[Senna3]

Originally Posted by skidlids

Pirelli do a whole range of tyres that offer higher grip levels than standard Diablo, the Diablo is their main stream road tyre that motorcycle manufacturers would look to fitting as standard.
In such a competitive market Pirelli need to keep pace with the developments not only of the motorcycle makers but also their tyre competitors and the Diablo is now becoming a dated tyre with little or no input into its design from there research on the race tracks at WSB, WSS and BSB levels.
The first time I recall seeing a Diablo was at the 2003 TT on the Proddy class bikes, we just didn't know what they were called then, we just clocked the new tread pattern and it was only the top guys that had them (ie their developemnet riders), they weren't available to us dispite us getting our tyres from the offiical Pirelli dealer in the paddock. we had to make do with Super Corsas and for the Junior TT we had these cut to the edge.

Pirelli have no doubt planned to phase the Diablo out and replace it with the Diablo Rosso which will be better in many if not all areas and certainly will not offer anything less in any one area as this is the tyre targeted at the masses, the everyday road rider that encounters all different types of conditions all over the world, from rain soaked man-hole covers to sun scorched tarmac.

As the availability of Diablos dropped off last season (Holbeach could not supply me with a front 120/70/17 at Donington) it looked as though the change over would be happening sometime this year and as such the rules had to try and allow for this.

It now seems Pirelli have changed their plans about producing the Rossos in a H rating but there is little the DSC can do about that, The most that can be done is to either secure the supply of standard DD legal Diablos or get them to sanction the use of the ZR rated Rossos.

in my experience Pirelli/Metzeler have done more for club racers in the last 12 years than any other tyre brand, with support at the Manx GP and the TT, the Pirelli riders club, their on going suport fo NGRRCs Streetstocks and their support of the DD series. this support may not be as strong as it initially was but who could blame them with the remarks sometimes aimed at them on this and other websites, so gone have the free tyres to be given away as prizes but the tyres are still below rrp.
One of our local tyre suppliers who was out with us on Sunday on his 916-SPS looked into the standard prices and came back with £154 + VAT for a pair, so its not as though we are getting ripped off.

£158 +vat