So I have been searching the forums trying to get the whole picture on tires, and holy shit what a confusing mess it is. Can someone please help me sort this out?

Basically I used to race a long time ago (1st I raced on Dunlop D364s and in my second stint, I raced on D208GP Stars). I don't think I'll be racing again, but I plan to do 6 or more track days this year. I like Dunlop's profile over Bridgestone, and I have not tried Pirellis yet.

What tires are going to be good enough for avanced track day pace, and will hold up the longest (Willow Springs, notoriously hard on tires)?

A few people on this site have told me the Q2 street tire is as good or better than the DOT race tires I used to run, and if that's the case, I will just run them, as they are dirt cheap. If that's not true, I guess I'll pony up for some variation of N-tec? I am open to slicks, as I have a seperate set of wheels for track tires/rotors etc, but they are 17" wheels.

The Pirelli Superbike Pro Slicks look promising, but I don't know where they stand compared to what I used to run (D364, D208GP, etc), the Q2s, etc, etc. Please help. Thanks.

I believe slicks and racing tires are gonna require a generator and with Q2's that won't be necessary.

Whens yer 1st track day? Willow Springs on Monday for me :)

I have been searching for track day organizations that run the big track. I want to do the first few on a track I know :) Way back when, it was Fastrack, but they appear to only do Fontana now. TrackXperience does one in June, but I don't want to wait that long. Fastrack used to do one on the big track every Friday on race weekend. Guess those days are gone :( I've never done the Streets of Willow, but I heard it is fun. I just heard it is hard to pass, and noobs run people off the track alot. Not really into that.

I believe slicks and racing tires are gonna require a generator and with Q2's that won't be necessary.

The new Pirelli Superbike Pro slicks are said to be designed not to need warmers. That makes them somewhat appealing if it is truly a benefit over other tires.

Hey, whats wrong with bein a noob :)
I 've only been ridin since last May, I'm hooked. I like Streets, its technical. I've only ridden it twice and figured if I can improve at Streets I'll be a better rider. I'm gettin round Streets now at 1:35/1:37 and Big Willow @ 1:45/1:48.
No insurance which is holdin me back ( my excuse anyway)
You race with Grady Bethune before, he used to race big time @ Willow. He aint racing now but may join me soon fro track day.
TrackXperience.com on Monday 7th and Motoyard.com on the 18th I think. TrackDaz are'nt operating anymore at Willow :( Good guys.
Not sure I'll ever wanna do Fontana, seems way more expensive.

For DOT's go with a Dunlop 211 6680 compound. For an entire day at Big Willow I start the rear tire mounted backwards and then I flip it miday. Front will last forever.:cheers

Hey, whats wrong with bein a noob :)
I 've only been ridin since last May, I'm hooked. I like Streets, its technical. I've only ridden it twice and figured if I can improve at Streets I'll be a better rider. I'm gettin round Streets now at 1:35/1:37 and Big Willow @ 1:45/1:48.
No insurance which is holdin me back ( my excuse anyway)
You race with Grady Bethune before, he used to race big time @ Willow. He aint racing now but may join me soon fro track day.
TrackXperience.com on Monday 7th and Motoyard.com on the 18th I think. TrackDaz are'nt operating anymore at Willow :( Good guys.
Not sure I'll ever wanna do Fontana, seems way more expensive.

I got no problem with noobs, as long as they don't run me off the track, or brake check entering 8 on the big track :) I hear Buttonwillow is good, and I'll probably do that after I get a few under my belt on a track I know. Well, I say I know it, but it is bound to be different on an 09 750 than it was on a 99 600 :lol

Ran myself off @ Streets my 1st time. 105 degrees that day, last session and I was knackered. Comin round last turn and knew I was way off line but I somehow could'nt react. I had plenty of time but signals were'nt bein sent or understood :)
Nothin serious but I'm glad no one was on my left I would t-boned 'em.
Ya plannin on ridin to track or ya have trailer/pickup?

Ya plannin on ridin to track or ya have trailer/pickup?

I will either buy/rent a trailer, or use my brother's truck. My brother has an old U Haul truck that would be ideal, except it is a bit older, and I don't want to be the one driving it when it finally goes. It is nice to have that much room for gear and wind protection at Willow though. I don't know. I hadn't mentally prepared myself for everything I am going to have to buy again to start doing this. My kid doesn't need to go to college.

Ran myself off @ Streets my 1st time. 105 degrees that day, last session and I was knackered. Comin round last turn and knew I was way off line but I somehow could'nt react. I had plenty of time but signals were'nt bein sent or understood :)
Nothin serious but I'm glad no one was on my left I would t-boned 'em.

I remember I think it was practice for my second or third race, I was so excited to try the stuff I had been thinking about for the last month that I didn't give myself time to acclimate to the track. On my second lap, I entered turn 9 WAY to early, and my first thought was, "I wonder how this is gonna turn out". Like you, I didn't try to correct, and ran right off the track. Luckily I was only in the dirt for a little bit before I ended up on pit lane. Didn't go down, but it was a hell of a wake up call. After that, I would make myself do 6 laps before really puting my head down.

The new Pirelli Superbike Pro slicks are said to be designed not to need warmers. That makes them somewhat appealing if it is truly a benefit over other tires.

I have been running the Superbike Pros for about 3-4 track days now, they have been fantastic. I use them with warmers but I had the warmers before the tyres. But I have heard the same that they can be run without warmers.

I moved to them after using pirelli diablo supercorsas, they are wearing much much better than those, I was finishing a rear DSC in 1.5 days. Another bonus was the SBKP is cheaper.

You mentioning D208's leads me to believe that you have been off bikes for a while...
since before or just after 2000?
If that's so, tyre technology has improved immensely.
My 1996 750 originally ran 206's (i think, it's been a while...), and next to todays tyres these were primative & agricultural.
I now run Michelin, or (preferred) Pirelli Corsa Super Dragon.
Since the 208's, dual compound tyres have been brought out, plus multiple compounds of the same tyre, and street tyres will stick like sh!t to a blanket.
Trust me, anything will be an improvement over the Dunlops.
I'm biased, I once had a really bad experience on D's and will never go back.
I'm sure that their tech. has improved at the same rate as others, but I won't go there.
Cheers, Ad

if you want to go out there, not need warmers, and get 5-6 track days out of a set of tires, go with the q2's.

the d211's are great (i run them), but you should use warmers to save them from heat cycling.

there is no need for slicks at all, and slicks need warmers without a doubt.

I have Bridgestone Battlax slicks on my SRAD and need new set. I ain't fast, should I go with Q2's (I don't own a generator..yet)

I ran the Q2s for the first yesterday at CMP. It even got a little wet around the 1st session after lunch and I had no issues with them at all. Plus they are only $195- $205 a set.

Cool. Thanks for all the info.