238mph
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posted September 10, 2005 04:41 PM
ride report on Pilot Powers
Ride report for those of you following the switch from Dunlops (200 rear) to Pilot
Powers (180 rear) and going from rear end lowered for drag racing to stock rear
ride height... and shock setting from FULLsoft to Gunners specs...
Well, Gunner... you lucky bastid.... I SHOULD be dead.... I'm so out of control with this
thing (in a good way) it's STOOPID!!!! Whole different bike.
I went up on the mountain, and warmed the tires for about 2 miles... I could tell right
off it turned in 150% better... lighter and muuch more nimble... sooo..... off I went.
I worked up to my normal cornering speed, and kept falling into the turn... almost ate the
guardrail a few times... and to power up hard to hold my lean angle... GOOD STUFF>>!!!!
Posted speed in most of the turns is 35... and I could do them at 70-73... pretty much
all the same turn radius.... (in this one section) now I'm doing them at 85-90 and it's
scary... I'm going so much faster, and I don't know what to expect when I get to the
edge of adhesion... will they slide out like Dunlops, or just high side me????
So I keep working on the turns... faster ans faster...  I've loving it... then trouble....
I'm way overspeed right in the apex...about to cross the double yellow... (blind turn) and
up pops a pickup truck right on the double yellow, hugging his inside lane...
Know what we were talking about... the instant you realize you're in trouble... like a flash
of fear races through your body???? I had it!!! BIG TIME
The instant I saw the grill of that truck I had to look back at the road, I knew I'd ride right
into that truck if I looked at itt...so with full lean on these new Pilot Powers, I grabbed
both front and rear brake and fell even harder into the turn.... I braced for impact...
I think I even shut my eyes for the moment... and the tires held..!!! DID YOU HEAR ME???
Those fuckers, hard over, going about 75mph, with all kinds of brake added, HELD...!!!!
I was a dead man on Dunlops.... I'd be under that truck right now .
I went on for about 3 miles further up the mountain and the adrenaline rush hit me.
Legs started shaking etc.... whew...it was damn close!!! Cold sweat... the whole works,
and I've had close ones before... hell, what am I saying??? I've benn broken up so many
times, once with 23 broken bones!!! Never felt like I did today...that was truly on the edge of
death's door.
More report:
The suspension settings are great... I took all the re-load out of the rear spring... and added
a bunch to the front, per your specs... 39lbs front 36lbs rear air pressure...
It's just a different bike now... much much better...and now I have to learn how
to ride it all over again... much more potential than I ever thought a 12 could do...
Those tires took me to the grave and brought me back... thanks for the advice and help...
Jere
   
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waltdog
Expert Class
EDM guy
Posts: 207
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posted September 10, 2005 04:50 PM
Cool story Jere!
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There's a dead hobo on the patio
And an old barbed wire on the funeral fire
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 04:54 PM
quote:
Cool story Jere!
Lucky to be able to post it...
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Outlaw1
Zone Head
Posts: 803
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posted September 10, 2005 05:32 PM
Now when you get those tires down to the threads it will be time to go to the next level.
Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons 190/55 med, Front Soft, Race Tires
When you drop from the 200 to anything else it feels great. But you come to a point when you need them to stick. And thats where the Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons come in and make ya feel like King Kong 
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 05:33 PM
Damn Jere be careful dude!!!!!!!! Those setting don't come with an I'm over my head garantee.
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 05:42 PM
quote:
Now when you get those tires down to the threads it will be time to go to the next level.
Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons 190/55 med, Front Soft, Race Tires
When you drop from the 200 to anything else it feels great. But you come to a point when you need them to stick. And thats where the Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons come in and make ya feel like King Kong
I'll put my 014s up against those super duper Pirelli tires any day. In fact I have on more than one occasioin and had no problem hurting some feelings. The Pirelli's are yesterday and the Powers and 014's are today and part way thru tomorrow. Even Blits has seen the light. I've followed Pirelli shod liter bikes thru the gap and laughed as I watched them slip and slide trying to stay ahead of my OL FAT 12R shod with 014s. I picked lines at will and passed without problem. After that it a matter of how much road I want to open up. This isn't to say that me and my 12R can stay ahead of every liter bike at the Gap I can't. In fact I really don't even care for the Gap all that much. I'm just saying that if it wasn't for the 014s I would be as dead as yesterday. There have been more than a few times when I said Uh Oh! and the tires saved the day. Like Jere said already a lesser tire would have sealed my cript.
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 05:43 PM
Gunner... I forgot to say that the new Dunlop rear was toast with 84 miles on it...
sides were balled up and cords showing... 84 MILES!!!
The Pilot Powers with the same mileage, yet run even harder, SHOW NO SIGNS OF WEAR!!!
Unbelieveable!!!!
Outlaw... you keep on running what you got... I need some advantage over you!!!!
Synthetic tires... HELL YES!!!!
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 05:46 PM
Like a born again kid in a candy store he is!!!!!!!
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 05:50 PM
 Edited By: 238mph on 10 Sep 2005 18:52
I have to say that now I'm sort of worried... I run through these canyons... no runoff area
at all... and I was hitting 100 plus through these twisites... one mistake and that's it...
I won't be able to really see what the tires can do unless I do a track day where I'm not
afraid to toss the bike... facing rock walls, guard rails, and traffic is no fun...
But I know already that I've doubled the capability of the bike... amazing...
Oh, gunner, you're right in that I could not get my knee down on the ground with the rear
lifted back to stock height... I don't like that... I'm used to having the knee down so I have
three points of contact, much more stable.
So I'm going to lower the rear again and slide the front tubes down as well to keep the
same rake I now have, but get me lower to the ground... I need to feel the ground, it's
much more re-assuring.
Jere
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 05:57 PM
Take some static measurements at a few different places front and rear. And Jere let me know how far you can lower the 12. I'm real close to doing the same thing to my second bike and give it to my girlfriend to ride. She's just a little scared because of the height issue. I'm a lot scared because of the power issue but I'll work her up to it if I can get her comfortable on the bike.
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
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posted September 10, 2005 06:10 PM
Edited By: trenace on 10 Sep 2005 19:10
BTW I will soon be able to post how much lower the A-tech tail/seat unit is, as it's already been shipped. For those interested in themselves being lower, that could be a solution instead of lowering the bike. I don't know how long EMS takes from Japan, it was probably regular shipping not anything expedited.
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Connman
Zone Head
Posts: 506
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posted September 10, 2005 06:33 PM
When my new powers get here I don't think I'll push them quite as hard as you Jere,
but it's good to know that if I do get in a tight spot, my tires won't be a weak link.
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Outlaw1
Zone Head
Posts: 803
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posted September 10, 2005 06:49 PM
Edited By: Outlaw1 on 10 Sep 2005 19:51
quote:
quote:
Now when you get those tires down to the threads it will be time to go to the next level.
Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons 190/55 med, Front Soft, Race Tires
When you drop from the 200 to anything else it feels great. But you come to a point when you need them to stick. And thats where the Pirelli Supercorsa Dragons come in and make ya feel like King Kong
I'll put my 014s up against those super duper Pirelli tires any day. In fact I have on more than one occasioin and had no problem hurting some feelings. The Pirelli's are yesterday and the Powers and 014's are today and part way thru tomorrow. Even Blits has seen the light. I've followed Pirelli shod liter bikes thru the gap and laughed as I watched them slip and slide trying to stay ahead of my OL FAT 12R shod with 014s. I picked lines at will and passed without problem. After that it a matter of how much road I want to open up. This isn't to say that me and my 12R can stay ahead of every liter bike at the Gap I can't. In fact I really don't even care for the Gap all that much. I'm just saying that if it wasn't for the 014s I would be as dead as yesterday. There have been more than a few times when I said Uh Oh! and the tires saved the day. Like Jere said already a lesser tire would have sealed my cript.
I Have run Dunslops and Bridgestones, And I understood why the word stone was in the tire name Bridgestone. Primitive.
Right now I have a Dunlop 190/60 GP A Race Tire on and I really cant complain about the tire sticking. Except that it aint a Pirelli Dragon Super Corsa. It just dont inspire balls to the wall riding like the Pirelli does.
I aint going to brag about passing ZX-10's and Gixxer 1000's and the little 750's, 600's, But I have. That dont mean nothing to me if I aint riding at the top of my game. And I can feel when something aint right and it could be better.
To me being smooth is all I am after. Rock soild and smooth. Thats all I want. When I have that, Then it dont matter how many bikes I pass that aint set up right.
I have removed 90% of the OH Shit from my rides with the bike being set-up correctly.
Be smooth.
P.S I have a set of Bridgestone race tires that I am considering putting on this week. I will give feedback after a couple hundred miles.
Jere give those tires about 50 or more miles to come in before really hitting it hard. I like giving em a 100 miles myself.
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Lead, Follow, Or get the hell outta the way.
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trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
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posted September 10, 2005 07:04 PM
Y'all are making me want to say "Fuck it" with regard to the Diablo Corsas I have waiting to put on, and instead ordering the Pilot Powers.
Is the difference between those two -- not Pilot Powers vs stock Dunlops, or vs Supercorsas -- really that much?
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scooter trash
Expert Class
Posts: 407
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posted September 10, 2005 07:27 PM
I haven't "seen the light" yet Gunner. ;-)
I am putting the Powers on (on the advice of my local buddies) but have not done a mile on them and whether or not I'll permanently abandon my beloved Diablos remains to be seen.
The Diablos are hands down the best tires I have ever had, but I'm always up for trying a new tire out.
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 07:27 PM
Outlaw have you had the 014s? I've had the 010 and in fact my secondary bike has a set on it and I don't care for them at all. It's not even close to the same tire as the 014. I understand that Bridgestone also has a 002 tire or something like that? Seems like I read that the other day. Is that the tire that you're about to mount up?
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Outlaw1
Zone Head
Posts: 803
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posted September 10, 2005 07:29 PM
Trenace The Pirelli Supercorsa 190/55 is so damn good if you dont like it I will buy it from ya.
And the 190/55 is the only way to go on a 12. With the rim width the 180's just dont contour correctly. They flaten out because of the width of the rim. And there is only three tires I know that are 190/55 or taller in 190 width. Bridgestone 190/55 race tire, Pirelli Dragon Super Corsa, Dunlop 208 GPA 190/60 these three tires fit the 6 inch rim and the contour is the way the tire contour is correct on a 6 inch rim.
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Lead, Follow, Or get the hell outta the way.
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 07:32 PM
Tren, talk to Blitz... all his buddies do track days... they ran ALL that stuff and say the
powers rule!!!
I ran the dog shit out of those tires today... no signs of wear!!! Awesome!!!
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Outlaw1
Zone Head
Posts: 803
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posted September 10, 2005 07:36 PM
Edited By: Outlaw1 on 10 Sep 2005 20:38
quote:
Outlaw have you had the 014s? I've had the 010 and in fact my secondary bike has a set on it and I don't care for them at all. It's not even close to the same tire as the 014. I understand that Bridgestone also has a 002 tire or something like that? Seems like I read that the other day. Is that the tire that you're about to mount up?
Yep The Bridgestone Battalax 002R 190/55 Race Tire are the ones I am mounting this week. After I put a couple hundred miles on them I will give some feedback.
The 010 were junk. I have never run the 014. But I will try the race Bridgestone with an open mind.
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 07:40 PM
Edited By: gunner on 10 Sep 2005 20:40
Sounds good! All I need to buy now is a tire machine. Hell the tires aren't all that bad to buy it's the damn mounting cost that suck Azzzz!!!!!!!
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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Outlaw1
Zone Head
Posts: 803
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posted September 10, 2005 07:47 PM
I do all mine myself. I just cant see taking my rims to anybody and walking away.
Been there and done that. 
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gunner
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted September 10, 2005 07:51 PM
Shit I stand there and hold their hand while my tires are mounted and balanced.
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There's no such thing as a motor with no more power to give only people with no more intelligence to get it
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trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
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posted September 10, 2005 08:10 PM
Edited By: trenace on 10 Sep 2005 21:12
quote:
Trenace The Pirelli Supercorsa 190/55 is so damn good if you dont like it I will buy it from ya.
And the 190/55 is the only way to go on a 12. With the rim width the 180's just dont contour correctly. They flaten out because of the width of the rim. And there is only three tires I know that are 190/55 or taller in 190 width. Bridgestone 190/55 race tire, Pirelli Dragon Super Corsa, Dunlop 208 GPA 190/60 these three tires fit the 6 inch rim and the contour is the way the tire contour is correct on a 6 inch rim.
How do they do cold? By which I mean, warm or reasonable day but the tires have just been idling along, not being pushed hard because of there having been no turns of note for some time nor any great amount of acceleration or braking either. Acceleration maybe but braking usually not. So the front may be just the temperature from rolling deformation, which is only modest warm not good and warm.
Very important to me because that is often the situation in Florida: when you get a nice turn typically there has been nothing to get the tires particularly warm before. So a tire that needs a good warm up to stick well, is useless, or rather no better than a totally ordinary tire.
The Diablos are not bad for that, just wondering if the Pilot Powers are at least equally good in that condition, not warmed up. ???
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 08:11 PM
Got a place here that mounts and balances for $10... worth the hurt knuckles to me to
pay the 10 bucks....
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238mph
Pro
Posts: 1145
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posted September 10, 2005 08:16 PM
Tren, go to a shop that sells the powers... and feel them... sticky ass bastids just
sitting on the shelf... and super soft... and paper thin!! I said, "Damn, these aren't going
to last 100 miles..." and today I murdered them... with no signs of wear....!!!
Did I say I was one happy camper???
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