slowestjoe
Parking Attendant
Posts: 1
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posted June 19, 2005 07:44 AM
Dunlop 218's for a track day yes or no?
Do you all think that the 218's will be ok for two track days that I will be going to next week?
Next Tuesday and Wednesday we are heading to Willow Springs. Tuesday we will be on the Streets and Wednesday the big track. I have only about 500 miles on them and will be riding in the slow groups both days. Usually a tire company is there to sell tires but if I dont need them all the better. I just bought the bike last week and had already signed up for the track days and thought I would be taking the 636 but after ridding the 10R I can't resist. This has to be one of if not the best stock bike out of the crate ever.
I changed the oil and filter is there anything else that anyone would recommend prior to going to the track? Unfortunatley I couldn't get sliders put on in time so I will be taking it easy.
I appreciate any and all input thanks in advance.
Slowest Joe
  
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Hells Dark Lord
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posted June 19, 2005 08:38 AM
I have never ridden off the self 218's, but if they are OEM, I woudl say not NO, but Hell NO. I absolutely hated the 218's, they slid all around on me. I took mine off at 750 miles and kept them in the garage for a set of spares.
I just did a 2 trackdays on a set of Pilot Powers and I HIGHLY recommend them. The Powers will perform very well for everyone but the guys that are really, really fast. I just posted a thread elsewhere in the forum on a more complete review of them.
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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k bryant
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posted June 19, 2005 04:00 PM
I did several tests with the 218's and they worked ok. Actually, I still run them on the street and ride reasonably hard. You'll be fine with them at Willow in the slow group especially with such low miles on them. Save your money this time and just learn how to ride the thing. Perhaps you might consider changing them for the second day. Of course you'll be able to go much faster on DOT race rubber. But you'll probably be fine. If you're not sure, have the tire guys take a look at them for an "experts" view. Most of the brands at Track Days will be good tires. But it's also fairly important, even as a new rider, to set the suspension up for whatever brand/size of tire you'll be changing to. This can get a little complicated when at the race track. Again, the tire guys should be able to assist in most cases with this.
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Hells Dark Lord
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Posts: 7981
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posted June 21, 2005 07:08 AM
Kerry is much faster than myself, but I hated those dam 218's on my bike, I woudl spin them up regularly, and got crappy weear out of them.....But if they will hold Kerry on the track, they will do for most of the rest of the motorcycling community....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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zeta xray
Expert Class
Posts: 416
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posted June 22, 2005 07:54 PM
I broke my bike in by the book for 1000 miles with the stock 218's. Then I went to a track day. I thought the tires felt OK. But after 3 sessions, I had worn the tires down quite a lot. If you are in the slower group, I would think the stock tires should be good for at least the first day. You can re-evaluate your options after the first day.
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TedG
Moderator
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posted June 23, 2005 08:01 AM
quote:
But if they will hold Kerry on the track, they will do for most of the rest of the motorcycling community....
Well that statement may not hold true. Experienced riders know how to reduce lean angles to get the most out of their tires. Many inexperienced riders will "over use" the countersteering technique and get the bike leaned over too far to try and maintain their line, Where an experienced rider will use body weight, pressure on the pegs, netural and positive steering to stand the bike up and get a drive ot of the corner. As well being able ti use the the lack of traction to help steer the bike. That is why you will see riders on identical bikes, where one is able to lap very quickly and the other sliding an falling off. IMHO.
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Ted
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k bryant
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posted June 23, 2005 09:34 AM
Well said and absolutely true. I've always been more of a point & shoot rider; brake late, flick it in, stand it up and accelerate out with minimal abuse to the tires. We use to call it "taking the Bakersfield line" (made famous by Ron Pierce). I do believe the "art" of reducing lean angles, peg pressure, bar pressure versus leg/thigh pressure is mis-understood to a degree. Talking lean angles, I was just as fast on my ZRX1100 in the canyons, and as fast as anyone else, as I am on any other sportbike; and I never so much as even touched down a foot peg. But yet I know guys (and see them) dragging muffers, pegs, etc. on full on sportbikes with ton's of ground clearance. Obviously many factors involved and to consider, but I am amazed none the less.
Tire management has always been a big part of my riding and I very seldomly "rag" a set; even on the track they look reasonably good. On the street, they don't get "noticed" by the posers in parking lots who draw a correlation between how your tires and knee sliders look and how fast you must be (or slow). I am continually amazed at how "ragged out" some tires look with guys I ride with. But yet my tires do not look anywhere near as worn, but our "speeds/times" are the same; and in many cases, mine are much faster.
Just like riding on the street. I can ride with "slower" riders who have on the latest sticky DOT race tires that look like they just came off the race track, where mine look reasonably fresh. I use whatever I have at the moment, and many times those are OEM tires (like 218's) and our "pace" is equal.
As you point out, I think most comes with experience and feel. It can be difficult to put into words and/or describe. Essentially, I just compromise, adjust, adapt when using a given set of tires, motorcycle, and/or suspension settings.
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