How do you know when your tires are warm?

[Tufbusa]

I just read a thread where a guy was talking about how quickly his tires warm up. He stated he got 6200 miles on a set of Pilot Power 2cts so we pretty much assume he is a cruiser.

We see lots of guys who blame there getoff on cold tires. It's usually a lame excuse but a common excuse all the same.

We hear so much of this "Warm up quickly" thingy that it makes me curious.

How do "YOU" know when your tires are warmed up and ready to romp?

 

[MLSDUKE1]

When I can touch them and they feel warm lol

 

[Busa1166]

Tire is done! Warm and ready to run

 

[LeDauz]

Depends on the tire, if its a super soft for 1/4mile then your hand should. Stick to the tire almost
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[twotonevert]

But at the track or on the road, I have never seen anyone pull over and check to see if the tires are warm. At the track I take the first two laps a little easy, accelerate and then brake hard around the track, then by the third lap they usually stick without issues and I feel like I can trust them. I also start out slow around the corners and gradually increase my speed and lean angle. Like I said, usually by the third lap I can rail and feel solid on the rubber. On the road, it depends on how far I have ridden. I wouldnt start out railing right from the hotel, but if I have been riding for 30 to 45 minutes, I am usually also working my throttle and my brake to warm them up. I take the first few corners easy gradually increasing speed and lean angle until I feel solid and planted. Thats how I know, or at least think I know when I can trust my tires.

 

[BusaBret]

But at the track or on the road, I have never seen anyone pull over and check to see if the tires are warm. At the track I take the first two laps a little easy, accelerate and then brake hard around the track, then by the third lap they usually stick without issues and I feel like I can trust them. I also start out slow around the corners and gradually increase my speed and lean angle. Like I said, usually by the third lap I can rail and feel solid on the rubber. On the road, it depends on how far I have ridden. I wouldnt start out railing right from the hotel, but if I have been riding for 30 to 45 minutes, I am usually also working my throttle and my brake to warm them up. I take the first few corners easy gradually increasing speed and lean angle until I feel solid and planted. Thats how I know, or at least think I know when I can trust my tires.

Isn't it true that after that 30 or so minutes your still not going to have the same tires to the same temp as on track while on the street? Wouldn't it take some serious roads and riding to get track temps on the street? If possible at all?
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Tufbusa]

People are always referring to thier favorite tire with "They warm up quickly" and my question is "How do you KNOW when they are up to temp"? Not using the option of getting off and feeling them for heat!

Do you make an assumption they are sufficiently warmed up when you get to the end of the block or to a stop down the road a mile or do you actually have some mysterious tire light on the dash that lights up when the tire temp reaches 140 degrees? What?

When you make a statement "My tire warms up quickly" what makes you think so?

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

STT usually holds the I group back for the first lap to get everyones tires up to temp. I really don't know when they would be at temp which would be when they are at proper pressure. I'll be curious to see what people say...

I do check them a couple times as soon as I get off after a session and make sure they are running good pressures.

 

[Lycan]

So whats the answer Tuff

The suspense is killing meI don't know about "hot" but I can tell when they start to grab more...

 

[BusaBret]

So whats the answer Tuff

Street and track both if your so inclined Tuf
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Tufbusa]

So whats the answer Tuff

The suspense is killing meI don't know about "hot" but I can tell when they start to grab more...

But the question Angel, is how do you know they are grabbing more? Do they slide through the corners or do you fall down twice before you know they are hot enough to keep you up

I just want to know how the fellas that tell me they know when they are on a tire that warms up quicker than others, how do they know?

Anyone who has included in a post "These tires warm up quickly" please share exactly what instigated that statement! There are lots of you out there so don't hold back on us.

 

[VIPER]

i usually can tell when the back stops sliding out in corners! the majority of riders will never push a tire hard enough to even know its warmed or cold.

 

[kennym4]

Tire is done! Warm and ready to run

That's awesome !!

As for the answer....I don't have the slightest clue. I can tell you when they aren't up to temp....."WEEEEEE, don't want to do that again"

 

[CWCobra]

the majority of riders will never push a tire hard enough to even know its warmed or cold.

That's me; I just ride easy for 10-20 minutes, then let 'er rip. Even at that I'm still not really pushing it. I figure that's a good thing. That way, I've got a bigger built in margin of error if I ever need it.

CW

 

[Fastfrog007]

I'll usually take em to dinner and buy em a drink or 2, sit and talk for an hour or so, ill then place hand gently on the sidewall to see if they're warming up to me or not....

Droid via Tapatalk

 

[Spkrdctr]

As soon as I get two miles on them I start running hard. They grip very well from the get go for Florida riding. I have felt them after riding in the winter and they do not really warm up at all. In the hot summer like now, they get warm to the touch. I think for street use it is almost meaningless. BUT, if your racing on the street through turns, then it is a different story. I don't do twisties quickly as that is when all the riders crash.....trying to go too fast on the street.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I use a tire warmer and have a IR temp sensor on my swingarm so I know the tires actual surface temps. I know when my tires are at an optimal temp for grip.

In the olden days I always progressively leaned more n more/harder n harder on my tires during a sunday funday on the back roads. If there were stops a the tire temp fell i would again work them back to temp.

 

[outlawbusa]

Ok Tuf, since you are in an answer teasing mood today I have a follow up question...

If you ride a few miles on the interstate then hit a hard mountain wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that the sides of the tire are not heated the same as the center is or does the heat distribute through the tire to the edges fairly close to even though only the center was used to get there?

Same thing after you hit the mountain and ride 20 miles to the next set of twisties does your tire maintain or reduce the heat it accumilated evenly or does the outer edges drop slightly in temps compared to the center?

Obviously the tire in general will lose heat if not keeping it working, but I'm wondering about the differences between portions of the tire. It can't be much, right?

 

[MLSDUKE1]

That video should have been under the thread entitled: How to know when you have too much money

 

[skydivr]

You don't really KNOW unless you put tire warmers on before, or a temp gauge on them and actually check it. And since you aren't really going to do either on the street, you are making an educated guess that is effected by tire, tire pressure, temperature, riding style and surface conditions.

Therefore, my answer is: You may not know exactly when they are warm enough, but I can tell you EXACTLY when they are NOT (when they lose grip and you CRASH)...