Track temp vs. grip?

[Yanosh]

So how much does track temperature effect the grip of my road tyres??

I'm hoping to do some winter track days (only if it's dry) and am just wondering what to expect from my tyres when it's 5-10 degrees as opposed to 25 in the summer?

Thanks

[Robert Taylor]

So how much does track temperature effect the grip of my road tyres??

I'm hoping to do some winter track days (only if it's dry) and am just wondering what to expect from my tyres when it's 5-10 degrees as opposed to 25 in the summer?

Thanks

Race tyres are of course especially sensitive and are more specialised to the prevailing conditions they are intended for. But with any tires grip goes down as track temperature ( and therefore tyre temperature ) plummets.
Its also very important that the suspension setup is matched to the conditions. Hot dry tracks enable more grip, allowing the rider to pick up the throttle earlier and more aggressively off turns, brake later and deeper into corners and to generally raise corner speeds. As this places more load on the suspension it can be correspondingly firmer.
With any chassis and suspension setup its also about allowing the right amount of weight transfer. On a hot dry track where power can be dialed up earlier off the turns that very power becomes a sizable component of allowing the bike to squat just enough to weight transfer onto the rear tyre and give it good drive off the turns. If however the track is wet and greasy you cannot apply power as early meaning it becomes a less significant contributor to weight transfer. So you have to soften the suspension settings to allow it to squat the right amount with less power transfer. ( Dont ask me what the right amount is! Its a little akin to finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow )
Suspension setup has a direct influence on tyre temperature, as do tyre pressures.

[Nonbeliever]

I'm hoping to do some winter track days (only if it's dry)

Thanks

winter track days in the deep south?

[Yanosh]

Nah - have had a change of heart and the R1 has been put into semi-hibernation now......

Roll on summer

[TygerTung]

Do you guys reckon you're better off to put a psi or 2 less in your tires on a cold day to compensate for the cold track?