is 'for competition only'.........

**ipsga** · 09-12-12, 12:32

the same as 'not for highway use'?
just got a quantity of very low usage wets and fancy them on for a little winter riding.
yes the insurance will probably have a fit but from an armchair experts perspective, whaddya reckon?

**mickymellon** · 09-12-12, 12:52

on what bike? if they've cost you little / nothing and you know they'll be knackered with lots of dry road riding why not?

People will probably say you'll die in a massive fireball but I'd say give it a bash (but then I should be dead riding through winter on part worn supercorsas in the past)

**couchcommando** · 09-12-12, 12:53

Def not legal for road use, dremel that bit off

Don't last long of the road is at all dry, so long as it stays wey you'll be fine, coiuld run on the front of a SM in the dry and cold tho no problem but heavier bikes a no no

**pistonbroke** · 09-12-12, 14:32

it'll be fine, as long as you ride at race speeds everywhere to keep a bit of heat in them.

**RS250-Squid** · 09-12-12, 14:52

...from edge to edge, to keep the whole of the tread up to temp. Plenty of KD is probably required.

**Horse** · 09-12-12, 15:38

Originally Posted by ipsga

from an armchair experts perspective

H Signing in . . .

Originally Posted by pistonbroke

it'll be fine, as long as you ride at race speeds everywhere to keep a bit of heat in them.

Ah, I see a potential flaw in ^ that statement, here:

Originally Posted by ipsga

fancy them on for a little winter riding

**tarmacsurfer** · 09-12-12, 16:04

A very bad idea.
Race tyre sidewalls are not designed to cope with large bumps and potholes. They probably won't suddenly deflate but if for that reason or any other, like them not being up to temperature, you have a crash then you'll be royally screwed by your insurance and probably the police.

**Yorick** · 09-12-12, 16:06

Originally Posted by tarmacsurfer

A very bad idea.
Race tyre sidewalls are not designed to cope with large bumps and potholes.

Complete bollox

I have ridden the last 10 years on the road with nothing but race tyres.

If they couldn't handle road situations, how do they handle the IOM

**tarmacsurfer** · 09-12-12, 16:10

Race tyres = slicks or wets (I.e. not road legal). If you've ridden for 10 years on the road with either then you're asking for trouble.

**Yorick** · 09-12-12, 16:12

Originally Posted by tarmacsurfer

Race tyres = slicks

Slicks are same as road legal race-spec tyres. The only difference is the tread. And they race slicks at the TT

**tarmacsurfer** · 09-12-12, 16:22

Originally Posted by Yorick

Slicks are same as road legal race-spec tyres. The only difference is the tread. And they race slicks at the TT

That's a dangerous sweeping statement. Perhaps Pirelli/ metzeler 17" slicks are (and I wouldn't guarantee it) but many 16.5" slicks (dunlops) are not.

So to be clear, the 'race' tyres you've used on the road for 10 years - were they slicks, wets or actually completely road legal ? The OP is asking about non-road legal tyres.

**Yorick** · 09-12-12, 17:30

Originally Posted by tarmacsurfer

So to be clear, the 'race' tyres you've used on the road for 10 years - were they slicks, wets or actually completely road legal ? The OP is asking about non-road legal tyres.

Many said "not for road use". The others I didn't check.

**Funners** · 10-12-12, 09:13

Ran "Wets" all the time on SM's..awesome grip on the front wet or dry and on a light bike no real wear worries....the rear however is a different thing...
One wet lasted a whole winter no probs before giving up, its replacement (Going into Spring) lasted a whole 300 miles....

and this is a 50BHP 100KG bike...
I'd run the front, but think about the back unless you can change your own tyres other than that....go for it !

**Tomcat** · 10-12-12, 09:54

Originally Posted by pistonbroke

it'll be fine, as long as you ride at race speeds everywhere to keep a bit of heat in them.

Originally Posted by RS250-Squid

...from edge to edge, to keep the whole of the tread up to temp. Plenty of KD is probably required.

I don't think wets are all that sensitive to temperature, after all they are designed to be used in the wet which can mean between 20 deg C and somewhere around zero. Having to move large quantities of water aside will mean any heat they generate will be rapidly dispersed by the water, so you need to have a compound that works cold. Yes I know they put tyre warmers on wets on the line when they can, but within a lap everyone's tyres will be back to cold.

So I don't think you'll have a problem with them from a grip POV, though it is of course illegal so make sure you don't get stopped by the dibble or have an accident. Your insurance may not cover you, even if you have dremelled "competition use only" off the sidewalls.

Originally Posted by Yorick

If they couldn't handle road situations, how do they handle the IOM

Race tyres on the IoM typically don't make more than 160 miles from new. On Superbikes they may only do 2 laps/78 miles. You may get away with it for longer if you run higher pressures on the road, because that will reduce sidewall deflection, but you might not want to do normal road mileage on one.

**ipsga** · 10-12-12, 11:44

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Race tyres on the IoM typically don't make more than 160 miles from new. On Superbikes they may only do 2 laps/78 miles. You may get away with it for longer if you run higher pressures on the road, because that will reduce sidewall deflection, but you might not want to do normal road mileage on one.

can't see me flat chat through barregarrow

i've used kr364/444 on my s/m before and as Funners states the fronts are fine but rears turn to playdoh in the dry.

i'm happy to have the back a bit loose, not the front tho' (and yes, i change my own tyres)