Tyres? Pirelli Diablos - Pah!
 

I don't like them that much. I tried a set on my Triumph a couple of years ago and wore them out in about 2000 miles. At the time I put it down to the bike being pretty heavy. Anyway, I bought some for my road-going 800 and they've been ok so far in terms of grip although they don't seem to have that much feel. Today, whilst hooning my way home the bike's handling seemed a bit off. On closer inspection I was shocked to find that they are knackered. I've worn this set out in 1300 miles :(

It's not like they are brilliantly grippy so that sort of mileage is crap. The front is worn out on the edges and the rear is worn out everywhere.

I'm a bit out of date with road tyres as I'm more familiar with race tyres. I like the venerable old Dunlop D207s which work well on a heavy bike like my Triumph but, I doubt they'll work on a light bike like the 800 - what's decent out there atm? I've tried Michelin's in the past and not liked them - my other 800 has Pilots on atm and I don't like them at all.

Suggestions?

I've just had Diablos fitted on the 996 and was out scrubbing them in yesterday. They felt good. Quite grippy for road tyres and I'm hoping I get a whole season's wear out of them. Definitely nicely warmed up by the time I got home and they look tougher than the last 2 sets of 208RRs I've had. Everyone does seem to rate the Diablos. I'm just wondering what it is you do that sh@gs your tyres so quickly (don't have to answer that, obviously ;-) )

I open the throttle as soon as I can exiting every corner :) And I like to rag the bike a bit but, I'm no straightline or acceleration merchant. I won't be bothering with Diablos again at that sort of wear rate.

The mole rates them...........on a Ducati 748 SPS with 'Shazaam' recomended gearing and for road use, I find them perfect! Brought my confidence on no-end. And thats after 20 odd years on a wide variety of different bikes. Just my opinion....

Moley

Fair enough. They obviously don't suit your riding style. There's a write up in May's Bike magazine about road and track rubber. Looks like Tomahawk Sport RRP might suit you "Sport biased with a large contact patch that puts more rubber on the road. Its reduced shoulder tread offers better lean angles and less "feathering" under spirited riding conditions". I'll copy the pages and post it to you if you can't get hold of a copy. (need your address, obviously)

I know you know your way around a race track so I won't insult you by saying check your pressures, but it could well be suspension based. I've seen a 900SS knacker a set in a track day, but my superlight lasted a whole season (5,000m) including 5 track days on a set, something I'd credit to well setup suspension. They were well and truly gone when I ditched them but they didn't budge while on the bike.

The one major issue I've found with them is that track use tends to push the carcass left due to the prominence of right-handers, but they're a road tyre so you can't blame the manufacturer for that. I've tried a number of tyres with the ss chassis and Diablos suit me down to the ground, but I think that's more to do with profile/construction than the rubber.

If you're really hacked off I should take them to Pirelli and ask why they died so quickly. Even if they were corsas you should expect more wear than that.

Cheers,

Ali

Well you might be right Ali. I have been playing around with my suspension a lot tyring different things. The tyres are showing no signs of distress that you would expect with overly hard suspension or excessive damping - they're just worn out all over. I guess it's possible that the variations I've been trying have stressed them more than normal.

I normally run the front at 33-34psi and the rear at 36-38 psi. The roads around here across the moors are pretty bumpy so, I tend to run the suspension fairly soft and compliant otherwise I'd spend a lot of time out of the saddle. This does make the bike move around a fair bit but, keeps the wheels on the road. Nevertheless, I do the same with my big heavy Triumph and that doesn't knacker the tyres so quickly.

For sure I have no complaints about the level of grip they give which, is more than adequate for road use. Just the wear rate is a bit excessive.

You're just a big bully aren't you - go on, admit it!!

Those poor Pirelli's never stood a chance :(

:lol::lol::lol:

Fat barsteward more like!

Had the Diablo Corsa's on the 996 for almost a year now, lots of rideouts (including winter ones) the odd trackday and just general riding about, Almost 2500 miles so far and still going strong.

Hmmmmm...I'm at a loss to understand it then. I've checked my tyre pressure gauge against another and they both read the same.

Pressures, I run 32Fr and 34Rr

On my second set of diablo Corsa's and get around 2500/3 out of them , although i run 34/36 i tried lower but seem to like the higher pressures better , and yes you can feel the difference , well i can

How heavy are you Kev? I weigh 14 stone.

Kev's hair weighs 15 stone, you should be OK Nige :lol:

Diablo's are excellent....
 

Standard Diablo's on Multi1000DS running 32 front 36 rear, excellent grip, excellent feel, they're responsive and supple, and I don't hang about on that bike. Lotsa people make the mistake of fitting Corsa's when the standard one gives all the grip that's needed and lasts so much longer (just ask Dom) , which ones have you been using?

I got to say that I didn't think the Corsa made bugger all difference to be honest. I'm going much quicker this season and (touch wood) I've not had any slides yet, not even at Brands in the rain.

Diablos rule - but then I'm used to nothing else.

I can't fault them !

I run diablo corsa front and a standard diablo rear!

They are great tyres wet or dry !

I had the same set up at llandow on friday and had the front tuck in the second session but that was running slightly off line passing someone on the out side and the rear was sliding alot but it was predictable every lap ! i ran 30 psi front and rear.

on the road i get around 2 rear 2 one front, rears will last around 1300-1500 miles.

Age

Std Diablos.

Just been talking to one of the hartside guys I occasionally ride with - he's been complaining of the same experiences on his R1. It would seem that perhaps the sort of roads we ride on are the common factor.

I love em! I have always had them on the Multi since changing the original scorpion syncs. I get about 1600 miles from a rear and almost double from the front. I am pretty heavy though and the Multi gets some hammer. Also have them on the 996r (corsa front) but not paid any attention to the wear rate/mileage on that. No problems at all gripwise in the dry as bits of the multi touch down before you run out of grip. I find them excellent in wet/damp conditions as I ride the Multi all year round. I ride the same roads as you probably do (Hawes/Middleton/Alston etc).

I only started using them as a few years back a got a pair at a good price as I had always been a Bridgestone lover 010 56ss 56 etc. Have used em ever since. I dont doubt tyre technologies moved on and past me by but I really cant fault the Diablos. Maybe a little more mileage out of them would be nice.

Soft suspension compared to hard suspension will **** tyres very quickly when the throttle is used enthusiasticly (never any good at spelling :( )

Chris. :burn:

that would be TERRIBLE on a set of Diablo Corsas, on a set of Stn Diablos it's beyond ridiculous.

When you consider how many races the lads are getting out of a set with 3-4 trackdays thrown in there too... you have to think that either YOU or your bike are doing something wrong Nige.

I'm at this stage expecting to get double your mileage including 3-4 trackdays on top out of my Diablo Corsas.

Get a lot more than that out of Diablos on a 998 but don't tend to can the backside off it on the road.

The only thing I don't like about diablos is the strange feeling of instability you seem to get for the first few hundred miles till scrubbed in, not experienced it wityh other tyres. Feels like the bike is moving around a bit even a fairly slow pace.

One thing to consider might be the sort of road surfaces you are riding on. A good few years ago I started using a particular back road in the car, twisty and fairly abrasive sufrace with chippings, hey presto I suddenly seemed to be going through tyres at an alarming rate, this is on a peugeot 306 1.4 and a vectra estate not a fire breathing turbo nutter special! Changed me route and hey presto no so many trips to the tyre shop.

Ray.

I think its the roads too Nige. You tend to get a good fresh granite chip used up on the moors, and not very many big trucks to polish them :lol:
Works havoc with tyre wear, and leathers too if you have an off :o
We mostly get the 'nice' modern heavily-rolled-to-make-them-quiet roads down here now. They have feck-all grip compared to old-fashioned road surfaces, so much so that they are now putting up signs that say 'danger - slippery surface' after laying fresh tarmac :frog: