Last week we reported on a story from Sweden, where a racer using standard Bridgestone Battlax S21 road tyres beat a whole field of riders on race slicks to win a 5-hour endurance race.
Despite the shock result, we hardly expect a flood of orders from experienced racers suddenly clamoring for the latest hypersport tyres to use on the track, but there can be no doubt about it that the performance of road rubber is getting better and better – even Ron Haslam uses sport touring tyres on his race school bikes at Donington!
So just how close and race tyres and road tyres, which manufacturers so often claim contain the benefits of their experiences at the highest levels of racing.
With that in mind, Pirelli recently invited a number of US journalists to test four of their current tyres at a post-WSBK event at Laguna Seca, as reported by Troy Siahaan at Motorcyclist.com.
- First up – the new Diablo Rosso III
New for 2016, this is Pirelli’s latest hypersport tyre for use on a wide range of bikes, and in a wide range of conditions. It’s not focused on one thin, it’s got to tick a lot of boxes!
Troy says:
“True to form, the IIIs warmed up quickly – I probably only needed half a lap – with stability under braking and turning characteristics similar to its more race-oriented siblings. The tyre’s hard carcass is to credit for the braking stability, while the profile borrowed loosely from the Supercorsa gets credit for the latter.
The tyre doesn’t inspire quite the confidence to drag an elbow on the ground, but does feel planted leaned over. I did notice a slightly greasy feeling as the laps piled up, causing me to trailbrake less and be more cautious with the throttle on exits, but that feeling eventually plateaued and remained consistent throughout the day and after several riders of varying skill levels rode the same bikes. It’s a solid choice for the occasional track rider, or those in the novice or intermediate groups, because of its quick warm-up times and durability.”
- Getting sportier – the Supercorsa SP
This is Pirelli’s road oriented version of the Supercorsa with a more durable compound for use in everyday conditions, and the most aggressive road tyre in their range for sportsbikes.
Troy says:
“Compared to the Rosso III, the SP provided more edge grip, allowing me to brake rather deep and lean pretty far on the Ducati 1299 Panigale S it was fitted to. Side grip was also impressive, as instead of spinning, calls for throttle were answered with the rear tyre digging into the ground and launching the front wheel into the sky. It took me a full lap to get comfortable with the amount of heat/grip in the tyre, but that may have been a conservative attempt at warming them considering the expensive machinery I was piloting.”
- One for the track – the Supercorsa SC
As used by the World Supersport and Superstock paddocks, the Supercorsa SC is for track use only, and comes in a variety of compounds. In the Laguna Seca test, they tested the SC1 front and rear.
Troy says:
“The difference between the SP and SC (SC1 in this case, the softest front and middle-option rear, best suited for the widest range of conditions) is really best felt when riding the two back-to-back. This time aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R, on which the SP provided good grip under braking and in corners, the SC gives off this aura of “Everything the SP can do, I can do better.” Sure enough, aggressive trailbraking into corners like Turn 2, which is approached at nearly 140 mph, doesn’t upset the tyre at all – it tracks where you want with the side grip to tell you there’s still more left in reserve. On corner exits, the rear hooks up and drives you off, baiting the rider to twist the throttle earlier and earlier each time.”
- The ultimate race tyre – the Diablo Superbike
As used by the top level riders in World Superbikes, the Diablo Superbike slick is one for experienced racers and the fastest trackday riders who want to get every last millisecond out of their machine.
Troy says:
“The cream of the crop, the Diablo Superbike slick tyre is a far better tyre than I am a rider. If the Supercorsa SP whispers to you and the SC talks, the Slick screams. I tried the tyre on both a Ducati 1299 Panigale S and Kawasaki ZX-10R and came away with similar impressions: I had difficulty approaching the tyre’s limits.
I had taken over both bikes immediately after other riders had come in from their sessions, so I can’t comment on warm-up times, but what I can attest to is the sheer confidence the tyre provides. Intentionally pushing my braking markers further caused me to trailbrake while carrying more speed, specifically into the fast entry for Turn 2. No matter; both the Ducati and Kawi fitted with the slick stayed true to course and composed on the binders.
Then, once on its side, line adjustments were a simple matter of looking where I wanted to go and having the bike follow. It felt as though my lean angle didn’t even matter – it would go where I pointed it, even while my elbow was on the ground! The entire time the tyre’s profile felt very neutral – a trait shared across all of the tyres I sampled on this day.
Rear grip is equally as impressive, especially exiting the fast Turn 4 where entry speeds are quick and exit speeds are even quicker because you’re on the gas as early as possible. The rear would squirm on acceleration and even cause the front to get light as the weight transfer moved rearward, but I never saw a TC light illuminate on either bike’s dash. The rear was simply flexing under acceleration, causing the wiggle, but putting down the power the entire time.”
These four tyres are all aimed at different types of customer, with the Rosso III and Diablo Superbike at the opposite ends of the spectrum in this case, despite both being capable performing on track. However, riding on all four, the lineage is unmistakable and the trickle down effect of the ‘Race to Road’ mantra can be felt clearly.
As your riding progresses, the next tyre up the ladder in terms of performance is ready and waiting to meet your needs and compliment your abilities – as is the case for all manufacturers, who tend to offer a tyre in each segment.
As always, if you don’t know what you need, speak to an expert about the kind of riding you do, or you may end up wasting your money that is far too high performance for your needs.
You can view our full Pirelli range here.
