[achulz]

I ride almost exclusively at the track, and will need some new tires for my new track R3 (currently has some very old Q3+ that came with the bike). In the past I have used Bridgestone S22 on pretty much all of my bikes (R6 and Ninja 300 mainly) and as I go to the track more and more and ride less on the street (now exclusively at the track with the new R3), I am finding the rear tire to be somewhat limiting in the 110/140 sizes on the Ninja 300/R3.

The rear tire, when I compare it to other tires in the same size, seems to be much "flatter" with a taller sidewall. When I look at, say, a Rosso III, Q3+, or Supercorsa SC3, in the 140/70 size, the profile is much more "round". With this I am finding that it actually seems to reduce the amount of available lean angle, and when I try and lean the bike more (carrying faster and faster corner speed, with appropriate BP of course), the rear will actually want to slide out and much more heat is introduced with the smaller contact patch.

Here is a photo of the S22 rear on my old Ninja 300 (which has the same tire size as the R3):

I am considering switching to a different tire, perhaps the Q3+ or Rosso III, but I am wondering if putting a 150/60 rear S22 would help with this issue? Or maybe I am missing something? I made sure to use the correct tire pressures, but it didn't make a difference and the S22 would quickly booger up like the photo above, especially at the very edge of the tire.

I am definitely not fast enough (or rich enough) for slicks and warmers just yet, so I want to stick with a DOT tire that will last a few TDs, just something a little more capable than the S22, or at least do something about that rear tire profile. Thoughts?

 

[achulz]

The S22 is not a race tire, it is a hyper sport street purpose tire according to Bridgestone, that is exceptional on the street and a good track day tire for lower run groups who ride the same tire on the street as track. They designed the tire to provide additional contact up to the edge, when within the design limits of the tire, which reflects the lower lean angle for that intended purpose. The combination of compound, and softer edge construction make this a great tire there. The next step upward, is the RS (Race Street) series tires, which are more appropriate for racing and A group riders who exceed the design limits of the S22, for track riders who do not use their bikes for street use.

I run the S22 on the street and have found that I use about 80% of their edge on spirited roads, where they are nothing short of excellent. I can see, however, that on a grippy track surface, at full speed, they would be all in as far as lean capacity in the tightest corners.

More on this here:

Thanks for the feedback. I figured it was due to the profile of the tire and the intended use but was not 100% sure. I can definitely agree it is a fantastic street tire though and if I get another street bike I'm probably still going to run S22s on it.

I went ahead and ordered a set of Pirelli Rosso IIIs (110/140) for the track R3 and will see how they fair. Even with the old Q3+ that came on the bike I noticed it had a lot more lean angle available due to the profile (up until it started sliding, anyways), and the Rosso IIIs felt pretty nice on a friend's second gen R3 with decent lifespan so I figured I would give them a shot next (that and they were $100+ cheaper than pretty much any other set).

My next plan is to move up to a Supercorsa SC3 tire, or perhaps start using SC1/SC2 slicks and warmers, if my pace allows for it and I start racing instead of just doing a lot of track days.