Track Days !!!

[Cali rider]

The 30 front/28 rear setting is a starting point. What you are really looking for is an increase in tire temperature (and pressure) after a session. The target is around 5 PSI rise in pressure measured IMMEDIATELY AFTER returning to the pits.

Rise less than 5 PSI=cold run temp=DECREASE cold pressure 1 PSI
Rise more than 7 PSI=hot run temp=INCREASE cold pressure 1 PSI

You will need to wait for the tire(s) to cool to adjust pressure as it's the only reliable way to know what the reference point is.

I'll suggest one more point: invest in new tires for your trackday use. They will handle more consistently than used hoops and you will be beating the crap out of them anyway, making them useless for the street. I mean, why anyone would go through the time and expense to prep themselves and their bike for the big day and then have to settle with marginal traction is something I don't understand.

I hope this is helpful to someone.

 

[DefyInertia]

Interesting stuff on the temp/pressure changes.

I'll suggest one more point: invest in new tires for your trackday use. They will handle more consistently than used hoops and you will be beating the crap out of them anyway, making them useless for the street. I mean, why anyone would go through the time and expense to prep themselves and their bike for the big day and then have to settle with marginal traction is something I don't understand.

RE: investing in new tires, are you talking about SS tires v. sport-touring tires or track focused tires v. SS tires?

Post track use DOT tires make great street tires so long as they are not THAT dead. People sell used take-offs for street use all the time.

One last question, what tires do you run at the track?
________
Club Royal Condos Pattaya

 

[Cali rider]

RE: investing in new tires, are you talking about SS tires v. sport-touring tires or track focused tires v. SS tires?

I'd use normal sport tires- ie. Pilot Power, Metzler M-3, Pirelli Diablo, etc.
DOT race tires or slicks are useless on an FZ6, IMO.

Post track use DOT tires make great street tires so long as they are not THAT dead. People sell used take-offs for street use all the time.

I agree with this to a certain extent, although the repeated heat cycles do make for a less compliant carcass which can be a problem for some riders under high load conditions. I guess the message I was going for was "Don't buy new tires AFTER the trackday where you could have really appreciated them."

One last question, what tires do you run at the track?

Well, I ride an R1 at the track so it's not an accurate comparison. But for the record I use Michelin Power Race, medium soft. 31 front, 30 rear as a start.

 

[DefyInertia]

Thanks for the info --

I run PPs on my FZ6 at the track; not sure if I'll ever run better tires on my FZ6 but for now I simply don't need them because I'm not fast enough and my gearing/engine/etc. is stock.

Moldmaker?
________
SweetAmandaTS live

 

[Cali rider]

Thanks for the info --

I run PPs on my FZ6 at the track; not sure if I'll ever run better tires on my FZ6 but for now I simply don't need them because I'm not fast enough and my gearing/engine/etc. is stock.

I was using Pilot Powers for street use until recently, just fitted a pair of Pilot Road², very different ride feel.

Moldmaker?

Who?

 

[ped]

DOT race tires or slicks are useless on an FZ6, IMO.

and why is that?

 

[ped]

to take out any ambiguity in proper air pressure learn to find it for yourself.
i post this all the time and no one seems to pay attention...
you have to go by cold pressure to hot pressure. all tires are different, different rubber, different carcass, different ambient temps, different road surface, different body weight, different riding style. now a jist is fine but sometimes just going by some recommended pressure takes you outside that.

first start at a good recommend pressure. go do a session to heat the tire up. asap check the pressure again. this gives the "hot" reading. that hot reading should be no more than 30% of the cold. so if you started at 30psi, you should have built no more than 39psi from the heat. if you do get higher than that ADD air so that the tire will flex less and not get as hot. getting too hot can make the tire just as bad as it being too cold and will wear it out too fast.
as well you should get no less than 20% gain. so if you started at 30psi cold and you only built up to 36psi after a session then its not getting warm enough. you need to let it cool and then lower the pressure. usually ive found that 2 psi equals about 10%.
keep in mind that as the day warms up the morning temp could go out the window. so you may need to check again after lunch.
25% is about right give or take for track riding.


p.s. heres on of my vids for you too.
MySpaceTV: putnam 8.5.07 by ped

 

[Cali rider]

and why is that?

Well, remember, this is my opinion. I feel that I can reach the limits of suspension reaction and ground clearance long before I exceed the performance characteristics of any of the sport tires I listed above. Even with the R6 fork mod you still have a frame and swingarm that was designed to flex more than a true SS chassis. The brakes, although responsive at first, fade quickly with repeated use, so a stickier compound appears wasted there.

Now, if you start making changes to actually race this bike, the need for a DOT race tire might come in to play, but that is a tangent to the OP question. And, if someone is sliding and spinning up a set of PP's at the track on a stock FZ6, they are a much more aggressive rider than I am.

 

[ped]

i thought you were going to say because the suspension is so ****y that it would just tear em up and at the same time provide no more traction than a street tire...or something. there is other reasons besides corner speed that a sticky tire will help. the bike can go pretty far with the stock pegs too. im usually really close to the edge of my BT-002's by the time im scraping, and im talking about slightly beyond the wear line.

 

[DefyInertia]

Ped, have you had issues scraping your sidestand? I noticed mine was scraped pretty damn good so I now take it off for the track.
________
Blonde_angel

 

[ped]

havent had it on since ive been going to the track.

 

[Cali rider]

there is other reasons besides corner speed that a sticky tire will help.

I can count only 3 requirements for traction from a tire, and I addressed them all above:
1- Traction for acceleration
2- Traction for braking
3- Traction for cornering

What "other reasons" am I missing?

the bike can go pretty far with the stock pegs too. im usually really close to the edge of my BT-002's by the time im scraping, and im talking about slightly beyond the wear line.

So can I. I have plenty of grinding to the stands and pegs just from road riding with Pilot Powers, and never had the tire itself let me down. I just don't use the bike for that purpose anymore.

Ped, I think we are 95% in agreement on these points, this is a good discussion.

 

[ped]

primarily making mistakes such as mid-corner corrections. or a really fast left to right or right to left transition. another big one is for feel through the bars. some tracks dont have a good sticky surface which is why race tires have different compounds. another is to mask the suspension problems on a rough track. or riding in colder weather. as well as trail braking.
there are those who could out run me on sport touring tires when i have slicks, they are just really good, really smooth riders.

 

[JONAC]

First Track day booked for this Friday

Cadwell Park Lincs UK

Hope my new bars n grips turn up in time

 

[ped]

good luck, be safe, enjoy yourself, its just a trackday of which there will be many more, etc, etc..

 

[Nelly]

This has been a really interesting thred. I have learnt loads about tyres and tyre set up. I have not been on a track day yet (but aim to). I just wanted to ask what may seem a daft question. You guys all seem really focused with your riding and all appear to relish the track. Why have you chosen the FZ6? For me it has all the performance I will ever need and if i'm honest I am unlikely to reach the riding ability to find the limits of ther suspension and frame.

 

[Nelly]

First Track day booked for this Friday

Cadwell Park Lincs UK

Hope my new bars n grips turn up in time

Mate Good luck, let us no how you get on.

 

[JONAC]

Mate Good luck, let us no how you get on.

Thanks neil... Thanks to all the other input aswell ..... much appreciated ... hopefully lots of good pics and stories to share on Saturday

 

[ped]

This has been a really interesting thred. I have learnt loads about tyres and tyre set up. I have not been on a track day yet (but aim to). I just wanted to ask what may seem a daft question. You guys all seem really focused with your riding and all appear to relish the track. Why have you chosen the FZ6? For me it has all the performance I will ever need and if i'm honest I am unlikely to reach the riding ability to find the limits of ther suspension and frame.

cause i dont have the money to buy the three different bikes id really like, so the fz6 made a good medium.

 

[Nelly]

Fair enough mate, I was just curious. Prices may be a bit different over here. When I was looking to buy mine there were sports bikes in a similar price band. The old cautious man in me chose function over style. Thanks for the reply.
Neil