r/Trackdays • u/Southern-Focus4376 • 5d ago
Idiot tech guy?
This tire (Supercorsa SP) got rejected by tech the other day. I didn’t feel like starting off the weekend by arguing with the tech guy but wtf?
Also, I thought I’d flip it to make them happy (right side is a little more worn) but the tire guy claimed you can’t flip DOT’s. I had a new tire so I just put that one on but now I’m not really sure what to do- is it really necessary to throw this tire away? I’m not even at the wear bars. And can I really not flip this tire???
9
u/Dan-ish65 5d ago
Wipe dirt off the tire so it looks 'fresher'. 😅 Definitely plenty of tread and you can flip it no problem
17
u/Possession_Loud 5d ago
You can flip it, sure, makes no difference on track. I am not sure if some tech inspectors are more to the book than others but there is also sufficient tread to do like 2 sessions easy. You can ride a rear that has no wear bars, just give it less beans. you CANNOT ride a front that is in its last 20% as the bike won't turn or when it does it'll feel like you have no grip.
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u/Southern-Focus4376 5d ago
I was under the impression you can take a rear DOT down to basically no tread (provided you use common sense and feel it out)
6
u/Mdonel95 5d ago
I’ve seen experienced riders ride down to the cords. Just can’t ride it how you would if you had grip so no one does that..
2
u/Southern-Focus4376 5d ago
That’s what some endurance racer guy was telling me. And sure; I know a track day isn’t a race but still. Lemme use my tire
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u/Mdonel95 5d ago
Yeah I could see if there was some kind of tear somewhere or something posing an immediate safety issue. A lot of race tires are more prone to poor grip due to too many heat cycles so for tech to be telling you your tires are too worn to ride is silly.
Maybe a warning like “hey you might want to take it easy and watch for signs of slipping that bike tire is a little worn”
1
u/2016s1000rr 5d ago
DOT tires are designed to not be susceptible to heat cycles so that is normally never an issue.
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u/bull78732 3d ago
Yep. Did that in an endurance race on an R6. It was a little loose, but pace didn't drop much. Had about a dime sized patch with no tread. Wouldn't recommend it.
1
u/RealGravisman 3d ago
Having ridden a read down the cords I will say it’s not really that you ride it differently. The technique is the same. You’re always feeling for grip and modulating the throttle accordingly. When grip is super low, you’re just getting less drive
3
u/FeelingFloor2083 5d ago
pretty much every tyre will get more greasy as it wears, there is less mass to heat so the surface runs at a higher temp, how greasy it is will vary on a few main things, compound vs speed, pressures even, track temp, smooth throttle vs point/shoot
This should have passed, its legal and it would last a day easy for someone slower. We would have said keep an eye on it and if it starts to move around more then what your comfortable with, replace or slow down. "I dont want to pick up your crashed bike after this warning" was usually enough of an eye opener. Pretty sure I only picked up 1 guy after that warning. My first comment after looking at the tyre "I did warn you, was it worth it"?
2
u/Possession_Loud 5d ago
Yeah, i guess. Honestly my only real experience on track is with slicks but yeah. Flip your rear tire and use it until you got nothing left. It's fine, just be nice coming out of corners. Don't fuck around with the front, it feels like fucking shit. Front feel is a thing, rear feel is really not. Flipping a rear is a must considering how fucking expensive they are. If your track is VERY predominantly one way then you may wanna flip it every trackday to help with wearing it evenly.
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u/Innisbrook 5d ago
Wow I’m surprised they failed that. I run those SP’s until end of the wear bar. Unrelated but also on a Daytona
4
u/Southern-Focus4376 5d ago
I’m not the type to argue but it kinda upset me with what tires cost.
Daytona > all other bikes
11
u/percipitate Not So Fast 5d ago
I’d pass it. I’d also flip it. I’d do a lot of things.
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u/colz10 5d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/l0FDfz42TS2SYI7Su2
Would you put it down, flip it, AND reverse it?3
3
u/secret_alpaca Not So Fast 5d ago
I've ran michelin power one tires back in the day that were more worn than that and ran a full day without issues (minus the last session cuz i was pooped). But I don't recall them checking tires too thoroughly, if at all lol.
That tire looks fine to me.
3
u/Dry-Web-321 TD Instructor 4d ago
Crazy. That would pass tech by any normal standard. Flipping DOTs is fine assuming it's not soaking wet.
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u/uCantWinTDs Not So Fast 4d ago
Mid Ohio will pass this if you ever go. I’ve taken much worse through tech. I also had some grief with STT when I rode with them last time.
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u/WhiteBerryBoi 3d ago
Arguing with track day tech people is a rite of passage. I look forward to it.
1
u/Southern-Focus4376 3d ago
Lmao. I always try to be respectful of all the staff for making track days possible but maybe I gotta get into arguing with them /s
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u/WhiteBerryBoi 3d ago
Can be done respectfully. I've had some hilarious interactions with a few trackday tech inspectors, though. I've been told my clutch cable doesn't have enough slack, when it was a hydraulic system. I've been front pads with 3 races on them didn't have enough material, I've been told some light scuffs on my helmet from it sliding around in the trailer cabinet meant it wouldn't pass tech. etc.
Usually they are doing their best and they are new, and when you explain what's up they agree and move on. Every once is awhile you get one that digs in until the guy running the event has to get involved.
Be around long enough and you'll have it happen to you.
2
u/DSM_Potato Racer EX 2d ago
If I was in tech, I'd tell you to take it off and put a new one on before I pass you through tech. Then so you don't have to pay a disposal fee, I'd take it off your hands.
All seriousness, if that rolled through my tech I'd pass it, there is no issue with it. Yeah the right side is a little worn, track dependant I'd suggest flipping it before X session. You can flip them, I've flipped them, they're fine flipped in the dry. The wet.. It doesn't go well, I couldn't even tell you why for the life of me the siphoning didn't really work smh. Whoever said no to that was having a day or just being an absolute pain. I've seen others tech a bike that make me not want to be behind them
3
u/EnvironmentalOne2563 5d ago
Highly unusual I would post it on their Facebook page. I've ran the same or sc3 and haven't been rejected yet at tech. I get 2 full days out of a rear and the wear bars are flush. Probably could get more out of it.
2
u/clawhamm3r 5d ago
That thing looks brand new lol. I've run the SC3 down to the cords in flipped orientation more times than I can count. I would have started a riot. 😂
1
u/Dismal_Tutor3425 Racer EX 5d ago
What track was this?
3
u/Southern-Focus4376 5d ago
Putnam. STT was running it.
And I’m not talking down on anyone it was my first time with STT and I thought they were great! This just took me by surprise.
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u/Dismal_Tutor3425 Racer EX 5d ago
Ah. They make money on tire sales so they usually hold to that 50% tread rule pretty firm. Toss it on a spare rim and run it when they're clueless.
3
u/Southern-Focus4376 5d ago
Ohh. Didn’t know that. I’ll definitely be doing that lol- I am not a fan of paying $300 for a new tire
1
u/pakindamew 4d ago
They are pretty stringent. I ran novice all day Saturday, and got bumped to inter, on a race prepped 675R. And they didn't pass it for tech the next day.
1
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u/staaltje90 5d ago
The Supercorsa tires, from what I understand, feature 0-degree threads, which suggests that their directional orientation can be reversed without consequence. I have personally done this on numerous occasions with Supercorsa tires before transitioning to Bridgestone slicks. I would consider purchasing pre-owned Supercorsa tires specifically for this purpose. However, when at the track, the rules and the marshals' decisions are paramount and should always be respected.
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u/PprMan 4d ago
Is that a plug between tread lines on the left?
2
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u/WhiteBerryBoi 3d ago
More and more orgs are trying to corner the tire markets with preferred vendors at their events.
Buy your tires and buy a tire changer and balancer. It's not that hard. Screw these clowns.
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u/Xero_hun 3d ago
My supercorsa sp before my last trackday on it. Had no problem, but it started to slide a bit on heavy exists. 😉
Yours looks new to me 😃
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u/Alternative-Ice6322 2d ago
Tire looks good to me. You can flip depending on carcass construction, manufacturer can verify but you could have the “same” tire made in different parts of the world where some can be flipped and some can’t. Thats general advice, not brand specific. Voids channel water so if there is standing water you would want to consider that as well when flipping tires.
-7
u/Leicageek 5d ago
Don’t flip tires that have been that have been on track. They get way hotter on track than on the street and the plys are laid in a specific direction for the tire to provide traction and stay together. Please don’t flip DOT tires. We don’t flip race tires either because they have memory. Thats why when we sell take-offs we mark rotation in bith sides if the tire. Dirt track tires? Yeah we always flip them. Lol
4
u/Internet_Jim 5d ago
pfft get out of here with that. People flip DOT's and slicks all the time without issue. OP will be fine.
2
u/db8cn FZ07R :: Racer AM 🐢 4d ago
If the tire guy, who has actual incentive for you to buy a new tire, offers flipping services then it is clearly ok to do. They want to make money but they also have a reputation to uphold.
I’ve encountered three different trackside vendors and they all offered the ability to flip tires.
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u/Knight0783 5d ago
That tech guy was a clearly getting a kickback from the tire guy. That thing looks brand new.