Continental Racing is here for 2010

[Chippertheripper]

is anyone bringing these to the track? (again)

[FireboltEric_MA]

Shut Up!!!!

Use Pirelli Dragons!

Erik will lap you if you don't!

[Chippertheripper]

i might have another bike by then....standby.....

[a13x]

Been meaning to get to this post since I was referenced so....

Perhaps someone like a13x can chime in, as he seemed to allude that the spec Dunlops were rubbish last year

The Buffalo NY produced DOT-spec tires were rubbish last year, when compared to the UK produced DOT tires. The UK produced DOTs are the ones everyone NOT racing AMA were using. So say you are MR. FASTGUY racing the WERA Cycle Jam at VIR on your ZX-6R you are running UK-DOTs then the next weekend you are running NY-DOTs with the AMA series in Daytona Sportbike. The NY tires were not as good as the UK ones. Hence 'the AMA tires were rubbish' as the 2009 DOTs were a step backwards to what 99% of the grid was used to running (which was UK-DOTs).

Keep reading below to learn more about the DOT situation.

Note that the Superbike slicks were UK-produced and just as good as ever. Riders didn't see a drop-off in performance from 2008 slicks to 2009 slicks.

either way it appears what's used in top level AMA racing, simply isn't the tires you can buy from Steve and the boys at the track for LRRS.

I would say this is incorrect as well. You can in fact buy the exact same tires used at the AMA-level from any Dunlop distributor. Steve had AMA-spec DOTs, AMA-spec Slicks (which were just the normal UK-slicks), and UK-DOTs all year long. In fact a number of the guys who went and raced Daytona Sportbike this year ran some AMA-spec DOTs at Loudon prior to the AMA races to get used to the AMA tire.

What's nice about the Spec-tire deal is it effectively erased 'special' tires from the AMA paddock. Pre-2009 it was a fact that the top factory teams got 'the good stuff' (meaning prototype non-production specials) and everyone else ran production tires. With the spec-tire rule though the one-off specials have been effectively eliminated. This same thing happened in MotoGP and World Superbike when they went spec.

Will tires develop in spec racing? Of course they will, but I imagine the pace is much slower when you run the show.

FWIW, as we are sharing stories, Dunlop is actively developing their tires for the 2010 season. Jeff Wood was asked by Dunlop to test their new spec-DOT tires at Homestead in December and Dunlop flew 3 of their top technicians down from Buffalo to conduct it. It was pretty cool to see as the 2009 DOT issues were clearly documented all season long and a sore point for 600 riders in the AMA series. It was also cool to see Jeff testing out the new tires and working that closely with the Dunlop guys on developing them. They were all AMA-regular tire tech and they said Jeff's feedback was some of the very best they'd ever gotten, better than almost every top AMA guy. They were pretty stoked on the test results and according to Jeff the 'new DOT' was very good.




As for my personal opinion. Tires are the #1 expense in roadracing, NOTHING at the track costs more or will you spend more on. I'd personally spend some quality time asking questions and talking to riders that I trust and respect to get their candid opinions on different tire issues and use that in conjunction with my own observations and research to come to a decision I feel comfortable with.

[Kitt]

I find it hard to believe outside of a handful of guys at Loudon any one of us could tell the difference between tire brands. Some guys might just like the characteristics of a certain tire, but for the vast majority, you could slap any different set on there and go just as well as any other.

I don't think it's rocket science... Any guys that are moving quickly and is half-way attentive to their bike, should be able to tell - if you can't, start listening to your bike, and you'll get faster.

I'm no hero, but I can tell if my tire pressures are off, suspension wasn't clicked back from the "rain" settings, and tires for sure... To go into what my preference is, is a waste of time - but no matter what tire that may be, a half-decent rider should be able to feel differences like that.

[Chippertheripper]

"As for my personal opinion. Tires are the #1 expense in roadracing, NOTHING at the track costs more or will you spend more on. I'd personally spend some quality time asking questions and talking to riders that I trust and respect to get their candid opinions on different tire issues and use that in conjunction with my own observations and research to come to a decision I feel comfortable with."

exactly what i was trying to do. now who am i going to ask about these conti's?

[a13x]

exactly what i was trying to do. now who am i going to ask about these conti's?

I'd look for someone that consistently runs up front who's running them. Since right now that's um... nobody, I think that answers your question. Seeing as how you are a new racer I'd probably go with a tire that has an established track record (aka reputation) and service providers and focus my attention on my riding instead of being the New Tire Guinea Pig.

[scottieducati]

If you're looking for feedback on em, poke around on WERA...

[eboos]

Erik will lap you if you don't!

If I lap anyone, it will be both my best day ever and their worst day ever.

[Chippertheripper]

don't worry erik, i'll be doing my damnedest NOT to let that happen.