You just spent all winter getting your bike ready for the season. New brakes, oil change, new fairings and a paint job. You spend all week loading everything into the trailer. All track essentials like a canopy, cooler, chair and ibuprofen are stocked. Do you want to be that person scurrying around with a flashlight in the wee hours wondering why your trailer has a flat? Now is the time to inspect your trailer. You know trailers need a little love too.
R is a designation of the tires construction, in this case meaning radial ply. Apart from radial, the other carcass design is the bias, which is represented by ‘B.’ The ‘16’ value refers to the wheel size, which is the diameter. This tire is made for a wheel with 16 inches diameter. If there’s a specification that you must get right, it’s the wheel size rating. In the same example, ‘67’ denotes the load index. If you pick this tire, you can carry a load of up to 661 pounds. Another vital feature is the last letter, ‘H,’ which denotes the maximum speed that the wheel can support; in our example above the maximum speed is 130 MPH. Apart from the H rating, there are 14 other speed ratings.
But, these bikes can also be a hindrance to stress free learning. Many new track day riders are better off with a simple, low powered machine that keeps them running a bit slower until they can get a handle on racetrack riding. One reason my friend Josh was having trouble at his first several track days is because he was driven to ride his GSXR1000 faster than he should have. Read about Josh’s mishap.
For track day riders who want the highest performance in DOT-approved rubber, Pirelli is introducing a new compound for the Diablo Supercorsa tire. The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa TD tire will be available from authorized trackside vendors at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (March 29-31), MSR Houston (April 12-14) and Aprilia Racer Days at Circuit of the Americas (April 16).
Motorcycle tires come in different sizes and specifications. While it may be a hustle when you’re shopping for the first time, if you have the right information, you’ll get it right. In this guide, we’ll take you through the critical considerations when shopping for a tire. We shall also show you how to decode information displayed on tires, as it all you need when making a decision. We’ve also made it easier for you by identifying some of the best motorcycle tires. After you’ve gone through our review and found the right tire for your cruiser, all you need is a GPS system and you’ll be off on the road trip of your dreams!
Verify the brakes on the tow vehicle and trailer are operating correctly. Remember to inspect them on a regular basis making the necessary adjustments to any damaged or worn parts. For instance, how much brake pad material remains? The start of the warmer months is a good time to replace them if they are getting close to the end of their life expectancy.
