track tires? That's pretty impressive. Are you doing any endorsements? I'm at a similar point in my roadracing career. My next step in becoming even more competitive is to somehow find a way to get everyone else to slow down. I've tried asking politely. I've tried playing on my competitors sympathy ("come on, let me win. I let you win last time.") So far, no luck. Any advice? On another front, I have found a way to keep fresh tires on my bike. Cheng Shin pays me to cover up their name on my tires.

05-13-2003, 11:06 AM	#9
Randy_P_Moran Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 56	Re: The best street/track tires? Heheh, good one. I know of a better way to win, but it's risky. Disabling the competition's machinery while it's in the pits can sometimes gain me those extra minutes I need to avoid being lapped, but not always. And when the other guys find out...not pretty.

05-13-2003, 01:01 PM	#10
Hadji Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 129	Whatchadoin? What are you racing in Supermotard (Bike, tires, etc.)? I'm about to get into it with my DR350 shod w/Dunlop K750 front (paid $20 for it!!!) and Pirelli MT90 A/T rear. Both bike and tires seem adequate for my dual purpose riding, but I wonder how they will fare in the racing environment. Maybe I should wait until I get the KTM? MO, it's time for a supermotard test!! VOR, Vertimati, KTM, Husaberg, Husqvarna, etc. Whaddaya say Sean, JB? How about it? While we're at it. Has anyone extensively ridden the Michelin Pilot Road, which supposedly comes stock on the FJ1300? I am due for a new rear tire on the R1100SBX in ~2K miles. It came w/Michelin Hi-Sports. I assume the Hi-Sports are similar in casing and compound to the Pilot Sports that replaced it. The literature for the Pilot Road makes it sound like a great sport-tour tire, no sacrifice in stickyness, but a major improvement in mileage. I've been happy with the Hi-Sports, but I don't know any better. Please feel free to recommend and share your knowledge of similar (Sport-Touring) tires for the R1100S. Singles and Twins Forever!!