Tire Temp Sensors - What Gives?

I can see that it may be useful information for off season testing and maybe even during an early practice on race weekend, but can anyone find a reason for keeping this on the bike at all times?

http://www.drivenracing.com/embrace/mantis

Seems like tech for the sake of tech, although it is pretty cool.

-Tom

 

In today's day, data acquisition and analysis are critical for extracting the last fractions of a percent of performance. If you have the manpower and skill to perform data analysis and distill data to obtain insights, which will guide both rider and mechanic on which adjustments to make to go faster, then why wouldn't you keep it on the bike at all times? Today's data collection might help you in today, tomorrow, next week, next month or next year.

 

Race teams that can actually make use of that kind of data have already been using high end products for that purpose for some time now, you can see this in MotoGP for many many years.

This particular device the OP mentioned is targeted at the typical Joe Schmoe trackday hero/club racer who isn't likely gathering data feeds from all over the bike to make proper use out of real time tire temperature data. Then again I could be mistaken.

 

If the tire isn't up to operating temps (or if it's over), it could provide an indication on the value or degree of suspension changes that should (or shouldn't) be made. Also, it could be indicative of potential rider inconsistencies.

 

Realistically, you should have temps from at least three positions in the tire to get useful data - left, right, center.

Center temp means little by itself, besides very broad temperature info, but it might cause you to realize you are under temp or over temp in general.

Unless you are recording this data and analyzing it in every session on track, along with wheelspeed data, etc., this is really just a jeejaw for track nerds, which is fine, there are quite a few out there.

 

I'm no tire whisperer, but can't you decipher pretty much all that from a good read on the tire? (Serious question)

That was my initial gut reaction, but I'm open to counter opinions. Ed makes good points above.

-T

 

For the majority Tom, yes.

 

Don't go and throw logic to this.

 

they were fitted 3 wide on Freddie Spencer's bike back in my day as he used to slide so much he would delaminate them, so it was an early warning system to calm the F down.
I suppose that could still happen, but not so much.

 

Same company that makes these https://www.drivenracing.com/news/new-06-15-yamaha-r-6-endurance-cups

The quick change look without the quick change.

 

Probably be seeing them soon at track days everywhere.

 

Haha, nifty

The only 2 bikes they make them for are late model R6's and Groms at the moment, interesting choices

 

And by track day you mean Starbucks.

 

i see no info regarding data logging so it would appear that all it does is tell you the current temp of the tire. pass.

 

Just zip tie a notepad to the top triple and jot it down each time you hit the front straight....easy peasy. :up:

 

Without logging capabilities, the uses are drastically limited.

We used an IR array on the rear tire (right shoulder, right mid, right center, left shoulder) at a few different tracks to monitor tire surface temperatures when the Pirelli V2s came out that really helped us understand what a tire went through during the course of a lap and see how tires were building (and losing) heat and to help us determine compounds and pressures.