One tire rule confirmed at Japan for next year

[Capo]

So now they will only get half the tire allocation and no custom rubber but "the riders will have to adapt"
The statement from Michelin says it all.
Jerry Burgess is absolutely correct in his observation.

I think this will be detrimental to the development of better tires.

[tufty]

I think this will be detrimental to the development of better tires.

Meh , for whom, us plebes or the racers? When was the last time you rode on 16 inch hoops?

[ducatiz]

When was the last time you rode on 16 inch hoops?

Yesterday.  Paso 750 came with 16" rims.  I'd love some new ones.

[darylbowden]

I think this will be detrimental to the development of better tires.

Chevy, Ford and Dodge all race year round in Nascar and they still make shit cars, what's the difference?

There will still be plenty of development happening.  it's not like Bridgestone and Michelin are going to shut down their R&D programs because of this.

[Capo]

Meh , for whom, us plebes or the racers? When was the last time you rode on 16 inch hoops?

This extracted from Michelins press release (link in this thread)
"The radial tire, which was invented by Michelin, has been improved through racing, and the improvements have since been passed on to consumers. Michelin's dual compound technology for motorcycle tires was first tested in MotoGP racing and is today integrated into premium products for the brand's customers. The MotoGP Championship organizers have decided to use a single tire supplier for the coming seasons, which effectively eliminates the competitive environment that has led to so much progress."

I am old enough to remember the introduction of ‘sticky’ rubber in racing tyres (the Dunlop 398 compound), Dunlop took this and produced the TT100 road tyre. This was a direct result of their experience in racing tires. Also Dunlop developed the 'triangular' section tire, until then the only road rear tires available were square in section (Except for the Avon GP ).
The tires you use today are the direct result of experience gained in competition.

[ducatiz]

Chevy, Ford and Dodge all race year round in Nascar and they still make shit cars, what's the difference?

There will still be plenty of development happening.  it's not like Bridgestone and Michelin are going to shut down their R&D programs because of this.

exactly!! NASCAR cars are spec'ed by the racing authority -- they can't innovate.  those cars are still using carburetors!  all of those cars regardless of manufacturer have to have teh same frame, similar output engine, wheel weight and so on -- there is no innovating at all. 

change nascar rules so each car team can do whatever they want to their car and THEN you'll have innovation.

The tires you use today are the direct result of experience gained in competition.

amen to that. 

i got a set of 2CTs for my bike and the difference was like night and day.

[Capo]

I am also old eneough to remember when Bridgestone meant motorcycles not tires. I had one of their 350 disc valve two strokes it was a rocket.

[darylbowden]

i got a set of 2CTs for my bike and the difference was like night and day.

So, are we to believe that without competition between tire manufacturers there will be no further innovation? 

Pirelli hasn't had any competition in WSBK and they've made amazing progress in their race tires over the last 3 years. 

Dunlop hasn't had any real competition in the AMA and they don't compete on a world level (in the same size/compounds used on production-based bikes), yet they still have developed the N-Tec and are beating the field worse than ever before.

Bridgestone owns GP and I wouldn't put a set of their street tires near my bike.

Oh, and since every rider (pretty much) in GP has different styles and prefers different tires, how do we know which ones are the ones that are influencing my street tires? 

[gm2]

besides, GP tire construction has very little to do with the tires we use on the street or track.

it's not as though michelin just suddenly gave up on motorcycles last week.

Oh, and since every rider (pretty much) in GP has different styles and prefers different tires, how do we know which ones are the ones that are influencing my street tires? 

while i know that is true, i was still surprised recently to learn that even toni elias has (had) a special one of a kind front, made just for him.

[tufty]

This extracted from Michelins press release (link in this thread)
"The radial tire, which was invented by Michelin, has been improved through racing, and the improvements have since been passed on to consumers. Michelin's dual compound technology for motorcycle tires was first tested in MotoGP racing and is today integrated into premium products for the brand's customers. The MotoGP Championship organizers have decided to use a single tire supplier for the coming seasons, which effectively eliminates the competitive environment that has led to so much progress."

Wow, Michelin wrote this? Shocking.

Of course they wrote this, nevertheless I still firmly believe that the 2CT for example would have come to us with or without MotoGP's involvement.

[gm2]

interesting article.  asks some good questions about the series in general.

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/170122-0/what_is_motogp?.html

on the topic of tires:

If a new high performance motorcycle can be built by a major manufacturer without any MotoGP input, it is hard to see how road tyre development will grind to a halt now that open competition has been extinguished. Anyway, when was the last time a road rider popped out to buy a qualifying tyre?

[derby]

Wow, Michelin wrote this? Shocking.

Of course they wrote this, nevertheless I still firmly believe that the 2CT for example would have come to us with or without MotoGP's involvement.

iirc, the pilot power profile was based on hayden's 2003 tires.

dual- and multi-compound street tire construction is a direct result of racing needs. one of the more popular tracks requiring multi-compound tires is daytona. racers have been running dual- or triple- compound tires there as long as i can remember (at least since 1996).

[tufty]

iirc, the pilot power profile was based on hayden's 2003 tires.

dual- and multi-compound street tire construction is a direct result of racing needs. one of the more popular tracks requiring multi-compound tires is daytona. racers have been running dual- or triple- compound tires there as long as i can remember (at least since 1996).

Fair enough, but I stand by my point. MotoGP racing has little effect on civilian tire development.

[gm2]

you'll never see a motogp tire carcass on a street tire.  compound trickle down, sure maybe - sorta.  but i think we can all agree they work on compounds all the time regardless.

[darylbowden]

iirc, the pilot power profile was based on hayden's 2003 tires.

dual- and multi-compound street tire construction is a direct result of racing needs. one of the more popular tracks requiring multi-compound tires is daytona. racers have been running dual- or triple- compound tires there as long as i can remember (at least since 1996).

Yes, that may be true.  But to think that R&D will come to a halt and new developments won't be made is insane (not saying that you're saying this).  I really think the best example is Pirelli and how when they first became the tire supplier to WSBK, they were multiple seconds off record lap times at each track (that were set on Michelins before the switch) and now I'm pretty sure that the last Michelin lap record has fallen (sorry Neil) and much of that can be attributed to the tires that they've developed in WSBK, without any competition whatsoever.  Beyond that, the tires actually last a full race now, that wasn't the case a few years ago either.