jrgordonsenior

I raced last month on late 2011 Yoko slicks (2 HC's) and they were awesome once they came up to temp which did take longer than usual. Ran my fastest race lap ever in my 996 (1:25:7) on the last lap (15th) on that track. It's all about how/where you store them....

MSR Racer

Throw those slicks away and save the car

J richard

Judging from the photos and the hash marks on the sidewalls I'm guessing those have at least six, more likely seven heat cycles on them. Just a few left particularly if the date codes are older. If you wanted to go out and pop your cherry on slicks I would wait for a nice warm day on a short track, be very aware of the pressures and expect no stick for the first two laps and have some $hits n giggles...but I don't think you'll get much out of it as a learning experience...

Jerome104

Thanks makes alot of sense. So are tires worth anything having that many cycles?

Frank 993 C4S

Problem is that you don't know how many heat cycles the tires actually have. Maybe not all haven been marked. Not knowing that makes them kind of worthless.

996_C4S

You'll emerge from this a different, much improved track driver. Have fun!

MSR Racer

Learning tire management as just as important as learning to drive on the track IMO. They are inseparable. Therefore, it is good to start with something known. Brand new set of street-track tires or slicks. Either way, learn everything there is to know and talk to 'experts' and be safe. Because what is at stake is your car and your safety. Used slicks with unknown number of heat cycles are worthless and dangerous unless you are an advanced driver who can feel what the tires are doing on the track. That's a difficult level to get to.

Martin S.

How about a snap spin. If I had 6 DE's and a GT3, I'd sell them…give us the size, known # of heat cycles and the date of mfg, and they'll sell in a hear beat. I'd be interested in 18"!!!!

mfschacht@gmail.com

ProCoach

Unknown tires are even MORE useless for the advanced driver, IMO. There is NO way to evaluate basic handling balance or car characteristics, let alone work on executing the best fundamental skills, on a tire that is an unknown quantity.

The biggest improvement I get out of guys that have been doing this for a reasonable length of time (a LOT longer than the OP) is to get them OUT of this ludicrously extended 12/16/20/24 or more cycle life (that they feel like they HAVE to do in order to be economical) and get them INTO a proper schedule of using NEW tires, shortening significantly the intervals between tire life discard.

There is a reason why people sell take-offs. Because they are past their prime, simple as that. And it can only take ONE thoughtless (intentional or unintentional) session to smoke new tires, especially softer compound slicks.

The tire companies dedicate personnel and extensive engineering resources to teams and individuals to help them get the best out of their tires. We have known for a LONG time that the tire is your only connection with the earth <grin>, and those cars and drivers that use their tires the best, yield the best performance from that combination.

I don't believe in teaching different techniques, lines or even subscribe very much to the street tire/DOT-R/slick debate that is often mandated to "respect the progression" in the learning process. Maybe it's because I'm not working with many (if any) low-time people at all. You should learn the RIGHT way, period. And you should maximize your use of the available platform, period.

I think the loose nut behind the wheel determines what is safe and what is not. If someone who has low time, but is sensible and prudent, wants to try a set of used slicks, as long as he or she starts gently and probes in small bites (after they're warmed up, and 140 degrees ain't warmed up, either), he or she can make their own decision about whether they're better than what they have experience on.

I can say that even at the highest level of competition (and this certainly trickles down to people who are starting to go fast in a DE/track-day environment), after the driver, the tires and their condition are the next greatest requirement to REALLY go fast. Just the confidence of stickers can often prod drivers to probe beyond their normal comfort level. Used tires? Well, not so much...

mark kibort

Could be personal coaching preference, but more grip just can make bad things happen at a higher speed. Learning is easier and faster at a slightly slower pace. IMHO

as a side note..... what compound are those hoosier slicks? If they are R100s that would be a pretty mild slick. no faster than an A or R6, but with very stiff sidewalls.