Race tyres?

[nzspokes]

I have a set of Conti race tyres that I thought I may use for a track day. I dont know much about race specific tyres so the question is do I need to use warmers on them for a track day session? Or just warm them up like a normal road tyre?

They are Conti race softs.

[EJK]

Go easy first 3 or so laps?

[nzspokes]

Go easy first 3 or so laps?

Was kinda my plan.

[Asher]

Ideally you want warmers.
Since they lack tread and have a higher operating temp they take ALOT longer to warm than road tyres.
That doesnt mean you have to run warmers, just be very careful. They are absolutely horrible when they are cold and not up to pressure.

[Drew]

There's not a lot of info to work from here. What bike, and exactly what tyre are you talking about.

Without warmers, the chances of getting modern race rubber hot enough is very unlikely unless you've got balls of fucken steel and are riding some thing big enough to get them distorting.

It isn't the surface that needs to heat up, it's the carcass. To do that, ya gotta go fast...which is very hard to do when the tyre is cold. See the problem?

Unless you're a real hard charger, run road rubber. There is more grip available on the race rubber, make no mistake. Even when they're not hot enough they will almost always have more bite. But when a cool race hoop let's go, you get the fuck off.

[nzspokes]

There's not a lot of info to work from here. What bike, and exactly what tyre are you talking about.

Without warmers, the chances of getting modern race rubber hot enough is very unlikely unless you've got balls of fucken steel and are riding some thing big enough to get them distorting.

It isn't the surface that needs to heat up, it's the carcass. To do that, ya gotta go fast...which is very hard to do when the tyre is cold. See the problem?

Unless you're a real hard charger, run road rubber. There is more grip available on the race rubber, make no mistake. Even when they're not hot enough they will almost always have more bite. But when a cool race hoop let's go, you get the fuck off.
Vtr1000 and Conti race softs. Mid pack rider. I just happen to have some but if I need warmers then I will stick to my BT016rs.

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[Drew]

Vtr1000 and Conti race softs. Mid pack rider. I just happen to have some but if I need warmers then I will stick to my BT016rs.

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Hmmmm, that puts the cat amongst the pigeons. In my mind at least. The OEM 016's on the Blades circa 2006 were fucken rubbish. I'm told that the general sales items are better, but no one has ever qualified that for me and I've not used them myself.

If you've punted them hardish before and liked them, my advice would be to stick with them. If you don't know what they're like, I can't really advise either way.

Borrowing a set of warmers is out of the question I assume?

[xen]

Have run those Conti softs without warmers before. They were alll good, just warm em up like usual. You'll notice a huge improvement over road tyres.

Warmers not only take away the warm up laps but keep them on a constant heat so you're not heat cycling them which wears them out.

[Drew]

Heat cycles don't wear tyres out, they change the way the tyre reacts to being warmed up. The more heat cycles, the less compliant the rubber becomes each subsequent time it's heated up.

If you've got the wallet for it, chuck it on the warmer first thing in the morning and never let it cool down throughout the day. Then chuck it out at the end of the day. Short of that after the last session chuck the warmers back on, then turn the warmers off after a while and let the whole lot cool down with them still on.

Way it all up, and go with what you think is best. I'd be asking around for a set of warmers though.

[nodrog]

i'll have them if its all sounding a bit scary.

[nzspokes]

Heat cycles don't wear tyres out, they change the way the tyre reacts to being warmed up. The more heat cycles, the less compliant the rubber becomes each subsequent time it's heated up.

If you've got the wallet for it, chuck it on the warmer first thing in the morning and never let it cool down throughout the day. Then chuck it out at the end of the day. Short of that after the last session chuck the warmers back on, then turn the warmers off after a while and let the whole lot cool down with them still on.

Way it all up, and go with what you think is best. I'd be asking around for a set of warmers though.
All starting to sound to hard. Maybe wheat bags will be the go. Or burn them up on the Bandit.

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[nzspokes]

Hmmmm, that puts the cat amongst the pigeons. In my mind at least. The OEM 016's on the Blades circa 2006 were fucken rubbish. I'm told that the general sales items are better, but no one has ever qualified that for me and I've not used them myself.



Well Im happy with them to be fair but I dont have 150hp either.

[Drew]

Well Im happy with them to be fair but I dont have 150hp either.

No no, they were shit on anything. I got one from mate and chucked it on the RF, had a Shinko on the front at the time. I raced the hill climb on that combo....the Shinko was not the weak link.

[nzspokes]

No no, they were shit on anything. I got one from mate and chucked it on the RF, had a Shinko on the front at the time. I raced the hill climb on that combo....the Shinko was not the weak link.

Well mine were made in 2014 so they may be a bit better these days.

[Drew]

Well mine were made in 2014 so they may be a bit better these days.

Undoubtedly so. Was only the factory equipment ones, off the shelf ones were better.

[Asher]

I've tried the new one on sale at cycletreads on a GSXR750, didn't like them at all.
Felt slippery and like I was falling into corners.

[aderino4]

You'll be fine..

I've run them, the soft, the medium and other brands street legal race tyres without warmers.

Takes 1.5 laps at Pukekohe to warm them up or about 2-3 at Hampton Downs.

Don't weave around, accelerate hard and brake hard when the bike is straight up and it will get heat into it.

By the second lap you'll start feeling the grip; by the 3rd lap go hard...


I used to even use them on the road and they're completely fine except when it rains..

[SVboy]

Drew is the one with the knowledge here, I would look closely at what he is saying. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but aren't soft compound tyres for hot conditions? A slight lack of hot ATM! late 016s will be sweet on track.

[Drew]

Drew is the one with the knowledge here, I would look closely at what he is saying. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but aren't soft compound tyres for hot conditions? A slight lack of hot ATM! late 016s will be sweet on track.
Compound selection (for those with the budget) is a tricky thing. Medium is safest option, but soft will handle a hot track...to a point.

I like to add spring when going to a softer tyre on a hot track, and take it off with same tyre on a cold track. I'll adjust damping to suit after a session on whatever it was at.