Pirelli tire selection

Or me just received a 180/60....

 

You can always sell them to someone running track days on a 2nd gen SV with a GSXR rear wheel who doesn't want chain lube on his tire warmers.

 

It's definitely not a bad tire. There are just better options for the 5.5" rim. I get why that tire is still in the lineup, but most guys (after I explain why) end up on the 190 and are happy with the upgrade.

And we've made them work on 848s. You'll need an adjustable link (if you don't have it; I think some versions had a fixed link) and the eccentric has to be run long which will probably require some work to get the right combination of geometry, chain and sprockets. But if you're tracking an 848, you're probably no stranger to fiddling with the geometry on that thing; that chassis needed superbikey suspension bits right out of the box to make it work.

 

I race up in the PNW with a few guys that run Daytona 675's and they all complained about the switch from 180/60 to 190/60. They felt the 190 wore much quicker and was harder to set up. Last we chatted, they all switched back to the 180/60.

 

The fact that they missed the setup is most likely what contributed to accelerated wear. Again, the 180/60 is certainly not a bad tire, it's just not the best tire we can put on a 5.5" rim. And the PNW is one part of this country where I have zero track knowledge or setup data so I can't be of any help. Were they working with a reputable tuner and the tire vendor or sorting it out themselves? Is this for racing or track days?

 

They are all pretty experienced racers (5+ years) so I would be surprised if they missed on the setup that much, but I don't have any first hand knowledge as I'm on an R3 and a SV with a 180/55 GSXR rear. They worked with Sage at CTR for supply and had spoken to him about their issues. They got a new batch of 180/60 for the season so it looks like they are going to stick with the known comity for now. Your comment just jumped out at me because they all had similar comments after they switched.

 

Hah. I don't know shit about fuck. I had an 848 and felt like going to the track so I did. It looks cool, so I keep using it. I do have an adjustable link, Ohlins front and rear, kyle triples but mostly because I like to spend money. I even picked up a Kyle ride height tool so I can precisely copy fast people. I bought another 848 that Dennis Espinosa ran at Daytona a zillion years ago because I don't have enough shit cluttering my garage and basement.

Seriously, thanks for all the info you add. At some point, I'll grab a shagged 190/60 from you at NJMP and see about making it work on my 2nd bike.

 

I remember Espinosa's 848. I think PJ rode it at one point when it was an endurance bike? Or maybe it was just for fun at Jennings?

FYI, getting all that stuff right is a job much better suited for the shop than trackside. I'm not soliciting for business, but if you want that sorted out, hit me up at the shop. I probably won't have the time to dedicate to the job trackside.

 

Hi Mike. I went there many times and worked with tuners like Zlock and riders like Jervis, Sutton, Campbell, and Fassett, etc., etc. There was a time when PNW riders told me the 180/60 wouldn't fit a SV but in the mean time Jervis was smoking them all with said tire on a Zlock SV. And Jervis could get the SC0 to work on the SV but others said they don't work, and guess who was winning everything? And do you think the Zlock guys are going to tell the paddock their set-up notes, hell no!

At that time we only had a 190/60 rain (for a 5.50-6.00 rim) and those same guys said they won't fit a SV but yet other riders were racing on them THAT same weekend? So Mike maybe it's the Starbucks coffee up there or maybe it's just racers are superstitious about change?

And I could go on and on, but here's the point. Adapt or get beat because the fastest US 600 or SV racers are using the 190/60s just like in WSS. So if you're serious about your racing and being up front you need to FIGURE OUT how to use the best/fastest tools available, and those are a Pirelli 190/60R17 SCX, SC0, SC1.

 

Set up, set up, set up!

 

Any suggestions on geometry when going to the 190/60? That is one big tire on the back of an R6. I’ll speak with suspension folks at track, but like to move in proper direction. (No track time for a bit, so might as well fiddle with things). My bike was setup with a 180/55 when I got it. Ak20 front, Ohlins TTX rear.

 

I prefer to stay out of the internet suspension setup business, but I'll give you some loose guidelines that will be worth exactly what you're paying for them.

If the tire doesn't fit (with a warmer, with room to spare) on an R6, your wheelbase wasn't in the right range to begin with. Going from a 180/55 to a 190/60, you're going to have to drop a tooth (or two) on the rear sprocket to keep your shift points the same. Ride height is going to change +10mm at the rear axle, so to keep it the same (assuming that's what you want to do) you're going to have to account for that in eye to eye at the shock or ride height in the front. (That doesn't mean raising the front 10mm or taking 10mm out of the eye to eye.) Dynamic ride height will also change as the profile is different, so the geometry from upright to max lean will also change along the way.

Again, this is all assuming that your setup was perfect before. And knowing there's AK20s in the forks and a TTX out back was as useful as telling me what color the fairings are. As a very loose suggestion, spring rate in the rear can usually go up using the 190/60. (However, I have no idea what spring you're on now, so ...)

Don't be afraid to change things up. Presumably, your goal is to go faster. You're never going to do that riding the same setup on the same motorcycle the same way.

 

Thank you for your thoughts. Not looking for anything more than broad principles to confirm (or not) my own ideas.

The fairing is white!

 

Where's Jimmy BBS when you need him, right?

 

D

Disregard what I said about gearing. Didn’t realize it was a 2003.

 

Jervis is a fantastic MW rider and Zlock is a fantastic SV builder so that combination would probably win on a scrubbed set of Diablo Rosso's

That being said, I would be curious to see how they were able to fit a 180/60 on the rear of an SV because I tried and wasn't able to make it work. Hence my stock pile of 180/55s

 

Not just a 180/60 but now riders are fitting the 190/60. So please search the bbs for this topic because it's has been cover over and over for years

 

Why is Pirelli no longer offering a 190 rain rear? Is the 200 the new go to rain tire for the 5.5” rim? Anyone know if the 200 will fit on an RS660?

 

From what I see the 200 rain fits a 5.50 to 6 something wheel, but let me do some more research

 

With a rain, would a massively larger contact patch be beneficial vs the 180's smaller one when it comes to pushing water out?