[ST] Tyre Q+A

["Keith Tynan" <keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I thought I'd share a recent exchange with Lionel Smith of (Cooper-)Avon
Tyres (the correspondent from their site's 'Contact Us' button):

> 1) I've laid my bike up for the winter (at least until Easter). I've
> heard it suggested that it's better to reduce the pressures. If so,
> to what?

No, do not reduce your tyre pressure if the machine is to be stood,
this allows too much flex in the sidewall and can promote cracking, or
premature aging

> 2) The bike has a centrestand, which keeps the rear tyre off the
> ground; the front is on the ground. Is it necessary to periodically
> rotate the front to a different contact point - would weekly be
> enough?

It is good to rotate the front tyre onto a separate spot, and weekly
would be more than sufficient

> 3) I take the ST on track days now and again, and push it quite
> hard. The sessions tend to be between 10 and 30 minutes in length,
> with gaps in between long enough for the tyres to cool completely. I
> had a word with Doug Ross at the NEC last month, and he suggested I
> run 33 psi front and 36 psi rear, giving it a couple of laps to warm
> up. Do you concur, or should I stick with my 36/42 road set-up?

Running at 33/36 will improve initial grip, at the expense of wear.
However, if you are happy with available grip at 36/42, then why decrease
the pressure to wear the tyre out faster?. Only decrease the pressures if
you  are riding at a level where you are getting braking and powering
slides.

[BRG: FWIW, I'll be running 36/42 on track next year...]

Regards,
- --
BRG
email: keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
'00 Sprint ST BRG 'Wolfram'




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