Hard VS Soft Carcass Tires

[ZoliCanoli]

Just looking to collect some information here about Soft and hard carcass tires. Mainly slicks as I am currently running Michelin power slick 2 on my race bike. I'm debating between keeping the Michelins or switching to Dunlops. I loved the dunlop Q3+ when I ran them on track days before moving to slicks. But I've heard that dunlop slicks can be super temperature and pressure sensitive. I know the dunlops have a harder carcass than the Michelins and pirellis are about as Soft as they come. Whats your guy's experience with different carcass tires?

 

[Trials]

Compound :I it's hard or soft rubber compound, the tire carcass is either radial or bias ply and the number of layers of ply material in the sidewall and tread portion is what determines the tires load carry characteristics.

The rubber compound can vary so much with time and from one production run to the next, the top sponsored riders are sometimes afforded an opportunity to hand select their own race rubber out of a huge inventory of gummy tires.

Just take a key and push it into the thick part of the rubber tread, if it goes in a long way and leaves a tiny dent, you have a nice soft compound tire, if it doesn't dent into the rubber at all and leave an impression after, that one's a harder compound tire.

 

[Wingboy]

Need a bit more info so the experts that actually race can help you. Is this race or trackday? Modern or vintage? Tire warmers?
Race pros?

 

[bakaboy]

Just looking to collect some information here about Soft and hard carcass tires. Mainly slicks as I am currently running Michelin power slick 2 on my race bike. I'm debating between keeping the Michelins or switching to Dunlops. I loved the dunlop Q3+ when I ran them on track days before moving to slicks. But I've heard that dunlop slicks can be super temperature and pressure sensitive. I know the dunlops have a harder carcass than the Michelins and pirellis are about as Soft as they come. Whats your guy's experience with different carcass tires?

Everyone has opinions.

The opinions are usually formed by using 1 brand of tire and listening to other peoples opinions.

Very few track riders have used multiple tire brands in equal conditions to have reliable data to have an informed opinion.

This is true of me as well.

Run the tire that is most economical or easier to access (whichever decision making model that you wish to use)

Learn and adjust suspension, pressures, tire warmers, tire compounds etc on that brand of tire so that they are the best for you at your given pace on any specific day at a certain track and your own unique pace.

And not random opinions on the internet.

And keep records of what you do with what under what conditions so that you learn with your conditions what X produced Y result.

 

[Priller]

Very few track riders have used multiple tire brands in equal conditions to have reliable data to have an informed opinion.

I remember when the British bike magazines were in their pomp, and they'd set up a huge sports tire test with all the major brands. They'd rent a track for a couple days, blindfold the riders (or put their heads in a bin), measure lap and sector times, take scrupulous notes. At the end, there still wasn't very much useful information beyond, "this one turns in a bit quicker," or, "that one feels a bit better on corner exit." Even lap times weren't consistent from one model to another, with different riders and bikes getting different results with each tire. At best, there'd be three or four tires that were better than three or four tires, which was often reflected in price gaps. I know of one road tester who has since admitted he'd stop on the back straight on the out lap to have a peek at the model so he'd sound more consistent in his comments because otherwise he was a bit lost...

 

[Trials]

21 tire changes in one CSBK race season. That's what Jordan said he went through just a couple of years ago.

 

[Wingboy]

21 tire changes in one CSBK race season. That's what Jordan said he went through just a couple of years ago.

Good point. Don't spent that $200 on stupid bling. Spend it on fresh rubber.
At the average riders level of skill, just about any tire will be fine. It's hard to buy a bad tire today.

 

[TSC_113]

Just looking to collect some information here about Soft and hard carcass tires. Mainly slicks as I am currently running Michelin power slick 2 on my race bike. I'm debating between keeping the Michelins or switching to Dunlops. I loved the dunlop Q3+ when I ran them on track days before moving to slicks. But I've heard that dunlop slicks can be super temperature and pressure sensitive. I know the dunlops have a harder carcass than the Michelins and pirellis are about as Soft as they come. Whats your guy's experience with different carcass tires?

The best thing you can do is to try different tires on the same day. Different carcasses will require different suspension settings. But different track surfaces can also affect tire performance.

 

[Brian P]

Jonathan Rae might have a useful opinion on that matter. The rest of us ... aren't that good.

I tried some Michelin DOT race tires that another competitor swears by. I swore at them. Felt like the front end was going to tuck, everywhere. Maybe fiddling with set-up might have addressed this, but given that they only lasted 2 days on a Yamaha R3, I simply switched back to what I had set the bike up for. (only reason I used those was that the Dunlop guy was out of tires in the size that I needed)

 

[racepro171]

I have raced hard on all four brands, set track records or been close to on all. they all have their plus and minus. only you know what you will like.
yes the P is like extra suspension but needs to be set up like suspension, and the D, i can run over a dime and tell you if its heads or tails.