There’s always a lot of talk about the best way to scrub in tyres, how long you should spend and all this other stuff, but the truth of the matter is, it really depends on what tyres you’ve got. Say you’ve got some OE fitment rubber. You’ll want to look at about 100 miles to properly run the tyre in, as the way they’re produced and released from their mould is different to what you get on, say, a racing slick. It always gives you time to get used to the tyre, especially if you’ve gone down a different route.
Rubber forevery ocasion… almost.
If you’re spending your hard-earned cash on a set of superbike slicks however the chances are they won ‘t last 100 miles. I’ve seen top-level riders go at new tyres with brake cleaner, files and all sorts, but it really isn’t necessary most of the time! If we use a Pirelli for example, they’re designed to be able to go from the off, but we’d always recommend at least an out lap or two just to make sure they’re okay, clear of anything untoward and ready to be pushed on. On the other hand, some of the other slicks on the market, like what Dunlop offer, will take a little longer to bed in – more like two or three laps at a reasonable-sized track. They actually say this is to ‘relax’ the tyre, but you should always check with your tyre professional before going like a bat out of hell.