Classic race tyres

SteveA said:

Junk yard Dawg said:

I think the Avon is okay at medium use , but pushed , they do not hold up.

John Ellis
AHRMA 5X
F750

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Jihn, the comment doesn't really hold up either, I was at Cadwell Park last weekend, a demanding circuit, the majority of races were won by hard riding, on Avons!

some very quick laps also put in on a range of other tyres, but I don't think it is the hard use that killes these tyres, some have no problem, some delaminate, others crack sidewalls, some are perfectly fine, I would suggest manufacturing issues.

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The Dawg knows his stuff. Cadwell Park is rather small and mixed speeds compared to many of the tracks run in the US. Years ago I ran Avons and have blue toasted a few and no splits. I have also split other Avons with little abuse. I now am running the last of my Dunlops and will need to switch over at some point; maybe when sparks come showering off the rims. I love my Dunlops.

Dances with Shrapnel said:

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The Dawg knows his stuff. Cadwell Park is rather small and mixed speeds compared to many of the tracks run in the US. Years ago I ran Avons and have blue toasted a few and no splits. I have also split other Avons with little abuse. I now am running the last of my Dunlops and will need to switch over at some point; maybe when sparks come showering off the rims. I love my Dunlops.

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Race lengths may also be a factor, most UK races run from 4 to 8 laps with a only a few at 10, so pretty short. But the same tyres are used at tracks like Snetterton, Croft and Silverstone, which will challenge a little more. Cadwell was the example simply because it was recent.

The only UK bike reported to turn Avon tyres to chewing gum was Watsons 1007 in the hands of Gary Thwaites.

The only US track I have personally been around was Hallet! I felt quite at home

Hallett's my home track, glad you liked it. Haven't rode a Norton there yet.

Hallett is probably one of the shortest tracks AHRMA has been to at 1.8 miles w/ 10 turns. In contrast, one of the largest tracks that AHRMA races is Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin at 4.048 miles w/ about 14 turns and around 150 ft change in elevation. It provides a real workout for the bikes. Another venue in the past has been Daytona with long high bank turns, a whole different kettle of fish. Then there is Barber at 2.38 miles w/ 15 turns; one of my favorites with a lot of elevation change and high speed/energy conservation.

edgefinder said:

Hallett's my home track, glad you liked it. Haven't rode a Norton there yet.

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I drove it in a friends Alfa Romeo Spyder, he was in the car.... When the tail started to come loose I thought I had better straighten it up...his tyres!....he said 'what did you do that for, let her rip'

It was an Alfa event, my own Alfa would just have understeered! I enjoyed the weekend, including, strangely the TSD!

pommie john said:

I was thinking about using Continental's new Road Attack2 CR which they say is a race tyre, but I have heard varying reports from " race winner" to "useless, no grip"

I'm looking for input from racers who have tried the Conti or know someone who has. Are they any good?

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John,

What size tires do you need? These are the available sizes from Conti's website

Front
100/90 R18 M/C 56V TL
110/80 ZR18 M/C (58W) TL

Rear
130/80 R18 M/C 66V TL
130/80 R18 M/C 66V TL
150/65 R18 M/C 69H TL

Apart from the 110/80 front they are all "R" speed rated, which his only 106 mph. For a race tire?

Cheers! ~ Gary

Some I believe are steel belted, that is how they keep their shape and thus the conflicting reports.