Front tyre profile
 

Ok folks, what front tyre profile are you all running. I was not aware of a choice until the last meeting at Brands. Alan and Paul were looking at my flat front tyre and we were discussing options, Alan very kindly offered to let me use one he had in the van (I did not fancy fitting a new one just before the race) he also pointed out that it had a 70 profile and proceeded to exploit the merits of such a tyre and Paul agreed with him. Never having bought tyres for this bike I had never been given an option on profile. So I decided to take the advice, get new tyres and fit a 70 profile font. I have now been reading on another Ducati owners site about the merits of the 70 front but there was a cautionary note which said that you have to drop the yokes down the fork legs by 12mm in order to maintain the same geometry? This is not an option for me as the forks are up to the bars. Any thoughts anyone?

[Edited on 21-9-2005 by multi600]

I went from a 60 to a 70 and it was a very good move. I was pushing the front a lot with the 60 and completely off the edge of it. The 70 still had a little bit of room to play with - well worth the change.

I don't know about geometry changes to be fair - we were playing with mine to get something that felt comfortable for ages and didn't really solve it until after Snetterton and I was already using the 70's before then.

If you're not running out of side grip (I don't know how much lean you carry) then I wouldn't be too rushed to change it if I was you. But, if you're nto carrying that lean at the moment you may well do in the future so it will be worthwhile changing it to get used to it.

well its definitely correct that you have to ove the forks up to maintain the same geometry becasue the tyre is 12mm taller. conversely you could move the back up which will achieve the same outcome, although that may make the bike too high for you.

for whats its worth i changed to a 70 front and didnt change the front height and didnt notice any disernable difference. but then my rider feedback falls somewhere between poor and non existant!

70. This has been discussed in depth before. Very few race teams run on a 60 profile anymore, although, as Dickie said, there's plenty of folk out there that wouldn't be too concerned either way.

Remember that tyre profile is distorted by tyre pressures and suspension settings. Get them right and you'll start to notice the difference between 60 & 70. Get them wrong and you may as well be on 120/30s!

I wouldn't worry about dropping the forks. If it's really slowed the handling (unlikely) then do something to up the rear ride height.

made no difference to me and i have run both this season....happy to run either.........

but i just ride em........................................:pig:

Too right fil.

To be honest I think changing things...anything...can do more harm than good. My own, personal opinion, is that so long as the bike feels reasonably stable you should keep EVERYTHING un-touched, and just concentrate on riding that bike to the best of your ability. That way there is a perfect continuity between rides and you are far more likely to be in a position to push both yourself and the bike to the limit. Change things and, aswell as having to re-familliarize yourself, a natural hesitancy to push creeps up on you. In my case I've got the same tyres on the bike that have been there all season, including two track-days, and I wasn't aware up 'till now that there were actually two profiles of tyre available! Ignorance is bliss!!! Unbelievably, not only do I not know what tyre pressure the tyres were fitted with...but I havn't even checked the pressures all season....

Does anyone think I'm I doing anything wrong :puzzled::puzzled:

Andy #99

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i certainly think the odd check of tyre pressures wouldnt go a miss! but having said that you're quicker than me so what do i know.

when you do check and adjust them you should be running about 10 psi front and rear for optimum performance. ;)

I thought it was 7!

I can see the point that Phil and Andy are making about making changes, I should know - making changes has cost me a bit over the season. But there you go. I could notice the difference between a 60 front and a 70 front but not in steering, more how it felt when it was on its side. So it does make a difference.

yes i definitely felt better at full lean. i was in the same position as tony. right on the edge of the 60 with a little bit to spare on the rear. now the tyre wear is much more equal.

i certainly check and run different pressures dependant on conditions ....it seems to make no difference to me or the handling with either the 60 or 70 profile on the front.....there is a massive amount of lean angle on the SS and i have not heard of anyone running out of tyre.?..perhaps its different on the monnie.?

IMHO the bikes are so basic ( unless u got ohlins lol ) that you just have to get on them and ride the bloody thing as hard as you can........