Featured in the October Issue of Roadracing World:
From the sidelines it can be difficult to find tires exciting and interesting, but believe me, they are the biggest key to success in MotoGP. Race teams that design and set up their bikes in a way that enables them to extract the best out of the available tires already have one hand on the prize before the race even starts. But how do teams choose the right tires, and what should the riders pay attention to? We spoke with Michelin Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager Pierro Taramasso to find out how current MotoGP tires work…
Slip Is Grip! In addition to a higher dynamic coefficient of friction (grip x wheel pressure), a certain degree of wheel spin also increases the level of grip between the tire and the road surface. Really: If the tire starts to slip, it actually increases its grip level!
Pierro explains: “For a tire to work well, you need the correct air pressure that allows some movement in the carcass to create some heat, but you also need to generate some spin. Not enough (spin) and the grip drops, too much spin and you overheat the tire and see the grip drop.” But what is enough spin, and when is it too much?
“How MotoGP Tires Work,” By Peter Bom
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