Hi All, It’s been a couple decades or so since I raced in the SE region and looking for some advice now that I am old and in AZ. I just bought a 2011 race prepped ZX6R for track days. We don’t have WERA here in AZ, so no race tire vendors to get advice from. What size rear DOT Michelin or Pirelli tires are you running on the 600s? The bike came with 200/55/17 Dunlop slicks, but that seems a bit wide to me. Maybe I’ve been out of the loop too long, but looking for advice on the size of DOT race tires to get. Let me know what size and manufacturer you are running. Contingency does not matter for my situation, so consistent feel and long wear are more important. Thanks for your time. -Wayne
I’d do a 180/60 rear. Pirelli have their new “TD” trackday tire. Michelin Power RS should work well, too. Or, Michelin Power Cup Evo, if those don’t work so well in the AZ heat.
I am using Metzeler Compk slicks. I love them. They wear much better than the Q3+ I had been running. And the prices on them are great. Edite: I would think 180/55 and 120/70 are the stock sizes, but I swapped to a 180/60 and love it Dunlop Q4 and Pirelli TD tires are getting great reviews too
Ah, interesting. Are Metzeler and Pirelli still the same company? 180 seems to be the right rear size so far. Looks like Pirelli doesn’t even make a 190 in the SCs. I am more interested in nimble handling than a wide rear tire. I guess a lot depends on the set up as well, but the fact that the 200 tires on the bike are not worn to the edge is a fairly good sign that they are too wide. Plus, ya know, I’m old, so not looking to push it that hard. (Said everyone until they got on the track)
These guys are great http://www.ctracetires.com and they are the Pirelli Vendor at WERA Las Vegas and California Speedway as well as Chuckwalla.
Pirelli owns Metzeler, but everything I can find shows them operating as two individual companies. As in one isnt selling rebranded products from the other. They have separate R&D, different target customers, etc... I got them here https://moto-garage.com/
IMO, you’re overthinking this. Pick something and run it. They’ll wear out quick enough. Then, pick something else from another manufacturer. You’ll figure out what you do/don’t like. So long as you stay at the sharp end of their tire range, you can pretty-well just focus on tire construction and how they feel to you. The 180/60 size is plenty of tire to go fast. Their profile, alone, is a huge improvement.
Tire selection is done first and foremost by rim width. For 600cc and a 5.5 wide rim we have been racing a DOT or slick 180/60R17 for what 7 years now? Tire sizes like a 180/55, 190/50, or 190/55 are first and foremost original equipment sizes and not relevant for the BEST race tires and haven't been for years. Pirelli offers these in 180/60R17 DOT in 3 compounds Slick in 3 compounds And new this year a DOT track day tire (marked TD on the sidewall) Read the Pirelli tire selection thread and you'll be up to speed. And of course talk to Chris at CT and he'll assist too.
the 200/55 Dunlop slick worked great on 600s. then Dunlop also introduced a 180/60 just like all the other manufacturers and that works better.
