Best Track Day Tyre

Hi Orgers,

Like you know i have a Yamaha R6 track bike. The tyres i have on at the min are Maxxiss Supermaxx Sport's which are ok but after speaking to a few of veteran track boys up at snetterton Saturday night i have been advised these are pretty much just budget road tyres.

So the question is what is the best track day only tyre out there?

Cheers

Mason

[jambo]

First question:
Will you have separate wets on wheels?
If not, you really don't want to end up on something like ractetec or similar as if it rains you'll miss having any tread at all at the edges of the tyre. If this is your "one set of tyres for everything" then a good sports tyre, like a Bridgestone S20, Michelin Pilot Power 2CT, Dunlop Sportsmart would be a good shout.

If you're only going to do track days that are dry, or have separate wets on wheels then Metzler Racetec or similar are very sticky when up to temperature. I used a set of Continental Race Attack's on the track bike recently and they were very nice too. These sorts of tyres are best used with tyre warmers. Depends how seriously you want to take it.

Jambo

Hi Jambo,

I will be looking to get a set of wets on wheels but the prices i've seen are stupid money ( £750+) and i doubt i will be brave enough to be going out in the wet anyway so yes will be dry track days only.

I was advised on Racetecs when i was at snett yesterday a few guys had a few part worns for sale but if im going to put a set on my bike id prefer them to be brand new.

Do most people go for a medium rear soft front?

[jambo]

I'd say for occasional trackday use part-worns are probably fine as long as they've not been sat in a garage for years.

The best grip from those tyres comes when they're freshest, but if you're going to fit them and use them for several track days you may want to try a set of part worn's first. There's generally good life in part worn tyres, but they cost people who are used to using all the available grip a little time as they go off. Important if you're racing for position, but I suspect people like you and me would still find them grippy enough that crashing would be the result of a mistake rather than just nudging over available grip.

For what it's worth, wet trackdays can be a hoot, and teach you a lot about controlling the bike. Modern sports tyres for road bikes are fantastic, they really are, you can get to the edges on a wet track and still put in respectable times in the dry

Medium rear/soft front seems fairly normal unless you're doing endurance racing or similar. But again, these sort of tyres are best with warmers.

Jambo

[ogden]

Originally Posted by mase_tw

Hi Jambo,

I will be looking to get a set of wets on wheels but the prices i've seen are stupid money ( £750+)

Whaaaaaat?

I picked up a set of wheels for my gixer off ebay for about 180 quid, and a scrubbed set of wets for another 90. Look harder.

As to tyres, I'm using Michelin Power Supersports at the moment and they're pretty much perfect. Heat up quickly, hold heat well (even when snowing, seriously), grip like poo to a blanket and seem to be lasting well - six full days of hard use and they've still got loads of rubber left. They give plenty of feedback, and seem to be able to handle big handfuls of power out of corners, which is something I can't say of the Supermaxx Sports I had before (and still have in the garage, they sodding things refuse to die).

Thoroughly recommended. The Michelins, that is.

You don't need tire warmers for street tires, even those that say they are for track day use. Street tires are made to heat up quickly and easily, otherwise they'd cause lots of cold tire crashes and get a very bad reputation.
After a warm up lap street tires are ready to go, and remember, a warm up lap isn't just for the tires, it also warms up the riders body and brain.
If you are running the track at novice racer times, consistently, it might help to move up to race compound tires. If people on street tires are lapping seconds faster than you are, race rubber likely won't help you.

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by ogden

...

As to tyres, I'm using Michelin Power Supersports at the moment and they're pretty much perfect. Heat up quickly, hold heat well (even when snowing, seriously), grip like poo to a blanket and seem to be lasting well - six full days of hard use and they've still got loads of rubber left. .......

Thoroughly recommended. The Michelins, that is.

Are you seriously getting 6 track days out of a set of tyres on a GSXR1000 or have a made an assumption from your sig?

[ogden]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Are you seriously getting 6 track days out of a set of tyres on a GSXR1000 or have a made an assumption from your sig?

Yep, seriously. 3 days at Cadwell, 2 at Snetterton and 1 at Donington. And they've got plenty of life left in them. A bit chewed up near the edges, but still going strong.

[Red Herring]

You must be on some kind of economy run! I run D211 slicks on mine and I consider myself lucky of I can get a second day out of a rear, and that's the E compound! Cadwell I can sort of understand a bit, but both Snetterton and Donny work the rear hard. I must be doing something wrong......

[ogden]

Well, you're using race tyres and I'm using road-legal trackday tyres, so it's hardly surprising mine last a bit longer!

Haven't run out of grip yet though. I've had a couple of moments where I could feel the back starting to go, but there was plenty of feedback before it happened, whereas other tyres I've used have just let go without warning.