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Vintage race tires

Discussion in 'WERA Vintage' started by dave3593, Mar 24, 2023.

  1. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    I would have agreed, but it was their idea. They showed up with a 110-18 front and a 150-18 rear and told me they were going to make more sizes. That was years ago. But those 85/86 GSXR guys that still have stock wheels, I've got them all set.
     
  2. 90kacoupe

    90kacoupe Novice seeking Help

    If Conti stops with the vintage race rubber, the vintage racing community will take a pretty big hit. It seems to be the tire of choice right now for the 90-130 widths. If tires get to slim pickings, I'll start asking if I can convert to 17s, but that would require some major suspension rework.
     
    stickboy274 likes this.
  3. dave3593

    dave3593 What I know about opera I learned from Bugs Bunny

    [QUOTE=" Stinko to take up the slack.[/QUOTE]

    Stinko, hee hee hee
     
  4. Pneumatico Delle Vittorie

    Pneumatico Delle Vittorie Retired "Tire" Guy

    Why is everyone freaking out it appears that Heidenau has a range of race product?
    And there are the excellent and inexpensive Metzeler 18" Racetecs in a bunch of sizes except for the skinny stuff.
     
  5. Pneumatico Delle Vittorie

    Pneumatico Delle Vittorie Retired "Tire" Guy

    Oops typo:Poke:
     
  6. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    "Skinny" sizes are half the vintage paddock. The smallest front they make is a 110 and the smallest rear is a 130 in 18" diameter. For big bikes, i.e., 750 cc and up, they may be fine. But, 125's 200's, 250's, 350's and 500's need 90/90 or 100 fronts and 110 or 120 rears. I've used a 130 rear on my 500 BSA and it was too much tire.

    I don't pretend that the vintage tire market is huge with the potential for dramatic changes. I certainly don't know the details on the economics, but given the companys' vast knowledge and experience, I suspect that things could be done quite economically. And, if someone wanted to buy Avon's or Dunlop's former moulds . . . .

    I can tell you the price of vintage race tires has gone out of sight within the last year. Of course, everything has dramatically increased in price, but a simple set of Avons doubling? And that is for stock that has been on the shelf. I wonder if the product creators are using those prices in their forcasts?

    The bottom line in this discussion is the bottom line: product and plant managers are not enthusists - they are profit motivated pure and simple. And if something does not promise to be a "game changer" for the corporation, they are not interested. That's a shame. The vintage community appreciates what support Bridgestone does give, we simply would like some Bridgestone products that we have been hearing about for 3+ years. And that desire is enhanced by the disappearing tires we've become used to sourcing.

    Screw it - we won't be able to run internal combustion engines in a while, so the issue of decent tires is moot.

    Cheers,

    Dave
     
    Norton 357 and CharlieY like this.
  7. edgefinder

    edgefinder Well-Known Member

    Years ago when 2 stroke and tz forums got big the guys other side of the pacific were using Bridgestone BT39's in many 18" sizes and Dunlop TT900GP's. They show up on yahoo japan auction and webike as trackday small bike race tires. I got a set of TT900's in RZ 350 size 90 90 18 and 100 90 18. They are light weight and sticky so you might check whats currently available over there
     
  8. ToofPic

    ToofPic Well-Known Member

    Years ago I was a supervisor at a plant that sold a product called Promol to most all major tire companies.It basically kept rubber from sticking to the molds,as well as cleaning the machinery.I have to think given what we sold,different rubber called for different orders from us. Just a thought,but I would guess the cost of running the older sizes would cost the tire manufactures in change overs, and possibly different/obsolete ingredients.We had several ingedients that were phased out over the years,and I can't help but think this would also play out with newer tires.Your #1 go to for the magic to happen is Always gonna be the salesman.If theres enough money to be had,they can make it happen,unless some of the raw ingredients are no longer available.I worked for Barbe America,which was a German owned company,and we at one time had heavy hands in the tire biz,but other companies eventually caught on and undercut us pretty hard,for an inferior product.Think back to all those Ford rollover tire failures,thats when the cheapos showed up..
     
  9. CharlieY

    CharlieY Well-Known Member

    Keep swinging Stick!
     
    stickboy274 likes this.
  10. Pneumatico Delle Vittorie

    Pneumatico Delle Vittorie Retired "Tire" Guy

    For example
    K 44R – Heidenau Tires
     
  11. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    I've talked with them. I haven't seen any new date codes over here from them in a long time. I may have to see if I can change that.

    As mentioned before, they can be a challenge to mount. The average person/shop won't get a 90/90-18 to fully bead.

    The tires do work. I've seen good results on them. They seem to be a love/hate kind of tire. Not a lot in between.
     
  12. Robin172

    Robin172 Well-Known Member

    The one complaint I've heard about Heidenau is that they are physically heavier than others around. The biggest problem I had initially with them was finding the correct pressure to run them at. There is no info forthcoming from the sellers or it also seems the factory on this so I had to trawl around various racing websites to get a good baseline. I then tweaked it by checking the pressures straight off the track and using the "10%" method.
     
  13. Pneumatico Delle Vittorie

    Pneumatico Delle Vittorie Retired "Tire" Guy

    Good luck with that and you reinforce my earlier point. When demand is so small, and the factory has to produce a decent size run to make it worthwhile racers may only have old tires to choose from. But with Avon moving their factory to Europe maybe, just maybe they will start producing the vintage race stuff again.
     
    stickboy274 likes this.
  14. Pneumatico Delle Vittorie

    Pneumatico Delle Vittorie Retired "Tire" Guy

    So maybe the new normal is Heidenau since NO ONE else is offering product? Seems to me the first guy that figures them out will have the advantage? Hmmm kinda sounds like a race...?
     
  15. Robin172

    Robin172 Well-Known Member

    Who'd have thought a certain contentious decision in the UK in 2016 would have an effect on vintage racing.
     
  16. Norton 357

    Norton 357 Well-Known Member

    I put some skinny "stones on the Norton but haven't been able to try them out yet.



    upload_2023-3-28_15-31-57.jpeg
     
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  17. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    I used Heidenaus on the Pikes Peak BSA's. The sidewalls were stiff as Hell and difficult to mount. One set, I moved the tire around the rim multiple times, had tire warmers on it, tie down straps, and big hammer, 80 psi and an extra set of very experienced hands and we were both huffing and puffing and worn out by the time we finally got that bastard to bead up. I am absolutely confident is was something I was doing wrong . . . .

    The tires are heavy, but they do work. It is just nice to have options. Of course, narrowing the options actually makes it very easy . . . .

    Cheers,

    Dave
     
  18. 83BSA

    83BSA Well-Known Member

    Sorry I didn't get more pics . . . the tires are Heidenaus.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. dave3593

    dave3593 What I know about opera I learned from Bugs Bunny

    I have decided to go with a 17 inch rear rim long term.

    Would anyone like to sell me an 18 inch take off that I could use for a little testing. The rear rim is 18 by 2.75. A vintage type treaded race tire would be great for some testing. Something in the 130 to 140 or so range.
     
  20. kenessex

    kenessex unregistered user

    What about the Bridgestone BT 46? Haven't there been some people using them? I used some BT 45s at a track day on my Seca 550 and with fairly low pressures they worked pretty well.
     

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