Tyres, Pressures & Warmers for Bikes

Maximizing grip and safety on track

Tyre Selection

Road Legal Track Tyres

Best for most track day riders:

  • Pirelli Supercorsa: Excellent all-rounder
  • Michelin Power GP: Great feedback
  • Dunlop SportSmart TT: Good in varied conditions
  • Bridgestone S22: Consistent performance

Track-Only Tyres

For advanced riders with warmers:

  • Require tyre warmers
  • Superior grip when hot
  • Shorter lifespan
  • Not road legal

Pressure Guidelines

These are starting points - adjust based on conditions and feel

Cold Pressures (Without Warmers)

  • Front: 30-32 PSI
  • Rear: 28-30 PSI
  • Lower than road to build heat quickly
  • Will increase 2-4 PSI when hot

Hot Pressures (Target)

  • Front: 32-34 PSI
  • Rear: 30-32 PSI
  • Check immediately after coming in
  • Adjust cold pressure to achieve these

With Tyre Warmers

  • Set to hot pressure in warmers
  • No additional increase expected
  • More consistent from first lap

Using Tyre Warmers

Setup

  1. Clean tyres before fitting warmers
  2. Ensure good contact all around
  3. Set temperature (80°C typical)
  4. Allow 30-45 minutes minimum
  5. Keep on until called to track

Best Practices

  • Use on stands to ensure even heating
  • Have spare set for quick changes
  • Digital controllers more accurate
  • Cover with thermal blankets in cold weather
  • Check actual tyre temp with pyrometer

Reading Tyre Wear

Good Wear Patterns

  • Even wear across tread
  • Slight tearing normal on track
  • Gradual transition to edge

Problem Indicators

  • Cold tearing: Increase pressure or temperature
  • Hot tearing: Reduce pressure
  • Centre wear: Too much pressure
  • Edge wear only: Too little pressure
  • Rebound marks: Suspension issues

Temperature Management

Without Warmers

  • First 2-3 laps gentle to build heat
  • Weave gently on straights
  • Progressive lean angles
  • Avoid hard braking initially

Maintaining Temperature

  • Consistent lap times help
  • Short sessions in cold weather
  • Return to warmers between sessions
  • Cover tyres when stationary

Tyre Life

Track use wears tyres quickly:

  • Road tyres: 3-6 track days
  • Track tyres: 1-3 track days
  • Factors: Pace, temperature, track surface
  • Rotate front to rear if sizes match
  • Keep dedicated track wheels/tyres

Common Mistakes

  • Using road pressures on track
  • Not checking hot pressures
  • Pushing hard on cold tyres
  • Ignoring wear indicators
  • Wrong tyre choice for pace
  • Mixing tyre brands/models

Quick Reference

Cold (no warmers):

  • Front: 30-32 PSI
  • Rear: 28-30 PSI

Hot target:

  • Front: 32-34 PSI
  • Rear: 30-32 PSI