[jfk070]

That is your opinion.
Personally I ride on Pirellis and think dot race tire is as good as slick if not better.
And I don't love bridgestones. Rode on 165 slick just couple weeks ago and did not like it at all.

+1 I find Pirellis supercorsa sc to be a very good tire on the track. Excellent traction, a lot of feedback compared to my old mich and dunlops. I (personally) found michelin to be a lot like a light switch, plenty of traction till there isn't any, no warning.... traction vanishes. Could be my riding style to blame as well, I tend to force the bike into turns with hard late breaking if I'm side-by-side with someone vs the more gentle turn setup using smooth trail breaking and throttle. But that's racing, if you want to win, you have to push and the tires need to tell you when they are pushed too hard. Didn't get that from Mich.

Dunlops just let go on me randomly... wasn't a good experience.

I'm using corsa sc Front = 120/70 r17 sc 2 @ 28-29 psi off warmers, Back = 160/60 r17 sc1 @ 26-28psi off warmers

As for speed... Well... that's the tricky bit. Almost anything will work fine in a straight line. If you find you're not getting good feedback or you're having a hard time locking the tire down to the track on a turn it's either you (the rider) or the tire just isn't a good fit for you. I took a friends r6 around our track on mich 2cts and it was squirming in slow speed sweeping turns, I was pushing a race pace the tire wasn't built for. However, he didn't have any complaints...

Also, fresh tires are important, heat cycles and general track wear effect tires even if they have plenty of tread left. If you get serious scrubbing and balling on the tire, don't expect to have new tire traction after 2 races or 4 track days.

Best to do a lot of research, tires are not a one size fit all solution, it's best to arm yourself with understanding and advice from people with on track experience with SV's before forking over $$$ to a season's tire budget.

General rule of thumb, street tires will only go so far, if you really want to go fast, get tires that fit the purpose.

 

[friendlyfoe]

That is your opinion.
Personally I ride on Pirellis and think dot race tire is as good as slick if not better.
And I don't love bridgestones. Rode on 165 slick just couple weeks ago and did not like it at all.

it's not so much an opinion, more of a true statement that excludes pirelli lol, especially when you're talking 160 rears.

Long story short pirelli stopped paying contingency, so if hes in the running for contingency dunlop GP-A UK tire or bridgestone slicks are his only option. Well theres the power one but i find they wear really quickly, altho i keep hearing the same thing about pirelli.

I love the front tire profile of bridgestone slicks, really suits my riding and the tires are super predictable. But no one runs twins here so i'm not far away from bumping up to a 600 and proper tires anyway.

 

[tovar]

it's not so much an opinion, more of a true statement that excludes pirelli lol, especially when you're talking 160 rears.

fyi. 160 dot pirelli won every race around here and holds track record for sv SS class.
Contingency is another story. With pricing and payout between brands it is not worth for me to use brand based only on how much they may pay. If I don't like some tire and can't go as fast on it I will not use it, can't get $$ without winning . Tires are personal choice, imo.

 

[OreoGaborio]

Also, fresh tires are important, heat cycles and general track wear effect tires even if they have plenty of tread left. If you get serious scrubbing and balling on the tire, don't expect to have new tire traction after 2 races or 4 track days.

Agreed.

But for what it's worth, I'm still within a second of "new tire" pace after 4 races and two track days (when I'm about ready to replace the rear). Yes, they'll move around on me but I'm surprised at how linear Pirelli's grip is as they wear. I've yet to experience a Pirelli tire "fall off" as it wears out. The loss of grip as it wears out is generally very predictable.

 

[OreoGaborio]

fyi. 160 dot pirelli won every race around here and holds track record for sv SS class.
Contingency is another story. With pricing and payout between brands it is not worth for me to use brand based only on how much they may pay. If I don't like some tire and can't go as fast on it I will not use it, can't get $$ without winning . Tires are personal choice, imo.

Also agreed.

However once you get near the front of the pack in the Expert ranks, it seems as though different tracks like different tires. Loudon, for example, seems to like Dunlops, though I've still had great success on Pirellis, my teammate is on track to win a championship riding on Bridgestones and there are a few other very fast guys on Michelins.

 

[friendlyfoe]

fyi. 160 dot pirelli won every race around here and holds track record for sv SS class.. Tires are personal choice, imo.

As i think i said the only complaint i've heard about pirelli is how quickly they wear, as i've heard a few people comment "its like they turn to dust" I'm sure buddy with those lap records has enough contingency money frequency of new tires is not an issue.

Dunlop vendor had a feather in his cap about the fact that almost every person at this years IOM were on dunlops. Guy martin actually lost a bunch of spots in one race where he had to make two tire changes (running pirelli) and everyone else only did one.

I think every tire is a little better at one thing, but makes a compromise in another area. I think favourite tire has a lot to do with what compromise you're willing to make.

 

[OreoGaborio]

*snipped* I'm sure buddy with those lap records has enough contingency money frequency of new tires is not an issue.

As stated previously, Pirelli doesn't pay contingency, so that's not a reason to stay with Pirelli... but performance sure is.

Guy martin actually lost a bunch of spots in one race where he had to make two tire changes (running pirelli) and everyone else only did one.

If you're talking about THIS year's Superbike TT, there was an issue in the pits with the rear spindle and they were unable to change his rear tire so he had to continue racing on a worn one.... So he actually made one tire change LESS than everyone else and STILL managed to finish 4th, losing only ONE spot.

Side note: I raced on the same set of Pirelli tires for TWO FULL SEASONS back when I was on an EX500. In my experience, they wear just fine. These days on the SV, I'm replacing my tires at roughly the same frequency as everyone else I'm battling with, most of them on Dunlops.

 

[friendlyfoe]

As stated previously, Pirelli doesn't pay contingency, so that's not a reason to stay with Pirelli... but performance sure is.


If you're talking about THIS year's Superbike TT, there was an issue in the pits with the rear spindle and they were unable to change his rear tire so he had to continue racing on a worn one.... So he actually made one tire change LESS than everyone else and STILL managed to finish 4th, losing only ONE spot.

Side note: I raced on the same set of Pirelli tires for TWO FULL SEASONS back when I was on an EX500. In my experience, they wear just fine. These days on the SV, I'm replacing my tires at roughly the same frequency as everyone else I'm battling with, most of them on Dunlops.

To the first comment, i guess i was assuming all of those records werent set this year, and they used to pay contingency.

The second i knew i should have double checked! i was told that happened by someone who was there, i saw that race and know what you're talking about. Oh well I've heard a few people say at the track they find the pirellis to wear faster, no one dislikes them tho.


I havent run pirelli tires yet. Maybe i'll try their 160 slick after i kill these bridgestones. *shrugs*

 

[jfk070]

Agreed.

But for what it's worth, I'm still within a second of "new tire" pace after 4 races and two track days (when I'm about ready to replace the rear). Yes, they'll move around on me but I'm surprised at how linear Pirelli's grip is as they wear. I've yet to experience a Pirelli tire "fall off" as it wears out. The loss of grip as it wears out is generally very predictable.

Yup I experienced the same last year, ran 4 track days and 2 races on a set. I didn't turn in low lap times after the 3rd out (didn't have the confidence on them) but I kept in the points and saved a lot of money. Gave me enough points for my championship at the end of season. Even ran an enduro race on that set.

I swap in new tires on the big races where I needed to push hard.

SV's are great, they are so gentle on equipment compared to my R6 which ate tires and munched equipment 3 or 4 times faster.

 

[SVbadguy]

I've been racing for a long time. Just tried a set of slicks for the first time at my last races. A set of Bridgestones for my RSV4, mainly with the hope of them lasting longer. Well that just isn't going to be the case. One 25-minute race, a sprint and three practice sessions and they are won't be on the bike much longer. They will absolutely done after practice and one 25-minute race on Saturday. They replaced a Pirelli front and Conti rear DOTs which are actually still good despite having more track track.

I've never had a reason to run slicks on my SV.

Also you can't earn money in a supersport class if you run only slicks. There are some other non-tire contingencies that only pay for supersport classes.

 

[tovar]

Also you can't earn money in a supersport class if you run only slicks. There are some other non-tire contingencies that only pay for supersport classes.

Slicks are legal in wera. They should also make them legal in all clubs. There is no good reason for slick not to be legal any more.

 

[tgold]

I've been racing for a long time. Just tried a set of slicks for the first time at my last races. A set of Bridgestones for my RSV4, mainly with the hope of them lasting longer. Well that just isn't going to be the case. One 25-minute race, a sprint and three practice sessions and they are won't be on the bike much longer. They will absolutely done after practice and one 25-minute race on Saturday. They replaced a Pirelli front and Conti rear DOTs which are actually still good despite having more track track.

I've never had a reason to run slicks on my SV.

Also you can't earn money in a supersport class if you run only slicks. There are some other non-tire contingencies that only pay for supersport classes.

The Bridgestone slick that racers use for the SV is designed for 250gp bikes. It's not the same as their slicks for bigger bikes so your results on an RSV4 (that has nearly three times the horsepower of a stock SV) are pretty much irrelevant. I've had excellent results endurance racing with the Bridgestone slicks on stock rims.

 

[esquiero]

Bridgestone, Dunlop and continental are the only brands paying contingency that I'm aware of.

Dunlop's are INCREDIBLE and well worth the money!

Michelin's not paying contigency? To what has this world evolved?

 

[Phenom]

How do you break in a slick? same as a Race DOT? Go easy for a lap or so? This will be my first set.

 

[champer]

On the warmers for an hour and get after it. A standard warm up lap is more than adequate.

 

[trace33chargers]

How do you break in a slick? same as a Race DOT? Go easy for a lap or so? This will be my first set.

There is a break-in procedure for tires? I just go.

 

[Dave_SV]

There is a break-in procedure for tires? I just go.

What this guy said

 

[tgold]

How do you break in a slick? same as a Race DOT? Go easy for a lap or so? This will be my first set.

Break-in procedure for slicks and DOTs:

Step 1: Put tires on warmers for 45 minutes.
Step 2: Remove tire warmers.
Step 3: Go like hell.

 

[weasel]

draggin knee AND elbow...

 

[twilkinson3]

There is a break-in procedure for tires? I just go.

yes Trace there is......
1) Heat tire on warmer
2) Attempt to annihilate tire on racetrack......