Track Tire Wear / Replacement

[Evill_Ed 754]

This question is geared towards the Track guys. Every track season  I start with a fresh set of tires, Front and Rear, in  this case Q4's. 

I go through 3-4 rear tires and 1 front tire in a track season. The fronts still have a lot of life left in them at the end of the season. I throw them away after sitting on the bike all winter  and get a fresh front and rear. In a conversation with some track buddies, they  tell me I am wasting money doing that. They run the front tires until it needs replacement or if they change tire brands. 

I may be overthinking this, like I do everything else,  but I feel better (mentally) with a fresh set of tires each season. 

What do you guys typically do?

Ed

[M. Hausknecht 419]

Ed, I don't use "track day" tires but instead run slicks with warmers (Pirelli SC1s and/or SC2s), so my experience isn't directly relevant to yours. I start each season on new tires. I can usually get two track days out of a rear tire before I get too big a flat spot on the inside of the tire (right side for CW tracks, left side for CCW tracks) that can make slight increases in lean angle unduly dramatic. If I flipped the rear tire after one day, and then after the second day, I could get a third day maybe. Front tires, I can get three track days. All that is with a fairly unabrasive track. With tracks tougher on tires (Carolina Motorsports Park, Roebling Road), I need to flip the tires after one day, to get a second day out of them.

For racing, I start each day with new tires.

 

 

[jb.junior 100]

Even as a casual track day rider, I'd change both rear and front as often as feasible or affordable.  As a rule, on a LW, I'd say two track days on a rear, maybe three, and 4-6 for a front -- MAX.  Yes, it depends on the track a lot.  

But to answer exact question directly: does the bike sit inside or outside?  If it's inside, the winter months shouldn't matter.  As long as they're not in direct sunlight or experiencing dramatic temperature swings, tires in storage will not degrade by any measurable amount over a winter.  

[Evill_Ed 754]

Hey JB, the bike is always stored indoors. 

I will continue to replace fronts every season as I  have been for my own peace of mind. 

 

Ed