Tyre warmers for the daily commute

Well, they're lying in my garage and haven't seen any action recently, so...

Posted: 10 December 2009
by Ben Cope

Ducati's Streetfighter is a serious bit of kit. It's actually perfect for my daily commute, if not, slightly extravagant. It's narrow, nimble and precise. The engine's packing so much punch, you can scythe your way through the tiniest of gaps at a moment's notice.

The Pirelli Diablo III Corsa tyres are impressive too. When leaving my road, I unleash a bit of what the Streetfighter has on offer, which spins them up for a few seconds, but after that, they grip well, even on wet slimy London roads.

However, I've had an idea - and it may be taking things a bit far but - my Motrax GP tyre warmers are getting a dusting off. I want to see what it's like on the opening stages of my commute with oven-hot tyres on. I need to find a Ducati paddock stand first. I'll report back.



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tyre, warmers, commute, ducati, winter
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Craig Holdsworth
Sounds like a great idea, especially since they're only gathering dust.  If it fails then i suppose you can always put the tyres in the microwave you have lying around?  Look forward to hearing your results.

Posted: 10/12/2009 at 10:58


RobHoyles

Good luck with that without paddock stands!

Be interesting to hear how rather than the usual increase in grip and confidence as the tyre warms up you'll have to deal with diminishing grip as the tyres cool down - a complete reversal of the norm.

 Should be quite an interesting read if you manage to keep it rubber side down!


Posted: 10/12/2009 at 11:51


tufty00

Tyre warmers on a street tyre aren't necessarily a good idea. Street tyre compounds are designed to heat up very quickly anyway.

Chances are that your tyres will be greasy and slicker than if you just allowed them to warm normally... especially Diablos.

Just my opinion. 


Posted: 10/12/2009 at 15:05


RobHoyles

I don't think it will be a problem as street tyres only tend to go greasy when pushed hard on a racetrack and exceed their designed optimum working temperature.

As they can work well within their operating range at the tyre warmers' preset 80?? maximum along with the fact that they'll only get cooler at this time of year as there's no way anyone (not even Ben) will be able to maintain the heat in them, I can't see there being a problem other than the obvious reduction in grip as the tyres cool off.

I think it will be interesting to see how Ben gets on with it and if he finds the reduction in grip a weird thing to deal with. I know in the past a few magazines have used tyre warmers to get cover shots in crap conditions without any problems, so best of luck to him!


Posted: 10/12/2009 at 16:37


RK
ha ha, I'd look a right tit warming up the tyres on my old Suzuki GT750 for my 12 mile sprint to work, I'd rather spend time sticking my gloves in the microwave

Posted: 10/12/2009 at 21:57


Omnipresent Motion
Meh... does this mean I have to get up earlier?

Posted: 17/12/2009 at 19:49


eojmo
In cold weather,by the time you pulled up at the first stop sign or traffic light they would loose most of thier heat. If you had an uninterupted fast ride to work then thier could be a slight advantage.

Posted: 18/12/2009 at 09:09


V-fun

All you need now are the pit lane models, complete with umbrellas:they'd not only help you 'get-up' in the morning but to warm your hands, while those tyres warmed-up??


Posted: 29/04/2010 at 18:21

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