What Tires Would Be A Great Choice?

[KawaKlaus]

Hi All,

 

I wanted to start this topic in hopes I 'll get a lot of recommendations from both CSS Instructors and students alike for my 2009 Ninja 650r. Currently my bike sports OEM tires ( Bridgestones Batlac 021F Sport Touring).

 

So, my questions are:

 

* What does the school recommend for both Level I and Level II in terms of tires?

 

* I would prefer to have a stickier tire (fact that tire life suffers for gains in traction are understood).

 

* Are either Bridgestones 016's or 003's or Dunlop Q2s good choices for my 650r?

 

* Any others?

 

Thank you for helping me to get a good grip on this. . .

 

Cheers,

Klaus

 

 

 

[faffi]

In another ongoing topic here it was adviced that the grippier tyres usually are less grippy for riders that aren't very fast since we cannot get them hot enough to grip at their best. So if you have chicken strips more than a few mm wide on your tyres, my guess is that your stock tyres will do just fine and match your abilities on the school day very well.

[KawaKlaus]

In another ongoing topic here it was adviced that the grippier tyres usually are less grippy for riders that aren't very fast since we cannot get them hot enough to grip at their best. So if you have chicken strips more than a few mm wide on your tyres, my guess is that your stock tyres will do just fine and match your abilities on the school day very well.

 

 

Hi Eirik,

 

Interesting feedback.

I have spoken to the dealer where I bought my bike and he suggested that I get the Bridgestones 003's or Dunlop Q 2's (based on my discussion on riding style and plans for attending CSS Level I and II).

In the Kawiforums, people rave about the Bridgestone 016's for the Ninja 650, stating that the stock tires are really not that good for cornering, nor are they as sticky.

In another forum, I found that a CSS student stated that he had used Bridgestones before, but now is a firm believer of Dunlop Q 2's.

A friend of mine, who races 250cc bikes (AMA) told me that the Dunlop Q2's will take longer to warm up (a couple of miles) before I could apply more lean.

 

So, you are saying I can stick (no punt intended) with my OEM Bridgestones 021 because I will not need a more grippier (softer compound) tire shoulder for Level I and II?

 

Cobie, or any other CSS instructors - feel free to chime in...

 

Cheers,

Klaus

[faffi]

Your stock tyres will allow you to scrape undercarriage on your bike. While doing this, they will not allow as much brake, steering or throttle input as a warm sport type tyre. What you have to ask yourself is how likely it is that you will ride this hard at this stage of your learning curve and what is thaught at CSS. Or put in another way; you have to be going really fast to appreciate the difference in grip in my opinion.

 

However, I would also greatly appreciate inputs from the coaches on this

[KawaKlaus]

Your stock tyres will allow you to scrape undercarriage on your bike. While doing this, they will not allow as much brake, steering or throttle input as a warm sport type tyre. What you have to ask yourself is how likely it is that you will ride this hard at this stage of your learning curve and what is thaught at CSS. Or put in another way; you have to be going really fast to appreciate the difference in grip in my opinion.

 

However, I would also greatly appreciate inputs from the coaches on this

 

 

Hi Eirik,

 

Thank you for your comments. Points well taken.

Sounds like the dealer wants to make money, the forum folk want to impress by saying...bla..bla..my tires are stickier than yours...bla..bla, where in essence I've got an inch to go before my entire tire surface is scrubbed in.

Cool, with the money saved (about $300) I will be able to attend Level I a lot sooner (as soon as Laguna Seca releases their date).

 

Have you attended Level I?

How is your cornering now compared to before?

 

Cheers,

Klaus

[faffi]

Err, no I'm just here to make life miserable for those who knows more than me But I've learned a lot just from participating on this forum and trying out various stuff in practice. If planets align, I may cross the country come spring to take a class.

 

BTW, I think your way of thinking is sound regarding spending the money on learning how to ride instead of on new rubber. It wasn't all that long ago that bikes like the GS500 and Ninja 500 were considered great track bikes for learning the basics, and they didn't even have radials. Your tyres are much better than what were sold just as sporty tyres not all that long ago.

[Steve Rutter]

I've done two trackdays on BT021s and they were fine, I'm no fast group rider, but they coped admirably with what I threw at them. Considering you're advised to ride at about 80% of your limit on a CSS day in order to leave thinking-room to apply the new techniques, you'll be fine with those.