...has anyone else noticed our expensive sport tires really bite when the temps drop below about 45 degrees F? I've had my BT-016s bust loose a couple times in the corners under moderate load and throttle and got slithering around on the brakes a few times until some heat is into the tires.

I've gotten to where I don't even want to go riding unless the temps are up to at least 50 or so.

Why do you think they use tire warmers in road racing pre-race ?

Get Brock to make you a winter exhaust pipe. It has to push hot air over the tire, not out the back. Then, pull some cable, the door closes, your tire warmed up, out the back it goes like your regular pipe flow. Electronically speaking, you run a temp sensor to the atmosphere. This opens the door to the tire heating. You have a light beam hitting the tire heat and that turns the exhaust gate closed and/or, stay home, go ice skating instead. Blame the tire compound blends.

Why do you think they use tire warmers in road racing pre-race ?

A) It may be difficult to make a tire soft enough for cold weather use that will also hold up well in hot weather.

B) Most people can't handle being out on a motorcycle going 75 mph in 50 degree temps or less. There is not a big market for winter street riding (let alone winter sport riding) tires. Manufacturers prolly don't try to satisfy the needs the small group of winter riders have for cold weather tires. I agree it would be very nice for us die hards but there is nit enough of us.

I have seen knobbies for street bikes but that is probably not gonna help at all for grip on cold pavement.

Hub, that is an ingenious idea but you would need some front exits to hit the front tire too.

How about we just find a way to circuate engine coolant through the wheels?

Run little spitters off the headers like they have with a fuel injectors. Use the PAIR ports so the jet holes stay clean of carbon. I made it up as a jokemark43 kind of joke. I'm moving along with the joke. I like sliding around. Keeps the skills up.

Once Kruz stops at a light, those tires are cooling off out of the warmers. Like you said, Rook, the warmers are a one time out of the blanket and now run like the dickens to get them even hotter, like gumball hot. It's up to running speed and temp now I'd say.

Did you short ride that slip, Kruz? No more than 5 minutes tops and you were greasing the pan, she is not up to temp? More hard minutes like on the straight and narrow or a good sweeper right and left to build up a little heat. Then, I'd turn around and run at that slippery spot that got your attention.

Kruz you didn't read my post about BT-016 and cool weather traction problems. I also mentioned the dual compound tires are crap in general in cool weather. Hear this voice in your head put on pilot powers originals say no to dual compound front and rear.

No Kawnow, I must have missed that. The BT-016s are great hot weather tires but this time of the year I ride short but aggressive rides with hard cornering and no bueno! Hub's idea works, get out and get up to speed in a straight line, get hard on the brakes a few times and then hit some corners and they're OK. Tire warmers are definitely not the answer as Hub and Rook pointed out, as soon as they hit frigid macadam they're cooled off and no grip. I hate winter...bottom line!

But you're in DALLAS...how cold can it get?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 2/10/2012 @ 11:06 AM *

But you're in DALLAS

need we say more?

50 is cold to those people.

I'll be out by the end of March regardless of the temp. No real hard corners until mid May, prolly.

I also mentioned the dual compound tires are crap in general in cool weather.

so if I remeber, kawnow, you feel that the single compounds are a compromise between the grip of edge tread and center tread on multi compound tires. That makes the center of a single compound stickier than the center of a dual compound.

Kruz, you could use a tire that was all edge compound in the winter.

But you're in DALLAS...how cold can it get?

can you believe they actually ran that trailer in full on some episodes? Nobody would sit through that today. but some of those dallas girls were sure hot....me in my adolecent awkward half aware state. I wasn't sure if bikes or girls were more exciting then either.

Rook really I've run a pilot power all year this last year and they are not a compromise tire they grip as well as any and so far they last longer for a couple reasons. On the rear the hard compounds get chewed up from engine torque and hard pavement especially in winter. They also don't have that weird transition area of the dual compounds. For some reason the front also lasts longer.

What are we talking here in the way of mileage Kawnow? I'm running BT-016 front and rear on all of my sportbikes and mileage varies from about 2000 miles on the rear of the 14 to just over 3000 miles front and rear on my ZX-6R....but I'm very hard on tires, your mileage may vary.

Still running the same "summer" tire pressure, Kruz?

I run between 5 and 7 psi less in cold weather... makes the tires will warm up quicker.

Kruz I really don't keep great records but yeah the front power has been on maybe a year and the rear all winter and still looks good. Kinda vague but a rear dual compound goes away real quick in cold weather. Not only holding up better but handling and traction is better. That's the best I can say except try a set and save the dual compounds for summer but I won't go back.

That sure is a nice avatar, Dogo. Just when I thought it was safe to be on the forum with the kids in the room...

DAMN!

DA-a-a-ammmmm!

Kruz you're such a brat. Today it was about 55 and I saw lots of people wearing coats... not jackets coats lol
The wife is starting to do that as well, I'm keep telling Honey you're from Nebraska come on!
I'm running the pirelli rosso corsa. As far as grip I don't think you can beat them. I have put 1000 on the rear and about 2000 on the front, both look really good. I do triple digit maybe 3 times a week and that's max but I rarely ride under 4k RPM. They may not last as long as the Q2's but you have a lot of bikes

That sure is a nice avatar, Dogo. Just when I thought it was safe to be on the forum with the kids in the room...

Was just trying to be festive, Rook... It is February.

New one better?

I also posted about my road pilot 3’s losing grip at around 40 degrees I locked up my front tire for a good distance when a car pulled out in front of me I will post some pictures of the bald spots I now have thanks to low temps and stupid driver just glad I did not dump my bike or hit the car it was I close one!!

I'm running the pilot power 2's and yeah, the dual compound doesn't like below 50. I've ridden a few times down to 36 but this time of year here in Indy the real danger is all the salt n sand...esp. at intersections, curves and hills...pretty much everywhere, so you can't get too aggressive anyway. Can't wait to try the pures tho.

And good taste Dogo! I'd say just about perfect!!

High here in Dallas tomorrow is forecast 43 F. Call me a lightweight but I ain't riding......period!