How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:55 AM

I have noticed several topics in the past that riders will go back and forth about, one of these topics is to warm the tire up before getting on it to prevent slip and to better hold traction. While the idea of heating the tire up is correct, many techniques have been mentioned and most of them are wrong. I came across the following article, and felt that it was a good read. Simply click the link below, I hope you enjoy it.

www.sportrider.com

I did a link to this article, because someone else said it better than I could, well and they are better educated on the matters. LOL.

Hubbs · 03-03-2009, 09:05 AM

Good read

stubby · 03-03-2009, 09:10 AM

Heavy acceleration and heavy braking to heat up the core of the tire and not the outside layer.

Good read

Hubbs · 03-03-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

Heavy acceleration and heavy braking to heat up the core of the tire and not the outside layer.

Good read

No scrubbing *cough* TYDD *cough*

Ryan@IdahoSportBikes · 03-03-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportrider

you're far better off using strong acceleration and braking forces, and using them while upright, not leaned over! Acceleration and braking forces impart far more flex to the tire carcass, which is what generates the heat that then transfers to the tread compound as well

If you're a racer, or a serious enough track-day rider to have tire warmers, Knoche recommends that you have them on the bike for a full hour to get not only the tread surface of the tire, but also the entire carcass and sidewall section, up to temperature as well. "With modern compounds," Knoche explains, "there are a lot of waxes and oils and (we) have to get them really to temperature. We suggest to get them up to around 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Because what happens is you have to warm your tire not only on the surface but what we look for is touching the wheel and you want that a little bit more than hand warm."
"Even with the tire on the warmer all the time," warns Knoche, "it takes about two laps to get to the good compound underneath, a little bit."

Nice post WD!

stubby · 03-03-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubbs

No scrubbing *cough* TYDD *cough*

You still need to scrub the tire to remove the dead layer or you will end up with a loss of traction. You weave to clean the tires, but not for heating the tires.

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

You still need to scrub the tire to remove the dead layer or you will end up with a loss of traction. You weave to clean the tires, but not for heating the tires.

EXACTLY! Good point, I do not remember seeing that in the article, but a good point to make mention of.

mxroostin · 03-03-2009, 09:37 AM

For street riders...I would think you need to veer left to right not to heat up tires but to CLEAN TIRES....

Damn wives tells....

mxroostin · 03-03-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mxroostin

For street riders...I would think you need to veer left to right not to heat up tires but to CLEAN TIRES....

Damn wives tells....

Damn Stubby, already caught that and made mention...guys I shouldnt start a topic - answer phone - get order - BS - end call - finish retyping post...

LazyJ · 03-03-2009, 10:10 AM

My scrub in usually is just one relaxed ride up to idaho city....starting with less aggression and leaning to gradually working up to farther leans just to scrub more off... by the time you get to idaho city you have decent heat and scrubbing...

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LazyJ

My scrub in usually is just one relaxed ride up to idaho city....starting with less aggression and leaning to gradually working up to farther leans just to scrub more off... by the time you get to idaho city you have decent heat and scrubbing...

BY that time, comes the Dirty Sanchez..

LazyJ · 03-03-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedevil

BY that time, comes the Dirty Sanchez..

Pretty sure the lady wouldn't appreciate that one...

Bungeeguy · 03-03-2009, 12:35 PM

Are circle burnies considered correct

shaner · 03-03-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bungeeguy

Are circle burnies considered correct

Absolutely

sandm · 03-03-2009, 03:39 PM

so next time I get pulled over, I should give them the excuse that I was warming up the tires for a safer ride?

wonder if it would work...

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandm

so next time I get pulled over, I should give them the excuse that I was warming up the tires for a safer ride?

wonder if it would work...

That depends on what you get pulled over for! Going 120MPH on the road, and telling the officer you were just getting ready to start braking really fast to warm it up.......PROLLY NOT A GOOD IDEA!

hellfire24 · 03-03-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedevil

That depends on what you get pulled over for! Going 120MPH on the road, and telling the officer you were just getting ready to start braking really fast to warm it up.......PROLLY NOT A GOOD IDEA!

Just print the article off and hand it to him

stubby · 03-03-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellfire24

Just print the article off and hand it to him

Save a tree, just use their laptop to find the article and let them read it.

hellfire24 · 03-03-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

Save a tree, just use their laptop to find the article and let them read it.

Stubby did you really just say save the tree

Linker33 · 03-03-2009, 07:01 PM

What I have been doing is, while riding in a straight line I get on the front brake fairly hard while at the same time increasing throttle to mantain speed. I do this for about 5 sec intervals, and repeat. I would think that this would apply the same forces to both the front and rear that braking or acceleration would seperatly, just in this case simutanously. If it is doing basicly the same thing, it allows you the benifit of not having to slow down and speed up multiple times, which might not be possible or safe if others are on the road near you.
Feel free to point out why this would not work, or if my logic here is flawed. I've never heard anyone recomend doing it this way, but it made sense in my head.

stubby · 03-03-2009, 07:18 PM

flawed logic. Your front tire would have a good tire temp though, as all your weight would then be on the front tire but your most important tire would only heat the outer layer. A good way to heat up the brakes though

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 07:27 PM

Another good thing to keep in mind with all this talk about brake usage, too hot of brakes can be just as bad as NOT HAVING BRAKES!! Keep that in mind peeps.

shadow d hedgehog · 03-03-2009, 07:27 PM

good reading and who am I to question a writer who sourced such deep resumes, but....

I wonder if this same logic applies to those of us running pure street tires. He also qualifies it with "new" tires. Do the same warming principles apply to a SportMax with over 1000 miles on it?

I have recently bought some that definitely had some kind of coating on them. They were noticeably slick for at least 100 miles.

I will still likely scrub off side to side to clean and warm tires (he didn't say this didn't work, it just wasn't as effective). It seems safer (since other riders expect it) than burning up to speed then grabbing the binders, especially in a pack.

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 07:30 PM

Think about this for a second, you just stated that you have a slick surface or coating, and you are saying to go side to side to scrub them? Uhm NO! Just my

but if I see a patch of oil in front of me, I am not going to have the bike in any type of a lean by ANY means! (just an example of your slick coating on your tire) LOL

Now I could be wrong, and possibly misunderstood what you were trying to explain, if so please try again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow d hedgehog

good reading and who am I to question a writer who sourced such deep resumes, but....

I wonder if this same logic applies to those of us running pure street tires. He also qualifies it with "new" tires. Do the same warming principles apply to a SportMax with over 1000 miles on it?

I have recently bought some that definitely had some kind of coating on them. They were noticeably slick for at least 100 miles.

I will still likely scrub off side to side to clean and warm tires (he didn't say this didn't work, it just wasn't as effective). It seems safer (since other riders expect it) than burning up to speed then grabbing the binders, especially in a pack.

shadow d hedgehog · 03-03-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedevil

Think about this for a second, you just stated that you have a slick surface or coating, and you are saying to go side to side to scrub them? Uhm NO! Just my

but if I see a patch of oil in front of me, I am not going to have the bike in any type of a lean by ANY means! (just an example of your slick coating on your tire) LOL

Now I could be wrong, and possibly misunderstood what you were trying to explain, if so please try again.

By slick coating I mean when they were new, that coating is long gone. By all means, if there is oil, 2x4, dead skunk, whatever, stop the weave but gradually warming up a set of tires can't seem to hurt. Admittedly though, I am sure I started doing it because I saw others doing it or my pop taught me to do it or I read it in some article, I honestly can not remember. Anyway, it may do nothing more than give me piece of mind and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Yet, by "expecting it", most everyone I tend to ride with will scrub in for a good quarter to half mile before the first bit of hard riding starts. If those I ride with stop scrubbing based on this article, I may too, never know. Still have to leave room to grow right?

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 07:46 PM

I think what the case here is a serious misunderstanding. The idea of scrubbing is to clean the tire, simply and only to clean the tire off. The idea of this article is explaining to warm up tires before a good solid ride. It also explains that lean to lean is NOT to warm the tire up and DOES not warm the tire up. As for the residual mold on new tires, you want to take it easy and slowly lean into those because they are slick at first. you don't throw a set of new tires on and rip through the canyons without more of a chance at washing out.

To make my oil patch absolutely clear, that is what I am compairing to your new tire. With that coating, that is how it can react, SLICK. So you wouldn't lean while going over an oil slick, so you should not lean like that when on new tires that have a slick coating as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow d hedgehog

By slick coating I mean when they were new, that coating is long gone. By all means, if there is oil, 2x4, dead skunk, whatever, stop the weave but gradually warming up a set of tires can't seem to hurt. Admittedly though, I am sure I started doing it because I saw others doing it or my pop taught me to do it or I read it in some article, I honestly can not remember. Anyway, it may do nothing more than give me piece of mind and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Yet, by "expecting it", most everyone I tend to ride with will scrub in for a good quarter to half mile before the first bit of hard riding starts. If those I ride with stop scrubbing based on this article, I may too, never know. Still have to leave room to grow right?

Ryan@IdahoSportBikes · 03-03-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

What I have been doing is, while riding in a straight line I get on the front brake fairly hard while at the same time increasing throttle to mantain speed. I do this for about 5 sec intervals, and repeat. I would think that this would apply the same forces to both the front and rear that braking or acceleration would seperatly, just in this case simutanously. If it is doing basicly the same thing, it allows you the benifit of not having to slow down and speed up multiple times, which might not be possible or safe if others are on the road near you.
Feel free to point out why this would not work, or if my logic here is flawed. I've never heard anyone recomend doing it this way, but it made sense in my head.

Nope, you want the tire to bend and flex a lot. Plus, doing this to your motor is a bad idea. hehe

shadow d hedgehog · 03-03-2009, 08:01 PM

Ya, I am quite aware of new tires and the slick coating. But then the article said there was no coating on modern tires any longer so I suppose that is a moot topic anyway (not really, just saying. Read my next paragraph in regards to street tires instead of track tires).

What I am questioning is weather or not this applies to street only tires with different compounds especially since none of us carry battery powered tire warmers with us. I did re-read it though, the article stated that scrubbing wasn't the most effective but it did not say it didn't warm them up. "The reality is that, according to every tire engineer that I've asked, there are far more effective ways of generating heat in a tire that are also much safer. Rather than weaving back and forth-which does little in the way of generating heat..." While I do not question this logic for track tires on track surfaces, I am not so sure about street tires on street surfaces.

Seems to be an apples to oranges comparison there.

Anywho, not trying to have an argument, just a conversation.

stubby · 03-03-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedevil

I think what the case here is a serious misunderstanding. The idea of scrubbing is to clean the tire, simply and only to clean the tire off. The idea of this article is explaining to warm up tires before a good solid ride. It also explains that lean to lean is NOT to warm the tire up and DOES not warm the tire up. As for the residual mold on new tires, you want to take it easy and slowly lean into those because they are slick at first. you don't throw a set of new tires on and rip through the canyons without more of a chance at washing out.

To make my oil patch absolutely clear, that is what I am compairing to your new tire. With that coating, that is how it can react, SLICK. So you wouldn't lean while going over an oil slick, so you should not lean like that when on new tires that have a slick coating as well.

At the track most guys don't even remove the stickers on the tires. After the first couple of corners they are pushing max lean. Then again that is race rubber and has been heated with tire warmers. Even with rain tires (PP and/or 2cts) the same thing happens but I'll shut up now before some body buys new tires and takes off like a bat out of hell and wrecks.

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:10 PM

ok, I really do see your point that you are trying to make, but I can't agree with it. The actual amount of time that you are on that tire in the lean is not enough to make a difference to actually make it warm. Or, not only make it warm, but retain that heat.

As for the "new" slickness, you brought that up, I was just explaining it more in depth so that others are not misguided by your description. Track or Street, the differences you are looking for between apples and oranges are really between the tires for a cruiser and a sport bike, not the difference between the street tire you put on your sport bike and the track tire you would put on your sport bike. Essentially a lot of people go on to a track with street tires on the sport bike.

As for what you are trying to point out that is or is not in this article, it does explain that it is a myth. I would, (and absolutely no offense to your experience) trust the authority of the information within this article over your opinion.

stubby · 03-03-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow d hedgehog

Ya, I am quite aware of new tires and the slick coating. But then the article said there was no coating on modern tires any longer so I suppose that is a moot topic anyway (not really, just saying. Read my next paragraph in regards to street tires instead of track tires).

What I am questioning is weather or not this applies to street only tires with different compounds especially since none of us carry battery powered tire warmers with us. I did re-read it though, the article stated that scrubbing wasn't the most effective but it did not say it didn't warm them up. "The reality is that, according to every tire engineer that I've asked, there are far more effective ways of generating heat in a tire that are also much safer. Rather than weaving back and forth-which does little in the way of generating heat..." While I do not question this logic for track tires on track surfaces, I am not so sure about street tires on street surfaces.

Seems to be an apples to oranges comparison there.

Anywho, not trying to have an argument, just a conversation.

Talk to any tire manufacturer and/or tire vendor - side to side ONLY HEATS UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE NOT THE CARCASS OF THE TIRE - this will cause traction loss and/or poor performance. You go side to side to clean the dead layer off your tire, not to heat it.

I think tire guys and racers have more knowledge in this area, so you should listen to them. You can even pick up a copy of Twist of the Wrist (I think volume 2) and read for yourself. As far as street tires, race tires, touring tires they all heat up the same way. Yes they have different compounds and different oils etc, but you heat them the same way for bikes.

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

At the track most guys don't even remove the stickers on the tires. After the first couple of corners they are pushing max lean. Then again that is race rubber and has been heated with tire warmers. Even with rain tires (PP and/or 2cts) the same thing happens but I'll shut up now before some body buys new tires and takes off like a bat out of hell and wrecks.

Yes, but they are not running like a bat out of hell out of the gate either. They are putting a lap or two on the tires and slowly leaning in during those laps.

stubby · 03-03-2009, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedevil

Yes, but they are not running like a bat out of hell out of the gate either. They are putting a lap or two on the tires and slowly leaning in during those laps.

Your opinion of that will soon change

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:13 PM

This post/thread was about warming tires, but hey, LETS GO THERE! Feel free to read the opinions of others and how they are almost common....LOL

New Tires and breaking in.

http://www.fireblades.org/forums/gen...ing-tires.html

shadow d hedgehog · 03-03-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

You can even pick up a copy of Twist of the Wrist (I think volume 2) and read for yourself.

Do you happen to have a copy of this?

stubby · 03-03-2009, 08:18 PM

yes I do and i even put a pdf version on BRN

shadow d hedgehog · 03-03-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

yes I do and i even put a pdf version on BRN

By chance do know where it is on BRN?

stubby · 03-03-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow d hedgehog

By chance do know where it is on BRN?

try the little search button on the left side of the screen

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:22 PM

Actually I am going to simplify this! A tire is a tire is a tire and guess what, IS A TIRE!!

To each thier own, this person prefers this one, that person prefers that one, point is

ROFLMAO!

whitedevil · 03-03-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubby

try the little search button on the left side of the screen

DAMN, who put the sand in your vah-jine-a?

Here is a thought, look for threads he started, probably a really good drama thread LOL.

03-03-2009, 08:55 AM	#1
whitedevil Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: Que Nah Posts: 6,257 I Ride: F4i CBR600	How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires I have noticed several topics in the past that riders will go back and forth about, one of these topics is to warm the tire up before getting on it to prevent slip and to better hold traction. While the idea of heating the tire up is correct, many techniques have been mentioned and most of them are wrong. I came across the following article, and felt that it was a good read. Simply click the link below, I hope you enjoy it. www.sportrider.com I did a link to this article, because someone else said it better than I could, well and they are better educated on the matters. LOL.

03-03-2009, 09:05 AM	#2
Hubbs Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: K-Town Posts: 1,647 I Ride: 1996 Suzuki GSX750FT Katana	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Good read

03-03-2009, 09:10 AM	#3
stubby Senior Member Joined: Mar 2008 From: A boring place without any tracks Posts: 4,860 I Ride: 08 GSXR1000 street 08 GSXR600 race bike 99 TZ125 Smoker 07 KTM 250xcw dirt xr50 pit bike 49cc Pocket bike	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Heavy acceleration and heavy braking to heat up the core of the tire and not the outside layer. Good read

03-03-2009, 09:37 AM	#8
mxroostin Senior Member Joined: Jun 2007 From: Meridian Posts: 1,079 I Ride: CBR 1000 RR	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires For street riders...I would think you need to veer left to right not to heat up tires but to CLEAN TIRES.... Damn wives tells....

03-03-2009, 10:10 AM	#10
LazyJ Senior Member Joined: May 2007 From: FUQ Posts: 8,069	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires My scrub in usually is just one relaxed ride up to idaho city....starting with less aggression and leaning to gradually working up to farther leans just to scrub more off... by the time you get to idaho city you have decent heat and scrubbing...

03-03-2009, 12:35 PM	#13
Bungeeguy Senior Member Joined: Aug 2006 From: Boise Posts: 628	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Are circle burnies considered correct

03-03-2009, 03:39 PM	#15
sandm Senior Member Joined: Nov 2006 From: meridian Posts: 502 I Ride: '09 zx6r '04 tgb laser150 scooter	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires so next time I get pulled over, I should give them the excuse that I was warming up the tires for a safer ride? wonder if it would work...

03-03-2009, 07:01 PM	#20
Linker33 Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 From: Boise, ID Posts: 1,428 I Ride: '02 GSXR 600	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires What I have been doing is, while riding in a straight line I get on the front brake fairly hard while at the same time increasing throttle to mantain speed. I do this for about 5 sec intervals, and repeat. I would think that this would apply the same forces to both the front and rear that braking or acceleration would seperatly, just in this case simutanously. If it is doing basicly the same thing, it allows you the benifit of not having to slow down and speed up multiple times, which might not be possible or safe if others are on the road near you. Feel free to point out why this would not work, or if my logic here is flawed. I've never heard anyone recomend doing it this way, but it made sense in my head.

03-03-2009, 07:18 PM	#21
stubby Senior Member Joined: Mar 2008 From: A boring place without any tracks Posts: 4,860 I Ride: 08 GSXR1000 street 08 GSXR600 race bike 99 TZ125 Smoker 07 KTM 250xcw dirt xr50 pit bike 49cc Pocket bike	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires flawed logic. Your front tire would have a good tire temp though, as all your weight would then be on the front tire but your most important tire would only heat the outer layer. A good way to heat up the brakes though

03-03-2009, 07:27 PM	#22
whitedevil Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: Que Nah Posts: 6,257 I Ride: F4i CBR600	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Another good thing to keep in mind with all this talk about brake usage, too hot of brakes can be just as bad as NOT HAVING BRAKES!! Keep that in mind peeps.

03-03-2009, 07:27 PM	#23
shadow d hedgehog Senior Member Joined: Mar 2008 From: Boise Posts: 2,589	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires good reading and who am I to question a writer who sourced such deep resumes, but.... I wonder if this same logic applies to those of us running pure street tires. He also qualifies it with "new" tires. Do the same warming principles apply to a SportMax with over 1000 miles on it? I have recently bought some that definitely had some kind of coating on them. They were noticeably slick for at least 100 miles. I will still likely scrub off side to side to clean and warm tires (he didn't say this didn't work, it just wasn't as effective). It seems safer (since other riders expect it) than burning up to speed then grabbing the binders, especially in a pack.

03-03-2009, 08:01 PM	#28
shadow d hedgehog Senior Member Joined: Mar 2008 From: Boise Posts: 2,589	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Ya, I am quite aware of new tires and the slick coating. But then the article said there was no coating on modern tires any longer so I suppose that is a moot topic anyway (not really, just saying. Read my next paragraph in regards to street tires instead of track tires). What I am questioning is weather or not this applies to street only tires with different compounds especially since none of us carry battery powered tire warmers with us. I did re-read it though, the article stated that scrubbing wasn't the most effective but it did not say it didn't warm them up. "The reality is that, according to every tire engineer that I've asked, there are far more effective ways of generating heat in a tire that are also much safer. Rather than weaving back and forth-which does little in the way of generating heat..." While I do not question this logic for track tires on track surfaces, I am not so sure about street tires on street surfaces. Seems to be an apples to oranges comparison there. Anywho, not trying to have an argument, just a conversation.

03-03-2009, 08:10 PM	#30
whitedevil Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: Que Nah Posts: 6,257 I Ride: F4i CBR600	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires ok, I really do see your point that you are trying to make, but I can't agree with it. The actual amount of time that you are on that tire in the lean is not enough to make a difference to actually make it warm. Or, not only make it warm, but retain that heat. As for the "new" slickness, you brought that up, I was just explaining it more in depth so that others are not misguided by your description. Track or Street, the differences you are looking for between apples and oranges are really between the tires for a cruiser and a sport bike, not the difference between the street tire you put on your sport bike and the track tire you would put on your sport bike. Essentially a lot of people go on to a track with street tires on the sport bike. As for what you are trying to point out that is or is not in this article, it does explain that it is a myth. I would, (and absolutely no offense to your experience) trust the authority of the information within this article over your opinion.

03-03-2009, 08:13 PM	#34
whitedevil Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: Que Nah Posts: 6,257 I Ride: F4i CBR600	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires This post/thread was about warming tires, but hey, LETS GO THERE! Feel free to read the opinions of others and how they are almost common....LOL New Tires and breaking in. http://www.fireblades.org/forums/gen...ing-tires.html

03-03-2009, 08:18 PM	#36
stubby Senior Member Joined: Mar 2008 From: A boring place without any tracks Posts: 4,860 I Ride: 08 GSXR1000 street 08 GSXR600 race bike 99 TZ125 Smoker 07 KTM 250xcw dirt xr50 pit bike 49cc Pocket bike	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires yes I do and i even put a pdf version on BRN

03-03-2009, 08:22 PM	#39
whitedevil Senior Member Joined: May 2008 From: Que Nah Posts: 6,257 I Ride: F4i CBR600	Re: How To Properly Warm Up Your Tires Actually I am going to simplify this! A tire is a tire is a tire and guess what, IS A TIRE!! To each thier own, this person prefers this one, that person prefers that one, point is ROFLMAO!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode