Tires for two days?

[Tally Whacker]

I'm going to be doing a track weekend- saturday clockwise, sunday counterclockwise at Streets of Willow.

I'm open to suggestions for tires that I could maybe get two full days out of (or close to it).

I run fast group, and SOW is one of my favorite tracks. For those who don't know the track, it's tight and technical, really rough and bumpy, and hard acceleration but relatively light braking because the straights are short. My bike is an S1000R, so plenty of power on tap.

I haven't tried any of the recent trackday tires- it has been a while since I've run anything other than slicks, but I want to try the supersport tire category out again.

So, suggestions? My tire seller is trying to talk me into Q4s, but tells me they won't last past a day. I've run Q2s and Q3s in the past and done OK with them but never really loved the feel.

His other suggestion is a Power 5. I used to love Michelins but it has been a few generations since I've run any Pilot Power series tires and the last time I ran 2CTs I was underwhelmed.

One possible limiter is that the rim calls for a 200, so that takes a few options off the table.

 

[SVJ]

Why switch from the slicks? Just to save some tire changes or $$? How big is the price difference?

I've never found streets of willow to be terribly hard on my tires, but I doubt the Q3s that I usually run on the street would last two days there. I know for me they wouldn't be nearly as fun as the slicks unless it was cold or wet.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the 200, you'll be fine on a 190.

 

[DannoXYZ]

Q3+
R11

 

[afm199]

Either run slicks or something like the Pirelli DOT race tire, in SC1 rear SC2 front at streets, that the Diablo Supercorsa. And there is some hard braking there entering T2 and some at T3. The Q3 is a great tire. I can't imagine not getting two days out of one unless you're running fast race pace. The biggest problem at Streets on that bike is getting back into the throttle asap, it's hard on the rear.

 

[Tally Whacker]

Yeah, T2 is at the end of the straight, but you're going uphill so that takes some of the strain off the brakes. I actually find I brake hardest at T10, since I tend to carry a lot of speed and straight-line the chicane. Plus it's downhill.

The reason I want to get away from race slicks is that this will be a fairly casual track day situation where I'll be hanging with the bros and so on and I just don't want to fuss with warmers and the generator to run them.

Also, I am curious as to how good street-legal tires have gotten. I don't really care if I'm a couple of seconds off my best pace, as long as I'm having fun and staying off the deck.

 

[afm199]

Yeah, T2 is at the end of the straight, but you're going uphill so that takes some of the strain off the brakes. I actually find I brake hardest at T10, since I tend to carry a lot of speed and straight-line the chicane. Plus it's downhill.

The reason I want to get away from race slicks is that this will be a fairly casual track day situation where I'll be hanging with the bros and so on and I just don't want to fuss with warmers and the generator to run them.

Also, I am curious as to how good street-legal tires have gotten. I don't really care if I'm a couple of seconds off my best pace, as long as I'm having fun and staying off the deck.

A lap or two is plenty of time to heat up slicks. Point of fact, i've never used tire warmers on slicks at trackdays, including ten years as an instructor.

 

[Tally Whacker]

It's keeping them warm between sessions that's the concern. Heat cycle degradation is an issue.

I loved the Pirelli Red Stripes for just that reason, and I could reliably get a couple of days out of a set, albeit with a little less aggression in the second afternoon.

 

[apaulcalypse]

I've been getting 3-4 days out of Pirelli TD's at intermediate pace.. so I'd hope you could get 2 days out of them.

They're fine to use with or without warmers as well: https://www.pirelliracer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Pirelli-RR-Fitment-guide.pdf

 

[afm199]

It's keeping them warm between sessions that's the concern. Heat cycle degradation is an issue.

I loved the Pirelli Red Stripes for just that reason, and I could reliably get a couple of days out of a set, albeit with a little less aggression in the second afternoon.

Not really. Heat cycling is pretty much an event that used to happen a lot and no longer does. Every tire loses a bit of traction with usage. Trackday tires are no different. A little. The best laps on a track tire are 2-6, that's when degradation starts. However, the only people affected by that are the guys running race pace.

Parking the bike in the sun is a great way to keep tires hot.

I see so many guys in B and C group religiously running tire warmers. It's not needed and does nothing, other than allowing a slightly faster out lap.

 

[Tally Whacker]

Well, the desicsion has been made.

I'm going with a set of Q3+s from Dunlop. The last time I ran q3s was when they were a brand new model. They did OK for me at Spring Mountain, but I didn't love the feel and feedback.

The durability of the Dunlops is a selling point, and more importantly the trackside tire guy at this event is a Dunlop dude so if I burn off the rear way before the front I can get the matching replacement.

I'll post my experience here next week.

 

[DannoXYZ]

Yeah, ever since '90s with introduction of silica compounds, tyres have gotten increased grip, more stable AND durable compared to before (anyone remember when K591S was hot tyre?). I see instructors at trackdays just hop on their bikes and go out, no wasting time and effort with warmers. They take it easy 75-85% on 1st lap and then they're ready to go! I followed one guy around and he was only 1-2s off lap-record pace. Looked at his tyres afterwards and he was on tyre's last lap of life with cords showing!

BTW - I got 40+ trackdays out of set of Q3+ couple years ago with 7 race-weekends thrown in. Sold my warmers after 1st race-season since I never needed or used them.

 

[East Bay Blake]

Good choice on the Q3+ if you want more than a day out of them. I’ve run Q4’s for a year and a half and really only got about one trackday, maybe two, on the rear tire. Just switched to the Power Cup 2’s and we’ll see how they hold up.

 

[Tally Whacker]

So we are halfway through day one. I have the pressure dialed according to the trackside tire guy (a Dunlop dude).

I had forgotten how harsh a ride the Dunlops give. It seems as if I can feel every little speck of dust on the track.

It really threw me the first session, but I’m getting used to it now.

 

[afm199]

So we are halfway through day one. I have the pressure dialed according to the trackside tire guy (a Dunlop dude).

I had forgotten how harsh a ride the Dunlops give. It seems as if I can feel every little speck of dust on the track.

It really threw me the first session, but I’m getting used to it now.

Yup, if you're running Pirelli and switch to Dunlop, you need to adjust your suspension accordingly.

 

[Tally Whacker]

Unfortunately with the FDC I can’t really make those types of changes.