Track day tire wear.
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SuperSport
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 932
From: Auckland, new Zealand
Track day tire wear.
Looking at my tire (tyre) wear after a track day.
Looks to me that I need some more rebound and I was getting some Hot tear.
The hot tear is on the RH side of the tyre. I was on a mainly LH track. The other photo is the LH of the tyre which shows a rounded leading edge and a raised trailing edge.
Am I right in these conclusions?
Looks to me that I need some more rebound and I was getting some Hot tear.
The hot tear is on the RH side of the tyre. I was on a mainly LH track. The other photo is the LH of the tyre which shows a rounded leading edge and a raised trailing edge.
Am I right in these conclusions?
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: NYC
Wow those tires were on the track? They look brand new compared to what I am used to. Must be a super smooth track.
You base suspension settings on bike behaviour, not how the tire looks. That could be due to temps both track and tire, warm up time, etc. How does it behave over bumps? You should talk to racers who have raced that track but that wont be spot on since they are going faster.
You need to get the feel of the bike and speak to a suspension guy like GMD computrack.
You base suspension settings on bike behaviour, not how the tire looks. That could be due to temps both track and tire, warm up time, etc. How does it behave over bumps? You should talk to racers who have raced that track but that wont be spot on since they are going faster.
You need to get the feel of the bike and speak to a suspension guy like GMD computrack.
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SuperSport
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From: Auckland, new Zealand
I know I was to soft. Had been given some local "advise" on what pressure to run. It was wrong.
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So you ran those tires on a wet track? Wow havent done that since like 02. You can get a set of rain take-offs in good shape for like $100. Worth owning since one crash can cost way more.
Plus they have knee down wet traction.
Plus they have knee down wet traction.
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SuperSport
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From: Auckland, new Zealand
Take offs come up all the time, just not got wheels to put them on.
In saying that I have added rebound and the bike feels more stable on the street anyway.
Got another track day on Saturday which the weather will be good for and as a bonus its a much higher speed track. Hope to find the bikes top speed.
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One fact that alway holds true is that stuff that feels awesome on the street or paddock does not work at all on the track. This rule assumes you are going worlds faster on the track.
All my racebikes feel stiff as a truck (or Ducati) for the first few laps but need to in order to feel good at race pace.
Again, it depends on your pace. What track are you at? Do they sanction motorcycle racing there?
All my racebikes feel stiff as a truck (or Ducati) for the first few laps but need to in order to feel good at race pace.
Again, it depends on your pace. What track are you at? Do they sanction motorcycle racing there?
Thread Starter
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SuperSport
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: Auckland, new Zealand
One fact that alway holds true is that stuff that feels awesome on the street or paddock does not work at all on the track. This rule assumes you are going worlds faster on the track.
All my racebikes feel stiff as a truck (or Ducati) for the first few laps but need to in order to feel good at race pace.
Again, it depends on your pace. What track are you at? Do they sanction motorcycle racing there?
All my racebikes feel stiff as a truck (or Ducati) for the first few laps but need to in order to feel good at race pace.
Again, it depends on your pace. What track are you at? Do they sanction motorcycle racing there?
This is me doing a track day there a week after I got the bike. I was just getting used to it so dont laugh. I hope to be much better this time.
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Superstock
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 458
From: Rome, GA
Hey, that looks just fine to me.. The VTR intimidates me for a track bike (I loft the front wheel on accident on the street. I always wanted a bike like that, but its just not fun to ride a big bike like that on the tight tracks that I run. I've actually decided to sell it because I don't enjoy riding it because I cant ride it hard) so I have an SV650 that I track, be careful lugging that vtwin in the corners, you can spin up the rear tire coming out of a corner easier in the mid-low range RPM than in the upper range in my experiance, case and point
For the record thats the end of the session, I had too much air pressure in the rear and I was tired (it was my last session of the day) and dehydrated (100* alabama day) I snapped the throttle open at the apex rather than being smooth with it, comedy of errors but the pavement had nothing to do with it, thats probably the stickiest, smoothest corner on the track.
The guy in front of me filming back is my friend on his (more than double HP) CBR929, I think I did a pretty good job keeping up with him all session considering I dont have the ***** on my bike to pass on the straights
For the record thats the end of the session, I had too much air pressure in the rear and I was tired (it was my last session of the day) and dehydrated (100* alabama day) I snapped the throttle open at the apex rather than being smooth with it, comedy of errors but the pavement had nothing to do with it, thats probably the stickiest, smoothest corner on the track.
The guy in front of me filming back is my friend on his (more than double HP) CBR929, I think I did a pretty good job keeping up with him all session considering I dont have the ***** on my bike to pass on the straights
Last edited by insulinboy; Oct 7, 2014 at 06:06 AM.
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From: NYC
One bit of advice I give all the newbies at the track is to opt for a half day. You cant use a full day and you only wind up with no mental focus and exhausted, doing terrible lines and form.
They will usually sell you a half day for like $100-110 if you ask. It will allow you to push harder (you cant trick yourself, if you know the day is long, you will dog it).
Like the song "sunscreen" touts: "The race is long, but ultimately, it is only against yourself".
Dont watch those other nutjobs out there. Most are doing it very wrong and you will imprint the wrong info. Follow a known good (experienced racer) instructor.
The principal is this. You can be locked in a cell with 3 ***** for years and never learn to juggle, but if you see it done you can learn in an afternoon.
They will usually sell you a half day for like $100-110 if you ask. It will allow you to push harder (you cant trick yourself, if you know the day is long, you will dog it).
Like the song "sunscreen" touts: "The race is long, but ultimately, it is only against yourself".
Dont watch those other nutjobs out there. Most are doing it very wrong and you will imprint the wrong info. Follow a known good (experienced racer) instructor.
The principal is this. You can be locked in a cell with 3 ***** for years and never learn to juggle, but if you see it done you can learn in an afternoon.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 458
From: Rome, GA
One bit of advice I give all the newbies at the track is to opt for a half day. You cant use a full day and you only wind up with no mental focus and exhausted, doing terrible lines and form.
They will usually sell you a half day for like $100-110 if you ask. It will allow you to push harder (you cant trick yourself, if you know the day is long, you will dog it).
They will usually sell you a half day for like $100-110 if you ask. It will allow you to push harder (you cant trick yourself, if you know the day is long, you will dog it).
What I generally do is ride a session and sit out a session. lets me get out of my leathers, get some water in me, eat a banana, take some photos and look at other bikes in the pitts, and sit in my air conditioned trailer for a bit (I have a 6x12 inclosed that I haul the bikes in and I put a rooftop ac unit on it so I could sit in it between sessions when its 100*+ out, normally I end up with new friends while I'm there too
)
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SuperSport
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: Auckland, new Zealand
This track day as its a learning one, the sessions get shorter during the day. I defiantly feel it later in the day.
Random thing I remembered from my last day. I had my hot grips on......
Random thing I remembered from my last day. I had my hot grips on......
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From: NYC
Haha. Yes, I think thats more like it. Shows you used some throttle. Keep that pic wilth you and you may impress some chicks. Bring a knee slider (although I am afraid to ask about its condition).
My home track in NH is pretty rough and rugged. I used to do track walks and was appauled at what I was sliding my knee over. It consequently leaves tires looking like shredded newspaper and I can wear out even the best knee sliders in a weekend.
My racebuddies got to NY safety track. It has some of the best pavement possible (they won some award). I've been told your tires are smoother than a babys butt after even a fast session on there.
My other track is NJMP. The speeds there are high enuff that my knee pucks get bubbled and blistered since it has sustaned 4th & 5th gear full lean turns.
I still am sure that the condition of the tire does not tell you suspension settings. Maybe you are thinkng of Indian trackers who can tell you by tracks if a horse is loaded or not. Easy mistake to make.
Also, you should be off the seat like a jockey so just adjust your legs and ride through it soldier. Get off that seat and you wont over tax suspension.
My home track in NH is pretty rough and rugged. I used to do track walks and was appauled at what I was sliding my knee over. It consequently leaves tires looking like shredded newspaper and I can wear out even the best knee sliders in a weekend.
My racebuddies got to NY safety track. It has some of the best pavement possible (they won some award). I've been told your tires are smoother than a babys butt after even a fast session on there.
My other track is NJMP. The speeds there are high enuff that my knee pucks get bubbled and blistered since it has sustaned 4th & 5th gear full lean turns.
I still am sure that the condition of the tire does not tell you suspension settings. Maybe you are thinkng of Indian trackers who can tell you by tracks if a horse is loaded or not. Easy mistake to make.
Also, you should be off the seat like a jockey so just adjust your legs and ride through it soldier. Get off that seat and you wont over tax suspension.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 932
From: Auckland, new Zealand
Haha. Yes, I think thats more like it. Shows you used some throttle. Keep that pic wilth you and you may impress some chicks. Bring a knee slider (although I am afraid to ask about its condition).
My home track in NH is pretty rough and rugged. I used to do track walks and was appauled at what I was sliding my knee over. It consequently leaves tires looking like shredded newspaper and I can wear out even the best knee sliders in a weekend.
My racebuddies got to NY safety track. It has some of the best pavement possible (they won some award). I've been told your tires are smoother than a babys butt after even a fast session on there.
My other track is NJMP. The speeds there are high enuff that my knee pucks get bubbled and blistered since it has sustaned 4th & 5th gear full lean turns.
I still am sure that the condition of the tire does not tell you suspension settings. Maybe you are thinkng of Indian trackers who can tell you by tracks if a horse is loaded or not. Easy mistake to make.
Also, you should be off the seat like a jockey so just adjust your legs and ride through it soldier. Get off that seat and you wont over tax suspension.
My home track in NH is pretty rough and rugged. I used to do track walks and was appauled at what I was sliding my knee over. It consequently leaves tires looking like shredded newspaper and I can wear out even the best knee sliders in a weekend.
My racebuddies got to NY safety track. It has some of the best pavement possible (they won some award). I've been told your tires are smoother than a babys butt after even a fast session on there.
My other track is NJMP. The speeds there are high enuff that my knee pucks get bubbled and blistered since it has sustaned 4th & 5th gear full lean turns.
I still am sure that the condition of the tire does not tell you suspension settings. Maybe you are thinkng of Indian trackers who can tell you by tracks if a horse is loaded or not. Easy mistake to make.
Also, you should be off the seat like a jockey so just adjust your legs and ride through it soldier. Get off that seat and you wont over tax suspension.
I need to work on turn entry speed, brake a bit much but that was getting much better. I had added some rebound on the back and its much better, more stable. Need to go up a spring rate at the back.
Also need to get a Double bubble screen, head was getting ripped off over 100mph.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 932
From: Auckland, new Zealand
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