tyres !! 180/ 55 or 180 /60 ??

[budd]

I've spent the afternoon changing my fork oil to try and improve the compression damping, any when I'm taking it off the paddock stan I notice a bloody great screw in the back tyre ( baldrocks!! ), so I need a diablo supercorsa, well I've found some on ebay part worn / scrubbed in so that's not a problem, but it's brought up the option to go with the new 180/60 profile, I'm currently on the normal 180/55 but I'm wandering whether to go to the newer 180/60 which most of the racers are now running, so I'm looking for some opinions on which to choose, stay with the 180/55 or try the 180/60, the 60 profile is a few mm wider it should give better grip out of corners but as the VTR isn't really powerful enough to trouble the 55 profile (at least in the dry) is there ant point goiung to the 60 profile ?

[VTRDark]

If your rear has plenty of tread on it Budd, why don't you just get it plugged. Loads cheaper.

Have Fun.

(:-})

[nora2004]

Funny this should come up, was just about to start a topic on it! Lol

I think the main difference will be the rise in ride height, my question would be what to do with the shock, for example I've added 3mm onto the length of the Penske shock which is the same as adding a 6mm shock spacer on with the 2:1 linkage ratio! So what would I need to do to keep the existing geometry of the bike, how much would the shock need to be shortened by?

I should be able to work this out, however I'm feeling a bit stupid tonight! Lol

[VTRDark]

You have brought up some very valid points there, interesting! The other thing to think about is if you have a hugger, some of them are close enough to the tyre as it is. There's probably only about 8mm gap between the tyre and my Harris hugger. I have a 180/ 55 tyre on mine.

Just a thought.

(:-})

[budd]

The tyre's probably 65% worn so it's not like it's new and I don't like the idea of a repaired tyre a on a motorbike , I may keep it for an emergency spare but I think it's best to replace it, TT coming up soon to so I want it to be 100%,
I have a hugger fitted and it's already close to the 180/55 so it may need the holes slotting and sliding forward a bit for clearance.
As for rising the rear I suppose it's a matter of fitting it and seeing how the handling changes, I have a 4mm shim in the rear damper so I could remove that but I've just returned the forks to there std position (they were pulled through 5mm ) so that should go some way to restoring the geometry, but I like to experiment a bit so I think I'm going to order a 180/60. I'll post up my findings re fit, and it's effect to handling when I get one delivered and fitted, I'll hopfully have it sorted toward the end of the week.

[VTRDark]

Off to the TT If I was in your situation, then I would bite the bullet and get a new as well.
Look forward to hearing the results, I may consider doing mine next time.

Have fun at the TT mate.

(:-})

[budd]

it seems most of the racing teams are opting for 60 profile now so the 55s are getting a bit harder to come by, I don't think it will make a drastic difference, sure it will raise the rear a bit I can offset this by returning the fork position to std or removing the 4mm rear damper spacer either way I can get the geometry back to were it is now, I may have to tweak the hugger as it's already close to the 55, whether there is anything to gain from the 60 profile I don't know, it said the 60 gives more grip at lean but the VTR as never troubled the 55 for grip (at least in the dry) so I can't see it making much difference, we'll soon see because one is on it's way .

[VTRDark]

Let us know the verdict after you have given them a good run in.

(:-})

[budd]

Let us know the verdict after you have given them a good run in.

(:-})

well my opinion my not count for much, I'm no spring chicken and struggle a false knee, but as I said I don't think the 60 profile will make much difference, it may knock a little off a 600SS lap time but I can't see this will be some thing someone like me will notice, that said I can report on any fiiting issues, I'm hoping for dry weather at the TT because one of the problems of fitting race/track spec tyres is there limited ability to cope with everyday riding, they are superb when the conditions are right but can be a right pain if the conditions don't suit, they only really work 100% within a tight temp range, the supercorsas are awesome in the dry with some heat in them but not as good a as more road oriented tyres in the wet or even outside their temp range, I fitted some dunlop 207GP stars for the TT in 1999 and it rained most of the time and the tyres were awful, worse then awful down right dangerous, apparently this particular formulation of the 207 had no silica and very limited grip in the wet, in the dry they were great but in the wet well wheel spin at 100 plus is no joke !!! I should learn from my mistakes but again I've chosen full race spec tyres for this years TT in the hope it doesn't rain much that said the supercorsa at least as some wet whether grip (at least the sc1 compound does) but if it rains I'd be much better off on a normal corsa fingers crossed no rain

[budd]

Well tyre is fitted, but the extra width (193mm wide) fouls the hugger, there's plenty of clearance around the swing arm and chain, it should be a relatively easy job to 'massage' the hugger to clear the tyre, as for riding it nothing to report really want for a quick ride out on it on weds but only had jeans and a light jacket on so it was a just a quick ride round the block and to be honest it didn’t feel much if any different but I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve been on a longer more ‘spirited’ run out, I’m not sure if or even why I was expecting a ‘night ‘n day’ difference I know the Storm is sensitive to ride height changes but so for any changes appear to be quite subtle.
Anyway it went for it’s MOT yesterday I’m off to pick it up in a minute so fingers crossed it passes (if it does pass with the not for road use stamped full race Microns on the tester must be deaf!!) but it will pass coz I know the tester and while not deaf will turn a ‘deaf ear’ if you know what I mean ,when I get it back (weather permitting) I’ll be able to give it a proper run this weekend check out the new tyre and tweak the set up ready for our trip to the TT.

[budd]

UPDATE, it's been quite a while since I posted anything on this but I haven't done much riding this year (concentrating on the rally car) anyway the 180/60 rear will be due for changing after the Manx GP and I have to say I’ll be reverting to a 180/55, the 60 profile is quite a bit bigger and upsets the geometry enough to require buggering about with everything to get it where I like it and even then it’s not quite right, it’s not something I can put my finger on and say definitively what’s wrong with it but it just doesn’t feel quite right so all in all I’ll be returning to the OE 55 profile.

[VTRDark]

Thanks for the update. Amazing how small amounts can make such a difference.

(:-})

[tony.mon]

Thanks for the update. Amazing how small amounts can make such a difference.

(:-})

You been talking to my wife?

[VTRDark]

Mmmm (scratching chin!)



(:-})

[budd]

Thanks for the update. Amazing how small amounts can make such a difference.

(:-})

You been talking to my wife?