Pirelli Diablo Rosso
Pirelli Diablo Rosso
CW EVALUATION
Radials for road and track
WHEN IT COMES TO TIRES, WE ALWAYS want what we can’t have: more grip and greater durability. Pirelli’s new Diablo Rosso sportbike tires claim to offer a substantial leap forward in both areas-with only a 10 percent bump in suggested retail pricing over the previous-generation Diablos.
Built around Pirelli’s patented zerodegree steel belting, the Rossos are designed for use with the latest European and Japanese sportbikes. Enhanced Patch Technology (EPT) is intended to maximize the size and shape of the tires’ contact patches, which are influenced by many variables, including lean angle, tread pattern, load distribution and overall rigidity. Pure silica and carbon black come together for quick warm-up, and the jagged, Super Corsa-based tread pattern disperses water for control in wet conditions.
Of course, the proof is in the performance. The Rossos are intended for sportriding enthusiasts who want to ride aggressively on twisty tarmac, be it street or track, and have enough rubber left for the ride home. So it came as no surprise
that the scenario Pirelli laid out for the Rossos’ introduction began in the Southern California foothills and took us through the Los Padres National Forest to the Streets of Willow Springs for an afternoon track test.
That mid-week launch made for a terrific half-day of riding unobstructed by traffic, allowing a quick pace over the entire 138mile route. The Rossos transitioned well from one corner to the next on the street and were exceptionally stable, regardless of corner camber or radius. If these were original-equipment fitment on our 2007 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 testbike, we wouldn’t be in a rush to swap them for something stickier.
Around the Streets of Willow, the new construction and compounding were subjected to what could only be described as cruel-and-unusual punishment: fierce Open-class acceleration and aggressive braking leading up to corners, some of which also required plenty of deep-lean trail-braking. Pointed toward the apex, the front tire didn’t fall into corners; rather, it rolled over nicely as input was fed into the handlebars. Over mid-corner road
acne, the Pirellis were a tad harsh, but they nonetheless provided ample warning of impending traction loss. At extreme lean angles, the big-bore GSX-R could easily overpower available rear grip-no surprise there-but on a positive note, traction remained consistent over multiple heat cycles.
By day’s end, we’d put this new sportbike tire through hell. Yes, the Diablo Rossos are street-oriented, but they withstood torture on the track, providing enough traction to allow us to ride like the devil and still make it home safely. □
DETAILS
Pirelli Tires 100 Pirelli Dr. Rome, GA 30161 800/747-3554 www.us.pirelli.com Price...$140 front, $186 rear
ips High performance-per-mile factor Degeneration without degradation Could be original equipment on Open-class repli-racers Tb owns Track-day, yes; race-day, no No rear application for Ducati 1098 or Kawasaki ZX-10—yet Red in name only
