Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > Diablo Rosso's

[nogaromill998]

Just spoke to Holbeach Tyres, and just in case anyone is waiting for the Rosso tyre to be available in an H rated 120 and 160.....DONT, cos they arent going to be available at all......so we wont be using Rossos in DD it would seem. Std, H rated Diablos MUST be pre ordered and will be £160 a pair fitted, or £150 supply only...plus postage of course if they are sent......

[ChrisBushell]

I think that it should be pointed out that the Club is talking to Pirelli direct, not a dealer and to surmise the situation based not necessarily on all of the facts could lead to mis-understandings.

As Gordon has already posted we expect an official communication shortly and once we have that to hand all riders will be briefed in the normal manner via e-mail.

Perhaps it is time to remind people again that we need a letter from the manufacturer confirming that their product is safe for the use to which the riders will be putting their product, without that they cannot be sanctioned for such use. Pirelli have steadfastly stood behind the Diablo's and I dont think anyone would say that they weren't up to the job. If we are to move on to a replacement we need to be assured that we are in at least as good a position if not better.

[nogaromill998]

Well, we HAVE to buy them from a dealer, not from Pirelli direct, and I understand that Holbeach are the official tyre supplier at the DD rounds, so they arent exactly any old dealer......

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by ChrisBushell

I think that it should be pointed out that the Club is talking to Pirelli direct, not a dealer and to surmise the situation based not necessarily on all of the facts could lead to mis-understandings.

As Gordon has already posted we expect an official communication shortly and once we have that to hand all riders will be briefed in the normal manner via e-mail.

Perhaps it is time to remind people again that we need a letter from the manufacturer confirming that their product is safe for the use to which the riders will be putting their product, without that they cannot be sanctioned for such use. Pirelli have steadfastly stood behind the Diablo's and I dont think anyone would say that they weren't up to the job. If we are to move on to a replacement we need to be assured that we are in at least as good a position if not better.

Getting a bit late for major desisions!

[faith-healer]

I've also posted this on "the other channel"....

IMHO it is now time to kick Diablo's into touch.

I know Nog's tested Maxxis tyres at Mallory recently, but I don't know what the verdict was on different tyres used.

With the first meeting only a couple of weeks away it really isn't acceptable that most of the registered riders don't seem to have tyres yet, Diablo's or Rosso's.

And Holbeach seem to be changing their story almost daily

[Fastfasulli]

I'm all for using the new Rosso asap but I'm not sure there are many complaints about the Diablos. Anyway, everyone's on the same tyres anyway.

[Senna3]

Originally Posted by Fastfasulli

I'm all for using the new Rosso asap but I'm not sure there are many complaints about the Diablos. Anyway, everyone's on the same tyres anyway.

no complaints from me since using them racing for the last four years the confidence ive got in them is awsome exspecialy in the wet thats why i run all my road bikes on them wouldent use anything else and that seams to be
the overal coment from all the riders ive spoken to

[faith-healer]

I haven't used Diablo's YET and I certainly wasn't complaining about them. By all accounts they are good and very good in the wet.

What is wrong, in my opinion, is that two weeks before the first meeting of the season nothing has been finalised.

Diablo's Rosso's, Rosso' Diablo's, when, if, when....

Not a very satisfactory way to start the season. So if Pirelli can't produce the tyres they have promised....

Move on, there are options....but maybe not this season now.

Avon ( from what I'm told very very good, wet and dry) Maxxis, Continental, Metzeler (I know it's Pirelli spelt differently)

[skidlids]

Everybody can use H rated Diablos which have worked well for DD over the previous 4 seasons. If it hadn't been for Holbeach having problems sourcing Diablos towards the end of last season and it being implied that was due to them being replaced by Rossos in the not to distant future.
It then required both types to be written into the 2009 rules and the original news on Rossos was they would be available later in the season probably around late May, so it was always envisaged that the first couple of rounds would be raced on the standard H rated Diablos.

It now looks as though Pirelli have had a change of mind with regards H rated Rossos and are just doing the ZR rated ones which were not even listed in the 160/60 size on the Pirelli UK websit last July.
As I see it there are two options with regard to Pirelli, they either keep producing the standard Diablo that we have used so far or they sanction the use of the ZR rated Rosso. As this is a liability issue the decision on this probably has to go to someone near the top in the main company.

In 2005 the original rules only specified Diablos and not the rateing so back then we did use ZR rated tyres when the official support for the series was A&R racing, it wasn't until a DD update note in March 2007 that H rated tyres were really mentioned and that was only when the prices were quoted for them when supplied by Holbeach, it wasn't until last year that the rating appeared in the rule book stating H rated tyres were to be used.

Now I don't know how much information Gordon has with regard to our use of Pirelli Diablo tyres over the years as he has only been involved with DD since early last year so may not have realised that they initially sanctioned ZR rated Diablos


One solution would be to say No other tyre than the standard Diablo to be used before the Snetterton meeting which would mean an investment in a set of H rated Diablos now should serve as race tyres for the first two rounds and buy a bit of time for negotiations over the use of ZR rated Rossos or a supply of H rated Diablos to be secured by Pirelli UK