Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Tyre Warmers

[dickieducati]

just had a word with diamond securities as i wanted to ask a couple of questions anyway.

thay said they wouldnt be able to do any discount, i said there would be 6 or 7 of us. so they would be 150, or 170 with an exhaust heat shield for a ducati.

[Rattler]

...........not that I use that type - I use ones that have holes burnt into them from the exhaust!!!

Tim

[Harv748]

Your spot on Kev/Desmondo...about 75% of it is in the head...thats the point!

If someone said to you you could knock a heap off your lap times (or in my case add to my enjoyment of a trackday) for £130(ish)...you would go for it. The fact that this could be an alteration to the bike/engine or hypnotherapy is irrelevant. The thing that slows me (and I would say 99.9% of all other riders) down is not the bike...but the little grey cells of doubt.

There are enough variables to be dealing with when venturing out onto the track...if I can eliminate one of them...so be it!

And they seem to be a good investment for the same price as a carbon mudguard!!!

As for the tyres not taking that long to warm up, tell that to the CSS instructor at the DSC day (Rocky) who binned it in the novice group on lap 2 of the 'warm-up laps' on D207rr's...

[Edited on 4-2-2004 by Harv748]

[David Cook]

I've been using Bandit Colts 500's for the past 2 years (bought from JHP with DSC discount) and "wouldn't leave home without them!"

They are thermostatically controlled so there's no chance of cooking the rubber and easy to put on and take off. Try to leave them unrolled to cool naturally each time and as Felix says, don't let them touch the (hot) exhaust.

I have used a genny at places like Cadwell and found out that as they're rated at 950 watts you need at least a 1 kVa generator.

[Felix]

Boy, Diasec must have sold a ton of them, because only a month ago, they were selling them for 130 with the exhaust shield. Supply and demand, I guess. And, yes they do have a thermostat (non-adjustable).

[JPM]

I think it's not only the tyre you're trying to get warm (well that's the ultimate goal). But if you can heat into the rim, and wheel, they will hold the heat long than just rubber, so it radiates out etc.

[skidlids]

And I thought most of it was to do with keeping the heat cycling of propper race rubber to a minimum. As for CSS instructors crashing on D207RRs which is a road tyre thats a bit worrying does that mean all road tyres need to be put in warmers before you go out on them.
As for tyre warmers I use HHW and before these I used Euroquip ones, ideally you will need a 1000Watt generator to get them to work properly or at some circuits you can hook up to the mains (Not always possible at race meetings) At Mallory and Donington the outdoor supplies require a Blue 240V round pin plug. In my race van a carry a 25m extension lead with these fittings along with a piigy back lead that has two sockets coming out of one plug, ideal for cutting into somebody elses hook up if they are all taken, I also have a 4-way normal 13amp extension block connected to one of these 2 blue plugs. This give me the choice of plugging my tyre warmers into either my generator or a paddock mains supply.

[Harv748]

Your right Kev...it would be worrying if it happened on the road under normal riding conditions...but it didn't. It was on a track...lap 2...picking up the pace...with cold tyres...nothing else.

Wonder if they will fit the DR?

[skidlids]

point is Harv that road tyres should be warm by the 2nd lap as the GP race version certainly would be, maybe the instructor should have warmed his brain up first. If I came off in a race on the 2nd lap and blamed cold tyres my mates would tell me to cut the cr@p and own up to making a mistake.

[Desmondo]

I was going to add this when I got home but you've pretty much said it for me Kev. How many people can get their brain in to gear for full on riding within the first lap? Not many I'll bet. You need that first lap or so to get your brain ready for action as much as you need it to warm the tyres.