Staff bikes: Suzuki GSX-R600 - Silverstone, Sheene & snotty Dunlops

The other day I had to film a bike test at Silverstone and since Dunlop were having a tyre launch at the same time, I ended up with a new set of Sportsmart‘s and some time on track. 

I was shooting the first ride of the 257bhp Icon Sheene tribute bike (watch the video here) but inbetween takes I managed to squeeze in 3 sessions testing my new tyres.   

The Dunlop guys fitted the Sportmax Sportsmart‘s there and then before the first session and set them to track day pressures, so for the first few laps I was very tentative, gradually increasing lean angle corner after corner and getting on the power gently.   

But once they were scrubbed in they inspired me to lean the GSX-R600 further than ever – they give me so much more confidence than the OE Bridgestone tyres.

By the end of the first session they were already satisfyingly snotty – on the right side anyway, there was only one left-hander so that side of the tyres didn’t get worked so hard. 

The Sportsmart’s are supposedly designed to be do-it-all sports tyres – enough grip for track days, good in the wet and long-lasting enough for touring.

So far all I know is that they’re certainly sticky enough for me, but I’ll report back on how long they last and how they perform in bad weather.

For more info on the Dunlop Sportsmarts, click here. 

Further reading:
Staff bike blogs | Suzuki GSX-R600 blog

gsxr60010 blog10