Multi-compound: Pirelli launching Diablo Rosso Corsa II

Drawing upon experience gained during its 15 years as official tyre supplier to the FIM Superbike World Championship, Pirelli says it has now merged its best technologies from racetrack and road to produce the Diablo Rosso Corsa II. This latest member of the Diablo family will be available worldwide from January 2018.

A lot has changed since the launch of the Diablo Rosso Corsa back in 2010. Motorcycle torque and horsepower outputs have increased significantly and the introduction of sophisticated traction control systems and cornering ABS have enabled more riders to apply these performance gains to be at greater lean angles. With these developments in mind, the design brief for the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II included increasing front grip during turn-in and braking in lean and rear grip at full lean angles from mid-corner to exit. The result, the manufacturer reports, is a tyre that provides a confident ‘feel’ in all conditions with outstanding performance and increased mileage.

The Diablo Rosso Corsa II is the first Pirelli multi-compound tyre that uses two compounds applied in three zones on the front tyre and three compounds applied within five zones on the rear. Pirelli states that this configuration helps create the “ideal combination for modern motorcycles.” Combined with what Pirelli describes as innovative profiles as well as a new structure derived from racing and a new tread design, the Diablo Rosso Corsa II is considered by its maker to offer “the best balance for riders wanting an excellent street tyre that is even suitable for the racetrack.”

As exclusive FIM Superbike World Championship tyre supplier since 2004, one of Pirelli’s most important strategies in the series has been to develop winning tyre technologies that work for all manufacturers’ motorcycles. Using these technologies for road solutions created Pirelli’s claim: ‘We sell what we race, we race what we sell’. Pirelli says the new Diablo Rosso Corsa II “underlines the truth behind this mantra.”

The Diablo Rosso Corsa II is intended for riders of mid-high performance motorcycles who enjoy a sports riding style on the street and not just on the racetrack. Pirelli’s views the typical customer as someone desiring a tyre with “fast warm-up, sports agility, excellent grip and consistent performance ready to compete against the challenges of everyday use.” The tyre maker claims to have now transformed racetrack performance into street versatility – because it considers ‘Every day is a race day.’