PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERCORSA V4 LAUNCH
BY NIGEL PATERSON
As I wound the throttle on over the crest of the hill with the bike nonetheless leaned over, the rear tyre began to slip, breaking traction as its capability to hold on was overpowered by the highly effective four-cylinder sportsbike. My coronary heart charge was most likely taking pictures up as I backed off barely, eager to regain traction with out aggressively making an attempt to cease the slide… heart-in-mouth stuff.
That have was a few a long time in the past, at Oran Park using a Suzuki GSX-R1100. No traction management, early-generation radial tyres, the very actual likelihood of a high-side crash if the slide had gone too far.
After that have, I almost high-sided a Honda CBR900RR at Phillip Island, getting thrown up within the seat however fortunately touchdown again in it and getting the bike below management. There have been additionally quite a few “moments” at Japanese Creek (now Sydney Motorsport Park) and the massive one, a high-side crash on an R6 at Phillip Island, within the late ’90s. Not a lot carnage for 30 years of journey days, bike launches and photograph shoots.
So I got here to Phillip Island for the launch of the brand new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4, the place I might be using the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR, with some trepidation — the primary time I’d ridden on a monitor in two years and the primary time on an open-class sportsbike since 2015.
I’m very blissful to report any nervousness was gone earlier than the tip of my first monitor session, and by the third I used to be cracking the throttle of the 200+hp S 1000 RR laborious out of sluggish turns and rocketing between corners, trusting the electronics to tamp-down any unreasonable enthusiasm as I attempted to check the adhesion limits of the tyre and electronics of the quick BMW.
Trendy tyres and bikes are unbelievable — a lot, a lot safer to journey quick than older generations.
Cracking the throttle open laborious whereas nonetheless leaned over made the SP model of the Diablo Supercorsa squirm round in a means that made me really feel quick, even when my lap instances may very well be recorded with a sundial. Phillip Island’s turns 10-11-12 main onto the straight are legendary, turns which dictate your high velocity down the straight. By the point I used to be using below the massive “Melbourne” signal and tipped over from going uphill to downhill (Phillip Island’s Gardner straight just isn’t flat, though it appears to be like that means on tv), I used to be a bit too busy to be checking my velocity… vastly extra curious about getting the method to the quick Doohan Nook proper. I by no means did get it proper, however that’s OK — I didn’t cock it up considerably both, so I’m proud of that.
The brand new Supercorsas can be found in quite a few fashions; from the road-biased “race reproduction” SP mannequin to the race-focussed SC1, the fourth-generation Diablos cowl a variety of bikes, rider skills and desires.
NEW GENERATION
For the most recent technology of its supersport rubber, Pirelli had a goal of “placing management even when pushing laborious”. To realize this goal, the brand new tyres function a mixture of carbon black and silica compounds with thicker structural textile cords and elevated structural stiffness, all providing enhanced damping traits.
The tread sample has been up to date too, with a “flash”-shaped groove that we’re informed provides higher water dispersion and extra constant put on. The land/sea ratio, used to explain the proportion of rubber to grooves, is right down to 4.1 per cent, so these tyres are getting near being street-legal slicks.
FOR THE ROAD RIDER — SP
Pirelli claims the Diablo Supercorsa SP V4 is “a pure race reproduction expertise”, primarily providing racing-compound slick edges whereas nonetheless being appropriate for road use, even for those who’re caught in some rain.
Through the launch, Pirelli informed us the brand new V4 tyre is healthier in each respect than the V3, particularly concerning grip and racetrack consistency. Utilizing a bunch of riders for testing functions on the Racalmuto circuit, a brief 2.5km monitor with 9 turns, lap instances got here down, lean angles elevated, full throttle was used extra and G-forces elevated. The corporate’s engineers have achieved this with first multi-compound entrance Diablo Supercorsa V4 with this fourth-generation tyre. Not like typical dual-compound tyres, the Diablo Supercorsa V4 entrance incorporates a central and base layer that’s more durable, with a full silica compound, for sturdiness and wet-weather efficiency.
The bottom layer runs proper throughout the width of the tyre — within the centre it’s greater, being additionally the contact path. The shoulder/edge compound is 100 per cent carbon black, the identical compound because the SC3 monitor tyre, for excessive grip at excessive lean angles. This softer, sticker compound is bonded to the Silica base layer for thermal stability.
There’s no tread on the shoulders, so the tyre is successfully a slick when using laborious.
The SP’s rear is successfully three compounds: a 100 per cent carbon black base (the Adaptive Base Compound), SC3 facet bands for excessive efficiency, and a barely more durable central compound for sturdiness, wet-weather traction and stress-resistant high-speed stability.
The result’s a tyre with wonderful thermal stability, that means it doesn’t require excellent temperatures to work properly, copes properly with thermal biking (going from scorching to chilly and again once more), lasts longer than any of the track-biased fashions, and works properly throughout a wider vary of tyre temperatures.
The SP isn’t advisable for monitor use, however with SC3 edges it actually works and is the tyre to decide on for those who journey to the monitor earlier than using on the monitor.
I had one session on a S 1000 RR fitted with SPs and was capable of really feel the rear squirm as I pushed laborious whereas cranked over, particularly main on to the straight. This wonderful really feel gave me the boldness to push laborious and by the tip of the session, the tyre was balling up properly and feeling very, very sticky on the perimeters.
In distinction, the entrance was kinda laughing at my capability… and it’s a attribute of the Phillip Island monitor being such a flowing design. Gumbies like me don’t truly push the entrance very laborious.
In the event you’re in search of a tyre you’re going to primarily use on the road, the Supercorsa SP is unquestionably the go. For house owners of premium sportsbikes who push laborious, Pirelli has constructed this tyre for you and your bike. It’ll deal with a journey day or monitor coaching day no downside, however for those who’re in search of one thing extra suited to trace using and don’t journey to the monitor, the SC fashions are higher.
TRACK MODELS
Developed from the racing slicks, the Diablos had been born as a treaded tyre for Supersport and Superstock classes that required treaded tyres — and the SC1 and SC2 fashions of the Supercorsa V4 are the most recent fashions. In the event you’re going racing or journey at racing speeds at journey days, the super-sticky SC1 or extra sturdy SC2 are the Diablos for you.
These “Particular Compound” fashions function a excessive content material of carbon black for unbelievable dry-weather grip. They’re constructed to deal with the warmth traits of monitor use, the place ultra-high speeds are sometimes adopted by excessive braking and lean angles. The carcass is designed to deal with the acute pressures pushed into the tyre and nonetheless preserve an acceptable contact patch, and edge grip is unbelievable for driving laborious out of corners.
The place the SC1 is designed for smoother floor, extra abrasive tracks are higher suited to the SC2, a tyre which offers higher racing stability and consistency of wear and tear, and it’s much less delicate to low tyre temperatures, so is a more sensible choice for instances when circumstances aren’t nice.
Utilizing an SC1 entrance and SC2 rear has change into widespread, particularly for endurance racing — though the SC3 will give longer tyre life. The higher lap instances of the SC2 can greater than make up for the additional time misplaced within the pits with additional tyre modifications.
However we’re nonetheless speaking racing right here, severe, quick and hard-on-tyres efficiency. The SC3, initially developed with endurance racing in thoughts, has change into the tyre of selection for ride-day punters. Constructed to supply heaps of grip and really feel with resistance to warmth biking and good longevity, the SC3 is Pirelli’s inexpensive monitor tyre as a result of it warms up rapidly, even with out tyre heaters. Tyre life is significantly longer than SC1 or SC2, and grip ranges are so excessive for those who’re not doing race lap instances that there’s a great likelihood you received’t be getting the total profit out of the stickier rubber.
SIZES & PRICES
Pirelli is making the Diablo Supercorsa V4 SP in sizes to swimsuit fashionable sportsbikes, from small to massive capacities, all in 17-inch and all are ZR rated.
For the smaller bikes there shall be a 110/70 coming in June to affix the 120/70 already accessible. There are eight rear sizes accessible or coming over the subsequent few months, in widths from 140 to 200 and quite a lot of profiles.
The SC fashions shall be accessible in a variety of sizes to swimsuit most fashionable monitor bikes, with 110- and 120-wide fronts and 120- to 200-wide rears in quite a lot of SC1, SC2 and SC3 compounds.
Costs for the SP mannequin (RRP) run from $299.95-$339.95 (fronts) and $349.95-$499.95 (rear). SC fashions are in an identical vary – $299.95 to $529.95 relying on measurement and compound.
THE DIABLO RANGE
Pirelli now has 5 totally different ranges of its sporty Diablo tyres, every with totally different traits and designed for various functions.
The stickiest is the Diablo Superbike — track-only slicks with excessive dry-weather efficiency and no wet-weather use advisable in any respect! From a mileage perspective they don’t final very lengthy, though they’re rated at an identical life to the Supercorsa SC vary… inside that the SC3 lasts longer than an SC2 which lasts longer than an SC1… however we’re nonetheless speaking monitor tyres.
The road-suitable Supercorsa SP ought to final a minimum of 50 per cent longer than an SC3, though for 100 per cent monitor using you wouldn’t purchase the SP, you’d purchase an SC.
The Diablo Rosso IV is extra street biased. It provides round 80 per cent of the dry-weather efficiency of the Supercorsa SP however triple the wet-weather efficiency and almost double the tyre life.
The Diablo IV, which Pirelli describe as “The Sporty Tyre for the Street”, sees a small drop-off in dry-weather efficiency in comparison with the Rosso IV, however even higher wet-weather traction — and a big soar in mileage.
