EXUP Worldwide

I am gearing up to go back to the track. What is the right tire. I am not going to be cheap, but I don't want to go over the top. I have been looking at the Michelin Pilot Power 2CT. Without doing too much research I have found a pair for $270 plus shipping. Also I figure that 180/55 is right and proper, but would anyone go 190/55. The bike is a 98 GSXR750.

I like the plain pilot powers a lot. Mostly for street, but a lot of track time on them also. Amazing amount of miles for a HP tire! The 2ct's are supposed to be great, also!. I've liked the dunlop qualifiers quite a bit on the yzf750. I don't think you'll go wrong with any high level tires, michelin, pirelli, or dunlop. If it's a track bike, why not go for slicks? I just bought a new set of 2ct's and they are super sticky for street tires, the only problem was the front has been recalled! Haven't put a mile on them yet.

fe911 wrote:I like the plain pilot powers a lot...

+1 the regular powers are the way to go...the dual compound powers are nice, but you get more track days out of the regular powers...

Thanks. I think that is the way I will go. I have a couple of months to get ready. No one will sponsor a trackday in the middle of the summer.

Well...here's my take on this.
People here that do track days tell me that the PP's have great grip right up untill they were sliding on their butts.
I bought Corsa III's for my R1 and am delighted with them.
I have ridden a couple of R1's and a couple of FZR's with PP's and came away happy that I didn't buy them. I tend to push the front pretty hard and finish the corner with the throttle. They get a bit greasy for me at temp.
Granted, your style of riding may well let you wear PP's but mine don't

PP's have great grip right up untill they were sliding on their butts.

There are several good track tires available. Jim brings up a good point to which ones are desirable. Some will give good grip but there is no warning when they wear and lose grip. Others will give you feedback and let you know when they are losing grip (e.g. gradually get slippery). You want a pair that will give you good feedback and not suddenly break away. I would read the tire comparison articles, in the various sportbike magazines, where they have compared track day tires - and see what they have to say. That plus the experience and input from the members of the EXUPBrotherhood should help.

http://www.sportrider.com/tech/tires/14 ... ire_guide/

This is good info. I read a good portion of the articles in the "Sport Rider" link. Good stuff, thanks djalbin. Dr. Jim I think that we have a similar style. Most of the truly hard riding I have done was on the dirt. I have trouble finding that fine line on the street because it is less forgiving than on the dirt. Plus there is usually a rut to hold to in the dirt. I am comfortable with a dirtbike that is pushing the front, loose in the rear or in a two wheel slide. I learned through trial and error. Wreckin is learning. I am not willing to do this on the street. My last trackbike faired horrible in a slow low side. I lost the front and it slid off the track and rolled. Need to find a tire that warns me. I plan on going down to the local race shop and see what they have to say. A bonus is that they know my bike through the previous owner. Thanks again to all. You helped me realize I need to go deeper than a sales brochure.

When I bought my R1 last year, I went through a set eof 218's (they were "OK"...) and shredded a front tire in 3K pretty bad. I replaced them at 5K and the front was scary. the rear was most deffinately more worn on the sides than it was in the center. There was tread left on the rear but no traction cause I cooked em. The front there was no tread left AND they had been heat cycled to death
I'm working on getting the suspension dialed. I'm pretty close now, at least I think I am.

I've always used either Pirelli Supercorsa Pros or Metzeler Racetec (used to be Rennsports) and they grip in the corner even if you find yourself having to carry brakes or brake midway.

Dave