Race take offs: good for a track day?

using used tires is like taking a chance fakin a hooker with no condom. you might be ok, or you might get the clap. its your all.

but if you choose to, make sure the tire is not excessivly blue on the edges, that the carcass of the tire is not rock hard. you should be able to dig your finger nail in the tire and it should leave an indent of your nail.

whitedelite said:

Anyone use take offs for track riding? Went to a dealership and got talking to the guy in the parts department. He suggested I call one of his friends who has some Pirelli Corsa take offs that he could sell me.

Nice guy and offered to help me setting up my suspension for the track.

Just wondering what I should expect as far as price and how much tread for a take off?

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$50-75 Most take offs have been used up for track use, it all depends on how many sessions they have on them. If the guy did a couple laps and didn't like them, then maybe I would use them, see hooker reference above. They're ok for the street here in FL since the middle usually has lots of miles left, that's all I would use them for.

I use take offs all the time, do enough trackdays and you'll start also! lol

BUT, I prefer to use tires ridden by someone I know, so I know how they were treated.

there's a reason why people throw those tires away after a track day. they're spent. if you're riding novice, you might be okay, but if you're decently fast, i wouldn't chance it

spoolin7 said:

there's a reason why people throw those tires away after a track day. they're spent. if you're riding novice, you might be okay, but if you're decently fast, i wouldn't chance it

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No actually there isnt--If someone is racing like myself--they generally are done racing on a rear tire after 2-3 races. After that 95% of the grip is still left, most fast racers miss the last 5% --most evryone else doesnt.

I generally use my own race take offs for 2 more trackdays--theyre fine

1) Find out why they are take offs--Is it a racer?? How many races??If they were run on a liter or a 600 by a reasonably fast rider--the wear bars will show before anyone notices grip level is down
2) If the guy is slow--stay away as they prolly alreday have 5 or 6 trackdays on them

+1, exactly TrackHo, I was gonna say about the same thing.

The guys I usually get my takeoffs from give them up when they loose that .5 second a lap. Those are when doing laptimes I only dream of.

I then use them for another weekend (2 days) of CR'ing and they are great. And next to nothing.

IMO, new tires breed confidence. If you're just starting with trackdays, you might be better off with fresh rubber.

Once you get your bearings, you can make that call yourself. Feeling the bike move around underneath you is quite unsettling until you're used to it.

I'd buy new tires. Matter of fact, I still buy new tires. I use 'em until I feel they're gone then I buy some more.

He said Pirelli Corsas, it doesn't sound like they're really being used by someone racing...

I run takeoffs exclusively with really good results.

thecoops said:

He said Pirelli Corsas, it doesn't sound like they're really being used by someone racing...

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Corsa can be a variety of tires.

Corsa3
SuperCorsa
DragonCorsa

I just did a track day this past weekend at Kayalami where the WSBK will be doing their thing next month from the 15th - 17th. I used a pair of Dunlop Sportmax GP tires that was used by one of our own Superbike racers competing in the national series. They only had done 12 laps with it and when i went on the track last Saturday i could not believe the grip these things had. Wow. My times came down from 2:30 to 2 min flat with these tires. Not bad for a standard bike considering the fastest time From Fabrizio on a Ducati was 1:42 on testing Perelli's.

I paid less than a 1/3 of the price they cost new. IMO, money well spent. :thumbsup: