Thinking of switching to Dunlops...

[airfreek]

Hey all, I have been a Michelin guy pretty much the entire time I have raced.  I am thinking switching to Dunlops and am curious if anyone has done this recently and what their experience has been with the differences between the 2 tires.  I race a ducati so I am partial to the V front tire that they offer.

[Redlining52]

Why do you want to switch to Dunlops? Are you not happy with the Michelins? Want to go after Dunlop contingency? Or just want to try something else?

[MELK-MAN]

you need to run the new michelin EVO that comes out this may . Fuggin awesome tire.
there is no reason i should be running at the front with a top rider like Stefano mesa. no reason at all. The michelin tire is THAT good. i am lucky enough to have gotten an EVO front for 2 races at Daytona 2 weekends ago. TWO wins. as in beating everyone else. Then i used the SAME TIRE (not a new one, as we didn't have any more) and finished a very close 2nd to Stefano on his dunlops at Homestead miami speedway. His "home track".
The dunlop is an AMA/DMG spec tire.. used by very talented riders that go very fast , for 20+ laps. the tire is quite different in carcass hardness to the michelin and especially to the pirelli (that is a softer carcass tire). you can't even move a dunlop tire when it's' off the rim. It's that firm.
It's clearly a decent tire, and they pay some contingency, but i am of the firm belief, that a rider can go 1 second a lap faster on the michelin tire or pirelli. And i'm VERY certain michelin has the best tire in the paddock come May 2015.

i got to race the REAR evo in December 2014 at our final FL region race at Homestead. I posted my outright, absolute, fastest ever lap on a 600 in my 12 years of racing there. That was on the OLD VB font .. that is very very good by the way. The new front is even BETTER.

i highly suggest you at least try the new michelin before jumping off the dunlop ledge.

[airfreek]

Why do you want to switch to Dunlops? Are you not happy with the Michelins? Want to go after Dunlop contingency? Or just want to try something else?

Not disappointed with the michelins at all in fact I think they are great tires.  I think its just more of wanting to try something else just for some different perspective.  The last time I rode on something other than michelins was in 2007.

[airfreek]

you need to run the new michelin EVO that comes out this may . Fuggin awesome tire.
there is no reason i should be running at the front with a top rider like Stefano mesa. no reason at all. The michelin tire is THAT good. i am lucky enough to have gotten an EVO front for 2 races at Daytona 2 weekends ago. TWO wins. as in beating everyone else. Then i used the SAME TIRE (not a new one, as we didn't have any more) and finished a very close 2nd to Stefano on his dunlops at Homestead miami speedway. His "home track".
The dunlop is an AMA/DMG spec tire.. used by very talented riders that go very fast , for 20+ laps. the tire is quite different in carcass hardness to the michelin and especially to the pirelli (that is a softer carcass tire). you can't even move a dunlop tire when it's' off the rim. It's that firm.
It's clearly a decent tire, and they pay some contingency, but i am of the firm belief, that a rider can go 1 second a lap faster on the michelin tire or pirelli. And i'm VERY certain michelin has the best tire in the paddock come May 2015.

i got to race the REAR evo in December 2014 at our final FL region race at Homestead. I posted my outright, absolute, fastest ever lap on a 600 in my 12 years of racing there. That was on the OLD VB font .. that is very very good by the way. The new front is even BETTER.

i highly suggest you at least try the new michelin before jumping off the dunlop ledge.

Thanks for the info.  I have heard about how hard the carcass is for the dunlop tires and that is one thing that worries me a bit.  I know ducs like a softer carcass front tire...plus as you have said the VB is a fantastic front tire.

I plan on competing in the New Jersey round in the beginning of May.  Will the EVO tire be available by then???

[MELK-MAN]

Not disappointed with the michelins at all in fact I think they are great tires.  I think its just more of wanting to try something else just for some different perspective.  The last time I rode on something other than michelins was in 2007.

absolutely NOTHING wrong with this.. find out what's what. otherwise you will always be wondering. I just have $10 on the fact you will go faster, with more confidence on the michelin tire, especially if you run the new EVO tires.

[MELK-MAN]

Thanks for the info.  I have heard about how hard the carcass is for the dunlop tires and that is one thing that worries me a bit.  I know ducs like a softer carcass front tire...plus as you have said the VB is a fantastic front tire.

I plan on competing in the New Jersey round in the beginning of May.  Will the EVO tire be available by then???

early May? i sure hope so but we shall see. That is the official release date that michelin states. Even in a 1/2 page RoadRacing world ad this month (page 45).. the vb is incredible though. and if you want a tire that you can literally do 85-100 laps on , run the Slick B front.

I ran 1:29's-30's on our light weight duc at NJMP, for 2 hours.. having never been there before. I was literally 2 bike lengths from finihsing 3rd overall in team challenge vs all the 600's and 1000's .. :) the Duc LOVES michelins.

[Redlining52]

I can't speak for Michelins as I've never used them, though I have heard good thing about them and there are some really fast guys running them. What I can say is that there are better tires out there than Dunlop.  I switched from Dunlops to Pirelli and instantly dropped time, and that was going from a Dunlop Slick to a Pirelli DOT.  I've been completely happy with the Pirelli tire but always like trying new stuff that comes out so may try the new Michelin a weekend when it comes out.

[MELK-MAN]

I can't speak for Michelins as I've never used them, though I have heard good thing about them and there are some really fast guys running them. What I can say is that there are better tires out there than Dunlop.  I switched from Dunlops to Pirelli and instantly dropped time, and that was going from a Dunlop Slick to a Pirelli DOT.  I've been completely happy with the Pirelli tire but always like trying new stuff that comes out so may try the new Michelin a weekend when it comes out.

i have been trying to preach this to anyone that will listen.. (that there's better rubber than dunlops) and you would think i grew a 3rd eye out of my head when saying it..
I gauge it off the talent i am up against at the pointy end of expert races. For years, i have seen the guys on pirelli and dunlop.. and the riders i am presently thinking of (won't name names) should be going considerably faster, but they are on dunlop.

[Redlining52]

I mount and balance my own tires most of the times and you can really tell a HUGE difference in the tires when it comes to that.  As MELK-MAN said those Dunlop tires are so freaking stiff, they are a pain in the ass to mount because of that.  I know with Pirelli and it sounds like Michelin the tire bend and is a lot softer.

[MELK-MAN]

I mount and balance my own tires most of the times and you can really tell a HUGE difference in the tires when it comes to that.  As MELK-MAN said those Dunlop tires are so freaking stiff, they are a pain in the ass to mount because of that.  I know with Pirelli and it sounds like Michelin the tire bend and is a lot softer.

you can darn near lube the michelin rear and THROW it on the rim.. very flexible carcass.

[design-engine]

maybe if your planning on racing MotoAmerica otherwise I would stick to Pirelli or Michelin