Ducati Pete
Member
HondaGalToo;251687 wrote: The manufacturers mostly give hot pressures for race tires, I think, as warmers are used with them. The hot pressures are hot off the warmers, not necessarily hot off the track.
Starting with cold pressures, you'll want to see approximately a 10% growth. At least I think that's the current trend. It used to be 20%, or about a 6 psi increase, but I think nowadays you expect only a few psi increase. If hot pressures are given, then check them immediately when you come in, before removing helmet and gloves. Adjust from there.
If you get Pirellis, I have a chart. If you get Q2s, there's a ton of folks here using them who can give recommended track pressures.
And, no, starting out I really don't think you need warmers. You are correct about newer riders possibly not riding hard enough to get a race tire up to temp. As stated, get the Q2s, (or, since I'm a Pirelli fan, the Diablo Rosso Corsa) are awesome tires. Plenty of folks, myself included, have taken these hypersport street tires well up to an Upper I/Low A pace. They really are better than the race tires of 10 years ago, and they are designed to work well across a wider temperature range.
Get a hypersport street tire, set it to the recommended cold pressures. Keep it simple. Focus on the riding.
I'm pretty sure that blurb in the Riders' Manual about 30-35 psi isn't a mandatory figure. My guess is it's there so the new track riders don't show up with street pressures of over 40 psi. In general, for any of the hypersport street tires, 30/30 would be a good, safe starting point. Up to 35 would still be "safe". Over 40, it's not going to get hot enough. D-ZUM's recommendation to overinflate prior to tech isn't because they need to be 30-35 psi to pass tech, his recommendation is so that you just have to air them down a bit if you don't have a compressor or portable air tank. The recommendation to do it after tech is because it may warm up quite a bit between 7 and 9 am. I have an air tank, but I still overinflate a bit for transport. It's just easier to not drag the tank out!
Good info on the tire pressures. I have (will have) enough on my plate for the time being to worry too much about what tires to buy, etc... Will cross that line when I gt there... which will be soon.
I like the over-inflate idea and will do so. Plus I too have a small air tank. Will fill it before leaving the shop. Meanwhile, I'm simply trying to remember to bring my bike key!!! LOL Plus a pile of other crap I probably won't even use. Can never be over-prepared. haha
Pete