[MK3Brent]

Working on getting out of my comfort zone a little bit and prepare riding harder in the rain on track.
I've never purchased rain tires before.
I've also noticed the rear tire doesn't come our usual 180-55-17 size.

Would you go up or down in size for a rain tire?
Any other advice when it comes to rain tires? Always happy to learn and try something new.

 

[vcyclenut]

I would go to a narrower tire, the less wide it is the easier it will squeeze the rain out between the groves

more lbs per square inch

wider tires hydroplane easier

 

[MK3Brent]

I would go to a narrower tire, the less wide it is the easier it will squeeze the rain out between the groves

more lbs per square inch

wider tires hydroplane easier

Thanks for confirming what I was thinking.
Also pressures probably a little higher as well?

 

[Moto26]

I would call your local race tire vendor and just bend their ear. They'll be more than happy to give you advice on all that...

 

[FZR162]

You may know this already but rain tyres are only for really wet tracks. As soon as it starts to dry they will fall to bits in no time at all even on damp tracks.

 

[MK3Brent]

You may know this already but rain tyres are only for really wet tracks. As soon as it starts to dry they will fall to bits in no time at all even on damp tracks.

Yep, that's the goal. When it's pouring like it is right now.

 

[marke14]

Wow 91F and pouring rain ... crazy.

-So Cal Mark

 

[MK3Brent]

Wow 91F and pouring rain ... crazy.

-So Cal Mark

It's been very rain foresty weather around here this summer. bleh..

bring that over here

 

[marke14]

Yeah - perhaps coastal So Cal is better (it is) but in Pasadena it's been mid 90s F for weeks (practically). And it's known worldwide (I think?) that we haven't gotten hardly any rain out in the Western U.S. for ... too long.

Here in California they're now saying that it may be the worst drought in ~1200 years.

Send some of that rain this way and we'll trade you for some milder temperatures 😎

 

[triplethreat]

Brent....if you can afford to do it, find a complete set of wheels, front and rear and with brake rotors and keep a set of rains mounted up and ready to go. Every track bike that I had, I hunted around till I found spare wheels and set them up with rains. That way, if you are at the track and it looks like the rain is going to set in for at least two or three sessions, you can put the bike up on a set of paddock stands, switch the tires/wheels out in between sessions and be ready to go in the rain. If it dries out, boom, put the regular tires/wheels back on. I got to where I could swap front and rear in about 20 minutes....plenty of time to spare in between a normal session.

 

[MK3Brent]

Brent....if you can afford to do it, find a complete set of wheels, front and rear and with brake rotors and keep a set of rains mounted up and ready to go. Every track bike that I had, I hunted around till I found spare wheels and set them up with rains. That way, if you are at the track and it looks like the rain is going to set in for at least two or three sessions, you can put the bike up on a set of paddock stands, switch the tires/wheels out in between sessions and be ready to go in the rain. If it dries out, boom, put the regular tires/wheels back on. I got to where I could swap front and rear in about 20 minutes....plenty of time to spare in between a normal session.

This is my current setup.
I keep the GT2's on one set, and Q4's on another set. Just like you said, complete with rotors.
Looks like I'll get a 3rd set of wheels.

Or, I can finally buy those CF wheels I've been eyeballing.

 

[marke14]

This is my current setup.
I keep the GT2's on one set, and Q4's on another set. Just like you said, complete with rotors.
Looks like I'll get a 3rd set of wheels.

Or, I can finally buy those CF wheels I've been eyeballing.

 

[triplethreat]

This is my current setup.
I keep the GT2's on one set, and Q4's on another set. Just like you said, complete with rotors.
Looks like I'll get a 3rd set of wheels.

Or, I can finally buy those CF wheels I've been eyeballing.

I actually kept three sets of wheels for the track bikes. The wheels that came on the bike and two more sets. As I stated, one set with rains, and the other set with brand new tires already mounted and balanced and ready to put on if/when I needed a tire swap in the middle of a track day. As Instructors, they expected you to be out there every session unless you crashed, had a mechanical, or died in the paddock. I didn't have time to take a wheel off, run down to tire service and wait to get a new one put on, then run back up and put it on the bike. I had a NoMar tire changer at the house, so I ordered tires and kept them in stock and put new ones on after I got home from a track weekend. With Peggy and I both Instructing and riding on the track, I can honestly say that we went through a metric ton of tires over the 7 years we were doing it. The NoMar obviously saved me a LOT of money.

 

[marke14]

@triplethreat how do you balance the tires?

 

[triplethreat]

@triplethreat how do you balance the tires?

I had a Marc Parnes balancer rod. I'm guessing that you can still find them for sale on the interwebs.

 

[wheelz96]

Rain tires work great on WET tracks. Just remember to do all your hard braking up and down. Depending on the tire it varies but with Michelin and Pirelli rains (ive used both) it was around 34 front and 24 rear. I've had the pleasure of racing and coaching in the rain at least a dozen times. If track has dry spots remember to keep the tires cool or they will start tearing apart. If race line is dry your better off with DOT's, if its actively raining then the rain tires are amazing. It will add about 20 seconds to your lap time even at the pro level.

I don't remember having many options on rear tire size. I think all the 600's used 180 rears and it may be the same for the liter bikes. Like Triplethreat said, get an extra set of wheels and has long as you remember to bring your rain tires with, it should never rain

 

[triplethreat]

They said it would be Fun.........They said, it's not that bad out there......They said....take a SCUBA Tank just in case. A classic case for the use of rain tires....Me at Barber on Aug. 12th, 2017......to say it was wet.......an understatement....

 

[triplethreat]

Rain tires work great on WET tracks. Just remember to do all your hard braking up and down. Depending on the tire it varies but with Michelin and Pirelli rains (ive used both) it was around 34 front and 24 rear. I've had the pleasure of racing and coaching in the rain at least a dozen times. If track has dry spots remember to keep the tires cool or they will start tearing apart. If race line is dry your better off with DOT's, if its actively raining then the rain tires are amazing. It will add about 20 seconds to your lap time even at the pro level.

I don't remember having many options on rear tire size. I think all the 600's used 180 rears and it may be the same for the liter bikes. Like Triplethreat said, get an extra set of wheels and has long as you remember to bring your rain tires with, it should never rain

I must have missed that message....see above pic...^^^^^

 

[MK3Brent]

@triplethreat
Vern,
Would you wanna make it to RRR soon if I could arrange it? Get some coaching for @Darf and I?
I am trying to think of a track that’s somewhat central to all of us.
@wheelz96 coaches with STT, and I bet we could get him over too.

or…VIR could work.

 

[triplethreat]

@triplethreat
Vern,
Would you wanna make it to RRR soon if I could arrange it? Get some coaching for @Darf and I?
I am trying to think of a track that’s somewhat central to all of us.
@wheelz96 coaches with STT, and I bet we could get him over too.

or…VIR could work.

Sorry man, I'm out. Couple of reasons..1. I haven't been on a track since the end of 2017. 2. No track bike to ride, no two wheeler to ride......sorry!