Trackday tire...

Joined
Sep 29, 2007
Messages
36
Location
Manteo, NC
Bike
ST1300
Thinking about doing a trackday with my ST and wondering what the consensus is on the tire with the best traction for our bikes, longevity being irrelevant to this purpose.
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
1,026
Age
71
Location
Hereford, AZ
Bike
2020 Moto guzzi V85T
Personally I would use the tires I always use to ride. One less thing to get comfortable with on the track.
 
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
129
Location
Minneapolis, mn
Your bikes limitation will be more prevalent than the tires. Meaning you will be scraping hard parts before you come close to the limits of your tires under these condition...
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
1,201
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Bike
2005 ST1300
STOC #
8901
The Bridgestone T30 Evo's have plenty of stick for a track day; I believe the Ron Haslam race school uses them on CBR1000RR's in the UK.
 
OP
OP
OBX-RIDER
Joined
Sep 29, 2007
Messages
36
Location
Manteo, NC
Bike
ST1300
Your bikes limitation will be more prevalent than the tires. Meaning you will be scraping hard parts before you come close to the limits of your tires under these condition...
Interesting, because one of the reasons I chose the ST over the FJR is it clearly had more lean angle or cornering clearance available when I rode them. I have ridden a SV650s, VFR800fi, Buell M2 and a GSX-r750 doing trackdays and all ran out of tire traction before any hard parts touched ... though I did remove the centerstand from the VFR.

You are probably right though ...
 

Whooshka

Fairly faST old guy
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
1,009
Location
New Jersey
Bike
2006 ST1300
What do you mean by that? Just curious...
Probably the tires started to slide a bit. Track days will really heat them up to the point they may even feel "greasy". I would want the stickiest, sportiest tire available in ST sizes.

You start sliding a 750 lb. bike and you're in for a thrill ride. And hopefully not an ambulance ride.
 
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
129
Location
Minneapolis, mn
Track days for me may be more appropriately said "Track school".. Usually on the track for 20 minutes off for 20 minutes of class time... I probable don't generate the heat others may experience.. I've run mine with T-30s and those worked well.. Last time on track was after I double darksided and was still scraping hard parts (yes I body leaned hard)...

Track days
 
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
323
Location
Bothell, WA and Surprise, AZ
Bike
2012 ST1300P ABS
STOC #
8912
I did a track day a couple of months ago with a fairly new set of Avon Storm 3D tires. 20 minutes on the track and 40 minutes off each hour. I had no issues with traction. I got to the point I was scraping the foot pegs even though I body leaned as much as I could.

Fun day! I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to find out the limits of the bike in a controlled situation with a known good traction surface.
 
OP
OP
OBX-RIDER
Joined
Sep 29, 2007
Messages
36
Location
Manteo, NC
Bike
ST1300
What do you mean by that? Just curious...
Well ... on the GSX-r and the SV I mean I have gone sliding down the asphalt after a bit of ...shall we say ... irrational exuberance. Knee down ... good ... shoulder down ... not good. You know where Marc Marquez lifts the bike up to save it with his elbow ... I apparently don't have that superpower.

But yes generally I mean when the rear tire starts sliding ...

The SV "fall" was trying to get an extra day out of a set of tires that should have been replaced. Foolish sense of economy. So I'm willing to put a new set on the ST if it helps even a little ...

I was thinking of retaking CA SBK 1-3 on something other than a pure sportsbike ... and I thought the ST might be fun ... especially considering that I am old and feeble ...
 

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired
Site Supporter
Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
9,498
Location
Cedar City, Utah
Bike
12/04 ST 1300s
2024 Miles
000145
STOC #
5901
I did a track day back it 2007 and found the track was too tight to really get much out of the ST1300. I did scrape the heck out of the bolts under the pegs!

_i7g5459.jpg <- my favorite picture from it! ;)
 
OP
OP
OBX-RIDER
Joined
Sep 29, 2007
Messages
36
Location
Manteo, NC
Bike
ST1300
If I was looking to go fast ... I would ride my gixxer ...

Dad20Turn20520VIR20N by mmelugin48, on Flickr

or even my old SV650 ...

zsv650std_zpscevlnoqg by mmelugin48, on Flickr

... but I'm just looking to see what I can get out of my ST1300 on the track and have some fun with it. If I blow by some kid on a supersport ... cool ... if not ... hey ... I'm just an old guy on a touring bike ... :)
 
Last edited:

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired
Site Supporter
Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
9,498
Location
Cedar City, Utah
Bike
12/04 ST 1300s
2024 Miles
000145
STOC #
5901
My track day was at the Streets of Willow. The track there was pretty small and tight. The larger track, Willow Springs is used for a lot of different type racing. But we were on the smaller one. I just had a really hard time keeping the revs up. :eek:4:

I think I could have done better on my old V45 Sabre! :D

85V45Sabre.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
829
Location
Medina, Tennessee
Bike
2021 Tracer 9GT
STOC #
375
Thinking about doing a trackday with my ST and wondering what the consensus is on the tire with the best traction for our bikes, longevity being irrelevant to this purpose.
I have not found anything that sticks any better on my ST than the Bridgestone T30 EVO GTs I have been running for the past year or two. I have a set of M7s on my Duc and love those things, but wrong size.
 
Joined
May 12, 2017
Messages
20
Location
Western Pa
Bike
04 ST1300
I plan on doing a track day next year at Pitt Race and I'll be running Pilot Road 4's. I'll let you know how it goes..
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
645
Location
Cookeville, TN
Bike
2015 FJR1300 ES
I did one on my PR4s and have since tried the Angel GTs, both of which would do. I would check with the Track day organization as they can give you some guidance. Some do not allow some tires.
 
Top Bottom