Some track motorcycle tyres are available in different compounds. These different compounds are available so that racers (and trackday riders) can choose the compound of tyre that works best for them.
The different compounds offer different levels of grip and different wear rates.
For example, a track might be abrasive or it might be cold or indeed very hot, all of which affects how well a tyre grips.
You might also run a different compound on the back compared to the front as that might help the bike feel its best. You might also need to factor in durability, as one compound of tyre might last well for a 16-lap race but that’s no good if you need it to last for a 3-day trackday.
That’s where different compounds come in to their own.
Bridgestone compounds
Bridgestone offer different compounds for their V02 motorcycle race slicks and also their R11 tyres which are sticky road legal jobbies. Bridgestone’s compounds come in Soft, Medium and Hard. The R11 is available in Soft and Medium. While the V02s are available in Soft, Medium fronts and Soft, Medium and 3LC X/S and 3LC X/M and 3LC M/H rears.
Metzeler compounds
Metzeler have a few different track motorcycle tyres. In terms of the Metzeler slick motorcycle tyres range they do make very good slicks for Supermoto racers and they have a popular range of slicks for Supersports and Superbikes. Their slick range is available in Soft and Medium compounds. The Supermoto stuff is available in K0, K1 and K2. While the rain tyres are given the KR1 designation.
They also have a range of Metzeler road legal trackday treaded tyres. There are the Racetec RR K1 + K2 which although road legal are more of a treaded race tyre and not what you ideally want underneath you on a summer rideout as the heavens start to open. The Racetec RR K3 is a very good track tyre which won’t leave you high and dry in a downpour. You might also see a K3 Interact wich was a popular tyre as it came on the early BMW S1000RRs but these are no longer made.
Pirelli compounds
Pirelli for example offer their Diablo Supercorsa are available in the SC0, SC1, SC2 and SC3 on the rear and the fronts are available in an SC1, SC2 and SC3. The SC0 is known as a qualifying tyre as it offers a lot of grip but not a lot of life. However it’s only available in a 180/60 which is good for Supersports bikes (600cc, etc) and not a lot else.
There’s a popular misconception that the Pirelli SC1 front is the stickiest one you can fit but we’re of the understanding that the SC1 and SC2 fronts use the same compound of rubber they just have different carcass strengths and the SC1 is a lot softer. It probably won’t feel as good as the SC2 to most fast to race-paced riders.
Bike-specific compounds
Some people also think that some bikes work their best on different compounds. So the word around the trackday forums and Facebook groups is that a 2016 ZX-10R runs best on a Pirelli SC1 front and SC2 rear or a BMW S1000RR is best on a K2 front and K3 rear.
While the bike might feel good on those tyres, there’s nothing to say they’ll work for you. Tyres are as much about how you feel when you’re riding on them and they’re not just about how much grip they offer. So try the different combinations to see what works best for you.
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