Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyre Review – approx. read time 10mins
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| 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.
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.
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| 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?
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| 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).
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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%
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.
BirotarUK
#BirotarUKGLOSSARY OF TERMS
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III: A motorcycle tyre manufactured by Pirelli
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
Sources: Rayon http://www.cordenka.com/pdf/CordenkaBeatsTheHeat.pdf
Sources: Silica http://tires.about.com/od/understanding_tires/fl/Silica-Enhanced-Rubber-Compounds-and-You.htm
Sources: DB3 technical info http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/news/2015/10/14/diablo-rosso%E2%84%A2-iii-the-new-pirelli-supersport-tyre-which-redefines-the-concept-of-sports-riding-taking-it-to-the-new-level/
Photography, design and videography are ©BirotarUK 2016
