Tyre Warmers, Tire Warmers, Termocoperte, Couvertures Chauffantes, Calientadores, Reifenwarmer, Tyre heaters, Tire heaters, Tyre blankets, Tire blankets... No matter how you say it, Tyre Warmers have four main functions:

1. To pre-heat the tires for greater adhesion
2. To enable longer tire life by reducing cold shredding
3. To help the rider get better starts
4. To improve rider confidence

1. Greater Adhesion

It takes a long time to heat tires so they will function properly by riding the bike. Compound Tires like Racing Slicks and Treaded Road Tyres (not including Full Wet Racing Tires or Trials type tires), become sticky when they reach 'Operating Temperature'. Operating Temperature usually ranges between 85 - 100 degrees Celcius (185 - 212 degrees Fahrenheit). This temperature is reached due to the tire working on the road / track surface or by being heated close to 'Operating Temperature' using a Tire Warmer.

Until tires are 'up to temperature' they will be inflexable, have a hard surface and a reduced contact patch, they lack grip and sliding is the result. Depending on track temperature and the weather, it actually takes 4 - 6 laps to get tyres to 'Operating Temperature'. That's 4 - 6 laps of less than optimum traction, less confidence and greater risk. In some cases, that's the whole race or over half a Track Ride Day Session.

A 'Good' Tire Warmer will heat tires up to a temperature just short of 'Operating Temperature'. Too low a temperature and the tires will 'Cold Tear' too high and the tires will harden and go off. We deliberately say 'Good' Tire Warmers because most Tire Warmers actually fail do the job right.

2. Longer Tire Life

When a tire starts out cold and is worked on the road / track surface the temperature rises, as the temperature rises the surface rubber is removed at a faster rate than when the tire is up to operating temperature. The discarded surface rubber forms little balls at the working edge. This Cold Tearing or Cold Shreading reduces the life of the tire and is avoided when using a Tire Warmer that pre-heats the tire to the correct opperating temperature.

3. Better Starts

With grip, feel and feedback available, the rider can enter turn one with the confidence that when they lean the bike into the turn the front will stick and the rear will grip. When the front sticks, the bike will turn and the rider will roll the throttle on. When the rear grips, the bike will drive out of the corner and the rider has put his or her competition behind them when it is easiest to do so. Even if you leave the Pits with tyres heated by Tire Warmers, there is no guarantee that you will have hot tyres at the start line. Our research shows that tires loose temperature as soon as the Warmers are removed. As you ride the gridding or sighting lap, tires are being made colder with Track Contact, no ammount of weaving can compensate. In the end, depending on the Tire Warmers you have used, they have been of little, if any benefit to you.

The heat loss from the tire is caused by the tire and rim assembly not being properly heated. When sufficient temperature is stored in the rim, there is a 'Temperature Reserve' for the tire to draw from as it cools. A good Tire Warmer will not just cover the tire's working surface, it will protect side walls and 'pump' temnperatture into the rim.

4. Confidence

Rider Confidence in the Machine is vitally important. Confidence is psycological and is the attitude of the rider to the way he or she rides the bike. Confidence is however influenced by the level of grip available, the ability to turn the bike, accelorate the Machine progressivly and control the bike with ease. Without these influences being positive and supporting the rider, the Rider's Confidence is lessened or at least distracted.

Without Confidence the rider is often just trying to survive riding the bike. The rider is tense, holds the controlls too tightly, uses stressed and 'jirky' imputs to keep control and is not smooth. If this does not sound familier, it is possible you may not be aware of what is going on when you ride as your attention is focused on suvival.

Rider Confidence in the Machine is what Suspension Set-up is all about and you know how much importance is placed on having the 'right Suspension Set-up'. Rider Confidence is also one of the main reasons Tire Warmers are essential. Tire Warmers prepare the tires so that the rider can go out hard and ride with confidence and control, in racing terms if you start out faster, you will end up faster.

Sportsbike have manufactured Tyre Warmers since 1996. Through extensive development and by working with many of the world's best riders, we have been able to develop a Tyre Warmer that works. Sportsbike has developed a design of Tire Warmer that considerably reduces the rate of cooling and enables a tyre to be at a higher temperature at the start line. Sportsbike Tire Warmers are designed to help tires to be hotter in turn one... the rest is up to the rider.

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