Q3's

D

Delboy

Well-known member
Swore off Dunlop's a while ago. Had a bad experience with an OEM set on a bike I bought but lately I've read a lot of rave reviews about the Q3 and since the price is right thought I might give them a try.

For those that have them what do you think, pros and cons. It will be 90% road and the odd track day

Cheers......

And I think I probably posted in the wrong section. Mods, feel free to move
 
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No matter how hard I tried to crash they wouldn't let me (at the new Mosport RDT). Super fun pulling wheelies when leaned over. Run your pressures retarded low in the rear for street so it doesn't burn the middle out and they should last you quite a while.
 
I only have initial impressions because I put a set on my FZR400 rebuild project, which I have a little over 500 km on.

Good: Steering feel and feedback (but see below), grip seems good (but just about anything is nowadays).
Unknown: how long they will last and whether they have anything (e.g. dual compound) to resist wearing flat in the center from Ontario roads.
Bad: ride quality. They seem to transmit everything through (but see "feedback" above), including plenty of what automotive folks would call NVH (noise, vibration, harshness).

It is a sport tire, for which the sporting characteristics (steering feel and feedback) take priority over the comfort characteristics (compliance).
 
There were two posts at the same time. What is the recommended rear tire pressure for street riding? I know a lot of newer-design tires want low pressures and that might address the NVH issue as well.
 
Brian P said:
There were two posts at the same time. What is the recommended rear tire pressure for street riding? I know a lot of newer-design tires want low pressures and that might address the NVH issue as well.
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I started mine at 26psi cold (rear), 31 front.
 
Brian P said:
There were two posts at the same time. What is the recommended rear tire pressure for street riding? I know a lot of newer-design tires want low pressures and that might address the NVH issue as well.
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Talked to a few friends running them.
36f / 34r hot for street.
31f / 29r hot for track.
 
Installed a set on the endurance bike for round1 at grand bend, will report back on Monday on how well they do.
 
Mounted a rear Q3 for a forum member. Mounting wasn't an issue, but gosh the Q3's bead is hard to pop. Almost seems like it is slightly undersized.

It's a good bang for buck tire. Haven't ridden on it yet.
 
Q2 have done me well for 2 seasons of 90% track riding and 10% street (got lots of meat left in the middle perhaps we should swap halfway through a set.) I wouldn't hesitate putting on Q3's.
 
I was a fan of the Q2's minus the unsettling feeling at high speeds in long sweepers. Q3's eliminated this feeling and in my opinion are the best if not close to it for a SS tire used on track or street at a reasonable price point.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I see a set of Q3's in my future.

I'm off next week so I'll get out to Competition Cycle in Whitby and order a set.
 
I run them 30/30 on my bike and like them quite a bit. I don't think the rear will last much though, especially if used in track/street environment .... at least on my bike (750cc sporty V-Twin)
 
johnscruiser said:
Run your pressures retarded low in the rear for street so it doesn't burn the middle out and they should last you quite a while.
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What's the logic here? Lowering the pressure will squash the rear even more, wearing a larger mid strip, no? Have you actually done it on the Q3 ... if so what was the difference in the mileage.

When I spoke to a Dunlop USA guy at the show, he said 30/30 is probably good cold pressure.
 
veno78 said:
Why do you guys choose to run Q3s over PP3s?
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Price, might the first and only factor ... Dunlop has been really discounted Q3 quite a bit in the beginning of the season ... probably trying to introduce them to the same market. I would have no problem grabbing PP3 instead for a good price ...
 
mxs said:
What's the logic here? Lowering the pressure will squash the rear even more, wearing a larger mid strip, no? Have you actually done it on the Q3 ... if so what was the difference in the mileage.
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The theory is that it spreads the weight on the tire over a much wider contact area, thereby lessening the wear directly on that tiny little strip in the middle (due to it having less pressure on it). I did it with my Pirelli Diablo III's and got an unheard of amount of KM's out of them (13k) and with every set since then (Diablo Rosso Corsa's, S20's, Q3's, etc.) but since I've got into track days I wouldn't be able to accurately tell you how much mileage I get out of them.
 
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Excellent grip\feel\mileage. Much better feel and grip than the PP's. They transmit lots of road feel but I prefer that (look into a PR3/4 if you'd rather not have that feel). I got 12,000+ out of my last set of Q2's (on a 1000 SS). Running the Q3's and they'll take me down to the Gap and back easily in a couple weeks.
 
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