Tread carefully: Do we really need slicks to go fast?

Slick tyres… we all seem to love ’em, don’t we? I’m not sure about you, but whenever I have them underneath me I feel like Marc Marquez.

Image: The Michelin Man

The trouble is, they’re a lot of aggro unless you’re racing… I mean, just think about the pros and cons for a second, writes Frodo. For starters, it’s only the diehard track riders who can really have them, as there’s no chance of riding to and from a trackday on them – unless you fancy a night in the cells and subsequently an ass that’s as ruined as Boothy’s. Not to mention the painstaking need for tyre warmers and heat before you head out on track…

Oh, and don’t even get me started on the various compounds for different temperatures, alongside the fact that even a few spots of rain can offer a rather sketchy situation. And at the end of the day, do you really get much more out of them?

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Especially as a set of slick tyres costs a fair amount of cash: a set of Michelin’s Power RS hypersport-worthy hoops will set you back about £251, while the same size set of slicks comes in at £307.

You can read the rest of this article in the November issue of Fast Bikes, in the shops NOW!

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