Fastguy;77479 wrote: Meat,
It seems that your an analytical person, are you sure it's not the mental edge that you perceive from riding on slicks. Do you think if blindfolded, you would be able to tell slicks vs. DOT?
Blindfolded and riding?
Yes, I really can tell a difference. I know I am only an I-group rider but I have ridden on AMA take off slicks since I was a beginner. I used to get them for $50 per set! It took forever to wear down the first set of them, but I was just on the cheapest tire I could get (they just happened to be slicks). Then this year the team I used to get them from now runs the Daytona thingy and they now run GPA's and charge A LOT more for their tires (not making it worth buying tires from them anymore).
So, with the exception of riding a DOT race tire at a motorcycle school last year, this year is the first time I have ridden a DOT race tire at a track day. I assumed that I would not feel a difference, but I could right away. I have been on the BT003's and GPA's this year and can instantly tell the difference from a slick.
I do believe the placebo affect can be strong, and think anyone can be susceptible to it. But, in this case I was expecting to not feel a difference, other than maybe in traction. I was proved wrong when I was on the BT003's so I then tried the AMA spec GPA's with the same general result (other than I like the GPA's much better than the BT003's).