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Impact of Tires

2K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  tacp_daddy 
#1 ·
I'm entering my second year riding on the track, and I'm considering putting race tires on. As I see it, doing so pretty much makes it a track only bike. So my question(s) are: 1) will track tires make that much difference in performance 2) is there a cheap way to swap street and track tires?
 
#2 ·
Tires are more about confidence than performance for a rider like me and you, although race tires perform better than street tires on the track. street tires get overheated on the track and faster you go it becomes harder to handle.
a cheaper way to change tires is to buy your own tire changer and balancer. there is manual changer on the market for low price.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
Get a second set of wheels complete with rotors. Makes things much easier. Our trackside tire vendor does free installation and one rear flip with the purchase. There usually isn't deals on race rubber, costs the same track side as it does at the shop. Might get a deal if you order a skid worth. Don't forget you'll need warmers/power if you're running track rubber.
 
#6 ·
You're gonna get 100 different opinions on tires and what's the "best" option. There are few things you MUST consider when looking at race rubber vs riding on street tires at the track.

- What are you currently on? Can this tire support your pace on the track?
- Is going to a true Hypersport Tire (Dunlop Q3, Pirelli Supercorsa SP, etc) a better option for your riding needs than going to a full race DOT? If you're riding both street and track would this fit your needs better?
-Can your pace keep DOT/Slicks up at the proper operating temps?
- Do you have tire warmers to run race rubber? If not are you willing to buy warmers and everything else needed to support race rubber?
- Are you willing to buy tires more frequently? Do you have the budget to be buying tires every couple of track weekends?
- Do you have tire support trackside to help you when you're having issues (which you will) while learning setup for tires?

We see a lot of riders that come to the track and are worried about the best suspension and best tires and forget to focus on themselves and grow as a rider. Take an honest evaluation of yourself and riding and ask yourself do you really need to upgrade your equipment, or should you spend time on yourself and seat time?
 
#7 ·
On my street bike (which i use for most of the coaching I do) during the summer I will throw on a set of the Pirelli Supercorsa DOT in a SC compound (usually do 2 on the rear, 1 on the front). They will get up to temp in a lap or so, don't require warmers, and I can run them on the street as long as it's not raining. Yes, they will burn up a lot faster than a "regular" street tire, but grip even in A group is never an issue.

IMO, a good set of tires is a hell of a lot cheaper than crashing because you accidentally pushed an overheated street tire a bit more than it could handle.

An actual race tire (slick) isn't really needed until you're a solid A rider, and even then, not necessary. They cost more, burn up faster, and if your pace isn't enough, you'll tear them up quickly (which I have done multiple times when I've had to coach on my race bike - the tires lose too much heat at the slower pace and start tearing as the session goes on).

If you're getting to the point where a race tire would give you more confidence and a little more grip, the easiest way to do it on a street and track bike is an extra set of set up rims, but again, something like the Supercorsa SC DOT works great even at a pretty solid race pace.
 
#8 ·
Some great advice here.
what level are you riding at? the Q3, super sport and s21 are very capable tires on track and can last a while if it's a smoother surface track.
I road street tires till I got bumped into advanced. I still occasionally ride my wifes bike in A on her q3's and can be plenty quick enough running a mid A pace.

If you do bite the bullet and are riding in A or high I pace you will need warmers and a power source you might as well get another set of wheels if you want to still street ride.
I just bought my wife a second set of wheels I have two sets for all three of our bikes.
 
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#10 ·
Look at the pro times and match what tires they use. When you approach their lap time and if your street tires feel like a problem then switch to what the pros run and test. Use them for a scout. No reason to reinvent a wheel if a bunch of other guys now and in the past have already been there done that and can teach us. Cheaper that way.
 
#11 ·
+1 to what was already said.

How are your street tires holding up to your pace? I knew that I needed to switch when my 'street' tires began melting and I was sliding around corners. If you don't keep a fast enough pace to keep your chosen track tires warm enough they won't perform as well as they're intended.
 
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