Pirelli's Tyre Fitting Area at Brands Hatch for the Final Round of BSB - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
Pirelli invited us to the final round of BSB, hosted at Brands Hatch. With an action-packed weekend of racing, and ‘it all to race for’ in the final showdown, we couldn’t say no.
Dan Linfoot's Fireblade spitting flames entering Druids - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
Little did we know Pirelli had a little surprise in store for us…
We’ve always watched BSB from the ‘outer circle’ wondering just what goes on in that packed paddock. Pirelli invited us in for an exclusive walk around of areas not usually accessible to the general public.
Jonjo gazing into the distance at Brands - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
We expected a quick walk around and maybe the chance to get into a team’s garage, but instead, we’d be rubbing shoulders with Fred Clarke as he delivered live commentary. Finally, great to put a face to that infamous voice of BSB Commentary.
The legend that is Fred Clarke commentating at Brands for BSB - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
The legend that is Fred Clarke commentating at Brands for BSB - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
We then watched free practice from the top of the world, a great experience with an incredible soundtrack.
Thinking it couldn’t get any better, we were then taken to the Tyco BMW garage to see how it’s all set up. Certainly a different world from the track day setups we’re used to here at BirotarUK.
The TYCO BMW - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
Live Timing - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
With team members changing tyres, checking pressures and K-tec suspension experts dialling in the set up that’s being fine-tuned all weekend for optimum performance. There is certainly a few quid being chucked about these garages on a race weekend!
TYCO BMW - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
Knowing we love the technical aspects of things, and since Pirelli are the tyre supplier for BSB, it was time to see the logistics of tyre delivery to BSB riders. With BSB hosting approximately 200 riders across all classes, Pirelli brings 4000 tyres for the weekend, yes four…THOUSAND. This includes a mixture of slicks, Supercorsas, wet and rain.
Pirelli Superbike SC0 Slick - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
Pit lane view from Race Control - Photography Copyright of BirotarUK
We managed to catch the tyre fitters at a quiet time but they are usually flat out all weekend.
It was great to see what really goes on in the paddock during a BSB race weekend, especially the Final Round here at Brands Hatch. It’s as chaotic as you’d imagine, but controlled seamlessly (most of the time). An amazing experience that we thoroughly enjoyed, we’re now off to catch race one!
A few months ago Metzeler sent us an email inviting us to a VIP event, with no more information other than a 'please hold the date' - such teases. A few months of back and forth emails trying to tease out some more information the 'final plan' was released a week before the event. Metzeler invited us to join them and James Hillier at the FIM Speedway British Grand Prix with all the trimmings! We've been to a few speedway events before but nothing of this scale and certainly not with the pleasure of meeting an IOM TT Racer in the flesh! @Birotar_Jonjo was gleaming with joy with one question on his mind - 'James, please tell me how to not crash a Ninja!' So that was Saturday planned, on Sunday they organised an EPIC ride through what was promised to be some fabulous scenery. They also mentioned there would be some other surprises along the way but we'd have to wait to see what these entailed. Saturday 22nd June 2017. With an alarm ringing at 7AM and a meet-up point set (McDonalds at 8AM) it was time for us to convene for our usual pre-trip B-conference (with breakfast) before our 160-something mile ride to the rendezvous point.
@Birotar_Jonjo's R1200GS & @Birotar_Max's GSXR1000 chilling for breakfast
Did we say 8AM? Someone was a bit late but not to worry we
always factor in a bit of faff time…
The weather forecast wasn’t certain but it did say 40-60% chance of heavy rain,
basically it was going to rain, it is the UK after all. A uneventful ‘cruise’ round the M25 and across the M4 saw us
approaching Wales. Have you ever crossed the Severn bridge? It’s quite
spectacular.
We arrived at the meeting point on time (for a change) to
meet Simon, Barry and Jim from Metzeler, shortly after the others from the social
media world arrived. Great to finally put some faces to names after months and
in some cases years exchanging comments, likes and stories across social media.
We had a short ride to the hotel and just enough time to
freshen up and prepare for the evening’s entertainment, the FIM Speedway GP
held at the Principality stadium – Cardiff. It was at the Hotel Metzeler rider
and TT extraordinaire, James Hillier joined the group. Previously our experience of
Speedway is about 300 people, a tin shed and some ropey old tractor to re-level
the track. Well, we were in for a real treat because the 2016 GP hosted some
60,000 spectators and this year was to be no different.
We had a half hour taxi ride with Jim (Metzeler UK Boss) and James
to enjoy before the entertainment kicked off. It’s always a bit strange at
first... rubbing shoulders (literally) with a professional racer and proclaiming
you can’t find the hole (the seat belt – come on now!) but we all got on well.
The Streets of Cardiff as we entered the Stadium.
The streets of Cardiff were alive with air horns, flags and
people having a great time. From that point on the atmosphere was set and it
was clear this event was attracting a huge crowd.
Earlier on we mentioned Metzeler would provide all the trimmings, here we found
out that meant a VIP package including drinks and a three course meal,
nice! Pleasantries out the way it was time to take our seats with a great view of the
whole circuit, in particular we were sat on the start/finish line. The build-up
was incredible – fireworks, fire, flames, fire breathers, music, you get the
idea. It was a show before the show.
If you’ve not seen Speedway before it’s basically four people on motorbikes
with no brakes that race/drift around an oval circuit. It’s so simple yet so
addictive, the skill needed to hustle these lightweight machines around is
incredible. The smell, is something that will stick in your memory. The 500cc
single gear bikes run on pure methanol and vegetable based oil, the smell is
addictive, as is the noise!
The format of the Speedway means you get a good couple of
hours racing. Sixteen riders take part in each Grand Prix and over the course
of twenty heats each rider will race against every other rider once. The top
eight scorers advance to a semi-final and from each semi-final the 1st and 2nd
placed riders will advance to the GP final.
The evening concluded with a huge firework show, the crowd
had been fully immersed from start to finish. After a few (more) beers it was
time to head back to the hotel. Once again we were with Jim and James, now this
taxi ride is something we really wish we could have got on camera although we don’t
think it’s something we could have gone live with…pure comedy, a reminder that
even the most professional of riders/businessmen are just normal (and very
funny) people. If you ever get to meet
James, ask him if there’s a McDonalds in the Punjab, guaranteed it’ll bring a
smile.
To conclude Saturday we all shared a drink or two at the
hotel before calling it a night at some time past midnight.
Sunday 23rd July. Metzeler had put us up in a very nice hotel and it would be rude not to take advantage of this, with the alarms ringing early and being told we had to be ready to ride at 10am we made sure we had enough time for a morning swim and sauna, got to keep fit and healthy, right? Not wanting to be too healthy we enjoyed a nice cooked breakfast knowing the weather wasn’t going to be on our side today.
James Hillier's Kawasaki Z1000S fitted with Metzeler Road Tech 01s
With everyone suited up and ready to ride the heavy rain continued, no problem though we’re used to riding in any weather. To follow was some amazing Welsh roads with stunning views. The rain had eased off by now to all but a drizzle so we all stopped off for an ice cream and to enjoy the views. It was at this point we managed to get a few words from James on camera after the wild sheep had stopped playing chicken with the passing cars!
Interview with Jame Hillier! Coming soon
Welsh Sheep
Ice creams finished, interview done it was time to head back into the valleys
and enjoy more of what Wales could offer. We enjoyed a good couple hours of
wide open roads to tight woodland twistys, but then the Bthou started playing up,
cue loss of power, cutting ignition and generally being a pain. Initially it
looked like an electrical problem so we taped up some connections under the
seat and the bike seemed fine again, good because it was a long way home!
James Hillier's AGV!
We finished the ride for the day around 2pm, we all stopped for a drink and chin
wag before packing up to head home as yet again the rain clouds rolled in. From
where we stopped it was about 170 mile ride home, James joined us for part of
the journey and for the first and only time we can say we were ahead of a TT
rider on the open road! On the way back we had torrential rain and hail, yes
hail, in July. We managed to get our heads down and power on though making some
good progress through the traffic.
Bthou playing silly buggers and the GS coming to the rescue!
About 60 miles from home the Bthou started playing up again, certainly not fun
when you’re on the outside lane of the M4, we managed to nurse her to the
services but couldn’t find anything obvious contributing to the problem. We’d
left the heavy rain behind us but it was soon catching up so with nothing
obvious wrong with the bike and the clouds getting darker there was only one
option – get back on, heads down and hope for the best! Never simple is it, we
had to stop 3 or 4 times on the hard shoulder but the bike would always sort it’s
self out. We’re thinking a blocked/dodgy fuel filter…
Anyway, we made it home safe and sound in the end after what
was an amazing weekend. Being side-by-side with tyre industry professionals and world class racer James Hillier opened our eyes to the true science that goes into tyre production and development. We're not experts because of it but we've certainly discovered that the knowledge and experience in Metzeler/Pirelli is what makes their tyres market leaders. We highly recommend you take the time to find out more about Metzeler & Pirelli tyres when you're next due to change your tyres. You will not be disappointed! And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with us - we'd be happy to help.
Metzeler Road Tech 01 Rear Tyre
We’d like to thank Metzeler for inviting us, providing the hospitality, guiding
us around some amazing roads and providing some great laughs along the way!
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyre Review – approx. read time 10mins
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III hot off the courier's van - BirotarUK
We felt that this tyre deserves a little more than our usual blog style review, so we’ve broken in up into sections. ‘Technical information’ and ‘our experience’. If you want to skip straight down to our thoughts on the tyre, then please do. If not, then stick the kettle on and enjoy! There’s glossary of terms at the end of this review (just look out for words in bold). For your sake and ours we’ve shortened ‘Pirelli Diablo Rosso III’ to DB3.
As the name suggests, this is the third version of the supersport Diablo Rosso tyre. Pirelli say “the Diablo Rosso family was born on the racetrack for the road and its strong points are sports handling, grip and long lasting performance.”
But what does that actually mean? A tyre “born from the racetrack for the road” is one that makes use of Pirelli’s 12 years of research acquired in the FIM Superbike World Championship as the official tyre supplier. Pirelli suggest that they have translated this expertise into rubber technology. The Diablo Rosso III was announced in October 2015 and launched in early 2016. It is currently available to purchase from many retailers in a variety of sizes to fit: naked, sport, supersport and supertourer motorcycles. A quick look at the technical facts of the DIABLO ROSSO™ III: 1.Traction in wet 2.Twin-compound rear tyre with Silica 3.Racing-derived profiles 4.DIABLO Supercorsa inspired tread (but more of it) What do these mean? Improved water dispersion: Tyre geeks will have already noticed that the tread pattern of the DIABLO ROSSO™ III is similar to that of the well-known competition tyre DIABLO™ Supercorsa.
The Pirelli engineers considered it important to maintain the grooves with the unique, aggressive and distinctive lash pattern of the tread. Pirelli say that the set of grooves represents the best solution possible to achieve: solidity of the tread strip, a good balance between full and empty spaces, and excellent drainage of water. Pirelli have listened to their customers and they have taken action. They say “excellent grip qualities in the dry are no longer sufficient because motorcyclists are now asking for better performance in all weather conditions and with a wider spectrum of operating temperatures”. We believe this is specifically relevant for UK market. Improved handling: Pirelli have focused on the profile and structure of the tyre with inspiration from the world of Superbike racing, where the necessity to turn, lean quickly and with stability is absolutely fundamental. This means that the rider experiences a stronger feeling of safety and reliability in the bike’s ability to corner which translates to a more consistent and fast performance. Improved grip: The tyre is divided in a proportion of 40-20-40 where the side compounds cover a total of 80% of the entire tread. The remaining 20% is in the central section - this is made up of a compound that aids stability and allows for better mileage (great for those thinking about a spring-summer-autumn tyre option).
The front tyre is a single compound with a Silica content of 100%. The decision not to apply the dual-compound to the front tyre is based on studies and direct experience of the Pirelli engineers. The conclusion was to go for the single compound because it is more capable of offering the motorcyclist good quality feedback and high levels of stability.
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III fitted to the front wheel of the BirotarUK GSXR 1000
Similarly to the DIABLO™ Supercorsa, the DB3 is made of a high-performance Rayon, capable of conserving its shape during high stress forces generated by acceleration and load. Prolonged tyre life: typically, grip tends to disappear towards the end of the tyre’s lifetime. But with the DB3, the performance consistency over time is improved. Traction is long-lasting and is made fully usable for its whole lifecycle. This is a BIG claim from Pirelli. So, is the DB3 right for you?
The BirotarUK GSXR 1000 and Ducati 749S chilling after a country side blast on the DB3s
The DB3 has been developed specifically for bikers who love to ride with a sporty and enthusiastic riding style. To feel on the road, the same emotions that can be felt on the racetrack. Meaning that it’s not necessarily about what bike you ride, it’s how you ride it. From winding roads, to mountain passes, always looking for high lean angles. These are riders who use their bike both for short day trips, for medium/long-range weekend excursions with light luggage and a passenger, or track days! OUR EXPERIENCE We were very excited to experience Pirelli’s promise of better handling, grip and long term performance improvements after having already covered several thousand miles, and a couple of track days with the older brother - the Diablo Rosso II (DB2).
BirotarUK's GSXR 750 fitted with DB2s headed for a long ride to Wales, UK.
Compared to the DB2, the DB3 has a higher profile in the centre and is wider at the sides. These changes provide a larger contact area and a more stable lean BUT, it could also mean that tyres might not fit your motorcycle. Be sure to check that they fit before you place an order. Check tyre availability below:
At the same time, the height of the sidewall has been increased by about 3mm to provide greater flexibility of the sidewall in acceleration out of bends with greater traction.
The BirotarUK GSXR 750 testing out the DB2s at Brands Hatch
The DB2 performed exceptionally well during dry road rides, track days and touring. However, we were not so impressed with the rear tyre’s grip in the damp and wet conditions – we expected that this would be down to the lack of tread in the centre of the tyre. The DB2 also seemed to square off very quickly after long distance rides.
A close up of the DB2s on the BirotarUK GSXR 750 after a long wet ride
In May 2016 we had a set a set of DB3s fitted our #Bthou (GSXR 1000 K4) 120/70 FRONT 190/55 REAR. But guess what, we had to alter the sprockets sizes to make sure the tyres didn’t rub on the swing arm. To ensure the tyre wasn’t going rub after the sprocket change, we also had the bike on the dyno to ensure that there was enough room around the rear tyre, so that it could adapt to forces caused by acceleration, lean and braking.
The Bthou in all it's glory, with DB3s fitted - BirotarUK
Once fitted, we got that: ‘Ahh - new tyre feeling’. Fresh rubber and a tank-full of octane makes you feel like you can ride on a cross-European adventure. The first thing we did was take the bike for a 250 mile blast covering a range of different road types.
We immediately noticed how smooth and predictable the tyre felt traveling at 65-70mph on the motorway. Changing lanes and clipping the cats-eyes wasn’t un-nerving. Hitting the brakes and slowing down for traffic didn’t cause any butt-clenches and hard acceleration was stable.
Close up of the rear DB3s on the Bthou after 250 miles - BirotarUK
Slow-speed city riding was next on the list – the aim was to test tyre performance in a location where we would have the opportunity to ride at slow speed, with lots of change of direction and not much lean. What better place to visit than London? We found ourselves filtering and changing lanes effortlessly with the confidence that changing direction and being able to lean quickly to get out of trouble was easy. So far we were pretty happy with the way the tyres behaved during motorway miles, but it wasn’t until we found some twisty lanes that we realised how graceful it is to lean, and swoop quickly with the DB3s. It was like someone had unlocked a whole new level of talent. Feeling the transition of weight became even more exciting and kept us wanting more – up to a point, because… Well, that’s what the track is for.
MSV Bedford Autodrome map
We felt we couldn’t fully understand the potential of the tyre on the road, and so, to test the tyre’s performance more thoroughly, we booked a track day at Bedford Autodrome. We chose this circuit for a couple of reasons: it’s quite close to BirotarUK HQ, it has lots of long left handers, several right-lefts and a long straight. The perfect location to test the tyre’s ability and to focus on Pirellis claims: •The way in which it enables the rider to change direction quickly •The levels of grip on the entry of a corner •Mid corner grip and stability during a lean •The levels of grip on the exit of a corner •Straight line acceleration and traction •Stability during hard braking after high-speed The specifics for the track test: Location: Bedford Autodrome SW Circuit Bike: Suzuki GSXR 1000 K4 #Bthou Suspension: Ohlins rear shock, MCT front fork upgrade, set up by Race Engineering Rider: @Birotar_Max Circuit length: 2.8 miles Air temp: 16-21 degrees Humidity: 43%
Warm up lap at Bedford Autodrome on the Bthou - BirotarUK
We didn’t use tyre warmers during this test because we wanted to understand how the tyre performs under natural circumstances. During straight line acceleration it’s hard to notice any difference to the way the tyres feel on the road. It’s not until you begin to lean for the entry to a corner that you release how much of the tyre is available. Sidewall grip is available even with relatively cold tyre temperatures but it increases massively as it starts to build up heat. Once we developed confidence in the tyre, we were able to start braking later, accelerating sooner and maintain consistent lean angles throughout the bend.
Playing catch with a S1000R - BirotarUK
After several sessions, we realised that the tyres allowed us to focus more on our lines and enabled us to ‘get in the zone’ and stay in it for longer. The front feels sharp and encourages you to brake harder without worrying about lack of grip. The transition from left to right takes a split second thanks to the profile, meaning the change of direction is effortless. The transfer of weight doesn’t make you feel unsettled because of the sense of agility you get from the tyres. At the end of the straight, we glanced down to see a digital reading of 188mph (the highest speed we had ever reached on the #Bthou). You believe that pulling hard on the brakes for the chicane is impossible, or life threatening! Yet, almost in slow motion, the tyres feedback every little detail in the surface. Immediately you have all the information you need to be able to follow the line and power out of the corner, leaving your track buddies behind.
Throttle pinned, hitting the straight at Bedford Autodrome on the Bthou - BirotarUK
In that instant, you realise that hours and hours of research and development have led to this phenomenal technology. Technology that allows us to defy gravity with two contact patches smaller than the bottom of a pint glass.
The Bthou on a right hand lean at Bedford Autodrome - BirotarUK
That’s what tyres should be like. Not just a rubber mould, causing anxiety and doubt – they should inspire confidence and enable a rider to push themselves to make progress, improve and enjoy the moments that only a rider and their motorcycle can experience.
GS following the Bthou during a tour in the damp conditions - Photography by Wil Collins
We believe that if you are a spirited rider, with the passion to push yourself and your bike safely on the road and on the track, then the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III should be a top choice on your list for your next set of rubber. Especially, if you have come from a commuter/tourer/city tyre.
So far, we’ve covered over +1000 miles on this set and can report no negative comments at all. We will continue to update this review and report back as we discover their true ability in the wet and colder conditions.
The Bthou leading the pack on a 30mph road! - Photograph by Wil Collins
One thing that has really impressed us in our research into this tyre is that, beyond technical jargon and sponsorship, Pirelli are inspired to the core by a philosophy. A Philosophy that has become a motto of the Italian tyre company: “We sell what we race, we race what we sell”. This is BIG piece of mind in our opinion. So is £240 for set, a cost? Or investment? We say that’s a small price to pay for a phenomenal piece of technology.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS Pirelli Diablo Rosso III: A motorcycle tyre manufactured by Pirelli
FIM Superbike World Championship: check out www.worldsbk.com/en Silica: A type of rubber found in tyres that is used to increase grip Rayon: the metal work that reinforces a tyre's carcass #Bthou: Birotar Max's Suzuki GSXR 1000 K4 MCT: A motorcycle suspension specialist Race Engineering: A motorcycle performance specialist
