Back is under 1/2", front is about twice the size. Is this how your tires ware? I wonder if it has to do with the 190/55 rear tire?

Mine wear about the same - front has smaller bands than the rear, and I'm still running a 190/50.

none on the rear and just a small strip on the front. You really have to lean a bike aggressively to do away with the front. I've ground hard parts on the 14 and still have them on the front.

My ZX6R track bike has none front and rear but I run race tires and have alot of ground clearance to really crank her over, I usually run out of tire before hard parts touch down.

Some say it's riding style but I don't buy it. I use a combination of coutersteering and bodysteering simultaniously on the street and track. So I think it's really more about cornering speed and lean angles and how aggressive you are with the throttle in the corners.

* Last updated by: heathun on 8/20/2009 @ 8:21 PM *

lemosley01 wrote:

Mine wear about the same - front has smaller bands than the rear, and I'm still running a 190/50.

My front had smaller strips than the back with the stockers too. I would expect this because the front is a smaller diameter tire than the rear. With the new tire, it is opposite. The front has a lot larger chicken strips than the back. There is a larger contact patch with the 190/55 tire so that might have something to do with it. I know I'm leaning harder with it too.

heathun wrote:

none on the rear and just a small strip on the front.

Glad to hear you have the same sort of thing happening. I must be doing something right. I really think it will be years before i have no chicken strips though. But if that's what it takes to keep from dumping the bike in a corner, I'll wait.

Don't woory about it. They mean nothing. Better to have unused tire on an unwrecked bike.

Tire profile and effects of countersteering ............I find it tough to clean the front b/c the fairing drags first.

heathun :

none on the rear and just a small strip on the front. You really have to lean a bike aggressively to do away with the front. I've ground hard parts on the 14 and still have them on the front.

Yes, all the time when I go for rides in the mountains I have to pull my boots up so just my toes are on the pegs, and still sometimes the outside edge of the front of the boot touches down. Probably because I put 1" lower Buell XB pegs on it, but enough that the final strip of "chicken strips" have been just barely touched.

My ZX11 wore tires all the way to the sidewall, easily.

Different beast, this ZX14.

Like 06BlueZX14 said, it's the tire profile that is the greatest difference in leaving the chicken strips on tires.
As a example the roads 2's that I had run would be tuff to get the last .25 inch off the side, but the Dunlop’s street smart having a flatter profile was no problem going right to the edge in a hurry.

tire pressure?

^^I'm sure that would have an effect on the ware pattern but I keep my tiresa\ at 45-42 # pretty religiously.

I've noticed this also, it's fairly easy to scrub the rear tire down to the edge but not the front tire. The front is a 120/70 ZR17 while the rear is a 190/50ZR17. The aspect ratio of the front tire is quite a bit higher i.e 70 vs 50, which means you have a steeper profile up front. Everything else being equal, for a given lean angle your working more of the rear tire. If you reach the point where you are working the rear tire hard enough to ball rubber up on the edge like the MotoGP boyz do, you're leaning far enough to scrub the front all the way to the edge.

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 8/21/2009 @ 1:45 PM *

I'm sure that would have an effect on the ware pattern but I keep my tiresa\ at 45-42 # pretty religiously.

45 psi is a bit too much and only suitable for two up riding IMHO.

I like my 2CTs on the 14 b/n 38 and 40 psi

Old pic that I've posted before... on a zx10.
Try to get your front and rear worn over the edge on the 14 like that!

* Last updated by: masszx14 on 8/21/2009 @ 2:09 PM *

Chicken strips , just a narrow band on the front, boots dragging thats enough for me on the road.
I am with masszx14 38 40 warms up quick and gives good feeling with 2CT s
Andy Grin

What kind of mileage are you guys getting out of the 2CT's.

My BT016's are about done at ~3k, even the front left side is hitting the wear bars.
I definitely corner harder around left turns.
I always knew this when I was (club)roadracing (could bury my left knee into the pavement and just lightly drag my right), but this is the first time I see proof (and I am right handed).

Anyway...I digress...
I really like the 190/55 profile, but the available tires with this profile is limited.
The 2CT's are on my short list.

* Last updated by: CycleJunkie on 8/25/2009 @ 9:20 PM *

(and I am right handed)

Funny you would think that your right side is dominate.
I shoot right handed, but my brain see's that my left side is dominate, seeing that my left eye is the dominate one.

^^Speaking of that, it's clear the left side of my rear tire is not getting worn as close to the edge as the right. This must have a lot to do with the fact that almost all of the corners I can take at a good lean are to the right. Highway ramps are always to the right. I try to practice left handed cornering in a large empty parking lot but the sand and rocks that collect there keep me from leaning as hard as I can on the road where the debris gets blown off to the side.

always knew this when I was (club)roadracing (could bury my left knee into the pavement and just lightly drag my right), but this is the first time I see proof (and I am right handed).

There was a study done awhile back and most right handers will turn in more agressively to the left. Just the way the brain is wired I guess... it can be overcome by diligent practice though.

Kruz

Mass, what kind of tire is that? I don't recognize the groove pattern.

Kruz

Kruz- just some nice Pirellis like these here that would take
some track days abuse:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/394/6224/ITEM/Pirelli-Diablo-Corsa-III-Rear-Tire.aspx?SiteID=CSE_GBase_394&WT.mc_ID=80003&zmam=88421133&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=6224