Who's switching to Dunlop NTech's In 2011

That's very compelling - and I agree with Todd; if they last that long then they really are more cost effective.

Have you ever tried the 'Lops? Curious as to feedback compared to the Michelins.

 

I tried Dunlops this year. I tried the 209's which to Dunlop guys are "shit". I was impressed. I am thinking about running the 211's next year. I mean C'mon, if the tires are good enough for AMA pros then they HAVE to be enough for me. My buddy did try the Ntecs this year and he dropped over TWO seconds at every track he went to:wow: I am still thinking about trying them because of there longevity. I have talked to mid pack experts that say the front tire wears like iron. They were getting 3 rears to every front. Mathematically, that would wind up being a cheaper option than buying a set of 211's every weekend.

 

Never tired the Dunlops but I really do like the Michelin's and the vendor I use. Looking for pro's, con's and personal experiences as to making the switch or not.

But Rob Jensen was on Michelin's!:up:

 

I used the same front for a full racer practice day, 2 more practice sessions the next day, 2 more practice sessions the next day, 2 Sprints (all at Jennings) then 2 more days of practice at Road Atlanta, 2 Sprint races, then 2 more practice sessions then next day and then finally changed it before the last Sprint race.

 

NTechs are awesome and long lasting; But, $500 makes them cost prohibitive. Plus the vendor charged to flip the tires:down: Gave up on the squishy Pirelli- always wondered if it was the suspension or the tire until I switched to another brand. Love the super steep profile of the Michelin Power One front and Michelin vendor support, ie Racers Edge and Ryan at Big Willow.

 

I've raced Michelins DOT's (V fronts & B & C rears) and there Slicks (med./soft front and med. rear) on a GSXR 1000 for most of 2010 and they did me well..
But I was also part of a team that did the 4hr endurance at Barber on a GSXR 600 and we ran one set of Dunlop N-Tecs for the whole race. The right side of the rear was gone….but the tire was still predictable……the front tire worked very well all day and it showed wear as well….but I would use it at a track day with out hesitation……it held up much better than I expected.
They were $510.00 at the track for a set of there hardest compound.

 

Are setup changes required when switching back and forth between the ntecs and the spec tires?

 

I only used two fronts for an entire season. Probably over 500 laps on each tire. My pace is 6 seconds off the track record, and I never even got them to slide.

If you want to win races, then you're still changing them frequently. But for the rest of us, even rather quick club racers, they last forever.

The rears, at my pace, I can feel them drop off after about 30 laps, but I can still put down the same times - I just have to be smoother on the throttle. So I get about 50 decent laps out of a rear, then it goes to trackday duty, where you can put in respectable times until the cords are showing.

The new D211 GP-A spec tire is actually pretty decent as well. I was about 0.5 - 1.0 second slower on the GP-A.

 

I started running them late this year and I will not go back. Paul and the Dunlop guys are spot on and the track side support is the best.


Those of you bitching about the price apparently have never been to the hospital or had to buy bodywork and parts from a tire letting go. They are worth every penny!

 

Good question. I went out with zero changes and was slightly slower on the D211 GP-As. With some setup, I think you could be close.
While the NTEC front is awesome, the GPA front is a bit more picky - it doesn't like bottoming. If you're bottoming the forks, the GPA will tear. It seemed to like a little more preload on my bike, then the tearing was pretty much gone. I also tried a slightly higher pressure than I would run in an NTEC.

I didn't play with the rear at all, but the GPA is a shorter tire than the NTEC. Edge grip was good, but drive grip dropped off after about 8-10 laps. Still very usable though. I haven't tested for overal durability however, so I'm not sure how many laps I'll get out of a set. That's the key in determining of they're cost effective vs. the NTECs.

 

They are expensive!

If you're looking for longevity (a tire that'll last while still remain enough grip to go fast), look no further than the N-tec, especially if you're not a top level expert or are a Novice racer.

They last, and last, and last!! Anyone that knows me has seen me wear'em down to the threads (2 rears that is) while still turning respectable times (25's) at JenningsGP. I don't ever recommend running to the cords, but I just happened to, and it taught me to not underestimate a worn tire at Novice race pace, and just how much grip a new tire can have (once I got on newer rubber).

Generally, only top level expert racers are actually using tires (any brand) to their limit/potential.

 

Sean's referring to the AMA Spec D211 GP-A's.

 

Maybe only if you're running top level expert times. Otherwise, mount 'em and go! :up: I've done it for quite a while now. Bought many a take-off's from d-wire then ran 'em (at my pace) down to nothing while still turning respectable times at JGP.

 

Switched from the Michelin's to the 211GPA's for GNF and I will never run anything but a Dunlop again. The grip is incredible and you get a lot of feed back from them.

 

As for the rear... the 211 N-tec is 6-8mm taller (I believe is correct) than the 211 GP-A. The GP-A's have a flatter center for sure, so turn in is slightly slower. Be sure to adjust your rear ride height to compensate.

 

All the fast guys will be on N-Tecs ! A used N-tec last longer than most new race tires and has a consistant feel.

D.Brown#!!!

 

What compounds are most using with the Ntech's?? I know with Bridgestones, Michelin's and Pirrelli's, you went with a real soft front and a medium rear most of the time.

Dunlop is running a deal on them now, courtesy of wera bbs banner I noticed but it is a medium front and a soft rear? Any suggestions?

http://www.dunlopracing.com/specials.html

 

I've run both the Dunlop NTec 211 and the Michelin Power One.. Hard for me to tell the difference I guess, and I've gotten at least the same mileage on the Power One as I did on the Dunlops.

 

what did you switch from? on your R1