Newbie .... about tires ???

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fzfile · #11 Unread post by **fzfile** » Tue May 17, 2005 4:08 pm

Wow.
Thanks for all the great responses.

I am deffinitely all for soporting a local dealer .... but there are few around here.

Still I will ask if any of them carry or can get the spitfires.

Thanks.

-mike

iwannadie · Tue May 17, 2005 4:58 pm

well as i said it doesnt rain here often, it is the desert. i rarely see any standing water at any time, in the sumer it wouldnt last under the sun. but i guess the risk of hitting it is still there and enough to rule out the slicks. just curious since ive seen alot of people riding them lately...

Sevulturus wrote:If it rains there, then do not use these. The sole purpose of a tread is to allow the tires to maintain contact with the road surface during wet conditions. Water is pushed to the side by the treads and the parts that stick out will still contact the ground. This means you still have a part of your tire touching the road.
However a racing slick, or treadless tire will literally float over the surface of standing water, meaning that you're going to be hydroplanning the second you hit a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of standing water. Hydroplanning on 2 wheels is VERY VERY bad.

Gadjet · #13 Unread post by **Gadjet** » Tue May 17, 2005 5:24 pm

Remember also that those types of tires are likely to be a really soft sticky compound, designed for maximum traction, not long life. They will wear out much faster than a 'regular' tire and, consequently, you will be replacing your tires more often. I've seen guys go through two or more sets of tires on their sportbike in the space of 8 or 9 months.

iwannadie wrote:well as i said it doesnt rain here often, it is the desert. i rarely see any standing water at any time, in the sumer it wouldnt last under the sun. but i guess the risk of hitting it is still there and enough to rule out the slicks. just curious since ive seen alot of people riding them lately...

Sevulturus wrote:If it rains there, then do not use these. The sole purpose of a tread is to allow the tires to maintain contact with the road surface during wet conditions. Water is pushed to the side by the treads and the parts that stick out will still contact the ground. This means you still have a part of your tire touching the road.
However a racing slick, or treadless tire will literally float over the surface of standing water, meaning that you're going to be hydroplanning the second you hit a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of standing water. Hydroplanning on 2 wheels is VERY VERY bad.

BuzZz · #14 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:45 pm

Actual racing tires should not be used on the street.

First, they are not legal. And that's cause...

They need to ridden on for a while to heat them up, when cold, the rubber has very different properties. They only grip when hot.

They can only be heated and cooled so many times before they don't grip anymore. These are called heat cycles and the rubber can only take so many before it turns hard and slippery permanatly.

Slicks are great on a smooth,clean track, not so good on real, dirty, potholed streets. And then there's the wet-thing.....

And they are not DOT certified.

Sport tires, or DOT racing tires will have some tread pattern or other on them.

If the tires have "For Racing Use Only" stamped or written on them, or no tread patern at all, leave them sit where they are.