There's a lot to be said for some good rubber. It can save you a lot of pain, heartache and crashes... and ['m not even talking about tyres yet. But joking aside, what's the point in spanking all your hard-earned crash on the latest machine and some of the greatest parts, to then go and put some crap hoops on? I mean, you wouldn't see Mo Farah running the Olympics in rubbish shoes, and with the price of tyres nowadays, you need to be extra picky with what you want.
And that got us thinking. Last year Dangerous went out and thrashed the very latest and greatest that the world of slick tyres had to offer, sampling all the delights of purebred race rubber. By scoring them on their feel and the experience of riding, as well as on
lap times and longevity, I don't think we've ever seen a test that was quite so thorough; the very best of the best were nit-picked to within an inch of their lives, where the onslaught of Pirelli just nipped the top spot from Bridgestone. So, this time, armed with a whole host of treaded, road-legal but lap-time savvy hoops, we packed up our troubles (and a Suzuki GSX-R1000R) and headed off to one of the most brutally bumpy and challenging circuits Spain has to offer; Paramotor.
So what have we got in store for you lot? Well, the fact I race my own Gixer meant I didn't need to get acquainted with a new machine, and with a whole day to learn the track, 1 really could get down to action properly. In the rubber department, its fair to say that Pirelli own the market share when it comes to high-end European racing series, so a set of their Supercorsas was the first order of the day - alongside a set of M7RRs from their sibling, Metzeler, for good measure. Fresh from cleaning up on the road racing scene, Dunlop are mating an arrival with their newly updated D213GPs, while Michelin are present front and centre with their Power Cup Evos, and we've even got a set of Continental Race Attack Comps thrown in for good measure. So, with some new Oxford 'lyre warmers cooking them up, and two 20-minute sessions to contend with and 25-degree air temperature, we stuck each of the hoops at their recommended pressures and put them to the ultimate test. Here's how they got on...
MICHELIN POWER CUP EVO
I find Michelin a real funny subject when talking about two-wheeled tyres. Think about it; they represent and run the rubber at the very pinnacle of racing in MotoGP, yet when was the last time you ever saw a significant amount of branding, support or any involvement at a national level? Nah, I don’t remember either.
But then again, brand awareness definitely doesn’t equate to grip on track, so I was secretly excited to have the Michelin man watching over me.
From the very off in my head I was little cynical, as Michelin was the only manufacturer to deliver us a 190 section rear tyre (instead of a 200). This meant that after half a lap or so I could throw the GSX-R into corners with absolute and unparalleled ease; the thing would fall in on a sixpence. This meant that I was pushing the front harder, and from the outset, I struggled to get any proper feedback from that front end over the proper bumpy sections – it almost felt like the suspension wasn’t pushing the tyre hard enough, and instead of molding and flexing, the construction felt much stiffer than the competition. This made it quite hard to find that sweet spot with the front end, and in return meant I was trying to overcompensate by making up time on the gas – which in hindsight was a bit silly.
The rear had the same sense of stiffness and every time I tried to bury the gas harder, it obliged until it would flick out of line with very little warning – there’s a first gear hairpin at Parcmotor, and on three separate occasions, I ended up almost being employed by NASA… and it was at that point, I’d learnt my lesson. See, the Michelins were great up to a point, but above that, they just didn’t offer enough: At one point everything was all gravy, then bam, the TC light is flashing its tits off, the back end is going west and I was just in it for the ride. I think a smoother, more pliant track would’ve done wonders for the Michelin’s results, but we didn’t want to make it easy for the rubber.
The 190 rear tyre definitely didn’t do it any favours for my noggin and the lap time reflected that, but on a more positive note, the rubber didn’t look too bad at all after a couple of sessions of spanking. Every cloud…
CONTINENTAL RACE ATTACK COMP
There’s a lot to be said about brand awareness, and Continental really does lag behind in that respect. I mean, who can honestly say they’ve thought about equipping their superbike with a set of Conti's? I hadn’t, but after sampling their delights, I’ll my preconceptions were wildly irrational – there’s a reason they’re becoming a bigger face in the club racing paddocks.
After a day of getting acquainted with the track, I slipped the Conti Race Attack Comps in first. Between you and me, I’d always wanted to try a proper set of Continental rubber but never had the chance, so after an hour of tyre warming-temptation, I was like a giddy child laced up on sugar.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
2020 Ducati Panigale V4S Refined Rocket
With its sexy look and raw power, Ducati’s V4S Panigale hasn’t had to try hard to get our juices going over the past few years, but when it comes to setting fast laps it’s proven as user-friendly as a bucking bronco with a sore backside. Thankfully, for 2020 it’s been given some much needed refinement.
THE TEST OF TIME
You only have to take one look at these two models to see that a lot has changed over 20 years. But what exactly does two decades of development mean for Triumph’s flagship naked bike? There was only one way to find out…
NAKED ATTRACTION
Fun but flawed, why Suzuki's naked litre bike could now be worth a second Look.
TEN MINUTES WITH...TOMMY BRIDEWELL
From not having a job to almost winning the title in a couple of years, Bridewell really has turned things around. We caught up with him to see what’s changed, how he’s prepping for this season, and get an insight into being a front-running British Superbike rider…
PROJECT MILLE: PART 1
After too many years fighting the temptation, Dangerous has finally parted with some cash and bought himself a Mille. Only, it’s a bit of a shed…
DUCATI DIARIES; SCOTT COWDRYS 899 PANIGALE
Fast Bikes reader Scott Cowdry tells us exactly what it’s like to live with an 899 Panigale.
HYPERSPORT HOOPS
High-performance hoops are all the rage nowadays, but with so much choice on the market, which brands really is the best?
HOW TO GO RACING
It may seem like a wild ride, but it’s not as intimidating as it looks. Here’s how to go racing in 2020…
MotoE: BRIGHT SPARK!
Dull, silent snooze-fest? Or the future of motorbike racing? The electric MotoGP support series MotoE has just finished its first season. Our man Alan Dowds went to watch the final round at Valencia, and find out how it’s gone.
JOLLY FAST, GREEN GIANT - 2012 KAWASAKI ZZR 1400
Ian Carson has got a handful of bikes, but when he heads off to Ireland with his son, Aiden, it’s got to be on his 2012 Kawasaki ZZR 1400. In his own words, he tell us exactly why that is…
The Last Time
Highs: Quickest car we've ever tested, probing its lofty limits is easy, 16 cylinders (16!). 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport
The V-6 Roars Again At Ferrari
At a test drive in Seville, Spain, the 296 GTB hits all the right notes
Technologue
The inevitable future, as foretold by Nostratechnologūs.
The Customer Is King Again
Travel may not come back bigger, but it will be better
Warming Trends
The temperature is dropping and icy winds are picking up. What can you do when Old Man Winter’s got ahold of you? Post up at these popular hot spots.
Baja On A Royal Enfield
Winter was easing into its usual patterns of long, cold nights and travel advisories. December was just two days away and I was preoccupied when my phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was Jimmy, asking if I wanted to do Baja in March—a trick question?
New restaurant Fire and Ice brings 'fire' food to Levenshulme
YOU CAN FIND THE RESTAURANT JUST OFF THE A6, WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY STEAKS, BURGERS, SIZZLERS AND HOT SANDWICHES, AS WELL AS ICE CREAM, MILKSHAKES AND MORE
Florida
Un recorrido por las pistas de la guía roja.
Nature's way
THE Michelin-starred chef of Berkshire’s Coworth Park, Adam Smith (formerly of The Ritz), has just opened Coworth’s new restaurant, Woven, and it is outstanding.
EVERY LITTLE HELPS
The cost of living crisis means we're all paying closer attention to our motoring bills. John Evans knows how you can make a number of small savings that add up to a lot