Power Ones...

Started by spymoto, May 19, 2010, 02:50:11 AM

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spymoto

Ok, I keep reading places that the power ones race tires are good even after the rain sipes are wore off... that they are suppose to turn into slicks and don't be so fast to toss them...

Is this true? Mine are just about to the wear bars on the side of the tire... so this means that I can use them for my races this weekend... I'm thinking NOT!!! Why would they say this?
"My lifestyle determans my deathstyle" - Metalica

benprobst

The Power Ones are really great all of the way until they are totally slick. That being said, no tire gets "better" as it wears out. The fact that your contact patch slowly increases on the ones helps to slow the degradation of traction but certainly doesn't halt or improve it. The C rear does seem to operate better with a few laps and a heat cycle in it, but your A - B and all fronts will follow the normal pattern of fresher is faster.
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MELK-MAN

when the sipes go, it does not get better.. but the tire "works". As in once gone, the tire is not junk. If your spending a bunch of money to get to the races you could potentially use the old tires for practice then mount up the new ones for the races. I did that my first couple seasons. Put new tires on for my 4 races, then keep them on for the practice day the next race weekend.
Only you can make the determination if the tire is no longer working. I assure you it won't just "let go" unexpectedly.
2012 FL region & 2014 South East overall champion
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IFMracing

So, if there are no longer sipes, how do you know visually how much life is left?
Or do you have to refer to feel?
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CCS853

The sipes on mine are almost gone but I still have grip...I'll shuck them when they start to move { just hope they don't move to much }  :biggrin:

MELK-MAN

There is no magic to figuring how much life a tire has. In theory you could ride it till the cords show and it pops.. then, it clearly no longer has any life left. If a tire tech told you .. "that one has 10 laps left" , and you crashed on lap 9, could you sue the tire tech? You should be able to feel the grip going off as you struggle to hold lines, nearly spit yourself off a couple times, see lap times rise .. etc. Riders take years to know for sure, some just change em every few races too.
2012 FL region & 2014 South East overall champion
Pro Flow Tech Performance Fuel Injector Service
MICHELIN, EBC, Silkolene, JenningsGP, Engine Ice

roadracer162

I've put a lot of effort into learning my tires although primarily Bridgestones. I have noticed that I can wear out a set of Bridgestone slicks until the wear marker are gone and still have lap times within a second of a fresh set. I keep track of how many laps I put on my tires and make notes as they degrade. I typically get about 130 laps on a set of Bridgestone slicks but that is also on an Ultralight bike.

On the Michelins that I have raced on last year I don't have as much knowledge and I am constantly learning. the Michelin were used on a very fast Ducati 748 that runs at the front of the LW F40 and Thunderbike class here in the Florida region. I primarily have used some take off tires and raced on them producing some very good lap times and good race results. I have raced on 30 lap tires and they stick. I have also raced on 60 lap tires that gave me the best lap times for that bike. Of course like it has been said, fresher is better but those tires with quite a few laps still have good traction.

I have always heard that Michelins have a reoutation of having great traction until they let go but I don't have personal knowledge of the limits of this tire. Melka has been very helpful in learning the Michelin tires and that is leading me to use them exclusively. it is nice to have someone that can give some good input with specific knowledge.

Mark
Mark Tenn
CCS Ex #22
Mark Tenn Motorsports, Michelin tire guy in Florida.