track day tire pressure

Paladin · 08-14-2006, 10:22 PM

I'm curious as to what tire types people have had both good and bad luck with at trackdays, as well as what tire pressures are typically run.

I myself just had a low side with a pair of Pirelli Corsas running at 28/28 cold. I feel a lot of that could have been due to overheating the Corsas riding them fast and too soft. I've LOVED the way Diablos and Corsas have felt on the street...but this trackday I was riding really hard, getting my knee down, braking late and going hammers and it seemed to be a little much for them.

rotorblade · 08-14-2006, 10:29 PM

Last weekend I was running Supercorsa's at 28 cold, any higher and they just spun-up.

Nickelii · 08-14-2006, 10:32 PM

I run Michelin PR's and slicks. The slicks I run at 28 both front and rear and the PR's I run 31 or 30 in the front and 22 in the rear

sheepofblue · 08-14-2006, 10:35 PM

From what I have heard if you are running Super Corsas your pressure is about right, if you are running Daiblo Corsas you likely had them to low (I ran 30-32 on mine) Search on Abtech and tire pressure for and even better method than hearsay for determining tire pressure.

HondaGalToo · 08-14-2006, 10:48 PM

Corsas or Diablo Corsas? The Diablo Corsas are the ones that are the trackday tire, the Diablos are for street and aren't as sticky. The Diablo Corsas are marketed for 70% track, 30% street. I've liked them. They do seem to like higher pressures, around 34/34. I've run them at 32 or so. 28 is too low for them. I'm running Pilot Powers right now and I've got them at 32f/30r and they seem fine. That's the pressures I use for most tires that are street tires. I haven't used any DOT race tires like the SuperCorsa, because I street ride and I want the rain sipes to go to the edge of the tire.

To really see if you're using the correct pressure, you should see a 20% increase in pressure from the cold setting to what the pressure is when the tire's hot. I've never done this, as I'm not a super fast rider.

CBRVFR · 08-14-2006, 11:11 PM

The problem with this subject is that for everyone who knows what they're talking about, there are 75 hoopleheads just flappin' their lips.

From the Pirellimoto website:

For any other unanswered questions, or if you simply want to speak to
a Pirelli employee, please telephone us at the number below:

-- Customer Support --
Tollfree: 1.800.747.3554, option 4 (followed by #)
Direct: 1.706.368.5826
Fax: 1.706.368.5879

Please be sure to have information about your tires/motorcycle
in front of you, including tire model, date codes and tire sizes.

The tire companies have technical staff that will be happy to talk to you, because they want you to use their tires on every vehicle you have.

Get the baseline from this guy, and then read Abtech's posts on the 20% rule. You'll become an expert, and you'll know how to get this question answered for your riding, your setup, your weight, road or track.

And remember, we can have the best tires, properly inflated and heated, our suspension perfectly set up, and still take a tour de asphalt because we didn't exercise judgment and control. It isn't always the fault of the tire, I dont care what they say on every single motorcycle forum in this universe!

Good luck

HondaGalToo · 08-15-2006, 5:32 AM

Hey, who you callin' a hooplehead???!!!!!

CBRVFR · 08-15-2006, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

Hey, who you callin' a hooplehead???!!!!!

Certainly not you, my dear..

( I just saw an episode of Deadwood.. That's Al Swearengen's only printable epithet.)

Paladin · 08-15-2006, 1:17 PM

I'm using the Corsas, the trackday tire. I figured 28/28 was too low for them, judging by how quickly they started getting slippy.

I'll seek out the aforementioned post. What I'd really like to do is get a pyrometer so I could check the temps of the rubber itself, and just pressure accordingly to keep 'em in the proper operating temp range. But since I can't really afford one of those yet, I'll look for abtech's post.

Whats the most trackdays you fellas have gotten out of a single pair of street/trackday hybrid tires? I'm going to take these tires back for a second trackday in september.

HondaGalToo · 08-15-2006, 4:52 PM

I've gotten 6-8 trackdays out of sets of Diablo Corsas, I run intermediate.

rotorblade · 08-15-2006, 9:49 PM

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

I've gotten 6-8 trackdays out of sets of Diablo Corsas, I run intermediate.

Holy hell. I barely, barely got three days outta my supercorsa rear. But all three days were mainly right handers.

HondaGalToo · 08-15-2006, 9:53 PM

Originally Posted by rotorblade

Holy hell. I barely, barely got three days outta my supercorsa rear. But all three days were mainly right handers.

I'm thinking perhaps the SuperCorsas are softer, being that they're a race tire, not a trackday/street tire like the Diablo Corsas? I'm not aggressive, so I'm relatively easy on tires.

Hammer · 08-15-2006, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by rotorblade

Holy hell. I barely, barely got three days outta my supercorsa rear. But all three days were mainly right handers.

Track conditions and bike size have something to do with that as well. Some tracks eat tires up pretty quick.

rotorblade · 08-16-2006, 6:40 AM

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

I'm thinking perhaps the SuperCorsas are softer, being that they're a race tire, not a trackday/street tire like the Diablo Corsas? I'm not aggressive, so I'm relatively easy on tires.

Yes, the Supers are a much softer, and these were even the 'super soft' compounds, so I knew they'd wear fast. But I was still hoping to get four days. Two days were at Beaverun and the last at Summit Jefferson, whic I don't think is hard on tires.

HondaGalToo · 08-16-2006, 7:01 AM

Originally Posted by rotorblade

Yes, the Supers are a much softer, and these were even the 'super soft' compounds, so I knew they'd wear fast. But I was still hoping to get four days. Two days were at Beaverun and the last at Summit Jefferson, whic I don't think is hard on tires.

The Beave is pretty hard on tires, but the Jefferson circuit is too slippery from all the antifreeze they dump on it for police training to be hard on tires.

How did you like JC? I tried it once, hated it, and will never ride it again. The Main course is great. I can't believe how much $$$ they wasted on that ridiculous, dangerous Shenandoah Circuit, though. For the $$$ they spent on that, they could've repaved the wonderful Main Course.