Who has ridden on both:

[WWJD]

I don't mind trying many different tire styles and plan to try Qualifiers next after these M3's wear out - if they ever do - and wonder if any of you have real riding experience on BOTH the standard street Pirelli Diablo - NOT the Corsa, or Super Corsa, or Pro - and also ridden on Qualifiers and how they compare stick to stick? I don't care about wear, and "feel" is kinda subjective. Pros and Cons ONLY from folks who have actually ridden both

 

[469Boy* Robert Kelly]

Qualifiers are very close to the super or the pros

Qualifiers vs diablos go with the Qualifiers all the way decent life and great grip

 

[GMbusa]

I had the Diablos and just didn't like them. Way too much turn in for me and they would wiggle in the turns. Last time i was at the Dragon i had a brand new set of Diablos. They worked fine there, but my Busa was a bit twitchy.

 

[Cykill]

I've rode both, Qualifiers hands down IMHO

 

[WWJD]

(Cykill @ Sep. 27 2006,14:18) I've rode both, Qualifiers hands down IMHO

Diablos are race track stickie in my opinion [having used them on the track a bunch].... are the qualifiers as good stick wise? I kinda wanna go back to Diablos but if the Q's are ALL THAT, I'll givem a shot

anyone else?

I don't "heat cycle" enough to use Corsa's or Pros on the street, but desire that kinda of stick - which the Diablo's provided. twitchies = turns like a 600 in my book

 

[WWJD]

(469Boy* Robert Kelly @ Sep. 27 2006,11:28) Qualifiers are very close to the super or the pros

Qualifiers vs diablos go with the Qualifiers all the way decent life and great grip

but do they REQUIRE heat up like the super&pro? Diablo does not

 

[GMbusa]

My qualifiers perform great, even cold. From what Jinkster says, the Q's are like the PP's except with stiffer sidewalls.

 

[Tufbusa]

I've not riden on the qualifier but have riden on the diablo. I watched my son and his race partner ride their GSXR1000 street bikes on the track with new qualifiers and I was amazed. Dunlop gave them both a set to try out and those two put on the best show I have ever seen on street tires of any make and model including the popular pilot powers. Those two were cornering so hard they would tuck their knee and so low I thought they may touch their elbow down. It took a number of laps under hard riding to get the Q's hot enough to get greasy but eventually they were doing the Gary McCoy trick looking like flat trackers with the rear stepped out with smoke coming off the tire. I tried to keep up with race rubber and there was no way. Both had the Q's looking pretty chewed up by days end but when you ride that hard, any tire will look ragged afterwards.

One of them had this to say when they came in off the track "These tires are as good as the race rubber we were on two years ago". I think you'll have a tough time finding any street tire that will out perform the Q's.

Your question about heat? All tires require heating up to reach maximum performance. To cold and they don't perform well and to hot they become slippery. All tires require heat, both street and race.

Try a set of Q's, you'll never over ride them on the streets.

 

[Quasar]

Hey Tufbusa, nice write up on the Qualifiers. Sort of makes me want to give them a try even though they are Dunlops. When are you getting a set?

Your point on tire warm up... While all tires require some heat up to grab their best, some grab significantly better than others while still totally cold. Diablos grab well while cold while all the earlier Dunlops were slick as wet street paint while cold.

I can't speak of the Qualifiers myself, but I can speak about the Pirelli Diablos and Diablo Corsas. I love the Diablos and Corsas. I have no need for any other tire. If the rear tire yielded 10,000 miles (I only get 5,000 out of a Diablo rear) that would certainly make looking into any new tire.

If however, the Qualifiers are unanimously accepted as the superior tire while delivering superior longevity AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE, I would certainly entertain a switch for at least one set of Qualifiers to see for myself.

They however, must be good grippers while cold, as I ride in the frigid dead cold of winter and almost as fast as you stop at a light, the tires are back to cold again. The Diablos have worked well for me all year round.

 

[WWJD]

yeah me too, quasar - year around and same experience with the Diablos. they just ALWAYS stick. I won't have time to heat up my tires on a commute and Diablos have treated me well. usually my test is ride about two miles, jam throttle to the stopper and see what happens. Diablos never let me down. even the new M3's are not quite sticky yet at that point. that's why I ask about the Q's - if they require much heat up, they won't be too useful to me and I might go back to Diablos.

Tufbusa.. comments on that?

 

[xzvs]

cool -- i got a diablo sitting here waiting for the last gasps of my stocker

 

[black954]

What you should do is get an old school set of Dunlop D207's. Then you can play slip n slide all over the street and deffinately around turns. I had 208's on my 954 and loved them, and got 10K out of them. I am now running Diablo's on my busa and they are awesome. I am with you though, I was going to give the Qualifier's a shot, but wound up going with the tried and true Diablos. I'm thinking I will use the Qualifier's on my next tire change just to give them a shot. For some reason, I just can't get into the Pilot Powers.

 

[WWJD]

ya I had some older Dunslops and I had to "burn them off" prematurely HATED them so bad! What fun is a sick-fast motorcycle if you twist the throttle and spin all the time? I guess Dunlop figured it out - people were buying stickier tires and the broke stunt crowd was buying their older crap. I too have no interest in the powers. a few experienced racers I've taked to thought the Diablos were a lot more predictable than the powers. that's all I needed to hear. I never need to try them

 

[Tufbusa]

(WWJD @ Sep. 27 2006,16:30) yeah me too, quasar - year around and same experience with the Diablos.  they just ALWAYS stick.  I won't have time to heat up my tires on a commute and Diablos have treated me well.  usually my test is ride about two miles, jam throttle to the stopper and see what happens.  Diablos never let me down.  even the new M3's are not quite sticky yet at that point.  that's why I ask about the Q's - if they require much heat up, they won't be too useful to me and I might go back to Diablos.  

Tufbusa.. comments on that?

Yep, I tried one set of the old dunlop 208's and that was enough for me. But I can assure you, if it's performance you are looking for those Qualifiers will definately be hard to beat.

Personally, I think Pirelli tires are as good as they come. I run a number of dragons on the track and loved them. As for street tires, Pirelli is hard to beat as well. Actually, the Diablos are a touring tire, made for mileage on casual riding. Great tire in the cold as the rubber compound doesn't require much heat thus giving you good performance in cold weather. However, the Diablo is no match for the Qualifier if riding on the edge is your gig. The Qualifier is designed to run much cooler than race rubber.

If the Diablo gives you favorable performance, I would definately stay with it. It will give you much longer life than any of the real performance tires. You just can't get sticky and long life in the same rubber compound. Sticky tires are soft and just don't withstand the abrasion as well as the harder compounds.

A real good test to see just how sticky a tire really is, Heat up your Diablo tire then grab a hand full of brake at about 50 mph and see if you busa lifts the rear up into a stoppie or just howls like a coyote during mating season. If you can pitch her up on her nose without hearing a peep out of the tire, then you have got yourself a pretty sticky tire.

The stock 56's that come on your busa will lift her up if the conditions are right but many times it will just lock up and slide. I have got it up a few times with the tire squeeling like a stuck pig. Sliding but still gathering enough traction to lift the rear.

Something my son pointed out to me a short time ago, that actually surprised me was all three of our road race tracks in our area had the current track records set on dunlop tires.

Someone mentioned Pilot Powers? The one thing I have noticed about PP's is, they are great tires but if you are going to ride them on the edge, you best be smooth or they will pitch your arse in the bushes. I've seen many bikes wadded up on the track with PP's.

 

[WWJD]

You might be thinking of the "Diablo STRADA" which is thier 'sport' touring tire and just too comfy [sloppy] to ride hard at all. Sticks ok, just very weak and wobbly/mushy feeling. I'll probably give the Q's a go since I do a lot of track days, knowing the Pirelli Diablo is always there waiting for me.

Doubt I'll try your front break test since I've never done a stoppie and doubt I ever will

. Thanks for the great input as always!