acebobby Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Has anyone on here tried these tyres? I'm not sure if you get them in America but I know that they sell them at the European (UK) school, on the website they are described as a sport/touring tyre but are approved for use on 1000cc superbikes which makes me think that they should be a good choice for my cbr600rr! I currently use michelin pilot power 2CT but am thinking of going to the dunlops for hopefully better mileage, I ride 90% road 10% track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Has anyone on here tried these tyres? I'm not sure if you get them in America but I know that they sell them at the European (UK) school, on the website they are described as a sport/touring tyre but are approved for use on 1000cc superbikes which makes me think that they should be a good choice for my cbr600rr! I currently use michelin pilot power 2CT but am thinking of going to the dunlops for hopefully better mileage, I ride 90% road 10% track! We get the Qualifiers here in the US. Recently out is the Sportmax GP, but I don't know how that compares to what you get. Our UK guys would know, you could e-mail Andy: andy@superbikeschool.co.uk He'll know what's what on the tires over there. Best, Cobie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acebobby Posted September 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Has anyone on here tried these tyres? I'm not sure if you get them in America but I know that they sell them at the European (UK) school, on the website they are described as a sport/touring tyre but are approved for use on 1000cc superbikes which makes me think that they should be a good choice for my cbr600rr! I currently use michelin pilot power 2CT but am thinking of going to the dunlops for hopefully better mileage, I ride 90% road 10% track! We get the Qualifiers here in the US. Recently out is the Sportmax GP, but I don't know how that compares to what you get. Our UK guys would know, you could e-mail Andy: andy@superbikeschool.co.uk He'll know what's what on the tires over there. Best, Cobie Thanks Cobie, we also get the qualifiers and the qualifier RRs here but was just wondering about the Roadsmarts as they seem to be getting good review's in the magazines over here! I only wondered if anyone had personal experience with them. I will email Andy as I'm sure if they sell them they will have tried them out! B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Thanks Cobie, we also get the qualifiers and the qualifier RRs here but was just wondering about the Roadsmarts as they seem to be getting good review's in the magazines over here! I only wondered if anyone had personal experience with them. I will email Andy as I'm sure if they sell them they will have tried them out! B It still surprises me that you guys get tires that we never get! C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Thanks Cobie, we also get the qualifiers and the qualifier RRs here but was just wondering about the Roadsmarts as they seem to be getting good review's in the magazines over here! I only wondered if anyone had personal experience with them. I will email Andy as I'm sure if they sell them they will have tried them out! B It still surprises me that you guys get tires that we never get! C The Dunlop Roadsmarts have been available here in the US for the last year. Tucker Rocky and Parts Unlimited both carry them, hence, you can order or purchase them at any motorcycle shop. That said... Although there are differences in carcass construction, the major critical difference between the Qualifier and the Roadsmart is more silica in the Roadsmart compound. A higher amount of silica makes a compound less reactive to temperature, hence, the Roadsmart, with a compound designed to operate at lower temperatures, is the better choice for a street tire as typical street riding doesn't create enough heat to bring the Qualifiers up to full operating temperature. This is why we hear so many complaints about the Qualifiers at our dealership. Guys ride around on them, find them to be slippery with less grip riding around town, and then discover that they only last half as long as other road tires. @*%$*! Unfortunately, retailers, the people who sell the tires, typically don't know enough about them and Dunlop hasn't really marketed them very well... as evidenced by Cobie's last posts. His company sells Dunlop Qualifiers and he doesn't even know Roadsmarts are available here. And neither did I until a few months ago and only because I sell them for a living. EVEN MY MANAGER thought that Qualifiers were not really for the track until the rep explained the differences to him. Bottom line, the marketing of the Qualifier as a street tire with "race track grip" taps right into the average street rider's lack of knowledge and experience to sell more tires. I hate to be cynical, but, that is the only reason I can think of for it. The Qualifiers wear out faster and Dunlop will... er... IS selling more tires this way than they would if my customers were buying Roadsmarts. IMO, if you aren't riding track days or canyon riding, buy the Roadsmarts. You will get better performance than you will riding around town on half-warmed Qualifiers that wear out twice as fast. racer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acebobby Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Thanks for that information racer! Im not sure what kind of roads we have here in Scotland that would compare to canyon riding but the roads I ride most often are country mountain roads (twisties), I dont spend alot of time riding in town! The reason I wondered about the Roadsmart tyres is that I was reading TOTW 1 and in the section slipping and sliding Keith has written that for instructional purposes use a tyre that will allow you to slide the bike around at your level of riding, At the moment I use michelin pilot power 2CTs, they are dual compound tyres, I really like them and they give me alot of cornering confidence but I am now beginning to wonder if they are too good for my level of riding and that I wont get the opportunity to experience how tyres perform at their limits! Does this make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Racer--thanks for the info on the Roadsmart tires and Qualifiers. We love the Q's for our use. I don't get as many really hot laps in as someone racing would, and the tires are not that often up to temp, so I don't like the new low pressure tires as much--I don't like the squirm when I turn it in, but many do (like Keith--likes the grip). We have slicks on our coach bikes (used) but Q's on our student bikes, and I've had to ride a bike with Q's on it, and frankly loved 'em. They warm up so much sooner than the slicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Racer--thanks for the info on the Roadsmart tires and Qualifiers. We love the Q's for our use. I don't get as many really hot laps in as someone racing would, and the tires are not that often up to temp, so I don't like the new low pressure tires as much--I don't like the squirm when I turn it in, but many do (like Keith--likes the grip). We have slicks on our coach bikes (used) but Q's on our student bikes, and I've had to ride a bike with Q's on it, and frankly loved 'em. They warm up so much sooner than the slicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 In hindsight, "slippery" probably wasn't the best choice of words to describe the "less than warm" Qualifiers. The point would be better stated as: potentially less grip when cold than a tire designed to run at lower temps. And, I'm only going by what our tire rep and customers tell us. Also, if you look at the Dunlop tire usage chart, they do specify the Qualifier for track use and/or street use. It's just that the ads call it a "street tire that offers race track grip". Which is true, but, only half the story. They need to be really warm to offer their best grip. And that grip is still not as sticky as a full on race compound. I think they are probably fine for riding on the street at less than optimum temperature. I don't think they are going to be "slippery". (Sorry if I misled anyone with that. My bad. ) As for being able to slide the tire... I agree with Keith. However, my opinion is that consistency and predictability is most important when learning to slide. FWIW, a tire that needs to be warmed up first, like the Q, might not be as consistent over a varied or broad range of riding and temperature conditions. If that makes sense? PS - For the record, I have always run Dunlops. They have always been my favorite tire brand. Right back to the bias ply race tires I (and CSS!) used to run before radials were invented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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