10
September
2018
|
12:40 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

Dunlop SportSmart TT wins Fast Bikes ‘blind’ test

 

  • First of six leading hypersport tyres in a ‘blind’ tyre test
  • “Dunlop were the clear winners”
  • Second test accolade for SportSmart TT this summer.

 

UK motorcycle magazine, Fast Bikes, has named the Dunlop SportSmart TT as the clear winner in a blind track test of six of the latest hypersport tyres.

Riding a 2018 Yamaha YZF-R1M, Fast Bikes’ Mike Booth evaluated the feel, stability and outright grip of each of the tyres.  The magazine conducted the test on the gruelling Cadwell Park circuit, famed as the UK’s ‘mini-Nurburgring’ due to its combination of elevation changes and blind, adverse-camber corners. This makes the 3.5km circuit one of the most demanding on the British Superbike calendar and the perfect place to test tyres.

The test was a ‘blind’ format. Booth did not know which tyres had been fitted to the Yamaha for each stint and didn’t get the opportunity to see the sidewall or tread pattern when getting on to the bike. This made for a fair and neutral test as the rider did not have any preconceptions of each tyre.

Booth noted the high performance of the Dunlop SportSmart TT, commenting: “The front always felt mega-planted, so much so that it gave me the confidence to brake harder and trail the brakes right into the turns”.

Performing well against more track-biased tyres, the SportSmart TT demonstrated its exceptional performance through cornering, providing the confidence for riders to push to the maximum. Fast Bikes added:  “They may be a road tyre, but they were the road tyre that felt the closest to a race tyre”.

Booth was glowing in his feedback: “The Dunlops were the clear winners of this test. I didn’t know what tyres they were when lapping on them, but I knew straight away that they were going to be up there. They were the fourth set I tested but nothing that came before or after could match them”.

Luca Davide Andreoni, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe Marketing Manager, said: “This feedback perfectly summarises the positioning and purpose of the Dunlop SportSmart TT.  It is the latest tyre in our hypersport range, offering a road tyre that’s ready for the track. It sits between the SportSmart2 MAX sports road tyre and the racing-orientated Dunlop GP Racer D212  tyres, with our D213 GP Pro being the ultimate racing tyre for competitive events that require a treaded tyre. Significantly, all of these tyres were launched in the last two years, proving that Dunlop has the most up-to-date  hypersport portfolio on the market”.

The Fast Bikes test win is the second major accolade for SportSmart TT this summer. It was rated as ‘Best handling tyre’ in the German magazine ‘PS’ on their dry track test. With 28 out of 30 points, PS testers declared the SportSmart TT as being the best in handling: “Thanks to the sharp contour of the front tyre, the Dunlops stand out in the corners without tipping or any  hint of nervousness”.

The Dunlop SportSmart TT performance is achieved through a combination of race-derived technologies. Dunlop’s NTEC RT technology allows the rear pressure to be lowered for track use, enlarging the contact patch and maximizing grip. A unique feature of the SportSmart TT is the Speed Vent Tread. The intricately calculated tread groove pattern opens and closes when the tyre turns to create a vent-like effect to improve heat dissipation.

ENDS

Test Details:

Fast Bikes Magazine, September 2018 edition. Rider: Mike Booth. Bike: Yamaha YZF-R1M. Tyres tested: Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II, Metzeler Sportec M7RR, Bridgestone S21, Dunlop SportSmart TT, Michelin Power RS. Manufacturer recommended tyre pressures. Location: Cadwell Park, UK. Conditions: Dry.