12/11/09

This week, a welcome return of the popular occasional "piece", by well known motorcycle journalist, Chris
Moss.

"Mossy", on …… 







A couple of recent rides on bikes fitted with two very different types of tyres made me realise just how much bike rubber has progressed since the days I started motorcycling. OK, I'm no spring chicken and quite naturally numerous changes have been made over the years to make tyres better. But it's only when you look back to how things used to be, that you can put the progress into better context.

The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsas fitted to a 1098R Troy Bayliss replica I tested give utterly amazing performance - especially for a street-legal road tyre. The grip they give is shockingly good, as is the feel and feedback which, combined with the fantastic adhesion, gives a totally confident ride; however much of the Duke's hugely capable 190bhp engine and race-inspired chassis you want to sample. And though the lack of tread made the Pirellis look illegal, it did make the tyres feel exceptionally solid stable. They weren't actually too bad in the wet either.

My main point is however, following the test and couple of previous track outings on the Pirellis, I'd say they were as good if not better than some race rubber I've tested only a few years ago. They're certainly miles better than the stuff I used to race my 350 YPVS Yamaha production racer on back in the mid-eighties.

Also in a different league were the Bridgestone BT-016s fitted to a Kawasaki ZX-10R test bike. These tyres seem to do just about everything well, and regardless of temperature or road conditions they could always be relied upon to offer outstanding performance. Even comparing them to some top-spec road tyres from just five or so years ago, the BT's versatility is incredibly advanced. Quick to warm up, stable and very grippy they also work impressively in the cold. They're even pretty damned good on the track too.

To think the Kawasaki comes with them fitted as standard is also brilliant. Because they'll cope with just about any sort of use, they're all you'd ever need to fit. And as a man familiar with an era when OE tyres weren't fit for anything other than keeping a bike's rims off the show room floor, I see that as massive progress.

No doubt the art of tyre making will provide us with even better rubber in the near future, but for the time being at least I for one won't be that bothered if things didn't improve. We've never had it so good! 

Red Bull KTM's Taddy Blazusiak, and Metzeler's 6 Days Extreme tyres, were the winners at Round 1 of the FIM Indoor Endurocross World Cup, held in Sheffield Arena, on 31st October.

Endurocross is a mixture of Moto X and Enduro, run on a very short, tight, course, and the event was a first for the UK.

During the "night race", the arena is darkened, with riders having to use their head, and helmet, lights to navigate the course.

01/11/09

American, Ben Spies, Yamaha YZF-R1, clinched the 2009 FIM Superbike World Championship, in the final race of this year's series, on Sunday 25th October, at Portimao, Portugal.

In his debut season, Spies became the sixth American to win the title, and the first Yamaha rider to take the Superbike crown.

Pirelli took nearly 6000 tyres to Portugal to service the various classes, and cope with the demanding track conditions, at Portimao.

The Supersport title went to Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha YZF-R6, whilst Xavier Simeon won, with his Ducati 1098R, in Superstock 1000.

Superstock 600 Champion is Gino Rea, Honda CBR600RR.

Diablo Superbike, and Diablo Supercorsa, were the Pirelli tyres which enabled stunning performances, from the fastest riders in every class, at this closing event of 2009.

Dunlop live at National Motorcycle Show

Leading tyre manufacturer, Dunlop, will be present at the National Motorcycle Show this year at the NEC, Birmingham.

After a two year break from the show Dunlop are making a big come back to present their all new tyre range and motorsport links with the public.

Dunlop, who recently won a contract to be the sole tyre supplier to the Moto2 Championship, will be present in the paddock area of the show and will be welcoming some of the biggest names who race on Dunlop to their stand.

Initial plans in place indicate that Dunlop will be running competitions to win money can't buy prizes as well as free tyre giveaways. Not to mention displaying some of the most predominant bikes in the market fitted with their tyres.

The tyre giant will be setting up their stand in the style of a Dunlop race paddock to give a real sense of their Race to Road technology.

"We are pleased to be back at the prestigious show this year and are looking to bring lots of action on to our stand to attract the crowds. As one of the most popular shows within the industry, we felt it was important to be present at the show to exhibit our brand new range to the public. Our range is the most up to date in the market and we also hope to preview some of our products entering the market in 2010" said Lisa Faulkner, Dunlop Motorcycle Manager.

18/9/09

It's an expensive business, motorcycle racing, so great to see one of our customers, France and Li Asia Trading, from Brigg, in North Lincolnshire, getting behind promising young rider, Danny Frear, 25, who came home third, at Cadwell, in the BSB Junior Superstock 600 class, recently.

With help from his sponsors, Danny has turned a standard Yamaha '08 R6 into a fully fledged BSB Junior Superstock 600 specification machine, and has also achieved a second, and third, this year in the Cock Of The North road races.

Danny started racing in 2005, and signed a sponsorship deal with Graeme France and team, in 2008, since when, he hasn't looked back.

Watch out for great things from the Yamaha rider, in 2010, and if anyone would like to help the Fear team with any kind of support, Graeme would welcome a call on 07778 628448.

05/09/09

Pirelli's first 2009 Off-road Title goes to a lady !

Pirelli Scorpion MX's took Steffi Laier and her KTM 250SX-F to victory, as the German rider was crowned champion in the FIM Women's MX World Championship a few days ago.

More than 40 female riders took part in this year's ladies' competition, which grew from small beginnings, with just one race in 2005, to this year's seven race Championship. Three Pirelli shod competitors were amongst the top five; Laier in the #1 slot, Natalie Kane from Ireland, in third with her Suzuki, and Swede, Elin Mann, KTM, in fifth.

Favoured Scorpion MX variations for Laier were MX MidSoft, also MX Soft, according to weather conditions, terrain and the number of competitors.

Steffi Laier is the only rider to have won both the former FIM Women's World Cup, and the new FIM W W C., and has been a full factory pilot for the Pirelli-sponsored Red Bull KTM Factory Team since the start of this year's season.

Denied a possible clean sweep, last weekend at Cadwell Park, when a smoking machine resulted in both black and orange flags being waved at the Airwaves Yamaha rider, during the second race, after a dominant win in the first championship event, at the Cadwell MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli, Leon Camier was on top of his game, exerting control over both races and continuing to lead the Championship Standings with 399.5 points, ahead of team-mate James Ellison, on 302.

Camier's 15th win of the year, came on a day which saw the return from injuries of both Simon Andrews, (Confused.com Kawasaki), and Sylvain Guintoli, (Worx Crescent Suzuki).

Whilst most of the field opted for the "safe" Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC1 rear and SC2 front tyres, Simon Andrews chose the softer SC1 front, whilst Sylvain Guintoli went soft all round, with an SC1 front and SC0 rear.

Jason Griffiths, Racing manager at Pirelli, commented, "Just when we thought Leon was about to take a dominant double, fate played a hand again ! Simon Andrews obviously felt confident with his choice of the SC1 front tyre and rode superbly in race two."

Next time out, is the weekend of 11/12/13 September at the Yorkshire Croft circuit.

    Bibendum takes a swipe at the UK scooter tyre replacement market, with the launch of a new catalogue, which details the French manufacturer's range of scooter rubber.

It's been a while since Michelin focused so intently on this product range, and Bibendum's knowing wink suggests that much is expected from this new marketing initiative.

There's a guide to help riders select the tyre that best suits their scoot, rating the handling characteristics of the nine contenders, including,

Pilot Sport SC
Pilot Sporty
Gold Standard
Pilot City
Bopper
Reggae
S83
S1/SM100

and a brief descriptive on each model, whether for "Sport" and "Big Wheel" scooters, "Urbans, Retros", or "50cc's".

2009 has been an incredibly busy year, for the Pirelli race service team, with full support for the entire British Superbike and Supersport paddock, as sole tyre supplier, plus road events, such as the Isle of Man TT and NW200, also the Ulster GP, where Pirelli Superbike riders took a hat-trick of wins, and set a world record fastest lap of any race circuit, last weekend!

At the Ulster event, McAdoo Kawasaki rider, Conor Cummins, returned an incredible world record 133.28mph lap speed, on his way to winning the Dundrod 150 road race, going on to victory at the Ulster GP, over the same course, while fellow Pirelli rider, Guy Martin, completed the triumvirate of wins in the final Superbike race.

Pirelli's Racing Manager, Jason Griffiths, spoke after the event; "To get the fastest lap of any race circuit in the World and a trio of wins, is a great honour for Pirelli. We give our thanks to Conor, Guy and their teams, for choosing Pirelli."