Q3+ track pressures on small bikes

bmart

Control Rider
I'm considering taking the CB-1 to CMP for some laps. It uses 110/150 set. What kind of pressures (hot and cold, front and rear) do you guys run on Q3+ on your 250-400s? Thanks!
 

djhurayt

Member
0n my Husky I would run 20/23 cold (no tire warmers at the time), they would come up to the 23/26 at the end of a sesssion
 

bmart

Control Rider
Interesting. I occasionally run a Q3 (not plus) rear on the track bikes mated to a race front. On it I run ~35.5 hot which turns out to be ~27 cold.
 

djhurayt

Member
interesting... that the settings are so much lower or the c/h pressure delta ???
I could have the post session numbers incorrect, but I'm pretty sure about the cold numbers.
It is also not Q3s I should add. Continental ContiAttack SM
 

bmart

Control Rider
Through the power of Al Gore's Internet...

The whole article is worth reading, but #12 is the answer to your question.
https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2017/03/31/dunlop-sportmax-q3-test-13-fast-facts/

And Dunlop Steve (now retired) posted this in 2013 after the Q3 replaced the Q2.

>>
The Q3 is not a tire I work with at the track with racers. thus my first hand knowledge with it is limited.

BUT, I did just spend some time speaking with the test riders that did all the development with the Q3, both for street and track. So I have the best first-hand feedback I could get.

Track day pressure for the Q3 is 30 PSI rear cold, and no less than 32 PSI front cold.

if you have a 600, maybe go to 28 rear cold, however, going lower you will not get more grip, but may have instability in the rear, so its not the solution if you want a good clean ride, keep it at 30 or slightly higher to suit your riding.

In the front do not go lower the 32 psi cold. The tire has a tone of grip already, going lower on the pressure only makes the contact patch fight with itself and results in instability, poor steering, heavy steering and chatter. 32 in a minimum, highly consider going a pound or 2 more to get the bike to feel better and steer better. you wont lose grip, but you will gain a better feel and more precise steering.

32 rear and 33 front cold would be right in the middle and good starting point.

There is a point when your lap times justify a good race tire. If you find yourself trying to tweak the pressure on a Q3 to get that last little bit of usable grip, you need to step up to a race tire like D211GP-A or Slicks. If the Q3 is working for you, cool! Stay with it. But if you keep trying to change things to get more grip out of a Q3, you have hit the glass ceiling and it time to step up.
>>

And from 2018:

Yesterday I called Dunlop to get their recommendations on air pressure for the Q3+ and the VFR. I was curious if there was any pressure differences due to the heavier weight of our bikes. I spoke with Dave and he said he would check with their engineers. He just called back and here are the recommendations, directly from the engineering department.

Every day street, highway/freeway riding, 36psi front, 42psi rear

Canyon riding, 34psi front, 32psi rear

Track riding, put COLD tire inflation to 32psi front, 30psi rear. Ride one session and IMMEDIATELY check pressures. They want them to be 35psi front, 34psi rear, HOT. If the tire is over those pressures, reduce by one psi and test again. If it's below that pressure increase by one psi and test. The 35/34 is the optimal HOT temp. Once you achieve that, check the COLD starting temp the next morning. That's your baseline. A smooth track will increase heat/pressure, a rough track will have less heat/pressure.
 
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