Pirelli Superbike Track Day Slicks

[Thunderace]

I got a chance to use a set of these tires this weekend at Summit Point Main and I can honestly say, these are the best tires I have ever used. They offered an exceptional amount of grip, wore like nothing I have ever seen (except for Rob Cichielo's bikes) and gave me the confidence to get into the 18's on multiple occasions. After the entire weekend of some hard advanced laps, the rear tire looked better than any other tire I have used for half a day.

I pushed the front hard and it never complained once. Accelerating hard out of turn 1, I thought I could feel the rear groaning a little, but it never let go. I ran warmers all the time, but once I had the breaker flip and went out on cold tires and by the end of the first lap, it was game on. I would highly recommend these tires to anyone on a budget looking for an aggressive track tire. I thought it might not work for a fast advanced pace, but I was wrong. For $385 shipped, these tires will allow you to ride very fast, while getting the longevity we all want.

Edit: Just to add some additional information, I ran the front at 30.5-31 psi hot and the rear was 27-28 psi hot. When I get home tonight I will add a picture of the two tires to add to the thread.

 

[tofstfouru]

Thanks for the feedback on that tire going to run them at Road America in a few weeks for the first time. I have read tons of stuff and the general theme is they kick some serious ass!!

 

[Canali]

Thanks for posting this up Jim. I've got them on my R6 currently and Summit on Saturday was my third full day on them. I'm not even in the ballpark of your pace, but they've also been awesome for me, at a fast I group pace, and I don't use warmers. Wear is definitely impressive. I'm lookin forward to their 4th and 5th day this coming weekend at Lightning. Hope to see you there.

Chris

 

[j_fuggin_t]

yea they are nice, i'm not running them yet but i have a buddy who has and he's got quite a few days on them and they look new

 

[avizpls]

as soon as I get my second set of wheels up to par, I will be going this route.

Thanks for the first-hand review!

 

[Jeff H]

Thanks for the review Jim, might have to give these a try. Did you get them from the TDS?

 

[BigCountry1125]

j_fuggin_t;188057 wrote: yea they are nice, i'm not running them yet but i have a buddy who has and he's got quite a few days on them and they look new

Yeah They are awesome tires! I need to find that thing on the right handle bar, some people call it a throttle?



I have been running mine 26.5 in the rear and 30 in the front. (60 - 65) weather, I'll bump them up when it gets hot. They Even survived Putnam and dont need to be flipped!

 

[LoveTheTrack]

Canali;188056 wrote: Thanks for posting this up Jim. I've got them on my R6 currently and Summit on Saturday was my third full day on them. I'm not even in the ballpark of your pace, but they've also been awesome for me, at a fast I group pace, and I don't use warmers. Wear is definitely impressive. I'm lookin forward to their 4th and 5th day this coming weekend at Lightning. Hope to see you there.

Chris

What are the pressures you run your tires at without warmers? Cold, I've seen recommended 29F/25R and hot off the track at 32F/27R. If that's the case do you just check for hot temps right off the track then adjust for your next session? If you're running without warmers won't the tires cool off forcing you to set the cold temperatures again? ugh...I'm confused:dunno:

 

[fitz]

LoveTheTrack;189682 wrote: What are the pressures you run your tires at without warmers? Cold, I've seen recommended 29F/25R and hot off the track at 32F/27R. If that's the case do you just check for hot temps right off the track then adjust for your next session? If you're running without warmers won't the tires cool off forcing you to set the cold temperatures again? ugh...I'm confused:dunno:

I ran these all last year with no warmers. I have to admit, it was a challenge trying to get the pressures right. Pirelli gives "starting" cold pressures. Trying to set the tires using cold pressures proved almost impossible (lots of cold tear). Setting them hot off the track meant you had to be very fast when checking them, no talking to CRs, pitting close to the track etc.. Even then, depending if it was a cool day tended to be frustrating.

fitz

 

[Cyclepath]

A good place to start would be 2-3 lbs below your target temperature. Then try to make it straight to your pits, throw the bike on the stand and check as soon as you can off the track. You can adjust according to your comfort from there. Pirelli's are very rider tunable. I like my rear tire at a very low pressure to squish and bite, some like it a bit stiffer. Some guys like the front tire stiffer, some like the compliance of it a bit softer. To do this adjust up or down a pound or two.

In general, you are going to have the rear cold about 24-25psi and the front about 29 psi.

 

[Canali]

Yea I've been setting mine cold 3 lbs below where I want them to be hot, checking right after coming off the track and adjusting while hot. I've been way lower than the Pirelli recommendations (25 rear 30 front hot) and its effecting the stability more than I'd like so I'm gonna try 26 or 27 for the rear and 31 for the front and go from there.

 

[smorourke]

I have been using these since late last season and into this season (about to switch to new set in fact after 5 days on them) and I can say I love these tires. Again, not at the '18s pace at Summit, but was still pushing hard on the brakes going into 1 and carrying more speed than I ever have at that track and they never felt they were about to "go". I set my pressures on warmers (medium setting on blue chickenhawks) at 27 rear 32 front.

 

[Motofun352]

Sorry for reviving and old thread....I ran the TD slicks for the first time Sunday 7/24 at the beav. Anyone else feel like they were greasey on the edge? Admittedly, it was hot (90 something) but even though I'm trying pick up the pace (who isn't?), I'm still a back marker in the A group. It was never scary just felt like the limit to me...then someone would pass me. One of the the other guys (Jim F) was flying on the things so it must be my imagination...just saying. Ran 32 hot in the front and 27 hot in the rear. Came in several times on the white flag to pit early and check quick. Also, I'm running the 190's on the back of a 750.

 

[Buckeye96]

I think a lot of people were having tire issues. I know my rear slipped a little on the carousel and it should have been fine. I heard a couple of the other riders saying their tires felt mushy on some of the turns.

 

[fitz]

Motofun352;204024 wrote: Sorry for reviving and old thread....I ran the TD slicks for the first time Sunday 7/14 at the beav. Anyone else feel like they were greasey on the edge? Admittedly, it was hot (90 something) but even though I'm trying pick up the pace (who isn't?), I'm still a back marker in the A group. It was never scary just felt like the limit to me...then someone would pass me. One of the the other guys (Jim F) was flying on the things so it must be my imagination...just saying. Ran 32 hot in the front and 27 hot in the rear. Came in several times on the white flag to pit early and check quick.

Yes at lean I found they would slip up a bit on exit, nothing scarey but made me very careful on the throttle. Also my rear tire was probably near it's end so that might have something to do with it. I normally run 32/27 but over the weekend I added a pound on each because of the heat and I think it helped a bit.

Keep in mind these are "race endurance" tires so they do have their limitations, spining up the rear seems to be one of them.

The tires do last forever though.

fitz

Moto you running warmers?

 

[jimmeigs]

I ran mine on my '06 R6 for two 90 degree plus days at Putnam, using warmers, set them at 26 rear, 28 front cold and they were just great and none the worse for wear. Mine were gaining right at three pounds when hot off the track.

 

[Thunderace]

Motofun352;204024 wrote: Sorry for reviving and old thread....I ran the TD slicks for the first time Sunday 7/24 at the beav. Anyone else feel like they were greasey on the edge? Admittedly, it was hot (90 something) but even though I'm trying pick up the pace (who isn't?), I'm still a back marker in the A group. It was never scary just felt like the limit to me...then someone would pass me. One of the the other guys (Jim F) was flying on the things so it must be my imagination...just saying. Ran 32 hot in the front and 27 hot in the rear. Came in several times on the white flag to pit early and check quick. Also, I'm running the 190's on the back of a 750.

Jack, I ran the first three sessions on Saturday before taking it off to have it flipped. I ran a brand new SC Pro on Saturday afternoon. I thought I felt the rear slipping ever so slightly in turn 3 , 4 and 10. I think it was more in my head as well, because the brand new SC Pro did pretty much the same thing. I am still amazed how well it is holding up though. I would recommend this tire to anyone except maybe the expert racer. Even then, it was able to keep me in the 1:01's at the Beave.

 

[rob92]

Thunderace;188048 wrote: I got a chance to use a set of these tires this weekend at Summit Point Main and I can honestly say, these are the best tires I have ever used. They offered an exceptional amount of grip, wore like nothing I have ever seen (except for Rob Cichielo's bikes) and gave me the confidence to get into the 18's on multiple occasions. After the entire weekend of some hard advanced laps, the rear tire looked better than any other tire I have used for half a day.

Jeez, I hope that's not how I'm remembered...

 

[LesPow]

Great tire Jim, I have a set on my bike, also and cant seem to wear these suckers out, but, at the Bolt NJMP. When I would really start to push, the rear would spin up a bit and I was always aware of being extra smooth getting on the gas at extreme lean. I heard that they cant hold grip after a certain pace. I would have to buy another set and really compare them to say the Dunlop 211 GPA's. But they are really great for most of us and deliver the bang for the buck.

 

[Cyclepath]

Guys, As you get faster you have to consider that you may need to adjust your suspension. At an mid intermediate pace and up you need to consider that you are using the suspension more, asking more of it. The fact is if you are setup too soft in the rear the shock can bottom out mid corner then start transferring that load through the tire rather than absorbing it through the shock. This quite often is the problem i find on most trackday riders bikes. Your rear sag needs to be between 25-28mm. This may seem a bit stiff but with the Pirelli it is a soft carcass tire, therefore you will set the suspension up a bit stiffer. With a dunlop you would run the suspension a bit softer because the tire is not absorbing the bumps like a softer tire will.

I am not suggesting you all run out and start buying suspension, just make sure you are near that range so you are allowing the tire to grip rather than shock absorb....