With the new SportSmart TT, Dunlop think they’ve identified a new gap in the market – serious on-track performance, with hypersport tyre durability.
They’ve taken technology derived from their time in the FIM Endurance World Championship, which allows riders to significantly drop their pressure when they pull up at the track for a larger contact patch, and a special Speed Vent tread design helps to stop a build up of excess heat and therefore increase mileage.
Essentially, it’s perfect if you take your bike on both road and track, but don’t want to compromise on outright grip or wear rates.
The official launch took place at Monteblanco in Spain, with riders getting the chance to test them on a wide array of bikes from the new Ninja 400 to the excellent S1000RR.
Fast Bikes Magazine sent Carl Stevens along to the launch to test them for himself, and in their June issue he’s been giving readers some feedback on how they performed.
After fitting in a quick session on BMW’s S1000RR before the rain came down, Carl said:
“Straight away I felt utterly safe to push from the off, and the more you push the better they feel – for a fast track day pace they are absolutely stunning with that front tyre working wonders for apex hunting.
Much to my surprise though, the rear is just as good as well; it’s almost unfair to talk about the rear unless you have the power to test it, and firing the S1000RR out of the many hairpins just eggs on that new Track Technology compound to ooze grip whenever you twist the throttle, giving an incredibly sporty feeling feedback. A great bike, on a great track with great tyres is one of the finest combinations we can enjoy as riders, and as the chequered flag fell on our only litre session I couldn’t help but want more.
After my session the SportSmart TTs didn’t even look touched and I realise I’m no Valentino Rossi but it’s pretty incredible considering the amount of painful laps they endured round such an abrasive track, even before we got there, in the hands of the other European journos. Dunlop told us they’d created a tyre for the road and track that would last, and they have.”
The SportSmart TT is now available to the UK motorcycle trade from Cambrian Tyres.
For the in depth article, pick up the latest copy of Fast Bikes.
You can view the full range of sizes here.
