I scraped my exhaust last summer a few times. I was able to runthe chicken strips off the back tire at my track day with that tire.

I've have a 190/50 on there all this season and cornered hard but never touched a pipe. I can't come close to wearing that tire up the edge either.

Do you think it was the 55 tire hight that was giving me clearance trouble last summer?

Have a set of Dunlop Q2s here. They sent me a 50 instead of a 55. I like the 55 height but if it causes exhaust touchdown, maybe i should keep the 50?

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/23/2012 @ 4:30 PM *

I run 55s on everything I own, they are noticeably taller and would increase ground clearance if anything over a 50 profile. Key word here is track day. Low tire pressures on the track will rub those chicken strips right off while higher street pressure means you gotta lean it more.

If you let enough air out of that back tire, it will flatten out and rub away that chicken strip without even leaning. Think about a flat tire on a car, it scrubs the sidewalls.

I'd bet $1 that your body positioning has improved since last year... transitioning smoother, braking smoother, and letting your suspension set?

All major factors in cornering clearance... More than the difference in tire size.

However... 190/55 > 190/50... But I don't corner hard.

I'd bet $1 that your body positioning has improved since last year... transitioning smoother, braking smoother, and letting your suspension set?

well, I will send the 50 back then and get the 55.

I was thinking the 55 with its flatter side tread might actually let the bike lay lower to the ground. It does seem like that would make very small dif. Well, I will get the 55 and then if I touch again right away I'll know something is probably up with the tire shape.

BTW I'm having a blast the last few days. you can't beat hot weather for traction confidence.

I have a 190/55 on my bike right now.I can tell ya..my cornering speeds are up,but my chicken strips are still there...about a half inch.You mentioned that track day....you were running those BT003's,right?I ran those right after I watched your video.Mine were gone at 2100 or so miles....and the sides were completely worn down.Compound is my opinion.BT003's...soft...track oriented.Street tirs...gonna be harder compounds in there.I was regularly grinding my 07's rear Pirellis(Angels,Diablos,Rosso's) to the edge.These Angels...not so easy for me to get that very edge off there.And I've definitely been trying.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 5/24/2012 @ 1:10 AM *

Rook, because of the profile of the Q2 the rear is actually taller than other 55 series tires so that would explain it. I can't remember the numbers when I researched but it's in one of the tire threads on the board I posted it in.

Found it Rook.

tire profile plays a big part in overall diameter. Prime example

Dunlop qualifier (190/50)- overall diameter is 24.81, width is 7.69

Dunlop Q2 (190/50)- overall diameter is 24.95, width is 7.54

Dunlop roadsmart (190/50)- overall diameter is 24.76, width is 7.52

Dunlop D616 (190/50)- overall diameter is 24.71, width is 7.60

so even though they are both a 190/50 the Q2 is actually taller than the qualifer and not as wide. And with the roadsmart the Q2's are taller and wider even though they are both a 190/50 series tire. This is the same for all tires.

You mentioned that track day....you were running those BT003's,right?I ran those right after I watched your video.Mine were gone at 2100 or so miles....and the sides were completely worn down.Compound is my opinion.BT003's...soft...track oriented.

yup. had BT003s for the track day and the end of the riding season on the street. They are considered mostly a track tire but they are DOT. They actually almost wore to the edge on my first session and that was at 45 psi so I don't think the tire pressure has anything to do with it.

The Power Ones I have now should be about as soft I would think as the BT-003. Sorta looks like Micheline and Bridgestone are after the same niche with those respective tires. ....so the difference is the height and shape of the tire, I guess. The BT003 was a 55 and the Power1 is a 50.

Perhaps the tire pressure nor the size are as much of a clearance factor as sidewall stiffness???? I scraped pipe using Bridgestone BT-016 and BT-003. The Power1 is the lightest weight tire available but maybe Micheline has a stiffer carcass material than Bridgestone? That would seem to correlate to the edgy feeling of the BT003 on the street. It felt like it would turn in just a bit and then it almost fell over...like the tire flexxed a lot even at normal psi. Thought that was a shape characteristic---it was the most egg shaped across the tread of any tire I've used so far (worked great for counteracting center wear on the street).

Rook, because of the profile of the Q2 the rear is actually taller than other 55 series tires so that would explain it.

I'll try the Q2 90/55 and wait to repair and recoat my exhaust. Two different 55s have scraped pipe on me. If the Q2 does it, I'm going back to a 190/50. might be that the 55 is higher vertically but flater sidewalls are actually lower at a steep lean. We'll see.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/24/2012 @ 9:25 AM *

There are a few things I'm learning watching tire wear and heat factors. Seems simple enough to follow some pit strategy. They let the rider wait for last call. This keeps the tire warmers on longer being the last seconds ticking down. The next move is to let all the guys/gals leave first. This way, you come around, you have the warmest tires than the riders up front that are cooling down waiting for the rest to line up.

That right there is good for cold days at the track. The other deal is more important. That is tire pressure. You have to put the heat back in the tire. Best way to do that is deflate. There goes you 55 aspect down to a 53 for argument sake. The heat is back in the tire, rather than a colder 45 pounds at the tire. I would assume on hot days, you'd pound up to cool the tire some? Keep it from getting too greasy on the drive out.

Rook I run the Q2's in a 190/50 and haven't scraped anything and I have gsxr 750 pegs mounted and haven't run out of tire.

the Q2's have a huge shoulder and I haven't seen anyone run out of tire cornering on these things.

just so you have it here are the numbers.

Q2 190/50/17 diam 24.95 width 7.54
Q2 190/55/17 daim 25.35 width 7.85
Power one 190/55/17 diam 25.83 width 7.99

so the power one 190/55 is a half inch taller and a little wider.

so the power one 190/55 is a half inch taller and a little wider.

damn them those bastages at the dealership don't know their butt from there ballczack. I was told the Power 1 does not come in 55 height. They ordered the 50 for me. I am so glad to say I will be mounting my own tires from now on. I really hope it works out.

What a waste. $400 tires. dumbasses.

thank you for the info heathun. Hopefully I have learned once and for all to never listen to what a dealership tells me. Not even about tires which is the only thing they are supposed to good for except selling bikes.

$400? WTF I get the Q2's for $240 a set and my dealership charges me &30 to mount and balance them.

yeah $400 is too much, sportbiketrackgear had them way more cheaper. I buy them online and get them mounted and balanced for $40.

motosport.com has the pair for $285

$400? WTF I get the Q2's for $240

I have too much info on different tires in this thread. LOL Size, brand, price...

The $400 was for the Micheline Power 1s. I don't think they were quite that but after install, that is about on the $$. Expensive tires and the forksticker at the dealership told me it was only available in 50, they don't make a 55.....wrong, they do make a 55. Too late now. bought the 50 and it's def showing wear.

The Q2s I got were $270 from Competition Accessories.

Guess what guys, I'm an idiot!! I was telling someone about my 190/50 I had on there and how I wanted a 190/55. he looked down at it and said, "that is a 190/55.

So, this thread has no merit at all. IDK why I still have chicken strip. Have been running high tire pressure but still-- I like the skill level/riding technique improvement hypothesis that was proposed so I'll just go with that. lol

I did lay the 14 over about as hard as I cab really imagine today. Low speed tight corner, misjudged and went in too fast couldn't make it and had to turn into the oncoming lane. Plenty of room with the extra lane , good thing nobody was coming. I did have that sucker leaned over hard. No pipe scrape, still have unused tread but a somewhat less than before I set out today.

I think it is a combination of tire pressure, tire side wall flexing and mostly tire shape. This Micheline is a good, stabile tire.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/28/2012 @ 3:13 PM *

Do you have any pics of your rear tire wear, my chicken strip is progressively getting smaller, I'm not even really trying just not moving much in the seat. Since you're not afraaid to spend big bucks on tire, I would suggest you try the Rosso Corsa, I love those suckers!

"Plenty of room with the extra lane , good thing nobody was coming"....Rook!You been watchin my videos again?.

Seriously though...LOL!!!"it IS a 190/55"... Doncha love it when you can call yerself out on yer own koo koo ness!Priceless Bro!I KNEW there HAD to be someone else here that this stuff happens to Only that ONE corner on my one vid...it always catches me by surprise...sometimes I'm 'almost' in the groove with it...but usually...I forget to start my right hand entry point right in next to that guardrail.By the time I'm actually leaning in...the right lane is disappearing FAST--into the oncoming lane.Very dangerous actually.I REALLY need to be more alert when I'm coming up on that one.It looks the same as all the others...but it does have a decreasing radius at the midpoint,then shoots to the left.What makes it even worse...it's going over a bridge...and the turn surface is flaked and broken shards of cement in there(not asphalt)...you don't know if your gonna slip or what...so leaning in feels very riskey.I guess I could just slow down!Been fortunate on that curve at least two times now...no one coming.I HATE that feeling of anxiety 'trying' to correct an already 'out of control' situation...but basically...that's what it is...if a car was coming...I'd be a goner for sure.Definitely you reminded me of my one and only nemesis on my roads I ride.That one curve .

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 5/29/2012 @ 12:15 PM *

Do you have any pics of your rear tire wear, my chicken strip is progressively getting smaller,

.Definitely you reminded me of my one and only nemesis on my roads I ride.That one curve

..but just around the corner, We have a rise in the road and I know what's (supposed to be) on the other side. A gradual downhill corner. Rip that throttle open and you sail right off the top on one wheel. It is such a great feeling. WOOOOOOOSHHooooooooooo!

I will post one but I will need to post the track tire alongside it just to show I can do it!

lol

here it is. barely worth showing. I really don't see it getting smaller than this on the street unless maybe if I lower the tire pressure.

So why the hang up about chicken strips, They really don't mean anything. The way I look at it is if your using all of your tire there is less room for error. I corner pretty fast and hard and still don't use all of the tire. The way I see it if some surprise pops up I still have some tire left for emergency manuevers.

yeah. The CS is more a way of gauging how things are progressing over the short term, not an indication of long term progress. Perhaps you could rely on CS size as a gauge if you always used the same tires and same tire pressure. I think the shape of the tread surface has a subtle difference from one tire to the next and that might make a noticeable dif in CS size.

The way I look at it is if your using all of your tire there is less room for error.

As for psi, I have 45 cold in there still and had no problem with grip making a 20-15" radius turn at ~20 mph. That seems close to larger gymkahana maneuvers. So, even though lower tire pressure makes a big dif on the track, I seem to have been ok with normal and even slightly high pressure for street sport riding.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/30/2012 @ 8:11 AM *

Yes rook but I know from experience that you can run out of available tire without ever touching down hard parts.

It makes for a nasty full bike lateral drift and having to use your inside knee to lift the bike back up onto usable tire all the while hoping she'll hook back up.

And as far as tire's on the street, with the Q2's I run 42 rear and 38 front. The track is a whole different story on tire pressures. On the track I run 34 rear and 32 front on powers.

* Last updated by: heathun on 5/30/2012 @ 1:10 PM *