Road Legal Race Technology

An old adage says that idle hands do the devil’s work, but Pirelli have been far from idle with their Diablo – Spanish for devil – range. During the last twelve months the legendary tyremaker and official tyre supplier to the World Superbike Championship (SBK) has released two new street-legal offerings under the Diablo label.

The first to make an appearance is the Diablo Corsa III. While owing much to Pirelli’s racing experience, the Corsa III is equally home on the road or track. The tyre features no fewer than three different compounds, with separate compounds for the front and rear tyres. The rear tyre itself is made up of two distinct compounds and features a three compound zone.

Both front and rear tyres are designed to work together in a balanced way. This is achieved through the utilisation of Ideal Contour Shaping (ICS) design technology, together with Pirelli’s patented zero degrees steel belt, which ensure the tyre profiles remain in their optimum shapes at all times. Benefits include uniform heat distribution, predictable handling and stability under braking.

The Diablo Corsa III tread pattern is the same as that of the Diablo Corsa, and combines excellent slick-like racetrack performance with control in wet conditions. The tyre is manufactured using Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) production process, eliminating any joins, which, alongside the zero degree steel belt radial structure, provides a balanced product with better damping properties and improved sidewall stiffness.

Pirelli says they developed the Corsa III for a high performance market they refer to as “Racing and Street,” targeting riders who want a tyre that performs well on the track but also need a tyre designed for optimal road performance. The Diablo Corsa III is available in sizes 120/70 ZR17 and 120/65 ZR17 (front) and 180/55 ZR17 and 190/50 ZR17 (rear).

Along with the New Year comes the public release of another Diablo, a road approved racing tyre developed in conjunction with the World Supersport Championship and tested by official WSS development teams. First shown off during the 2006 racing season with impressive results, this DOT tyre – the Diablo Supercorsa has been slated to become commercially available at the start of 2007. When in full production the new Diablo will be produced in the same sizes as the Dragon Supercorsa Pro Special Compound it replaces, although initially sizes for 600 to 1000cc bikes – 80/55 x 17 and 120/70 x 17 – will be the most commonly available. Riders can choose between four different compounds, ranging from very soft to hard, although Pirelli only recommends the hardest of these for regular road use.

The impetus behind the Diablo Supercorsa was to build a tyre that provided better overall lap times and superior performance, particularly when negotiating curves. Flatter front and rear shoulders increase the tyre’s contact area when cornering, and the tread pattern is entirely new, with increased slick areas present on the shoulders. While this combination provides stability even at high speeds, it has been reported that caution is advised in wet conditions.

Pirelli’s cooperation with professionals such as the World Supersport Championship riders has shown itself to be a mutually beneficial relationship. Each new development in tyre technology is reflected not only in a redefining of the professional rider’s performance boundaries, it also shows itself in the long pedigree of Pirelli motorcycle tyres – the Diablo being the current heir to the throne – available for riders demanding the best from their road bike.