What causes this then/solution?
 

After my first TD at Silverstone on the SP yesterday...the tyre seemed to mark-up a lot more than the old 748 I had, which I guess is to be expected (85-90 HP vs 125-130 HP)...but I was suprised to see this down the middle of the tyre, all the way around.

Never seen it before, and looking around the padock there were some very fast boys whose tryes didn't look anyway near as shagged as mine on bikes like Gixer 1000's etc. So whats the cause/answer. I'm assuming its something to do with my rear compression/rebound damping settings.

When you see this kind of thing on a rear tyre, is it generally because things are too stiff or too soft?

Any ideas?

Its normally because the tyre is working harder than it needs to, this can be because the suspension is too soft or hard!!!

How does the bike feel? Try tweaking the suspension harder or softer as you feel it needs and see if it improves.

Tim

Tricky one...being the first time out on it 'in anger' it felt OK.

I did make a couple of changes during lunch, ensuring that both the rebound and compression damping were set at the middle of the range, which they were pretty much anyway.

So I'm now wandering which way to go next...harder or softer?

Harv
What tyre pressures were you running??? Under inflation can give the wear pattern you have.
Glyn

I reckon you should go softer first - in theory if the suspension is too hard, it'll work harder than if its too soft? Depends upon how soft or hard it is now I suppose.

Maybe you should look at getting one of the expert suspension guys to take a look, either at the track or at any of the major Ducati players?

I know that 100% have a fella who'll work with you all day and tweak as you go along.

Or try a search on how some of the Performance Bikes / Superbike magazines have set their Dukes up. But do make a note of your settings first - then you can always go back. That might tell you whether your settings are on the hard or soft side.

Tim

Yeh, I agree Glyn, that looks more like low pressure than anything else.
Any tyre will wear like that if its working hard, and as far as I know, wear in the middle always means the pressure is too low.

I was running 32 in the rear...which I think is OK for a slow/inters pace I was running.

WHAT !
You should be on more like 36 front and 42 rear I think !

32 is only any good for classic-style tyres.

(or 2.5bar front and 3bar rear for youngsters :saint:)

[Edited on 31-5-2005 by phil_h]

And how accurate was the pressure gauge, never seen that in all my years of racing (started same time as Glyn) with a correctly inflated tyre.
If it was on the edge I would suspect to much compression damping.

We ran Chippy's 749 at 32psi rear at Llandow on Friday without any problems, if he had been going 5 secs a lap quicker we would have dropped it a bit futher. I usuallu run 30psi in the rear for my race pace.