I have had the BT 003 on the bike since last fall. I was not confident cornering hard on the cold pavement. It has warmed to 50-58 F now and I am starting to ware off that chicken strip little by little. Every step I take in leaning harder, I feel the rear end squirm just a bit and I don't know if I should go farther or not. The roads up North are cold and I have an idea that maybe the roads down south hook tread better even if it not an especially warm day.

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Rook, burn it off and get better tires,you don't want a low side or even worse a high side because of tires you're not comfortable with.I'm partial to Pirellis

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So far my Corsa's are doing well and we haven't warmed up here in west Michigan, USA either. If it never really get hot where you are maybe a soft compound would work better and wear longer than it would 'down south' since it'll never really heat up? But definitely lose the Bridgestones. I have them on my old 83 GS Suzy which is about all they're good for. Low performance.

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So far Parellis, and Michellin are my tires of choice. The Battle Axes I have had, SUCKED. I have run Pilot Power since the first version and am more than happy with them. Wet, who cares. Cold, they'll be warm enough to stick in a short time. I also get about 4-6k on rear. Front lasts through 3 rears typically.

I just had Pilot Road 2s put on, and this riding season will be a good test of them because I expect to do 10,000 miles at least.

A lot of my miles will be with luggage on so I won't be pushing too hard in the corners. Not slouching, but not pushing.

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Yo Rook...you say slippin and slidin...in the curves...are you sure it's your tires?I know...kinda dumb question...but...when I lowered my bike she would virtually refuse to hold a line in a fast curve.Felt like she was slippin and slidin somewhat....she wasn't.It was the suspension.Just a thought here.Pirelli Angels on here.Stradas up to the time they started sellin Angels.Great tires.Yours may not be lowered,but is your suspension dialed in for your weight and such?It can make a serious difference.You lost the stock anchors on there,that's mucho weight right there...plus you're runnin that agressive gearing now,right?Maybe your chassis isn't settling as it could?You increased the length of your chain as well,didn't you?Lengthened the axle length from stock?Even an inch or so could make a difference in wheelbase.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 5/4/2011 @ 3:02 PM *

Rook, burn it off and get better tires,

The BT-003 is touted as being a street/racing tire. It's a less expensive than the Micheline power pure but still not cheap. similar "purpose" to Micheline poweer pures.

maybe a soft compound would work better and wear longer than it would 'down south'

That's what I was thinking when I got the BT003. So far, seems to be waring well but perhaps it could be even softer? This tire feels a bit sticky to the touch before its installed.

Here's a pic of the CS. Looks like there is a film of some exudation getting pushed out the edge. I think that is pretty common. Can't quite remember.

.are you sure it's your tires?

Thanks blue. Yeah, I am pretty sure it is the tire and not suspension. I did fiddle with the suspension last fall but I don't recall that doing anything but improve the stability --mostly for absorbing bumps; not too big of a change in cornering feel, I don't think. The slip seems to only happen when I carve a little more into the CS. Once the fresh rubber is rubbed up I don't feel any squirming until I push it a little farther.

Where the tire has surface ware, it feels very grippy to the touch. Even roughened up, it still feels a tiny bit tacky. I probably will just wash it and hope that helps it hold because I do intend to get that baby down to zip at least on the right side if not both left and right.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/4/2011 @ 3:58 PM *

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The only bike I liked slipstones on was my zrx,as the bike had a hinge in the frame,the stones would slip before the frame would flex,all humour aside check the date code on your tires.The last four numbers after the DOT stamp tell you the week and year of manufacture,maybe they are old stock

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I use Bridgestone 016s (a step down from your 003s) on the track with very good results.
Results..

Also use Pilot powers on the street with equally good results. Along with Metzlers and Pirellis. Sport and Sport Touring versions of most listed.
As for a "softer compound", doubtful your going to find softer DOTs than BT-003s. Cold pavement just will never produce the same grip as warm pavement will. You can't keep enough heat in the tires to get them to stick well.
After my experiences with the 016s, I'll be using 003s for my next set of track tires.
Another thing, the folks on the Busa forum say the same things you all are, just the tire brands are reversed. B-stones are praised, Michelins are cursed, especially the Pures. Tires are like oil, everyone has their favorites.

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I also liked the BT-016 for grip and it had a nice nuetral feel as the lean angle changed. I may prefer it to the 003. Have to see how the 003 performs once it gets scrubbed in. The 003 looks really cool. Very little tread.

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check the date code on your tires.The last four numbers after the DOT stamp

Thanks for that tip Darryl. I will have to try to find that out before buying next time.
After the DOT, there are some letters and then the numbers 4309. I suppose that would be April 3, 2009. They are old but but I bought them in October of 2010.

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See the flat spot on the rear tire? You transition not right-left=left-right. It would feel more like left-upright-right=right-upright-left. Straight road A to B on the quick. Some chopper site was saying how the pitch of the road caused one side of the tire to wear like that. I started in on that abstract, said if you had some bent frame or collapsed spring on one side of the fork, maybe if I took a pencil tip, dragged it across a sheet of paper, it might leave a flat spot on the tip I keep the pencil upright. YOu are going to half ass'd explain to me if I took a 45° angle on a pencil tip, dragged that across the pitch of the road, maybe I'd look like your bent front end tire pattern to one side is the wear is X times Y that makesense to you though.

See the step at the front tire? Maybe not well but [aim the eyes at the orange trash can]; see that leading edge is high, the trailing edge has dropped? Take your right hand, begin at the pinkie; Roll your fingers over the desk. See the pinkie drag first in the back? Now then, drag it backwards till your next finger hits the desk, your middle finger hits the desks. See how you can drag your hand backwards, but as you see that happen, your leading finger has not touched, but that back finger is shaving down that trailing edge it started with = The-_STEP.

Smoking those corners causes and effect on the tire; "Blue Car Kiss Matter." It don't matter is gethe fuck out of DARE fender bender is let them half at it! I change shitestwo testicles ate a time is did you come with two of them, you can change one or leave the other one home?

SHESASNOT MY PRO BLAME HO YOU WAVE HOSE ON THE ONE AND TOSS THE CHEEZE ON THE GROUND WITH ((((FRESH CREME FREE))))) RIDE ON YOUR HIDE!

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Rook, what pressures are you running?

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I don’t have very many twistys the only turns where I live are 90 degree my city is built like a grid.

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Rook, what pressures are you running?

I filled to 40 PSI a few weeks ago. Imagine it is down to 37 on the rear by now and prolly 35 front. I know that is sorta hard but I was hoping to do all I can to make these tires stretch into the warm weather (if it ever comes) so I can give them a fair try.

Guess I am going to have to lower the pressure a few pounds. I had a had a true drift slide this afternoon. I had been riding for at least an hour and the bike was hitting 4 bars at times. I took one of my fav corners and I felt the front let go and then the back slid which actually seemed to have corrected the front slide. I let up on the gas too. It was freaky. I was only doing 40-50 mph but it is a very tight corner. Still have not reduced the CS much from the pic I posted above.

I will definitely try Pilot Pure Powers next time and if they slip, I will know it is not the tires but my riding technique that needs to be changed.

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I don’t have very many twistys the only turns where I live are 90 degree my city is built like a grid.

I have nice twisties 40 minutes away but the expressway ramps are the best corners I have ever ridden.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/8/2011 @ 5:23 PM *

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Chicken strips don't mean anything anyway. Yesterday I acually cornered faster than my riding buddy, His pegs were actually dragging and I still had plenty of clearance. I still have a small amount of unused tire on the shoulder. So chicken strips don't really mean anything.

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Rook wrote:

I have nice twisties 40 minutes away but the expressway ramps are the best corners I have ever ridden.

For sure, some ramps are awesome!

40 minutes south from home, I can pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then the Skyline Drive, which almost rivals the Dragon's Tail, if not in number of turns per mile, at least in number of turns total. Plus its beautiful in the spring and fall.

20 minutes west from home, the Allegany Mountain chain. Many hikers have braved the Allegany Trail from New York down into TN I think it goes. I can challenge myself to the limit up there, or just plot a ride over fun roads that go up and down the mountains.

20 minutes north, into PA, and I can ride 30 more minutes and get into PA forest and hill country, and there are several summers worth of roads that produce a great ride, before you have to ride one twice.

I may live in the sticks, but am blessed with some of the best riding in the country within picnic range.

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heathun is right; yesterday I cornered like a Japanese police officer qualifying a safety cone riding that 14 around. You licking the sides don't mean you ain't chicken to hit the stripes and tag foot [with the peg pulling up] giving way you don't get a man-knee-cure you need to put a knee down.

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