Racing in the rain for AMs

[Litespeed]

I just ran my first ever rain race on my TZ125 with some really old Bridgestone slicks.  I just kept smooth and consistent and ended up running within 10 seonds of my dry track times and only had one tire slip occurence during the race.  The track had very little standing water on it at the time though.

[Decreasing_Dave]

I just ran my first ever rain race on my TZ125 with some really old Bridgestone slicks.  

Without getting crude or insulting....I'll just say that maybe your TZ125 doesn't have any available power left to spin the slicks in the rain. ;D ;D ;D

No offense ;D ;D ;)

[Super Dave]

And the contact patch is really small on a 125.  It cuts pretty well through the water.  

[tzracer]

A British bike mag did some wet weather brake testing. After they tested all the tires, they threw on a soft front slick. It gave the shortest stopping distance. Mike Hunter won a ULGP on his TZ250 in the rain using slicks. He won by the length of the front straight at Blackhawk, second place was on full wet tires.

Wet traction is a combination of tread pattern and tire compound. The better the compound works in the wet, the less important the tread pattern, the less well the compound works, the more important the tread pattern. Hysteresis traction is how a tire works in the rain. The shape of the contact patch on a motorcycle works very well at removing water (approx. elliptical in shape), especially compared to the more rectangular shape of a car contact patch.

I run rain tires because of the added safety margin, cheap insurance.

[Litespeed]

Thanks Dave, I needed that .  I was able to manage a 1:18.1 in the rain, how fast did you go? ;D   My brother did quite well in his rain race too and he was just using standard Pirelli DOT's.  He stated that most of his passing took place on the brakes but it looked like he was getting a good drive compared to others too.

[Decreasing_Dave]

Sorry John,  I couldn't resist.  Actually, a 1:18 is pretty good in the rain.  I think I did that, but it was probably only one of them.  Billy went by me like I was standing still.  I was being a puss.  I really was out there collecting points.  Never having raced in the rain before, I didn't want to experience fixing a crashed racebike for the first time either.

[Litespeed]

I couldn't resist either, and if you have the bike leaned enough it will spin in the dry, I figured that one out in the morning race (almost the hard way).  Overall I think I could have gone much faster in the rain but wasn't going to because I had the leaders ahead of me the entire time.  The bike didn't want to rev above 12k either which gave me a very narrow region of power (if you consider 36.5 hp power  ;)) to use around the track.  I'm actually hoping to get to run in the rain again and might even request a water truck for the next track day.   ;D ;D ;D

[peanutbritt]

I think the rain tires are worth it! Im an amatuer racer and it rained last saturday for practice (at WSMC) ILOVED IT, I was hoping for rain for the races on sunday but it was beautiful outside  :'(

seriously, scrape together the money and get rain tires, its the most fun I have ever had.

[r6_philly]

think it this way, a set of rains will last you a lot longer than a set of DOT's...

[fourandsix]

think it this way, a set of rains will last you a lot longer than a set of DOT's...

Actually the rains last less than a set of dots. Once you use the rains you tend to round the edges , the sharp fresh edge contributes to the greater grip in the wet!

[r6_philly]

Actually the rains last less than a set of dots. Once you use the rains you tend to round the edges , the sharp fresh edge contributes to the greater grip in the wet!

What I meant was ... you will not be using a set of rains per weekend because its not likely to rain every weekend, and you probably won't be as hard, and ride as many laps on rains.

I did 4 practice sessions and 3 races (include a GT) race at Daytona, and the tires are barely worn, my DOT's from the next day were worn much more.

[r6_philly]

Actually the rains last less than a set of dots. Once you use the rains you tend to round the edges , the sharp fresh edge contributes to the greater grip in the wet!

some how I am picture you with a utility knife sharping the edges and cutting new grooves on your rain tires  ;)