I’m going to do a few track days over the winter so I’m looking to change my tyres. My track bike is a bit of an oddball - it is a custom Bandit 1200 with Gixer Thou forks, triples, brakes, swingarm, shock and clip ons and a custom single seat unit. It’s presently fitted with oldish Pirelli Diablo Corsas which I think have had one too many heat cycles through them as while they’re ok in the warm and dry, my last trackday was wet and they were a little bit lively for my liking. The bike is used on the road and in fact driven to and from the circuit (can’t fit a tow bar to my car) so they need to be road legal. Thanks
I wasn’t planning to. I didn’t know about it tbh but I might do if the day doesn’t look like it will turn into something like a cross between the Poll Tax riots and The Purge
I used to race on Bridgestone R10's early season as they heated up quickly and gave great grip in cold, damp and even moderately wet conditions. They have been superseded by the R11's now which I haven't tried but I have heard good reports about them.
Thanks both. I’m surprised by that. Not by a vote for Michelins so much, as I run Power 2CTs on other bikes and have found them to be good in the wet, but that you’ve both recommended a road tyre for track use rather than one of their sportier models. How are they in the dry on track? I’m primarily interested in how they are on track (with an emphasis on wet/cold use) as the bike only really goes on the road for journeys to/from track days or the occasional custom show etc. Have you ridden on them on track Bradders or are you going by the (glowing) reviews online?
I dead read wet didnt I? If you are one of those that get your knee down easily, unless the standing water is like a river, I found PR4s could do that
My mate on his championship winning 996 race bike with full wets following me on the my13 skyhook on PR4s. Not a single slide. If i were an easy kneedowner, it would have been most places. He overtook me as he said he didnt want to see me crash because I was pressing on, in those conditions, on that bike.
Only got my knee down once in the wet. Shortly followed by my elbow, arse and then the side of my head, although me and the bike had already parted company by that time. I do have a track day pic somewhere where it’s hovering a couple of inches above the surface of a wet track though, but I suspect that’s an optical illusion
I have also done dry trackdays too. They are OK but chunk when hot and move around. A lot! But grip and grip enough to leave black lines on exit Can’t find vid i was looking for, here’s a pic, I think they are PR5s
Metzeller M7RR are very good in all conditions and I've raced on them on a couple of occasions now when it was cold and damp and I just wanted to stay upright. It's always going to be a compromise depending on the power of your bike and your abilities but they are a good all rounder. The Michelins are arguably a little better in the wet whilst the Metzeller will be a fair chunk better in the dry and at speed.
Great video Paul. Sound recording was excellent too. How come the sound was so good, what sort of camera was being used? I'm such a wimp in the wet- a result of riding my Triton in the 70's on TT100's where I slid off on just about every roundabout. Carry that subconscious conditioning to this day, slightest movement in the tyres and I stiffen up anticipating a crash! Hope you are being looked after, and your health improves mate. Best wishes.
