[Chuckster]

I've been looking into rain/wet tires since they run the class in the rain. With the price of these classes, I don't think I want to be forced to sit out. I can tell my bike is getting old because I can't find any in my size. Michelin's are a 120/60 and 190/69. A smaller front and bigger rear may be too much geometry shift for me. Pirelli has both wets and rains with the right size front, but still a 190 rear. Dunlops come close, and Bridgestone is the same story as the Michelins. The Avon AV57 and AV58 are the only "right size" rains I can find.

 

[rv6john]

I've been looking into rain/wet tires since they run the class in the rain. With the price of these classes, I don't think I want to be forced to sit out. I can tell my bike is getting old because I can't find any in my size. Michelin's are a 120/60 and 190/69. A smaller front and bigger rear may be too much geometry shift for me. Pirelli has both wets and rains with the right size front, but still a 190 rear. Dunlops come close, and Bridgestone is the same story as the Michelins. The Avon AV57 and AV58 are the only "right size" rains I can find.

I'll suggest that you just run a good set of DOT tires such as Q3+ or S22s. The class is is not about lap times but techniques, especially level 1. They definitely recommend riding at 75-80% so you can make adjustments. As of last year, CSS ran Q3+ tires on all the bikes including the coaches and I assume they still do.

 

[Chuckster]

I was sort of thinking along the same lines. Full rains may be overkill. Something like the Pilot Power 3 would probably be enough. The only difference is that if I get rains I'll have them for wet trackdays too.

 

[tigerblade]

If you go full rains and it starts drying out you'll be looking to hit puddles on purpose. I've only run them once myself, at Road America. It started drying out and I swear I could smell the tires starting to burn up.

 

[JETMECHANIC]

Dropped my race bike off at Motosports Exoctia In LA having the suspension done. 25MM GP cartridges and an Olins TTX rear shock. Hoping this will make an already good bike even better. Had to do a keyless ignition also my stock one was causing the bike to quit at the most in opportune time like in a turn. Not fun.

 

[Chuckster]

What boingers did you have before?

 

[JETMECHANIC]

What boingers did you have before?

All stock suspension before and never serviced.

 

[Chuckster]

After you go through the learning curve to get it tuned, you'll be amazed. I went from stock to just an upgrade kit. You went full monty....I'm jealous.

 

[koth442]

Solid upgrades Jet.

I'm supposed to do Barber this weekend, but it's probably going to be thunderstorming all day... Grumbe grumble grumble...

 

[JETMECHANIC]

My next one is April 17 looking forward to it. All new suspension and new set of Pirelli slicks, no reason I shouldn’t tear the track up.

 

[rv6john]

Solid upgrades Jet.

I'm supposed to do Barber this weekend, but it's probably going to be thunderstorming all day... Grumbe grumble grumble...

What day? Saturday looks like the track should be south of the bigger chance of precip in the morning. Sunday does not look good.

 

[koth442]

My next one is April 17 looking forward to it. All new suspension and new set of Pirelli slicks, no reason I shouldn’t tear the track up.

Aww yeah! Where are you going?

What day? Saturday looks like the track should be south of the bigger chance of precip in the morning. Sunday does not look good.

I'm going Saturday. Last I checked, thunderstorms were a real possibility. That's what I get for checking I suppose... There's always a chance the clouds will miss us.

 

[JETMECHANIC]

Auto club speed way Fontana

 

[Chuckster]

Been watching the STT facebook group. Tons of people wanted to sell their spots and a few people looking for rain tires and rain suits. Always sucks to get washed out. The tires I ordered back in November are getting delivered today. I like Sportbiketireservice.com, but they're a bit scatterbrained sometimes. No harm no foul though. Rain is getting common here, and today we're under a high wind warning. Big storm coming.

 

[koth442]

Yup, I've been seeing them drop like flies, and people keep buying the spots too! I decided just to hold onto mine. I booked a non-refundable hotel anyway. I figure there's at least a chance of some riding if I go. A 0% chance of riding if I stay home though.

 

[Chuckster]

I went to Autobahn in 2014. It was predicted to storm all day. About 20 miles from the track, the storm split and the track had sun and still air all day. You could see storms in the distance in either direction. You never know.

 

[koth442]

Yup, that's why I'm going. It's Alabama. It'll change every 10 minutes anyway!

 

[Chuckster]

The second year I was doing TDs, it rained most of the morning. Around 11 it stopped. They let us go out in our cars and trucks and drive the track to dry it out. About 1p, it was dry enough to go out (notoriously slick when it's wet), and the track went green. Only about half the folks went out. 1:30, the sun broke through, and the 2p session looked like it was going to be perfect. By 1:50, another storm came out of nowhere. It was so bad, people EZ-ups were blown across the paddock and bikes were blown off their stands. The track closes and locks their gates at 6 and there were no garages.... we didn't get out of the cars to load up and clean up until 6:30. It was the one and only one time they stayed open late without charging the organization. Intermediate got the only clean session of the day. It was the craziest weather I've ever experienced.

 

[koth442]

That's wild Chuck. I have seen bikes blown over before, but in the 11 years I've been riding track, it's rare. Maybe once or twice.

Yesterday was good. It was cloudy all day, windy as fuck, and the pollen WOW. I have never seen so much pollen. The air was hazy off in the distance. If you got off line, your tires would be coated. Overall, a solid day though. It was dry and warm, corners were turned, knees were dragged, and everything came home in one piece.

Brakes worked very well, thank you all for the tips! Lever feel isn't what I want it to be, but that's probably specific to the master & not anything wrong.

 

[koth442]

What tires do you guys run, how long do they last, and at which tracks? I'm going to make about 2.5 days on this Q4.