Wow, busy thread! I'll apologize ahead of time for my long post!
Utahfab...your loosing me on the weight did you mean double or half and there are two tires to count.
JL222
The high speed rated DOT rear tires seem to list load ratings between 69 (716 pounds) and 75 (853 pounds). I’m not aware of the non DOT “race” tires carrying any load rating at all. I’m guessing the tire companies test their non DOT “race” tires to work with “race” bikes. The last time I checked a “Race” bike is somewhere around half of the DOT ratings I mentioned above. A DOT tire that’s tested under a higher load (more weight= more deflection=more heat=more problems. My vote is for a DOT rated tire.
As of my first post all I’d seen was the requirement for “race” tires. Now that there has been a clarification that “DOT Race Tires” are legal I for one have relaxed considerably as I really feel a DOT approved tire that has been tested to (and probably beyond) a known standard seems safer than a “Race” tire that doesn’t seem to carry any load or speed rating.
... We need hard proven empirical testing the tires are safe over 186mph... Can you provide test results.?.... We haven't been able to come up with any....
Kent
Hayabusas came out in 1999 and began going over 200 almost immediately. John Noonan’s profile includes a note “229 200+ mph time slips…….” I’d guess Jason has a similar number of runs and they’re not the only two. I’d say 500, 600, 700 or more runs actually do qualify as a statistically significant sample.
Your turn! Where is the proof that “race” tires are safer in our arena?
A rule change has been made in an effort to improve the margin of safety. I applaud the SCTA for all that they do. I believe their efforts are sincere and I don’t think there are any conspiracies or back room agreements but at least with the old rule you had some kind of standard that was backed by testing. Are there any standard for “Race” tires?
Please remember that to be DOT tires are tested to a standard that is then stated, in a standard way, on each tire. With the absence of such a standard who do you think decides what goes on the side? The engineers or the marketing department?
I would strongly suggest adding a minimum speed rating to the new rule. I know it isn’t up there with the real speeds but it’s something. With “Race” as the spec I’m afraid, that in reality, you might have nothing!
There is absolutely no empirical testing that says ZR motorcycle tires are safe to run substantially more than the manufacturer’s recommendation…. Period…
Kent
....the only testing has been done by the manufacturers and they say the tires are not safe.... period....
Kent
Please see my comment above plus the one below.
I’ll apologize ahead of time for my tone but since about 90% of the time your posts seem to be in attack mode, belittle mode or both and since you tend to state your opinion as absolute fact, I’m going to go with it.
BULLSHIT! The manufactures will never state a tire is safe past the DOT stamp but I’m fairly sure that not one of them stated “the tires are not safe…. Period…”
I’m sorry as I don’t know you and my only information on the subject comes from these posts but are you always pissed off?
The real question here is:
Are the alternative tires that are now mandated by the sanctioning body less likely to fail under race conditions than the present tire choices that racers are using?
The answer is that no one knows. Are race tires safer than street ZR tires? Again no one knows.
If someone does know feel free to post the info here.
I’m afraid the change was based on opinions and not facts.
Randall Parker
What a fricken crack up you are…
….. So listen very closely as obviously you have a reading comprehension problem….
Kent
There you go again attacking and questioning people’s intelligence. Take a chill pill! People are entitled to their opinion even when it doesn’t match yours.
Randall Parker
…. Every mildly informed person interested in tires knows heat is an enemy of tires and heat cycled tires are no different….
Kent
Sorry but now you’re the one stating falsehoods. There is a big difference between heat used to condition a tire and excessive heat causing damage to a tire.
Jason
Why make that post?... the question has been asked previously and also debated in committee emails of which you we a part of…. so I can only assume your post is just to throw gas on the fire…. No we don’t know…. the only thing we do know is the old tires are not safe…. Is a race piston better than a stock piston? Does a race exhaust pipe out perform a stock exhaust? These are all assumptions…But you knew that! Dean doesn’t have a dog in this fight but yet he research and posted some credible info… Bill W has a mean dog and he posted a possible tire for himself… So Jason why don’t you be constructive and throw in some of your own testing and research on how the old tires are safe in here Jason….
Kent
I believe Jason tried to input his experience based on what I’d guess are possibly hundreds of “test” runs. The result? You questioned his IQ.
