I haven't ridden on any of the current hot rubber, and in fact have not roadraced since 2000, when i picked up an R6 to check out how nicely bikes had evolved since my last racing days on an FZR400...
Anyhow, my buddy has been a race track tire supplier here in Canada for a few years now and he keeps me filled in on the usual scene when we are chatting about stuff... key thing he's noticed that kills people is not realizing that different tires can work very well on a range of bikes, but often require very different, or very subtle changes to the bike setup due to changes in construction, profiles, compounds, measured sized vs. spec'd size, etc... i have about 4 seasons of roadracing experience under my belt and have beaten many people on a wide range of second-rate tires, in part because I was pretty decent at chassis setup and getting the most out of what i had on a very tight privateer budget.
One thing I noticed in my last race season was that even the new second-rate rubber I was on was still no match for the then-current TAKE OFF (that is USED rubber taken off a guys bike with more $$$ than I have, i.e. a sponsored pro who goes through 10 or 20 tires a day)... i could be driving out of a corner catching a guy mid-corner and getting hard on the throttle starting to spin and slide, while another guy would just be getting on the throttle and he'd be pulling away. Then I'd go check out his tire situation, etc... and often find the newer Dunlop D364s he was using were take-offs from another rider. (note this tire is about 4 generations old now)... so... the lowest price is to get take-offs... a pro rider will get the most out of a set of tires and after one heat-cycle on the track they loose something like 2-seconds per lap... SOOOO unless you are lapping within 2-seconds of a guy like Miguel DuHamel you will never be capable of noticing the difference.
The quick and easy advice for you BUY USED
nuf said.
advice part 2 -- put gas in the bike, learn to adjust everything, keep it well maintained and tuned, keep physically and mentally fit, and just ride your "O Ring" off for 5 or 10 laps; then think about what you did, and keep putting fuel in the thing and riding harder; push it hard in practice so that you are ready to push it hard during the race; save money for the inevitable crashes, because if you are really riding well enough to improve, sh** will happen. and if your not riding well enough to improve, who cares about what tires you're on.
part 3 --- write a racing resume, get some decent ACTION photography and TEAM photography, create something focused, much like a work resume, print up some promo materials, and go knocking, digging, smiling for sponsors... etc... then keep adding kit to your race stuff.
additional info added:
for the cooler track conditions, you merely have to go with a softer compound, i dont know anything about the current Michelin's but every manufacturer should currently make Soft, Medium, hard; i.e. cool conditions, mid-temps and then Hard for endurance or high-speed/hi-G Daytona-like tire temps.
also, instead of used track spec tires, Motorcyclist magazined tested and proved quite conculsively that the highest spec sport street equivalnet in Michelin's line-up a few years ago was for everyone with the exception of (real) pro racers more than adequate and unlike pure race stuff was able to heat-cycle MANY times and easily provide something like 5 times the mileage with little change in performance. THe street tire generally has more tread grooves so is also better in the wet, however with the current state of specialization in DOT approved soft-compound rain tires on the market you can't touch a true Rain tire or even Intermediate design in the wet with those designed for dry conditions.
another thing though, on track days, if you shag a tire to death, you will learn ALOT more about the true nature of the handling of your bike on the limit, because you will be able to reach the limit much more easily and be forced to learn to slide front and rear wheels controllably or bite it trying. Either way, it's all good.
"Zounds! Zorched by Zarches, Spaceman Spiff's crippled craft crashes on planet Plootarg!"
For Sale: Ninja 600 with parts bike, needs minor work, $30, no title... (GEE THAT DOESNT RING ANY WARNING BELLS DOES IT?)