What are the effects of ambient temperature on tyres on track?

[monkey]

I'm doing the Silverstone trackday at the end of March on my newish Daytona and I'm a bit nervous. I hate the tyres anyway as they're much more sporty than I'm used to (Pirelli dragons on it-I'm used to Z6s on the SV). I have a few questions:
What, if any, effect will I notice on the track both due to the sportier tyres and the temperature in March? (About 10-15 degrees I reckon).

I've also got huge chicken strips. Should I ride as per usual on a trackday or take it easy? Usual is pretty easy (slow) for me.

What sort of warm up time do I give the Dragons?

Finally what sort of pressures should I be using?

Anything else anyone can add please feel free. I don't want to bin it on my first trackday on the new steed.
:)

[monkey]

b.u.m.p.

[rigor]

My 2 pence, but I'm a serious amatuer so feel free to ignore at will ;)

Personally I won't be dropping the pressures as much as I would for a hot summer day, but I'll drop them a bit, and take advice from the instructors at the circuit. They're usually pretty approachable and know that novices really have no idea ;)

At Brands and Lydden I gave my tyres 2 laps to warm up, then a further lap to warm ME up each session. It is hard to go steady, but it's worth it :)

As for your riding, just ride how you usually do and then build from there. If you go out and think I'm going to take it really really steady your not going to learn much, but on the other hand if you go banzai all you'll learn is how much gravel you can collect in your fairings. Just ride within your comfort zone, and then build from there. Ask advice and if there are instructors availble, nab one and listen to what they say.

Once you get the tyres warm on track, they're not going to cool down a huge amount during the session. It's not at all like riding on the road, they're always working at a higher level. I predict you'll come away from the track liking the tyres more and more. TBH I think that the tyres on the 675 are designed for sunny summer weekends only, not really that good for winter riding :P

Don't worry about the chicken strips either, magic things will happen to them without you even realising it ;)

[metalmonkey]

Well on first track day my tyre pressure was 30 psi front and rear.

I'm sure the more experinced riders will be able to offer better advice, but this was my experince.

Take it easy your first session is a sighting lap, use that warm up your bike, tyres, brakes and brain and take it easy.

People tend to stack 1st and 4th session, one guy crashed his ninja when I was there, there were bits of broken bike everywhere, don't do that;)

Go out with an instructor for sure, into the second or third session. You will get faster as the day goes on, if try to go as fast as you from the first session that won't work, it skill that makes you fast. I was told on my track day by the instructor that those who tried too hard to go fast ended up being slower.

I wouldn't worry about your tyres, they are fat better than the stock tyres on my SV I was fine, get the issues of tyres of your head. Its all to do with with your mental state as well. If think something is wrong it wil effect your riding.

Yup chicken strips will go.....also why are you doing the track day? For me I do anything like this fun. So i'm guessing its the same reason for you.

So get out there any enjoy yourself!:D

[lukemillar]

I'm doing the Silverstone trackday at the end of March on my newish Daytona and I'm a bit nervous. I hate the tyres anyway as they're much more sporty than I'm used to (Pirelli dragons on it-I'm used to Z6s on the SV). I have a few questions:
What, if any, effect will I notice on the track both due to the sportier tyres and the temperature in March? (About 10-15 degrees I reckon).

I've also got huge chicken strips. Should I ride as per usual on a trackday or take it easy? Usual is pretty easy (slow) for me.

What sort of warm up time do I give the Dragons?

Finally what sort of pressures should I be using?

Anything else anyone can add please feel free. I don't want to bin it on my first trackday on the new steed.
:)

I have to say that I was surprised when I found out they use road supercorsas as stock on the Daytona. I would have thought these tyres would have been a little to focused for the British climate!

However, I would love to try these tyres out on the track. :)

I think once up to temperature they would be really great. People have been saying 'take it easy' with them, but I kind of think you have to do the opposite and work them harder to get them up to temperature quickly. Remember that a lot of tyre heat is generated from hard acceleration and braking, so being very ginger in these areas isn't going to warm them up too quickly.

Important Note - Always be mindful of cold tyres on opening laps - That is a given.

Don't worry too much about track temp. The ambient conditions will probably mean that they'll lose heat quicker between sessions, but I doubt it will make huge differences out on track :D

[monkey]

Thanks peeps. I done four trackdays last year and one the year before so know what to expect it's just the tyre thing. I suppose being stickier I should have a lot more confidence in them. I got the Z6s right to the edge and very much doubt I'll get the Dragons over that far due to the sportier profile but should have more confidence in them. I will give them a bit longer to warm up as my mate said I was hammering it on the first couple of laps on a trackday on the touring tyres. It's all a confidence thing on my part and I don't have a huge amount of it. That said it's kept me safe!

I'll do a couple of fast runs on the road and see how warm I can get them. I'm sure a couple of good corners at Silverstone and I'll be fine. It's quite a good track to be the first on the Daytona I think cos it's nice and wide and flat.
:)

[weazelz]

Thanks peeps. I done four trackdays last year and one the year before so know what to expect it's just the tyre thing. I suppose being stickier I should have a lot more confidence in them. I got the Z6s right to the edge and very much doubt I'll get the Dragons over that far due to the sportier profile but should have more confidence in them. I will give them a bit longer to warm up as my mate said I was hammering it on the first couple of laps on a trackday on the touring tyres. It's all a confidence thing on my part and I don't have a huge amount of it. That said it's kept me safe!

I'll do a couple of fast runs on the road and see how warm I can get them. I'm sure a couple of good corners at Silverstone and I'll be fine. It's quite a good track to be the first on the Daytona I think cos it's nice and wide and flat.
:)

road supercorsa's are lovely tyres for trackdays, that's what I run on my SV. in 10-15C track temperatures I'd give them two laps to warm up around Silverstone GP. I don't remember exactly where you're at with your riding - I remember we talked last year about kneedowns & stuff - so don't take this personally, but so long as you keep it smooth & give them a coupel of laps to warm up, then they'll almost certainly have considerably more grip that you'll be using ;)

[monkey]

road supercorsa's are lovely tyres for trackdays, that's what I run on my SV. in 10-15C track temperatures I'd give them two laps to warm up around Silverstone GP. I don't remember exactly where you're at with your riding - I remember we talked last year about kneedowns & stuff - so don't take this personally, but so long as you keep it smooth & give them a coupel of laps to warm up, then they'll almost certainly have considerably more grip that you'll be using ;)

Slow but have scraped a peg and boot. Smoothness is my middle name. I'll take that advise Weazelz thanks. Couple of laps it is. It's a long old track. I can always see how they feel after the sighting laps. You not going to Silverstone?
:)

[weazelz]

You not going to Silverstone?

not planning on it at the moment, I'll see if there are some places last-minute if the forecast is good

[monkey]

Oh the forecast. If only we didn't have to worry about that.

Think I had a little slide tonight coupled with a shhhh sound. That sound right? I leant it over just a we bit more onto the chicken strip. I didn't have a knee wobbler though.

[flymo]

Weather forecasts.....the source of many a race day ponder.

Sods law says that if you dont have any wets then it'll **** down. The moment you buy them there'll be a heat wave. You cant win :-)