[hollywood1]

I have an old front race compound Michellin Pilot that Ive had sitting in storage for about 5-6 yrs. Is the tire still good? It has about 90% center and 60% far edges. They were race takeoffs I bought but never used the front tire. Its in good shape just feels dry of its tackyniss. I currently have a D208, not gp, and i need something with a little more confidence.

 

[martinc]

Certainly not for racing...

I"d be tiptoeing on it on the street and see what gives (pun intended)

 

[Kangaroo]

um not good for the 'more' confidence route. Actually I've done some wild things but I don't think this is worth it. A race off front you can get for practically nothing at local club events.

 

[atomicjoe23]

I wouldn't suggest using race tires on the street.

 

[fiveoh]

I wouldn't suggest using race tires on the street.

I wouldn't suggest listening to atomicjoe. :fact

 

[atomicjoe23]

Why not? If you care to expand I can defend my statement!

I made the suggestion based on the intended/actual use of the tires and the conditions that the tires will see. I was assuming that we were talking about "real racing tires" not ultra high performance "street" tires (which I myself use on my street bikes). The two are not created equally and although either one can do the other's job somewhat adequately in today's day and age you are making a compromise either way; either in safety or in lap times!

 

[fiveoh]

Why not? If you care to expand I can defend my statement!

I made the suggestion based on the intended/actual use of the tires and the conditions that the tires will see. I was assuming that we were talking about "real racing tires" not ultra high performance "street" tires (which I myself use on my street bikes). The two are not created equally and although either one can do the other's job somewhat adequately in today's day and age you are making a compromise either way; either in safety or in lap times!

:crash


I frequently use my race tires on the street when i'm done beating them at the track. They're probably not the best solution for everyone, but if you ride hard they work well. Weather isn't too much of a problem, as I race on Power Race's in the wet. The softer compounds give you more than enough traction to lift the front or back wheel in the wet. Even at moderate lean they stick great in the wet. The only concern is standing water even a few cm's deep if you have the bike leaned over far enough to get off the tread sipes. Right now I am running Pirelli Dragon slicks on the street between races, and man I'm in love.

 

[atomicjoe23]

I'm not denying that race tires are great; they handle better and they have great feel but you hit the nail on the head with the standing water part and having to ride hard in order to get them to the proper operating temperature. Why do you think that race bikes use tire warmers?

I'm not even gonna comment on using tires that you wouldn't trust at the track under controlled conditions in the unpredictable environment that is the street.

 

[fiveoh]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I'd recommend using take offs from the stone age.

I don't use tire warmers at the track and have no problems. My warm up laps are well above any pace you'd see on the street with no sliding . You don't need to ride them harder to keep them hot. They stick better than a street compound in any condition. Hot, cold, dry , wet. The only trade off is faster wear.

 

[atomicjoe23]

IMHO you need to bone up on your tire tech!

Dead horse.

 

[fiveoh]

IMHO you need to bone up on your tire tech!

Dead horse.

Care to elaborate?

 

[atomicjoe23]

If race tires were unequivocally better than street tires then we would all be running race tires on the street because how many of us ride our bikes in the rain (at least intentionally, and those of us who do ride much more conservatively and carefully when it is wet, even with street tires) because they don't cost that much more (wear aside, but you won't wear a race tire out on the street like you will on the track).That being said, why would tire manufacturers go to the trouble to manufacture the street compounds. . .because race tires are not designed or constructed to be used on the street.

You don't have to ride a bike hard to keep the tire at temp once it has reached temp but you do have to work to get the tire up to temp. It takes longer to get a trackt ire up to temp than a street tire because of the different compounds that are used in their construction.

Race tires do not stick very well at all when cold; ask anyone who has laid a bike out in a corner on cold tires at speeds well below what they normally run or are capapble of running.

Once again, dead horse being beat repeatedly!

 

[atomicjoe23]

If race tires were unequivocally better than street tires then we would all be running race tires on the street because how many of us ride our bikes in the rain (at least intentionally, and those of us who do ride much more conservatively and carefully when it is wet, even with street tires) because they don't cost that much more (wear aside, but you won't wear a race tire out on the street like you will on the track).That being said, why would tire manufacturers go to the trouble to manufacture the street compounds. . .because race tires are not designed or constructed to be used on the street.

You don't have to ride a bike hard to keep the tire at temp once it has reached temp but you do have to work to get the tire up to temp. It takes longer to get a trackt ire up to temp than a street tire because of the different compounds that are used in their construction.

Race tires do not stick very well at all when cold; ask anyone who has laid a bike out in a corner on cold tires at speeds well below what they normally run or are capapble of running.

Once again, dead horse being beat repeatedly!

 

[fiveoh]

I didn't say they were unequivocally better, wear is the trade off. Race tires are softer, period. Softer cold, softer warm. And what exactly does "designed and constructed to be used on the street" mean? It does not take longer to heat up a track tire vs a street tire. I'm not sure what would give you that impression. Yes a "cold" race tire has less traction that a warm one. But a cold race tire has more traction than a cold street tire. I can pull out on a cold used race tire and stoppie on the first stop. The same can not be said about a street tire. Oh and most are more expensive. :fact. A set of some of the best street tires, Pilot Powers, cost like $225. A set of Power races are $370 trackside, or more elsewhere. You definitely have some misconceptions about tire differences. I'm not sure whether this is stuff you've heard or what.

 

[atomicjoe23]

I can stoppie on a cold (just pulled out of the garage and hit the first stop sign on the street) street tire no problem.

It does take longer to warm a race tire all the way up to operating temperature because race tires are designed to operate at a higher temperature, therefore it takes less time to get street tire up to temp than it does a race tire.

I don't just come on the forum and spill out whatever dribble happens to be floating around in my head at the time. I can back my comments up with facts that I have compiled from doing my own research and from conversations that I have with the manufacturers. I refuse to put in writing somehting that I don't know for sure. I will wait and research the subject before I put my two cents down because I want to make sure that I'm helping not making and not just putting out my opinion or mindless drivel (I'm not implying that what you are saying is mindless drivel I'm just stating what I try to avoid).

My comments on tire construction are things I have learned from my conversation with several different tire manufacturers, professional race teams, and my own research.

 

[fiveoh]

I can stoppie on a cold (just pulled out of the garage and hit the first stop sign on the street) street tire no problem.

It does take longer to warm a race tire all the way up to operating temperature because race tires are designed to operate at a higher temperature, therefore it takes less time to get street tire up to temp than it does a race tire.

I don't just come on the forum and spill out whatever dribble happens to be floating around in my head at the time. I can back my comments up with facts that I have compiled from doing my own research and from conversations that I have with the manufacturers. I refuse to put in writing somehting that I don't know for sure. I will wait and research the subject before I put my two cents down because I want to make sure that I'm helping not making and not just putting out my opinion or mindless drivel (I'm not implying that what you are saying is mindless drivel I'm just stating what I try to avoid).

My comments on tire construction are things I have learned from my conversation with several different tire manufacturers, professional race teams, and my own research.

The time taken to get "up to temp" is not important here. What is important is that at any given temperature a, the race tire has more grip than the street tire. And unless you can list specifics regarding the race tires construction that make it unsuitable for street use, than really, that is just dribble. Oh and from what I have heard during conversations between myself and tire makers, I've concluded that whoever you get on the phone doesn't know what they are talking about. So, unless you have a direct line to one of the engineers or other technical employee, I would take what they say with a grain of salt.

 

[atomicjoe23]

I will agree that the sales people on the phone usually don't know what they are talking about, but luckily that's not the people I was fortunate enough to be able to pump for a little information.

The specifics are the rubber compounds that are used. "Race" rubber is a different compound than "street" rubber; and the actual construction of the tire is different as well.

If you are comfortable on a race tire on the street that's fine. It's your decision and your bike and your skin. I'll save my race rubber for the race bikes and that's my decision.

I did not intend for this to turn into a debate on tire construction. I was merely making my suggestion to use good street tires and not used race tires on the street. You should never be in a situation on the street where you need the extra grip that race tires will afford you and if you are then you are one of those individuals who contribute to the negative image that is so common with the general public. Save it for the track that's what they're for and it's a lot more fun when you don't have to worry about the police or that car that's drifting across the yellow line in the middle of turn that you're taking at 100+ mph.

 

[fiveoh]

Originally posted by atomicjoe23
I will agree that the sales people on the phone usually don't know what they are talking about, but luckily that's not the people I was fortunate enough to be able to pump for a little information.

The specifics are the rubber compounds that are used. "Race" rubber is a different compound than "street" rubber; and the actual construction of the tire is different as well.

If you are comfortable on a race tire on the street that's fine. It's your decision and your bike and your skin. I'll save my race rubber for the race bikes and that's my decision.

I did not intend for this to turn into a debate on tire construction. I was merely making my suggestion to use good street tires and not used race tires on the street. You should never be in a situation on the street where you need the extra grip that race tires will afford you and if you are then you are one of those individuals who contribute to the negative image that is so common with the general public. Save it for the track that's what they're for and it's a lot more fun when you don't have to worry about the police or that car that's drifting across the yellow line in the middle of turn that you're taking at 100+ mph.

Not "needing" the extra grip afforded by a race tire is your opinion, that I wont challenge. But you have yet to state one fact on why to stay away from race tires for street use. :fact I've said all I have to say and don't think anything I've mentioned is questionable, so.... I'm out. Sorry for the hijack. I guess I resuscitated the horse, then beat it back into submission. :sneaky

 

[xdonniedarkox]

To get back on topic...
I would not recommend riding on a tire that has been stored that long...
Oxidation and UV occuring degradation is no good on rubber-
good luck

 

[fiveoh]

To get back on topic...
I would not recommend riding on a tire that has been stored that long...
Oxidation and UV occuring degradation is no good on rubber-
good luck

:iamwithst