Racing Tires for Commando and other Nortons

If you are Uk based it may be worth trying Holbeach Motorcycle tyres they are a specialist race tyre supplier often at track days and race meets and usually carry a good stock

i love Acotrel`s comment tyres make no difference to me , as a very green young man i had similar views racing on a shoe string with part worn tyres

put your hand in your pocket fella for some new rubber and you will soon be enlightened

On my actually fast race bike (the RD is just for fun and to keep another smoker on the field) I find the slicks go off before the rubber is gone, and they are at their best for only a few heat cycles. It comes down to just how hard you intend to push: a few riders at our track will run their slicks down to the cords- but they are 20-30 seconds a lap off the pace. You can have a marvelous time and mix it up with other traffic even on crusty street tires or dual sport treads- with the added “benefit” of being near your traction limits at a significantly lower speed. One might argue it’s a better way to learn- particularly if your machine and tires provide good feedback near their limits. Also it’s fun- tightening your corner arc with throttle is a hoot.

I only know about old shit. I was around when race tyres were T1 compound Dunlop Triangulars. Many of us made the mistake of trying to make our British bikes handle and go like Japanese two-strokes. They are two completely different types of bike. What applies to one often does not apply to the other. And the modern stuff is different again. When I rode a Honda VFR400, I did not notice what I was doing with it, and it continually hit the speed limiter at 180 KPH. I did not even notice, I was going that fast. I did not know they have speed limiters.