Tyre pressures for BT090's.

[wullie3XV9]

Can anyone recommend trackday tyre pressures for BRIDGESTONE BT090 tyres, please ?   For normal road use I have 29 psi in the front, 32 psi rear.
Is it worth going up to 30-32 psi in the front, down to 30 ish psi in the rear ? 
( I'd like to have complete confidence in my tyres at the upcoming SATT 2T trackday at Cadwell ). 

[Warwick]

On the track I generally run about 29 in the front and 30 in the rear myself, Wullie. That's based on nothing more scientific than general 'feel' though. 090s will be grand with that in my experience. Excellent tyres on a 3XV! All the grip and feel you could possibly use on a trackday. If the handling feels at all weird, you'd probably be better off looking at the suspension. Or better still just ignoring it and lobbing it in anyway. The 090s won't go anywhere - assuming it's dry... If it's wet you can come join me in the gravel with my about-knackerd a-10s  See you there! Looks like I won't be bringing the 3MA too again though sadly. Sorry. 

[daz3xv]

i've being running the 090's on the track, usually 27 front and 29 rear, seems to work for me!
they have last too, after 7 trackdays, i put them on the road bike for a couple of months.
i'm getting a fresh set 090's on for cadwell, nice shiney ones

[wullie3XV9]

Thanks Warwick. 
I'd put 30 psi in the front & gone down to 30 on the rear last night, but wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing.
I've treated the ol' girl to a new rear BT090 for Cadwell.  I spent last Sunday morning scrubbin' it in.      Last years front BT090 still has a fair bit of life left in it.
It's a shame about your "perverse thrillinder" not coming.  I was looking forward to a wee shot on it.   
Your still welcome to have a go on mine for evaluation purposes if you want.

Daz, going by last years SATT day, you were goin' faster than I was, so you're probably getting more heat into the tyres than I will.      Thanks for the info. anyway.   
                                                               
                                                                          Anyhoo, gents, see you all there on Thursday night !   

[Yatsushiro]

I'm now back to running BT090's on the TDR, and have found that 32/32 (out of the warmers) gives good grip & feel.

[wullie3XV9]

I'm now back to running BT090's on the TDR, and have found that 32/32 (out of the warmers) gives good grip & feel.

Thanks for that, Yats.  As I don't have the luxury of tyre warmers, will the pressures translate to 30 / 30 with cold tyres or 29 / 29 ?
Mind you, I could always check & adjust the pressures to 32 / 32 straight after the first session when they'll be warmed up. ( If it's not raining !    )

[Yatsushiro]

Wullie, it's more a case of generating (and holding) the on-track pressures.

I was advised, with this generation of Bridgestones, that between 34~36PSI is the 'ideal' working pressure, measured immediately you're off the circuit.

Anything much softer, and the tyre bobbles up, leaving rubber 'snot' on the edge of the treads, which can be quite disconcerting when asking for maximum grip at full lean.

[wullie3XV9]

Wullie, it's more a case of generating (and holding) the on-track pressures.

I was advised, with this generation of Bridgestones, that between 34~36PSI is the 'ideal' working pressure, measured immediately you're off the circuit.

Anything much softer, and the tyre bobbles up, leaving rubber 'snot' on the edge of the treads, which can be quite disconcerting when asking for maximum grip at full lean.

Thanks again Yats.     Was the advice from BRIDGESTONE themselves or another source ?

[Yatsushiro]

Wullie, I believe the advice came from Bridgestone, via one of their distributors. At the time, Bridgestone wanted the BT090 to be the class control tyre, so it was in their best interest for the tyres to perform.

Here's a pair of BT090's hard at work this weekend just gone, @ Brands Hatch:

[wullie3XV9]

Thanks again Paul.      Crackin' photo by the way.    

[wullie3XV9]

Mr Yatsushiro, Sir. 
The above advice about the working / hot tyre pressures for BT090's seemed to work a treat for me.   
I checked the pressures straight after my first full session at Cadwell while they were still hot. The front was at 34 psi, the rear 36.
I left the front as was, but dropped the rear to 35 as an experiment. They stuck like glue to the track, which gave me the confidence to push harder throughout the day.
I didn't have one lairy moment all day !     ( Must try harder ? ) 
Here's how they both looked by the end of the day.  Apart from trying harder,    can any info be gleened from the photos below ?, i.e., pressures too high or low.
It doesn't show up in the photo, but I noticed there was a bluish tint near the edge of the rear tyre. Does that have any significance ?     Anyone know ?

R/H side of front tyre.


centre of front tyre.


R/H side of rear tyre.