Breaking in a new tire on the track?

[joberly]

Will have a new front tire for next week's track day and I'm nervous about riding on the track with a brand new front tire. What's the best method? Just take it easy for the first (how many?) laps? I know other people use the 'sand paper method' but I'd rather not unless it's actually a good idea?

[Rice-rocket1]

Don't worry about it. I had the same concerns for my first track day last year with a new zero mile rear tire. If it's your first time you'll have to do the follow the leader season at roughly street speeds to learn the track which will take care of that tire for you. Then first session out you'll be taking it some what easy until you get comfortable. After that you will be tearing it up.

Sand paper won't really do anything for you. You need to get heat cycles into the tire to run it in.

[bentbryan]

Just take it easy, be smooth and gradually increase your lean angle. Figure after one session you should be good to go.

[joberly]

I have already done the follow the leader in the past, and I was thinking about doing it again just for that reason to help scrub it in... thanks!

[Ken C]

Scrubbing tires in takes a few easy laps with gradually increased lean angles. Naturally, you'll be smooth, so that there won't be any issue with sliding because of abrupt inputs, right?.

Oh, and unless you've been at one of our track days and have been riding NHIS several times before, we strongly recommend/require that you do the follow the leader session.

See you next week!

[OreoGaborio]

what they said... i got brand new tires before a track day last year, rode 20 highway miles to meet up w/ the guy i was trailering up with, got up to the track & just took it easy for a couple laps building up to a good pace (for me). it's not somethin ya gotta be TOO worried about, alot of people kinda blow it outta proportion. (like a kid i rode with last summer on his Ninja 250... "i've only got 50 miles on these tires, i gotta go slow"... and boy was he slow )

[KB]

Wring out every gear til you hit the limiter while at full lean and you'll have em scrubbed in in about 1/2 a lap!!!

[Half Squid]

Originally posted by rmbbikes
Wring out every gear til you hit the limiter while at full lean and you'll have em scrubbed in in about 1/2 a lap!!!

Great advice.. Especially from a guy thats too scared to do a track day...
































You know you wanna! & You know you'll get hooked, thats why your scared !

[joberly]

It's pouring out right now, maybe I'll just go make a few hundred laps around the block... that should work too right?

Oh and I'm definatly doing the follow the leader even though I've done it before.

[zombie]

(like a kid i rode with last summer on his Ninja 250... "i've only got 50 miles on these tires, i gotta go slow"... and boy was he slow )


But did he slide on his arse thru the muck of virginia????

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by zombie
But did he slide on his arse thru the muck of virginia????

fucker

he wouldn't have even been able to SLIDE, he woulda just gotten STUCK

(and just for the record.... AGAIN.... they warned everyone the next day about a big bump or someting OTHER than the water in that turn, but that was after the fact but i digress... there were so many good things about that trip & my "farming incident" is definitely beginning to overshadow them, and the good things are what i want to remember from that trip.)