Pirelli Race Tyres - Which ones and when?

[Toast]

Simple question:

What does Pirelli recommend as far as compounds versus track temperature?

I used to use some Bridgestones and the manufacturer made a general recommendation of the soft compound ones for cold track temp and the hard compound ones for hot track temps.

I found the SC0 Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks awesome in moderate track temps but they started to tear a bit when it got really hot at Puke one day.

Someone today told me that it should be SC2 for cold days and SC0 for hot days. Goes against my previous experience so am wondering what the manufacturer recommends?

[GSVR]

Simple question:

What does Pirelli recommend as far as compounds versus track temperature?

I used to use some Bridgestones and the manufacturer made a general recommendation of the soft compound ones for cold track temp and the hard compound ones for hot track temps.

I found the SC0 Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks awesome in moderate track temps but they started to tear a bit when it got really hot at Puke one day.

Someone today told me that it should be SC2 for cold days and SC0 for hot days. Goes against my previous experience so am wondering what the manufacturer recommends?

Pirelli has all that info on a card you can get from your dealer.
The choice is based on how long you want them to last (lengtht of race) and temperature.

And yes your right Hard tyres for hotter days and Softer ones for colder. But Tyre pressures have alot to do with the temperature they get to. So I'm picking lower pressures for cold days and higher for hot days within limits of course.

But you only have to look at MotoGP so see that everyone has different strategies. Hard tyres will be better at the end of a long race as the soft ones will have alot more wear and screwed contact patch.

[GSVR]

Pulled off http://www.ridercn.com/pirelli/1/01.php

Available in three different compounds;
* SC0 for cold track conditions and fast laps;
* SC1 suggested for Iower temperatures,qualifying sessions,
short distance races and less abrasive racetracks.

* SC2 for higher temperatures, very abrasive racetracks and
long distance races.

[Drew]

Pulled of the net...

Available in three different compounds;
* SC0 for cold track conditions and fast laps;
* SC1 suggested for Iower temperatures,qualifying sessions,
short distance races and less abrasive racetracks.

* SC2 for higher temperatures, very abrasive racetracks and
long distance races.

I like to be argumentative, so here we go... to put a different spin on the softer compound thing.

If the track temp is very high, a harder tyre is actually less equiped to deal with it. This is very easy to see after a fast session and the tyre is melting away at the sides. Although a soft tyre flexes more and generates more heat, it is constructed to work at higher temperatures.

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to this shit, if you want to make a serious go of getting the best out of a bike, it costs in tyres, time, (and suspension valving in the long run.)

I know, this didn't help at all, just want to say dont buy into everything that is commonly regarded as fact, it's often not.

[GSVR]

I like to be argumentative, so here we go... to put a different spin on the softer compound thing.

If the track temp is very high, a harder tyre is actually less equiped to deal with it. This is very easy to see after a fast session and the tyre is melting away at the sides. Although a soft tyre flexes more and generates more heat, it is constructed to work at higher temperatures.

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to this shit, if you want to make a serious go of getting the best out of a bike, it costs in tyres, time, (and suspension valving in the long run.)

I know, this didn't help at all, just want to say dont buy into everything that is commonly regarded as fact, it's often not.

I really don't know Drew becuase a long time back I got this combination that worked and then stopped worrying about it.

Its only just recently I started considering the merits of the SC1 as a rear tyre choice again. Would be nice if someone came on and said yes I use SC1s on the back all the time and don't have any issues.

I also think the Pirelli recommendations assume you have an unlimited tyre budget!

[ArcherWC]

the word I got from Dunlop was generally,
above 20 degrees run soft compound,
below 20 degrees run medium compound.

Drew is right (god did i say that out loud) in that a soft compound tyre is designed to shed heat faster, so will last better in hot temperatures and will tend to cold shear on the offside at tracks like Manfield when the temperature drops

[Cleve]

Look even the MotoGP boys don't get this right, so how the heck are us mere mortals meant to even get close to getting this right?!
Toss a coin and blame the tyres if you lose/crash...

[GSVR]

I can see this turning into another classic KB heated debate...

For the record I think Drew and Archer could be either right or wrong .

[GSVR]

Look even the MotoGP boys don't get this right, so how the heck are us mere mortals meant to even get close to getting this right?!
Toss a coin and blame the tyres if you lose/crash...

Thought I'd better remove this post as its only going to wind up a good person.

[Drew]

Look even the MotoGP boys don't get this right, so how the heck are us mere mortals meant to even get close to getting this right?!
Toss a coin and blame the tyres if you lose/crash...

Fore warned, is fore armed. What you choose to do with all the info is up to you.

To answer your question though, even teh GP guys on teh wrong tyres are goin faster than us, how is it relevent?

[Shaun]

Simple question:

What does Pirelli recommend as far as compounds versus track temperature?

I used to use some Bridgestones and the manufacturer made a general recommendation of the soft compound ones for cold track temp and the hard compound ones for hot track temps.

I found the SC0 Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks awesome in moderate track temps but they started to tear a bit when it got really hot at Puke one day.

Someone today told me that it should be SC2 for cold days and SC0 for hot days. Goes against my previous experience so am wondering what the manufacturer recommends?


Be very carefull with asking questions like this one, and asking people on a web site to awnser accurately mate, Very dangerous

Pirelli is

SCO HOT WEATHER- As per in the USA and Europe

SC1 average temp WARM To HOT

SC2 Invercargill-Taupo Cold weather

Used this way, they will last the best, and offer the most grip!

[Toast]

Cheers for the replies people.

I was trying to find what the manufacturer says, which GSVR suggests is apparently soft for cold days hard for hot days. I'll contact the importer and get me one of those info cards. The fact that Shaun says the opposite to this alleged bit of manufacturer info is confusing too, 'cos he's obviously won on them before.

I do find it interesting that Michelin, Bridgestone and apparently Pirelli believe that their soft tyres work better on a cold track, yet Dunlop reckon their softs are better for hot days.

No hard and fast rule for sure, but you'd think that the chemists that made them would have some idea about their own products and when their compounds work best.

I guess I'll just experiment for myself and see where I get with, all other things considered.

[CHOPPA]

you shoulda had a chat to ricky on saturday but from what i have been told from them is the same as what shaun has said but so many things vary cause i have spoken to diff people and they all have there own preferences.... I find i use a sc2 rear all the time and either a sc0 or 1 front depending on whats available

[Robert Taylor]

you shoulda had a chat to ricky on saturday but from what i have been told from them is the same as what shaun has said but so many things vary cause i have spoken to diff people and they all have there own preferences.... I find i use a sc2 rear all the time and either a sc0 or 1 front depending on whats available

Having well sorted quality suspension ( as you have ) kind of helps as well!

[HDTboy]

To throw another spanner into the works, we found similar behaviour to what Shaun has detailed with the Contis

[Robert Taylor]

To throw another spanner into the works, we found similar behaviour to what Shaun has detailed with the Contis

Continental has a few ex Pirelli engineers working for them.

[Drew]

To throw another spanner into the works, we found similar behaviour to what Shaun has detailed with the Contis

Continental are forthcomnig with that very info, it's where I got it from.


They wont however give track temp/compound figures, for the simple fact that it is different for every surface.


RT, yep, suspension makes tyres last better, but knowing to read the difference between a tyre over heating because of temp instead of too little compression is as valuabe, as anything else we do to be number one.

Keep tuning your suspension for the wrong tyre, and you're goin in the wrong direction, is my point here folks, not to ignore RT and his band of merry men and buy more tyres. It's all about balance, we cannot make the perfect bike, but we can try to find a ridable mix of good and bad.

[CHOPPA]

Having well sorted quality suspension ( as you have ) kind of helps as well!


It sure does mate! I had a play with my suspension settings and just 2 clicks here or there made a big diff! all said and done though im back to exactly how you sent it to me you even got the race sag spot on out of the box cheers!

[moT]

Be very carefull with asking questions like this one, and asking people on a web site to awnser accurately mate, Very dangerous

Pirelli is

SCO HOT WEATHER- As per in the USA and Europe

SC1 average temp WARM To HOT

SC2 Invercargill-Taupo Cold weather

Used this way, they will last the best, and offer the most grip!

shouldnt it be the other way around? What you say doesnt make sence..

[Drew]

shouldnt it be the other way around? What you say doesnt make sence..

It does make sense, the softer tyre is designed to work at higher temperatures.

It's about keeping the carcas and surface as close to the same temp as possible. Because the bigger the difference in temp, the less tactile and more wear you get (surface basically melts off the carcas). At least that was how I had it explained to me.

[GSVR]

It does make sense, the softer tyre is designed to work at higher temperatures.

It's about keeping the carcas and surface as close to the same temp as possible. Because the bigger the difference in temp, the less tactile and more wear you get (surface basically melts off the carcas). At least that was how I had it explained to me.

I wonder whos tyres all those big globs of rubber you pick up on the cooldown lap come off?

Or you could look at from the sliding produces friction and heat. The stickier tyre isn't going to slide around as much so wont get as hot.

Can work both ways. The only way I would believe anything is to see it at the track. ie When I see Glen Williams or any other SV650 rider getting longer life out of an SC1 or actually using one and going considerably faster and not having to replace the tyre after each race.

Continental have a soft, medium, and endurance tyre designation right?

With Pirrelli its extrasoft SC0 ,soft SC1, medium SC2, hard SC3 , extrahard SC4. The SC0 was introduced in 2004.

Oh just one other question Drew why are rain tyres extra soft? keeping true to your theory.

These guys have a little bit of info and interestingly suggest using SC0 on the rear at some tracks,
http://www.tigersharkracing.com/aboutus.sc

[Drew]

Oh just one other question Drew why are rain tyres extra soft? keeping true to your theory.



Mate, the youngest Mair could be out in F3 this year, so dont beliave me if ya dont want to, ony gonna work in our favour:cool:.

But to answer your question, yep, wets are super dooper soft, INCLUDING the carcas, and they are run at lower pressures to maintain the heat by flexing the whole thing. Wet tyre design shouldn't really be part of this debate because they do lots of things differently.

The man regarded top dog in suspension tuning, and Shaun have both agreed with the way I would run my tyres in an ideal situation, as do the engineers at Continental.

You say you'll wait for Glen Williams to do it before you do, why not try something new and knock the current leaders off the top spot?