Best Tire Options

OK, when its dry, slicks are the best option. Likewise, when its wet, full on rains are best. But what about when it might or might not rain and you have 10-15 minutes before your race and need to make a decision? Or when its damp with some puddles but drying? Sounds nearly ideal for intermediates but they aren't available in a rear I can use. I wonder about street or DOT tires, preferably, I guess, with high silica content. Ideas? Actual experience?

 

You could always groove your own slick?

 

My first?second? year racing, I had only one spare set of rims with 2ct’s on them, as I still rode that bike on the street between race weekends. Luckily had that set with me, and everyone else on slicks anticipated on the light drizzle to stop by the end of warm up lap. It ended up downpouring and I just rode around like I was commuting as one by one everyone on slicks lost the gamble. Just my one story of good luck with street tires and rain while gridding up. As for what’s better, no clue nowadays for intermediates etc. I just keep rains mounted and hope for the best

 

Slicks in the wet.....can't be beat

 

one year at Roebling I was in a C SS with Huey from Marmo... we both had street tars in torrential downpour. We both admitted to reverting back to "street riding commuting habits" of soft throttle until on the center of the tire.

 

We were met with mixed conditions in Race 2 at NJMP this past year. There were conversations down to the last second about running slicks or wets.
We ended up, like most everyone else, going with wets front and rear.
Matt, Josh, and Hayden gambled with their tires and either ran a slick rear or full slicks, it did not work out.

If I remember correctly our wet rear was absolutely chewed up by the end of the race.

This race is an excellent example of the ambiguity of mixed conditions.

 

Yep!

 

In MA, you're stuck with ether slicks or wets. I'm wondering about a possible third option.

 

Oh shit this thread will implode soon. But in general since you mentioned MA you have 2 choices to manage. And fyi rains do pretty well on a drying track.

But everywhere else in Moto2, WSBK, etc., etc you have slicks, wets, and rains. And same choices from Pirelli here btw

 

I have rains; can't get wets in an appropriate size rear (can we get any "wets" in the US? I see 200 rear only). Hence, my inquiry about other options for uncertain or mixed conditions.

 

This from the Pirelli tire selection thread from 2018
And still true today

Wets
These will work perfect on a damp track without standing water and with no chance of the track drying out. Have you ever seen those conditions before? Yep not very likely as it’s always going to rain more or dry out, just stick with rains or dry tires!




But if it soothes your emotional racer heart hand cut some slicks

 

I have Pirelli slicks and rains. Can't get a rear wet that will fit. How nice for you that you think all one needs is slicks or rains and, usually, that is the case but not always, especially when one doesn't have a crew to do last minute wheel swaps.

 

Question? Why doesn't MotoGP, BStone, or the other dudes offer a wet tire?

 

You're misunderstanding what I'd hope to accomplish under circumstances where conditions are unclear with 15-20 minutes to go. Moto GP deals with it in two ways: they have two bikes, and can and do set one up for rain and one for dry conditions; and when rain starts on the grid when bikes are on slicks, they get time to make the switch. I don't have either of those options, hence my curiosity about a third option: tires that could be ok in either event, but admittedly not nearly as good as having the "right" tires on.

 

Ok got it. I would suggest you consult the same thing my golf course does when they get the question "what's the weather going to do?"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_8_Ball

 

Third option is like what he said, cut slicks. Get set of slicks, hand cut them and keep it in trailer next to rains.

 

Ok, that is a few suggestions for hand cut slicks. Has anyone done it, and the results were.....? I suspect the rubber used in tires known for excellent wet weather grip, like the Michelin Road 6, is preferable in the wet to cut slicks but likely inferior in the dry. Putting aside the PITA of hand-cutting a set of slicks.

 

If you have 3 sets of wheels you could:
Have a set of slicks mounted
Have a set rains mounted
Have a set of sport/ touring tires mounted?

I think you are over thinking this. Scuffed slicks on a wet track that doesn't have big puddles aren't that bad, try it.
Rains on a drying track aren't bad you just hunt for puddles to help keep them cool.
And the big question isn't everyone that you are racing in the same situation?

 

When conditions are what you say op, I will run a set of Bridgestone S21 or 22's. I was at CMP last year in October I believe, and it was pouring when I got there. Changed from Metzeler TD slicks to S21's, and rolled until it dried up after lunch. Even when it was getting pretty dry, the S21's were good enough to still have a good time, and put down some decent laps. After lunch, I changed back to the TD slicks and spent the rest of the day on them.