Got a new (to me) 2013 CBR1000rr , got track day booked start of May... Bike comes with Pilot Powers on them..seem quite new.. Never used these before. I normally run Diablo Rosso Corsa on road and track and they are fine for my pace in the middle group.. Faster than most in there but slower than some... Will these be Ok. Not sure of year of tyre... Don't really want to put new rubber on.... Cheers
Having done a bit of digging about, I am not sure Pilot Powers are really up to track use, they are an old tyre design and more road orientated. Luckily my ZX9 has a pair of Diablo Rosso Corsa's on, and are the same size as the Pilot Powers . So I think a tyre swap is the way to go.. Problem solved.
They are still being sold as new tyres from places like Demon Tweaks, and the front tyre on my bike which was bought from a Honda dealer, still has the tyre mould threads on.. Not sure when they stopped making them but I have thought it was years ago.. These tyres don't have anything on them saying are pilot Powers 2's or anything ..So are these tyres 10 years old.. they have a self life surely.. picture of tyre below....
there’s usually a four digit code on the side which has the year as the last two digits and the week of that year as the first two. If you can find that on yours it’ll have the answer!
Thanks for that.. Well it appears that the front is a 2020 and the rear a 2018 with the four numbers in a box... Slightly confused as I thought they stopped making them .. appears not..
If you have any doubts, change them. Last thing you want is to be questioning their ability and after forking out for a track day you want to be able to go in with full confidence.
Yes. The Pilot Powers will be easily good enough on the Zx9, which is primarily my road bike and used by my brother on track in the beginners group .. He'll not push them too hard. I'll have the Pirellis on the Honda.. Least I am familiar with them and they are good enough at my pace.
Nothing wrong with pilot power 2 I’ve run them on track days and found them pretty good as long as you drop the pressure. Had a nice predicable slide out of Honda corner at pembrey with no drama. Running the new 5 now but would use them again if the budget called for it.
they are great tyres and I really like them. They are still current and stiilgive you amazing grip & lean angles. because of their lengthof production, prices are very low. they have a soft carcasse and IMO do not take well to under inflating them
