Sports tyres of the past

[avgas]

I miss the old Battleaxe's the ones that had lightning for tread. Way too soft and dissolved like water - but man did they stick.
First gen Shinko's were a bit of fun too.

[avgas]

Also been a big fan of the TT100 replacement - GT501

[racefactory]

So were tyres back then really that much worse like some say?

[Jantar]

So were tyres back then really that much worse like some say?

Absolutely not. They were suited to bikes of the day and performed well. They just wouldn't cope with the power that we now accept as normal. Even my RE5 was at the upper limit of what Phantoms could handle, yet they gripped and gave me complete confidence at any speed and any angle of lean.

[imdying]

So were tyres back then really that much worse like some say?

Not relative to the bikes of the time. A GSXR1000 would probably make short work of the older tyres compounds though, and I would hazzard a guess that sidewall strength has gone up to cope with the beating that newer bikes can deliver. Apparently what has become a lot better is wet weather abilitiy and we also now have multi compound tyres (soft sides for grip, firm centres for durability).

[slofox]

Back in the early 70's one of my racing mates shod his bike with Dunlop "triangular" tyres. Anyone remember these? - can't recall what the model number was - if it was the TT100 or not.
These tyres were triangular in profile as the name suggests - the idea being that on a lean you have more rubber on the road for more grip and in a straight line you have less contact area for less resistance.

Incidentally I found the following article interesting. Not really about racing tyres but motorbike tyres in general...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Motorcycle...sics&id=530176

[MSTRS:Me]

As I recall them - the centre block stood slightly higher than the sides, which could make them 'triangular'.

[Grumph]

Triangulars were developed around Bob McIntyre's style - throw the bike onto full lean immediately - no transition roll - in. There's an old Castrol (I think) film around, a lap of Oulton or Mallory Park with Bob and shit it's an eye opener. If you tihink Gardner's style was committed, you should see Bob Mac.
If you didn't ride like this they felt edgy at part lean as they were just as the name says - triangular section. The works bikes used to wear out the narrow center of the tread on the IOM.
For the average - and better - club rider Avon GP's were a better bet. Not a lot of the sticky green spot versions came out here though, pity, they were briliant.

591R's were the go for all the big heavy jap fours, Stiff carcase and soft compund tread.If they still made them, they'd still sell. Just the thing to tame a GS/GSX or big Z
At present the equivalent tyre is probably the BT45 - but the 591 had a siffer carcase and you didn't get the patter problems common with the modern rubber.

[Movistar]

Metzler ME33 Front - if you haven't ridden a bike with one of these in the wet (back in the day) you haven't lived.

Still around and called the 'Lasertec' now.

I wouldn't use one on the gixxer, but just put one on the CB750K2 'cause it fits the style of the bike and will do the job.

[Taz]

I worked for the dunlop motorcycle tyre distributor back in the 90's . I can recall when the All new GT301 replaced the GT101. I can also remember that I cried (well almost) when they discontinued the K591R

[Voltaire]

Metzler Lazers on the R75/5......and they seemed to last a long time even with 45HP pumping thru them.....

[Taz]

The pirelli Strada on the back of my Guzzi is 15 years old

[Motu]

Shit,are we going all the way back to the '90's? I don't know if I can remember back that far....

The Avon GP was possibly one of the first ''racing'' tyres for the street - I used to have an Avon Racing,it was exactly the same as a GP,but it was old.I still rode on it.The TT100 was developed for the Trident...or at least that was the blurb,like,there was no tyre capable of handling the power of the Trident.Possibly true,as 60hp was serious stuff mid '60's.The TT100 is still made today,with race compound options.Same with the K70,also with race option.Both tyres also benefit from another 40 years of tyre technology.I used to run those Michelin PZ2's in the late '70's,and didn't like them,they made my Featherbed handle horrible after so many years of Avon GP's and Speedmaster MkII's.And they also showed me that race compounds are not good on the road first thing on a winter's morning.

The last few decades have seen me choosing cheap as the best tyre for me....and very pleased with the results.

[Katman]

I could never figure out how Yokohama could have such a good name in car tyres while their bike tyres were such crap.

[one fast tl1ooo]

O joy the Metzler ME33 Front. had f**k know how many of these on my katana over 16 years.
must of been 3 or 4 fronts to 1 rear, Dam 16 inch front