Track Day on Stock Dunlop 208s?

I just bought a 2003 R1 with 1500 miles on it. I have a track day next month at Sear's Point and I need advice about these tires - will these stock tires will hold up and provide reasonable grip for the track day? I don't have any experience with Dunlops as I am a Metzeler Man. Thanks

Originally posted by YamaLude I just bought a 2003 R1 with 1500 miles on it. I have a track day next month at Sear's Point and I need advice about these tires - will these stock tires will hold up and provide reasonable grip for the track day? I don't have any experience with Dunlops as I am a Metzeler Man. Thanks Dude the ZR's are for street riding i.e. last long, I replaced mine with the Dunlop 208 GPA's and the difference is HUGE.... I would never, ever considerate taking the ZR's to the track....:no

That's what I thought - I need to budget for a set of Sportecs.

It depends. If youre new to track riding and aren't going to be pushing that hard they'll be fine. If you are riding hard then you need something more track oriented. I've seen plenty of people do trackdays on 207s and those tires really sucked. The 208s aren't that good but they're better than those. If it's you're first time save the 200-300 dollars and don't push it too hard.

The stock 208 ZR are pretty darn good, I took them out to Fontana when I first bought the bike. Just take your time and progressively go faster until they give out and then hold that pace. There are no substitutes for good tires though....$300 for a set of GP or $1000 on new fairings... John

I seriously doubt you will be that fast on your first track day to overpush your street tires. If anything you will learn the limits of them. Just concentrate on technique and what the bike and you are doing. Your 2nd track day out though, you will be alot smoother and alot faster around the track. Especially if its the same track.. so definite go with track tires then. And remember the Sportec's are NOT track tires.. just pretty sticky street tires. My suggestion would be Diablo Super Corsa's if you want a tire thats pretty sticky on the track, and still useful on the street.

I rode a couple of track days on the stock tires... when I took it to the dealer for 600 mile warranty service, the tech called the service manager over and said "DOOD! Look at these tires... shagged, no chicken strips!" The service manager just nodded and smiled, and said "Bob's been to the track..." As others have said, they do well for a first trackday, when you're going to be learning the ropes without pushing it too hard. They also aren't going to hold up for more than two or three days. The Diablo Corsa is a great trackday tire for most mere mortals. They hold up extremely well and have great grip. Unless you're within about 10-15% of AFM race paces, you're going to be better off with something like the Diablo Corsa, which heats up faster, or a Michelin H2. Most intermediate riders never ride at a fast enough pace to fully heat up a set of full-blown race tires.

207RR's pushed past there limit :no

I'd definitely go with the Diablo Corsas... You will overcome the traction of the stockers if you plan on pushing it very hard... The Sportecs are better, but not nearly as good as the corsas when it comes to track riding... - BA

I don't like 'em but you can still drag knee with them. Like everyone has said, they will be fine for your first track day.

Thanks for all the good feedback. This will be my first track day with my new R1, but not my first track day; I've done two track days within the last 3 months. I have also raced a FZR400 at Sears Point about 15 years ago, so I know about going slow and progressively going faster, smoother. Thanks again for the suggestions - Michael

I suggest you try them out,dont push it to much.if you dont like them this time round get others for the next time. btw I've done a track day on my stock 208's.:fact but didnt push it.

208s are simply not a track tyre if you fall you will only end up regretting not putting something better IE supercorsas on in the first place JIMMY DONNINGTON EH which corner Redgate????????????

Take Sears easy. They just laid fresh surface and there may not be much rubber on the raceline. If the day is foggy the track between turn 3 and turn 5 can get slick from the moisture. Also watch that turn 1 its a first gear turn with no banking-though word is they have increased the runoff in case you lowside. **Take along some water-weter-they made me change out rad/fluid last visit.

Thanks for the advice. I was at Sears last month for a track day on my FZ1, so I’m pretty familiar with the track. With the repaving completed, it is the smoothest track I’ve been on yet (compared to Laguna, Thunderhill and Willow Springs). I’ll at Sears on Feb 12th for the next Zoom Zoom Track day – anyone else?

Those tires would be fine for a trackday. If you attend many track days, you will notice that it does not matter how great your tires are, if you are not riding with control. People go down mostly due to mistakes, not choice of tires. The only other way to go down is hitting oil, debris, or hitting another rider, all of which are pretty darn rare. Your safety is up to you, not your tires. I've done 30+ trackdays on stock tires without any crashes. Most others, most of whom have track oriented or DOT race tires, are no faster than I am. And most of them have crashed a few times. My point is, the tires did not cause my other track riding friends to crash. They are on better tires than me. If you don't want to crash, just don't rush yourself. Don't expect that one day at the track will make you a good track rider. It takes either patience, or the willingness to total a few bikes and a few bones to get there. Patience is less painful, and much cheaper. And you get more fun time out on the track than if you are a big crasher. It is just like riding on the street in that way. Just always try to improve, and give it time. Nature will take it's own course.

zippy ****in bullshit why load the dice against yourself HAVE YOU EVER DONE A TRACK DAY????????????????

Yup, Chuck. I have done the deed x 30. If I were 'loading the dice' against myself, then why no crashes yet? I think it is because I am consistant and careful and work hard to stay focused. It sure isn't my tires that are saving me!!

ZIPPY why no crashes yet??????????? pace mate pace!!! if you aint pushing the envelope you could do 1000 track days and not crash how come youve done 30 track days yet you ask a self answering question?? ASK any track day veteran/ enthusiast ( during the summer i do 1 sometimes 2 track days a week) what the most important part of thier machine is and most will reply TYRES to ride on bog standard 208s ic loading the dice PERIOD!! DOES CARFULL AND CONSISTANT = SLOW????? well who knows

Yes, I am still slower than the fastest, but I am gaining every time I go. I am now faster than a boatload of others who crash with regularity on track/race tires. I usually do my track days on weekends, running both Saturday and Sunday. There are a couple of riders that have made progress more quickly than I have. Those guys don't seem to show up anymore. I think they got burning out by totaling bikes and getting hurt... Or they got into racing and don't do track days anymore. What I see is that those who continue to come, continue to improve. Meanwhile, I keep getting faster and having a blast. Though there are undoubtedly a few more seconds left in street compound tires, I will be moving to track tires for this upcoming season. I think the street tires are fine, up to a point. I am now ready to cross that threshold and I want track tires for the confidence factor. I want to know that I my tires are just as good as those of the rider that I am chasing down. It seems like almost everyone but me has the opinion that track tires make a person safer, but I contend you must adapt to whatever traction situation existing during each run you make. Sometimes the track and tires are cold, or the tires are brand new, or the track is still wet from morning dew. The rider needs to be able to explore the available traction and find out what is available during a particular set of conditions. Even race tires won't keep you safe if you are not paying attention to these things. No matter what tires you run, traction is not a fixed factor, like a helmet or back protector. A person can run on tires with more or less traction without being inherently more or less safe. A limit is always there in both cases, and exceeding it is what makes for the problems.

Get rid of those tires! ! ! There was a discussion on this forum concerning those tires when the 02 R1's came out. It was discovered the compound is basically a touring tire compound. Okay for easy street riding (or keeping the wheels from touching the asphault), but crap if you try to push it too much. Tossed em out after 1000 miles, basically the breakin period. I had nothing but trouble trying to ride my R1 (02) at a decent pace. The rear would break traction and slide (unintentionally) when I didn't want it too. Almost high-sided several times (more like everytime I went out). They didn't stick worth crap . . . .even when hot. So chunk em and buy a decent pair of Pilot Race H2's or something comparable, before you're sorry.

I've got my wheels over at the shop right now getting a set of Sportecs mounted. I have run the Sportecs on my FZ1 at my last track day at Sears Point and then did not disappoint. Like I always tell the wife "I'd rather have that added traction and not need it than need it and not have it".

Originally posted by ZippySport . . . A person can run on tires with more or less traction without being inherently more or less safe. A limit is always there in both cases, and exceeding it is what makes for the problems. And the limit of the stock tires can be exceeded without much effort by a majority of the skilled riders on this forum. So don't push your luck, do the smart thing, spend a little extra money on decent hardware and save a lot of hardship (ie bodywork) before it's too late.

Maybe I should have specified that I was running BT010's, and not the Dunlop 208s. I didn't know the 208s were that bad. I thought they were comparable because they are both stock fitment tires. The BT010's are darn good, and great in the rain, even on the track. If they are slippery crappy tires, then ditch them for sure. The BT010's are grippy, predictable, with very few surprises. Not track rubber per se, but you can do good laps on them.

ok track tyres wont make you safe ONLY SAFER why do you think racers at the top level depend on thier compounds???????? its because they need them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you are not having slides and moments on the likes of street compound tyres then you are simply not pushing them PERIOD!!!!!! IF YOU HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT IN STREET TYRES YOU MUST BE VERY SLOW

Top level racers obviously need the highest level of traction available. This is because it is needed to compete. With a lower level of traction, they cannot go as fast as someone with a higher level. At a track day, this is not the case. It is not a race, and it only matters if you are enjoying yourself. Beating the next guy is not important, ego aside. You are riding against yourself and the track, so it does not matter what the guy next to you is doing. As I said, on street compounds, I am faster than plenty of people on better compounds. I do have slides and a few moments. And I have learned to handle them. I know about when they will happen, and what control inputs make them happen. These are some of the skills you can learn on less than race tires. An especially good track rider can outride most people, even with less horsepower or less sticky tires, right? At the highest levels, everyone is very good and the tire compounds are of great importance. At a track day, it is a whole different thing. Anyway, really fast guys can usually come within a few seconds of track record with today's street compounds. Would you call that slow too?

Zippy, this is not a flame... BUT! (Here goes) You are slow. I had sportecs on for my first crack day and I was exceeding their limits towards the end of the day (They were brand new). Granted, I took to it like a duck to water, so it definitely depends on the riders skill and what they are willing to risk. I was passing plenty of riders who were on the "umptienth" crack day. No offense, but they either sucked or were really scared about trashing their ride. These guys were a virtual parking lot in every corner, riding all kinds of f'd up lines. (When you are riding at a decent pace, you cannot help but hold a steady line!) That being said, the 208s would've been more than adequate for all those guys I was blowing by in the corners. You are absolutely right, it all depends on the rider, and their skill lvl. That is at least 85% of the people going on a track day. This guy, however, later stated that he used to race (Successfully?) an FZR400. But he also said that he just ran a set of sportecs on an FZ1 and he has a lot of confidence in that tyre. So, he should run the sportecs on the R1 for the next track day, cause he isn't going to exceed the limits on them based upon what he said and the fact that they are going to be a fresh set. With all the silica in those tyres (sportecs), I wouldn't run them on a hot day. They'd probably get greasy. They did get really greasy on me, but it was my second crack day on that set. Damn near highsided me too (Its a sick feeling when you're looking at your front tire and at eye level. Don't ask me how I saved it, I don't know myself!) Tip: BREATH - Inhale while entering the corner and exhale on the exit. Many people don't realize that they are holding their breath through the corners! I didn't realize it myself! I swear it felt like it knocked 10 sec off my lap times (More like 2 secs, but 'whatever') Pick the bike up BEFORE getting hot and heavy with the throttle (This concerns corner exits and high HP/Torque bikes, I.e. R1s) Have fun at your "Crack" day! :crash

It is not like exceeding the limits of tires is a hard thing to do. All you have to do is be ham-fisted and give a slightly clumsy input. All of us can do it. That doesn't indicate that a person is faster than another person. It just indicates that they are not giving smooth inputs. So I don't agree that you can tell that I am slow by whether I can ride smoothly and evidently you were having a problem doing the same.

Referring to my earlier post, how many days have you run at that agression level without going down? I've seen guys do well straight out of the gate, as you describe. Those guys often aren't able to keep it up for more than a few track days in a row, that is if they don't crash on the first day. You may be an exception certainly. I find that the key to not dropping it is limiting agression somewhat and waiting until you have the skill to prevent almost highsiding as you described. If a person is willing to risk the consequences of that kind of riding, they will indeed make more progress faster, i.e. higher financial and physical pain, higher and quicker gain. Of course, in terms of thinking of speed of progress, you would have to facter in body and wallet healing time. If you can pull off more aggression without binning it, then you have the best of both worlds. The same results can also be achieved with patient progression over time. Just different approaches that ultimately can result in the same endpoint. Each of us is different, and our approach to improvement is individual. There are different routes to improvement.

ZIPPY stop talkin so much bull***inshit:machinegu

Just to be clear, I am a different guy than Zippy, who is a regular poster on this board. I'm just trying to make people think a bit more deeply. I know that people tend to be passionate about tire opinions. I figured that some flaming was coming my way, but who cares? It's just the internet. If you have a logical rebuttal of my ideas, go right ahead and make it. I could be wrong, but you'll need to try a bit harder than that to convince me.

Zippy, it wasn't a flame. I actually agreed with you more than dissagreed. I just didn't want to write a novel.

i don't rate the sportecs at all for the track..... could slide them around easier than the stock 208's....... get your self a set of metezler rennsports[ not sure what there called in us i'm in australia...] soft compound supersport type tyre..... heat up well and grip like sh*t to a blanket at the track......

My 'try a bit harder' comment was directed at Chuck's last post. I usually don't write a novel either, but I thought it was kind of fun this time.

OK my final point on what has now become a pretty boring thread TAKE THIS SITUATION you arrive at a track to ride as a guest there are to identical R1s sat in the warmers ready to roll one has 208s one has supercorsas which bike do you pic ?????? END OF CHAT TA TA