A daft tyre question that needs a sensible answer?

[Nelly]

I have thought about this time and time again and can't come up with a single right or wrong answer. It may be that there is no single answer or system.

How do you guys know when your tyres are warm enough to start pushing them on the road. I am aware that there are many factors that will effect tyre heat.

1. Ambient temperature.
2. Acceleration and braking.
3. road conditions wet / dry
4. Tyre pressure.
5. Tread wear.
6. Tyre compound.

and so on.
All I want to know is, do any of you have a system that you use religiously to give you that little bit more confidence you need when you are commited to riding hard on the curves?

Neil

 

[madmanmaigret]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

I have never personaly pushed my bike hard enough to need them "warm" but I think if it was important to know you could get a laser thermometer and measure the surface temp of the tires.

 

[reiobard]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

if it is cold out, i assume that they are not going to warm up, if it is warm out i assume they are warm after about 15 mins.... I know assuming isn't really accurate but i haven't gone down yet (knock on wood)

 

[Boneman]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

WTF is a "tyer"??

 

[reiobard]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

tire = tyre? I am almost positive.

 

[Nelly]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

WTF is a "tyer"??

Indeed WTF is a tyer???? If any one knows send answers on back of a post card to:

I can't type for $hit
Dumb A$$
Ijit
UK

I thank you

 

[Nelly]

Now back on track, sorry I would like to blame my secretary for the typo:Flip:

If I want to heat the tyres up asap on a cold day I do some quick excelleration and braking. I do this for about 10 minutes. I have a three mile run to work and the last mile is when I go a bit mad.
On my stock BT 020 this has put enough heat in my tyres to be warm to touch at 6C outside temp.

Anyone do anything different?

 

[Hellgate]

Perryn all of the things you list all come into play in varying degrees depending on how much that particular factor comes into play. ie: cold and rainy vs. just cold, for an example. There isn't anyone formula per say to warm up with. On the track I gave myself two laps to get my tires warm. The first practice lap was spent reviewing the track at 8/10th's, the second lap at 9/10th's. I could feel my tires change too. As they got warmer they had more bite. It's hard to explain.

As far as riding 10 minutes with some braking that is good, however pretty much only the center of your tire will be warm. You want the whole tire warm. The only twisty road I have to ride here I break down, in my mind, to three sections. The road does this for me with the way road was built and the contour of the land. I use the first part to get the whole tire, the brakes, the suspension, me warmed up and look for cops. This is about 7/10th's on sweepers. The next section I step it up to 8/10th's, and get on it a bit harder, the third part is 9/10th's, and that is as hard as I got on the street.

I have the 020's too. They are a very nice all around tires...er..tyres. When I've ridden hard I can see some ripples and wear in the rubber. Ultimatly that tells me I've got the tire in the right temprature range. The tire looks scrubbed if you will.

Another consideration is a sport/touring tire has a much wider "sweet spot" than a sport/track tire. A pure track tire stinks when cold, an will over heat fast if your air pressure isn't correct for the day. Hence the use if tire warmers at the track, and a hot lap prior to a race. Also as you heat cycle a race tire it will lose the "oils" in the tire over time and rock hard, becoming junk. A sport/touring tire takes heat cycling much, much better and will stay grippy and plyable for a long time. The other nice think about a S/T tire is when they begin to slide it is often even and gentle, were as a track tire will tend to let go all at once, in general terms, your exeriance will vary.

Quick note on air pressure. The rule of thumb, and rule of thumb only. Measure the A/P stone cold, heat the tires up, immediately measure again. The difference should be two pounds higher when hot. This is a very good baseline to begin from. Depanding on you and your bike you may need to tweak it a bit.

I think the bottom line is, if in doubt, slow down for a bit longer. Better safe than sorry.

 

[HavBlue]

First, I want to say that Pete has a great heads up with some good general info. When I leave the pad from the barn I have to go 1/4 miles on gravel before I hit the street. At the end of the drive is a towel that I use to wipe the tires down when I hit the street. From there I generally travel the next mile weaving back and forth heating up the tires. Over that mile it is easy to tell when things are warming up as the tires do bite more along the way. If I am out on a cold day I will drop a couple pounds out of the tires because they will generate more heat faster when running lower pressures but not too low. Either way, heat means everything to how that bike handles and the feedback you get from any specific input..

 

[wrightme43]

Or you could just get all sorts of high tech and go with this.
Smarttire Active Tire Pressure Monitor - Tires Online at MotoSport

I just wait till it feels right. I dont know how to explain it.

 

[trampld]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

Indeed WTF is a tyer???? If any one knows send answers on back of a post card to:

I can't type for
Dumb A$$
Ijit
UK

I thank you

Nice! LMAO!

 

[Nelly]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

Thank Thankyou, I am playing all week my friend.

Neil

 

[Nelly]

Or you could just get all sorts of high tech and go with this.
Smarttire Active Tire Pressure Monitor - Tires Online at MotoSport

I just wait till it feels right. I dont know how to explain it.

Thanks Steve,
If I had the spare cash that would be the type of mod I would be really interested in. If it was as good as it seems you could learn loads about your riding.

PS how's it all settling down since your giant bar-b-que?

 

[outkast]

Re: A daft tyer question that needs a sensible answer?

In cold conditions i give them 10 mins of constant running,i use bridgestone bt020 and they have loads of grip even in winter and are a great wet tyre.These have been replaced by bt021 and are as good if not better from what ive read.
By all acounts the dunlop oe isnt as good.
Beware though all makes perform differently ,bt021's are sport/touring tyres and last well.
Hope this helps.

 

[HavBlue]

I want electric tar socks for Xmas. Then all I have to do is plug them in and get ready to ride cause there will be no warm up time. Ya gotta love technology.....

Please note: It's not tire and it ain't tyre. The correct spelling would be universally known as tar or tars. Them things is tars...... That's southern English for ya..giggle, giggle..

 

[grommit]

Thanks Steve,
If I had the spare cash that would be the type of mod I would be really interested in. If it was as good as it seems you could learn loads about your riding.

PS how's it all settling down since your giant bar-b-que?

What aboout these...

Tyre Safety Alert Valve Cap

...or not so good but cheaper...

pressure alert valve caps FOR yamaha r1 r6 fzr fzs fj on eBay, also Other Motorcycle Accessories, Accessories, Motorcycle Parts Accessories, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 24-Mar-08 18:14:45 GMT)

 

[cashcrzzy]

Just throw the bike hard into curve if you exit the curve on 2 wheels the tires are warm enough . If you slide into the bushes on the other side of the road give them a little longer to heat up next time !!:thumbup:

 

[Nelly]

I want electric tar socks for Xmas. Then all I have to do is plug them in and get ready to ride cause there will be no warm up time. Ya gotta love technology.....

Please note: It's not tire and it ain't tyre. The correct spelling would be universally known as tar or tars. Them things is tars...... That's southern English for ya..giggle, giggle..

Sorry Charlie, just to get this right?
Cop "Son them there tars is bawld"
Driver "Yep I'sa runnin slicks today sir"

 

[Nelly]

Just throw the bike hard into curve if you exit the curve on 2 wheels the tires are warm enough . If you slide into the bushes on the other side of the road give them a little longer to heat up next time !!:thumbup:

That was my previous method. After a long and extensive research programe ( 11 fractures and 2 surgeries) I am trying to identify a slightly body (wife) friendly system?

 

[grommit]

That was my previous method. After a long and extensive research programe ( 11 fractures and 2 surgeries) I am trying to identify a slightly body (wife) friendly system?

This from Mr. Wheelie.