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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/574129
P122 CN III PRODUCT REVIEW PIRELLI SUPERCORSA SP LIST PRICE: $258.90 (front) $388.87 (rear) http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/motorcycle/sheet/ diablo_supercorsa_sp.html Standout Feature Mid-corner to exit grip Rider Analysis Take out the fact these tires cost a bomb and it's unlikely they will last much more than 2500 miles from the equation, and there are very few things not to like about the Supercorsas. They have excellent edge grip, turn fast and fluidly, have great high speed stability through fourth and fifth gear sweepers, but the best thing is how much grip these things have when you've got the bike leaned over and you reef open the throttle. On the KTM Super Duke, a bike that has a huge kick of torque at 7000 rpm, the Pirellis just dug in and launched the orange beast off the turn. Second and third gear corners especially were impressive, and even though after the tires had gone through a heat cycle that initial vice-like grip had subsided a little, the black Italian hoops were still mighty impressive. Overall, over the two days, we knocked out close to 100 laps out at Chuckwalla, with three different riders and styles all giving the Pirellis as much hell as we could. The above shots were taken after the final session, showing just how little they wore over the two days. Since then I've done another 700 miles on the road, and I can see they will need to go pretty soon, but it's still impressive how long they've lasted. On the road, the more triangulated profile of the Supercorsas over the KTM's standard fitment Dunlop Sportsmart tires equal faster turn-in, although I feel the Dunlop's are just a tad more comfortable in the ride. Regardless, the Pirellis are magnificent tires. They're standard fitment on bikes like the Pani- gale 1299 and Aprilia RSV4, and deserve their ranking at the top of the race-replica heap. The Supercorsa SP is the premium sports road tire from those Italian tire tyrants, Pirelli. This is essentially a road-legal race tire, developed within the World Superstock 1000 Cup that runs within the WSBK Championship. If you're looking for a touring tire, this one isn't for you. The Supercorsa SP rear tire is a dual compound unit (softer in the sides and harder in the middle) for good edge grip and high speed straight-line stability. The tire is crafted using Pirelli's patented EPT (en- hanced patch technology) matched with a try-zone compound that helps optimize the contact patch for improved grip and handling. The compound overall is soft because the main aim for the V2 is outright grip, not longevity on the road – Pirelli has other tires for that, like the Diablo Rosso. The treat are spaced so that at maximum lean and with the tire properly mushed into the ground, you have a large slick area contacting the asphalt. To this end, the Supercorsa V2 is stiffer in the sidewall than the V1 of 2011 to reduce the amount of deformation under heavy braking and high leans, giving more con- sistent grip across the life of the tire. This is not really the kind of tire you want in the rain (obviously). The tread pattern provides only mini- mum water dispersion but if you're after straight-out, racetrack-level grip, this tire is for you.