Rubber thoughts

[NBs996]

With reference to entering other classes, which classes for which the DD bikes are eligible are/are not allowed to use wets?
SOT can use wets, but what else can we enter and what's the tyre rules for them classes?

[domski]

All other club classes can use wets - at least all the ones that DD bikes are eligible for.

I believe that DD is the only class in the UK to use a single tyre for wet & dry (although I may be wrong).

[NBs996]

ta dom. So what's the options then apart from SOT?
And does anyone in our ranks bother to have wets standing by for the dd bikes?

[fil2]

I believe that DD is the only class in the UK to use a single tyre for wet & dry (although I may be wrong).

And bl**dy good tyres they are indeed.. i have run one set all year including 4 trackdays AND 2 days at cadwell dsc trackday.......

Come rain or shine i have every confidence in the tyres..........

Phil

[antonye]

The 5.5" back wheel with a larger tyre is a brilliant option and works well, fits the bike without any problems and can be picked up quite cheap off ebay.

Would it be worth investing in wets? Maybe, as the wheels are not that expensive and do come up for sale quite often, but then you've got to do tyre warmers as well? Some trackdayers already have them so I guess it depends on your budget and how serious you are about doing other race series as opposed to DD.

[wilf]

You can use your DD bike in the Mini Twins, open tyres choice, with NG, Bemsee etc. would recommend NG ever time. Next one is Thruxton!!!!! speak to Skidlids, he is a regular in the NG paddock.

[NBs996]

thanks. Just gathering some knowledge cos I want to spread my wings at cadwell and enter another class... I've only ever entered dd.
I guess what I was asking is what classes are there, and does anyone bother with a contingency plan for rain or just live with the diablo's?

[NBs996]

You can use your DD bike in the Mini Twins, open tyres choice, with NG, Bemsee etc. would recommend NG ever time. Next one is Thruxton!!!!! speak to Skidlids, he is a regular in the NG paddock.

I'd race with NG no probs wilf. I've marshalled for them and it seems like a good club.
Thruxton next year might be fun, it's almost my local track!

[paynep]

but then you've got to do tyre warmers as well?

Warmers for wets? Are you sure?

[antonye]

Warmers for wets? Are you sure?

No idea, I'm not a racing god am I! ;)

[phillc]

I raced in the SV class at Snetterton on Saturday. Was in with the Formula 400s and Honda Hornets.

When I say raced, I was out on track with my 583 at least........... Oh, I didn't quite come dead last either. Really I just used these two races, and extra qualifying, as track learning sessions because this was my first time at Snett.

Would I do it again? Only if I didn't know the track. Maybe it'd be worth trying at Cadwell where there aren't huge straights to lose out to the more powerful bikes on. That's not saying I wouldn't come second last again........

[domski]

You can enter the SV race as Phill says (some of us have got trophies in that this season too). There has only been 1 SV turn up, he fell off at Donny and beat me twice at Snett (typical!). Eric & Ali won a race each at Oulton I think?

It's worth doing at least one SV race @ £25 as you get the extra qualifying session as well.

So you could do DD, SV and SoT for £160-£170 (not checked Cadwell entry fee) and get 3 qualifying sessions and 4 races (1 each of SV & SoT). That's better value isn't it.

:)

Oh, I wouldn't bother with wets, coz you'll still get your arse kicked either way. Unless you were feeling flush ;)

[phil_h]

You can enter the SV race as Phill says (some of us have got trophies in that this season too). :D
There has only been 1 SV turn up, he fell off at Donny and beat me twice at Snett (typical!). Eric & Ali won a race each at Oulton I think?

It's worth doing at least one SV race @ £25 as you get the extra qualifying session as well.

So you could do DD, SV and SoT for £160-£170 (not checked Cadwell entry fee) and get 3 qualifying sessions and 4 races (1 each of SV & SoT). That's better value isn't it.

:)

Oh, I wouldn't bother with wets, coz you'll still get your arse kicked either way. Unless you were feeling flush ;)

I found the track time at dony and snet really useful as you get your head in gear far better if you have some untimed practice as well ;)
I managed to harry the tail enders as they braked too much into the corners, and even had a passing game with one bloke at snet.
In the wet at dony it was a bit more worrying tho cos they all had better rubber than me :eek:
As dom says £25 for a race + qualy is great value - and at snet it allowed me to see if I could better my dd qualy times - which I did, and that gave me a lot more confidence for our race, leading to my best ever dd result.

[phil_h]

Hmm ... perhaps I should set up the spare dd750 as a wet bike :devil:

[domski]

Hmm ... perhaps I should set up the spare dd750 as a wet bike :devil:

I'll remind Chass to buy another cup.

How about a polystyrene one next time?

:lol: ;)

[phil_h]

I'll remind Chass to buy another cup.

How about a polystyrene one next time?

:lol: ;)

no no no
I'd quite like a matched set actually :p

[skidlids]

racing with NG in Minitwins means sharing the grid with SoT, which can be a bit hair raising when you get lapped by the leaders on the circuits with roughly a minute lap times.
Its easier to keep out of there way if you have rubber that allows you to lap a bit faster.
Last weekend at Pembrey every session I did on the Saturday required full wets. Sunday morning practice saw the track with a drying line so I took the Class A DD bike out on Diablos and had a couple of big slides exiting the Old Hairpin and Spitfires. I later took it out in the Qualifying race on the same tyres and as the track was dry it did OK.
For the final race on Sunday I put Super Corsas on the Minitwin and used tyre warmers, I spent all race swapping places with Roberto Benini (originally signed for Class A at the begining of the season) on his 996 on slicks, didn't help the lap times but was fun.
For Pembrey I had
Super corsas for the Dry
Diablos as a form of inters
Full wets (used at every MT meeting I have taken part in this year)

[paynep]

I've been adding up the number of laps and miles that I've got out of my Diablos this year so far:
I reckon on having done 6 race meetings and 6 trackdays giving a total of 350 laps or 650-ish miles.
They look and seem fine so I'll probably leave them on for Cadwell to finish the year off....

[twpd]

Warmers for wets? Are you sure?

Yes. You need warmers.

[andys 900ss]

Cant fault the Diablo's for suiting the 600 bikes. Both my sets (one for trackdays and one for racing) are second hand and I've given them a fair amount of stick too and they still good to use!!!

Well done RC or whoever came up with the idea.

I have tried warmers on a number of occasions, but they dont seem to make much difference, just really in the head for confidence on a track I dont know to get upto speed asap.

Andy

[twpd]

Why would you put warmers on road tyres like Diablos?

You only put warmers on race tyres because they need to be got up to temperature before use in order to grip and prolong their life.