Suggestion: Ninja 300 race tires & more upgrades

[obiera]

Looking to convert my 300 Ninja to the track; looking for suggestion as far as tires go.  Any other mods to make it run better?

[Zaph]

Dunlop Alpha 13's.  There's no better option for the ninja 300's sizes.  110/70 and 150/60.  Priced well too at racetireservice.com.

Prior to the A13's, it was the Dunlop Unbeaten 02's.  Also awesome but but being phased out with the introduction of the A13's.  I'm on the Unbeatens now but going to the A13's for my next set.

The Alpha 13's are the spec tire for the RC Cup and RC390 bikes in the Motoamerica series.  Same rim sizes.

I've got a build thread for my 300 over at kawasakininja300.com.  Stop over and say hi.  We need more racers there.

[obiera]

oem rear is 140; 150 won't make too big of the change? 

[Zaph]

It's a 4" rim, which is right in the range of what a 150/60 is good for.  The OEM 140/70 is more of a budgetary concession by the manufacturer.

[bruce71198]

Dunlop Alpha 13's.  There's no better option for the ninja 300's sizes.  110/70 and 150/60.  Priced well too at racetireservice.com.

Prior to the A13's, it was the Dunlop Unbeaten 02's.  Also awesome but but being phased out with the introduction of the A13's.  I'm on the Unbeatens now but going to the A13's for my next set.

The Alpha 13's are the spec tire for the RC Cup and RC390 bikes in the Motoamerica series.  Same rim sizes.

I've got a build thread for my 300 over at kawasakininja300.com.  Stop over and say hi.  We need more racers there.

Having raced on the Alpha13's and Unbeatens I can say that the Alpha's are no better than than Pirelli Rossa II or Supercorsa offerings and the Unbeatens don't hold a candle to either of them.
If you run the 150 rear you wont use all the tread the 140 is really the 'correct" size.

[Zaph]

I run 150/60 on a 4" rim and use all of it.  Been doing it for years on my supermoto.  It's the people wedging the 150 onto the Ninja 250's 3.5" rear rim that don't use all of it.

[bruce71198]

I run 150/60 on a 4" rim and use all of it.  Been doing it for years on my supermoto.  It's the people wedging the 150 onto the Ninja 250's 3.5" rear rim that don't use all of it.

I respect your opinion but the OP was asking for advice on his Ninja300 which, last I checked, is a totally different machine from a super moto bike

[Zaph]

Same rim size, and I use all the tire on my Ninja 300 too.  Do you want a picture?

The Ninja 300 has a 4" rim.  If you ask most of the makers of 150/60 performance tires what the best rim width is, the general answer is 4.00" - 4.25".   The 150/60Rx17 Dunlop Alpha 13 was specifically designed for a 4" rim (as on the RC390).  The design rim width is documented by Dunlop.

You know, the CBR250R and CBR300R use the same IRC Road Winner 140/70 tires that the ninja 300 uses.  The difference? the CBR has a 3.5" rim which is more suitable for a 140/70.  On the Ninja 300 with the 4" rim, it's a budget concession only, and people need to stop saying it's the best size because it's the OEM size.  Those tires are on there because they are cheap.

Last weekend at Blackhawk we had a rider on a 300 with Bridgestone 140/70 S20's.  Even with decent body position, he ran out of edge on on the 140/70's and almost lost the rear.

Hey by chance you're not Bruce Barry, are you?

[bruce71198]

Same rim size, and I use all the tire on my Ninja 300 too.  Do you want a picture?

The Ninja 300 has a 4" rim.  If you ask most of the makers of 150/60 performance tires what the best rim width is, the general answer is 4.00" - 4.25".   The 150/60Rx17 Dunlop Alpha 13 was specifically designed for a 4" rim (as on the RC390).  The design rim width is documented by Dunlop.

You know, the CBR250R and CBR300R use the same IRC Road Winner 140/70 tires that the ninja 300 uses.  The difference? the CBR has a 3.5" rim which is more suitable for a 140/70.  On the Ninja 300 with the 4" rim, it's a budget concession only, and people need to stop saying it's the best size because it's the OEM size.  Those tires are on there because they are cheap.

Last weekend at Blackhawk we had a rider on a 300 with Bridgestone 140/70 S20's.  Even with decent body position, he ran out of edge on on the 140/70's and almost lost the rear.

Hey by chance you're not Bruce Barry, are you?

I hope your taking this light heartedly as I am not trying to get under your skin.
I'm just saying the frame geometry of a super moto bike and a Ninja300 are worlds apart, I could see using the whole tire on a SM.
By the way, NONE of the KTM390's in Moto America are using the whole tire. About a 1/4" chicken strip on both sides.
The rider at Blackhawk had other issues.
Yes

[stickboy274]

I've been getting race wins and championships for my racers with the Bridgestones. They also get tire certs. to help pay for them. I've had many people come from other brands and never look back.

We have new tires 110, 140, 150 for 2016.