| Author | Message | ||
     Spatten1 |
I've heard great things about the Dunlop Qualifiers from track day coaches, so I figured I'd give them a try. After one good street ride, temps in the 60's, I have some decent feedback. Grip and feel for street riding was great, even when cold. I didn't ride hard enough to get them sliding, but for moderately- fast paced riding they felt great. Turn-in and responsiveness was great. Braking in turns stands that bike up very aggressively. With the new profile I'd hoped that this would not happen, but it still does. Something about the Dunlops still reacts oddly with the XB geometry. Overall first impressions are that it's a great tire, but it still is a mis-match with the XB chassis when braking in turns. | ||
| Xb9er |
i like my dunlop qualifiers better than my diablos | ||
| Spatten1 |
Xb9er: How does your bike react with the Qs when you use the front brake while turning? | ||
| Old_man |
"Braking in turns stands that bike up very aggressively." I wouldn't have them if you gave them to me for free. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Spat - I agree that the Qualifiers are good cold, and a friend of mine is switching to them from Pirellis because they don't seem to to work as well when it is cold as the Dunlops. I did NOT find that the Qualifiers cause the bike to stand up in corners at all, like the Dunlop 207s did. Not sure why we have different findings. I guess I am pretty easy on the brakes on the street, but I have done several track days with the the Dunlops too, with no "stand up" problem. Maybe a suspension set up or riding style issue, I just don't know. I use the stock tire pressures: 36/38 on the street. Thoughts anyone? | ||
| Xb9er |
my quals did stand the bike up a little,but not much. These new diablos do also so it might just be a physics thing. | ||
| Jaimec |
Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this! Doctor: So, don't DO that! | ||
| Spatten1 |
I did NOT find that the Qualifiers cause the bike to stand up in corners at all, like the Dunlop 207s did. Interesting indeed. I'm glad I posted to get other feedback. It may be my setup, weight, riding style, etc. I too am running 36/38. Where I had trouble was running a moderate pace through a corner, spotted gravel coming, gave it some front brake and ran accross the double yellows. What I'm wondering now is if I get used to it, and give a bit more input on the bars as I brake, will it compensate without hurting traction? By the way, I used to ride a ZX-11 that did the exact same thing, and I dealt with it. I really like the way this tire feels and grips. Great tires! | ||
| Old_man |
I equipped my Buell with Metzler and then Pirelli tires - neither stand up at all in corner braking. Here in Western PA it is constant bends. At times it becomes necessary to brake in a sharp turn. I will not abide a tire that stands the bike up in those circumstances. | ||
| Spatten1 |
I lived in Eastern PA, and would be more concerned about the tendency to stand up under braking if I still did. Most of the roads on back East run through private land with driveways, dogs, etc. in the middle of turns. Out West most fast riding is done on consistent pavement through public land without driveways, stop signs, or pets in the way. You still end up with the occasional panic stop, but much less often than back East. The roads are just more predictable here. That said, one panic stop while leaned over is all it takes to run you accross the lines or off the road, so it is tough to really argue your point. | ||
| Borrowedbike |
Spatten, is it a possibility you are tightening up on the bars when you grab break in the twisties? Could be a contributing factor... | ||
| Spatten1 |
Anything is possible, but I doubt it. I tried to do it intentionally a few times and the same thing happened. I am 215 lbs and running stock springs, so it may be due to the initial dive. I suck at suspension setup and trouble shooting, so I really wouldn't know what on my individual bike might cause it. Didn't feel it with Pirelli Diablo Corsas, street or track, same suspension setup as now. | ||
| Raymondt |
I have followed Spatten into a few corners. All this time I thought he was fast. I didn't know he was just afraid to hit the brakes. I have no issues with my Michelins. Awesome on the brakes. | ||
| Twinv |
Can someone tell me if it's Ok to mix the Dunlop Qualifier in the rear with the Dunlop D208 in the front?? I had Dunlop D208 all around (stock tires in 2005) and my rear wore down, so I am changing the rear only. The web site say that the Dunlop Qualifier replaces the D208? Anyone with that particular setup? By the way, I did notice the bike standing up in turns while braking, but my understanding is that this is specific to the ZTL brake architecture.... | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I would not recommend mixing the Qualifier on the rear with the 208 in the front for two reasons. 1. I believe it is a bad idea not to change tires in pairs because a worn tire in the front won't have it's original profile, and won't handle nearly as well as a new tire. 2. The situation is just made worse by mixing tires that didn't even have the same profile to beginning with. No one likes to save money more than I do, but this is a false economy if ever there was one: you are diminishing the handling of the bike for the entire life of the rear tire, some 3000 miles, to save the value of half of a front tire, about $50. Considering the cost of the bike, and the importance of optimal handling to most Buelligans, it just doesn't seem worth it to me. | ||
| M1combat |
"but my understanding is that this is specific to the ZTL brake architecture...." Not even remotely. Go smack whoever told you that. It's due to a front tire that's not as sharply profiled as it should be when compared to the rear and the aggressive geometry used with the XB (steep rake). The inside of the tire patch has a higher coefficient of friction than the outside of the tire patch. With a too flatly profiled front tire this is exaggerated. You use the brakes and it wants to steer into the turn. Lowering the rear tire pressure (or raising the front) will help but is not the solution. The solution is to run tires that don't do it. I'm not an advocate of raising any tire pressures, especially one and not the other. Specific tire pressure affects available grip considerably when nearing the edge of the traction circle. Changing pressure on only one or the other tire will considerably affect the balance of the bike on the limit. The pressure changes made in the direction to bandage this specific issue leads to a vague feeling at the front and/or a lack of grip at the front compared to the rear. That leads to a guard rail. At least if you lose the back you might make it OVER the guard rail  . I run Metzeler M3's. 28lbsF/29.5lbsR track or street. I get better street mileage out of the rear tire at the lower pressure too. I rarely read tire comparisons because I don't race (just trackdays) so I use the tires that feel the best to me. The Metzelers seem to be very progressive as you start to lose adhesion and like tires like that. It allows me to slide either end or both with plenty of warning before they actually let go. They may not have the outright grip that some other tires do but if I wanted that I'd be using a DOT race tire anyway. That said I've never felt that I wanted more grip than the M3's offer at trackdays even after trying four or five different types. I don't believe I've ever been passed mid-corner at a trackday. This tells me only that my tires offer enough grip. | ||
| Old_man |
"but my understanding is that this is specific to the ZTL brake architecture...." Not even remotely. Go smack whoever told you that. AMEN! | ||
| Spatten1 |
I've mixed tires many times, different brands. I never had a problem. I've followed Ray into corners a few times too. He kicks my ass with that 12 sometimes. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Mixing tires: Remember in the late 80s when the either the Michelin or Dunlop tire factory in Japan burned down? The 500 bikes had one Michelin and one Dunlop for a number of races. I used to run a Bridgestone rear and a Dunlop front on my ZX9. It was a great combo. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Got in another ride today and the Dunlop Qualifiers are great. I'm already compensating for the tendency to stand up more under braking then the Diablos did, not too big a deal. Great cold, and solid and stable warm. I'm happy to be back on Dunlops, I missed them. |
