I have just purchased some of the above after reading good reviews and getting some very good advice on here about them. I have to admit they certainly look the part and the front has a really round profile, more than I have been used to. I have K1 on the front and K2 on the rear. I have searched around other forums on the subject and found this below. So what I would like to know is what you would recommend as a start. I was thinking about 35psi (cold) front and back as a start as I have never used Metzlers before, I have always been on lower "grade" Michelins like 2ct's so not totally serious rubber trackday rubber. Any comments gratefully accepted. Here's what someone wrote- "I run 30 HOT in each, same tyres, same compound (K1 front K2 rear), 2007 R6. Most of the advanced chaps are running 28-30 hot pressures on race bikes. What sort of group/ability are you? EDIT Since I may not be on for your reply, I'll type it out now. If you're novice/first trackday, drop them to about 34 COLD all round and see how it feels. Inters 30 COLD all round (Make sure you warm your tyres). If you're reasonably quick/advanced 28-30 HOT. Whatever you do if you're going to drop your pressures throughout the day, take time to warm your tyres and drop them a little at a time. On my first ever day I ran 35 COLD all round and that was fine. After that 30 COLD all round was fine from inters pace, up to middle of the advanced group. Now, I tend to find that 30 HOT works well for me, even though I'm not that quick."
35 psi cold on k1&k2 racetecs is a little high IMO. I'd probably start on 30f & 28r if your a relative novice but it depends how fast you are and what pace you run at, you can happily drop them a touch more but you just need to make sure the heats being generated. Remember these aren't really street rubber although street legal, they're definitely aimed more at the track with the k3 being the road focused.
I was thinking the same at first but then read this on the forum and did feel that seemed very high, maybe a compromise and take account of the weather. They seem to be quite sensitive to pressure changes. I doubt that I am going to be that quick, not ridden a bike much in a number of years and probably far too old to go too mad now!!! probably would do intermediates if it was grouped, it's open pit lane. Thanks for the reply, appreciated.
Yes, I thought that was a little high. I don't usually check hot pressure because I'm usually too hot/sweaty/knackered to do all that straight after a session and you obviously have to do it as soon as you come in. So, starting from cold, 28/29 on the rear 29/30 on the front and see how they handle. Even in inters, you'll be putting a lot of heat into them so the psi will increase. Check the state of your tyres after each session and see how the wear is, also, you'll feel it if the tyres are squirming about too much. If they are, up the pressure a little.
Thanks for the replies, I have decided to go with 30 front and 28 rear cold. I have used these pressures on my Michelin's and never seemed to have any bother. Having said that these tyres seem quite soft and deformable by comparison.
Just to give you an idea Im currently running Michelin power cup race which are very similar to the racetecs having 3 compounds to choose from. cold im running 27F & 24R and they're about bang on for top inters early-mid pack fast group.
