At what point should you move to a 'track' tyre..

[upsidedownmark]

Done about 1/2 a dozen trackdays now, been bumbling around in novice on very road oriented tyres (pilot road 2, bt023 that kinda thing). Feel like I've really cracked it and got a lot faster / started really using all of the tyre last time, moving up to inters next time.

So, should I be looking at a supercorsa or something like that, or will I be just fine hooning around on what I have, possibly better off because they're going to be more friendly?

[moanthebairns]

Do you ride to the track or is it a track only bike?

[Fleegle]

I normally commute on 'track' tyres

[moanthebairns]

Fleegle said:

I normally commute on 'track' tyres

its a bd carrying the wets though isn't it.

[mckeann]

As a general rule of thumb, for normally skilled people (not racers who can ride fast on any old st), I'd say proper commuting tyres like Bridgestone T20 are fine for novice, a sporty road tyre like an S20 is fine for inters, and a track focused tyre like an R10 is great for fast group.

If you have too road biased a tyre for your speed, you're more likely to crash, but the opposite is also true. Novices won't keep the heat in a racey tyre doing novice pace.

[obscene]

Have done enough days in inters keeping pace on Pilot Road 2/3/4's. That said you feel the difference when it's dry and step up to rosso corsas and then super corsas with warmers etc. Night and day.

[upsidedownmark]

Thanks folks.

To answer questions - it's currently not a track ONLY bike, but I have a spare set of wheels, and I have stopped riding to, now hire a van; so effectively track only.

Current tyres are PR2s. Look like this:



I certainly wouldn't think I'm brave enough to be warranting a slick of any kind, but equally most sportsbikes I see on the road are much less treaded than what I'm playing with on the track. I suspect there's a lot of vanity in that, but as I'm getting fast I'm starting to worry about where I find the limit.. Put me back in a car and I know I can see it coming and play around/go a bit over. Part of the issue is that I have no clue how / if I'm going to see it coming on a bike, suspect I'm going to find myself on the floor rather than having a bit of a slide and thinking 'about there'..

Edited by upsidedownmark on Wednesday 21st September 09:30

[moanthebairns]

personally id get a set of road super corsas and wets on your other set of wheels if I was you.

[upsidedownmark]

Sounds reasonable to me. Must admit I'm not super clear about what is a track tyre vs a road tyre, other than slicks are obviously not road, and sport touring is not track. In between the lines seem quite blurred, by 'track' I guess I just meant more focussed/not obviously something you'd ride to sainsburys when it's bucketing.

[moanthebairns]

I think a road supercorsa would be a good stepping stone, more than capable on the track at novice inter levels, and good wear. Then fit a more track focused one after.

That said, you'd be fine with a track compound super corsa. Obviously these are no use in the wet though, which is why I suggested wets.

I cant speak about other brands because I've only really ran them and Pilot road 3's. I just didn't really like the 3's on track, they were fine just felt a tad wooden.

others with more knowledge will be able to advise, don't take my word for it.

[Mr OCD]

mckeann said:

As a general rule of thumb, for normally skilled people (not racers who can ride fast on any old st), I'd say proper commuting tyres like Bridgestone T20 are fine for novice, a sporty road tyre like an S20 is fine for inters, and a track focused tyre like an R10 is great for fast group.

If you have too road biased a tyre for your speed, you're more likely to crash, but the opposite is also true. Novices won't keep the heat in a racey tyre doing novice pace.

Spot on that IMHO. I'm a slow as st inters rider so use road sports rubber.

[graeme4130]

+1 on the SP compound (road) Supercorsas
They're a decent enough track tyre, and work well with warmers, but are still usable on the road or the track without warmers
They're not ultimately as grippy as the SC compound tyres, but they'll last longer, heat up quicker without warmers, and have less heat cycle type problems

[upsidedownmark]

Great, thanks - really helpful.

Any (good) alternatives in the same mould from metzler / conti and the like, or should I really focus on getting the pirelli?

[graeme4130]

upsidedownmark said:

Great, thanks - really helpful.

Any (good) alternatives in the same mould from metzler / conti and the like, or should I really focus on getting the pirelli?

I ran a set of the Conti Race Attack Enduro Compound tyres on my 600 on the track. They were very good tyres, and if they did them in a 200, I'd run a pair on my current bike
They also do an Attack tyre, which is a road based track tyre, and what the Superbike School on their fleet of 959 and 1299 Panigales, which are also very good
I've been around Silverstone on a 959 and 1299 Panigale with them, and they're really very good for a road based track tyre also
I think they're about £230 for a pair in 120/180 and probably a little more for a 190

[Birky_41]

graeme4130 said:

upsidedownmark said:

Great, thanks - really helpful.

Any (good) alternatives in the same mould from metzler / conti and the like, or should I really focus on getting the pirelli?

I ran a set of the Conti Race Attack Enduro Compound tyres on my 600 on the track. They were very good tyres, and if they did them in a 200, I'd run a pair on my current bike
They also do an Attack tyre, which is a road based track tyre, and what the Superbike School on their fleet of 959 and 1299 Panigales, which are also very good
I've been around Silverstone on a 959 and 1299 Panigale with them, and they're really very good for a road based track tyre also
I think they're about £230 for a pair in 120/180 and probably a little more for a 190

What Graeme said. I ran when I first started on track using Conti Race Attack Endurance rear and medium front. This for me was fine for top end of fast group on my K1 GSXR 750 but I will say the back moved alot when pushing and its made me now to to a softer compound and slicks for spain

Last year I did 3 track days on my MV Dragster road bike. Its not made for track the poor thing and I ran Supercorsa SP's (Road version) front and rear. I killed the rear each time on the side within the day and they didnt wear as good as the Conti but for a fast road/track tyre on essentially a road bike they were fine



It was good enough to touch pegs, belly pan etc but I wouldnt want to start getting on the gas that low where as the Conti I could. I guess it depends on your pace. I tried a set of touring tyres and nearly wiped myself out, they were ok upto maybe mid inters but slid without warning when pushed

I was in the same position as you beginning of the year. My background is 20 years moto-x racing so didnt have a clue really, just picked it up as I went along

1 track day

[andy tims]

If you don't need to ride to and from the circuit, Supercorsas or similar are the way to go. Just the profile makes a huge difference to grip when leaned over.