RACETEC TD SLICK becomes part of the METZELER slick racing tire range and is dedicated to motorcyclists and club racers for both racing and track day events.

RACETEC TD Slick is a track tire that is quick and easy to use. The RACETEC TD SLICK can be used without tire warmers and does not require any changes to a rider’s normal set-up to perform at its best. RACETEC TD Slick’s main features include consistent high performance over multiple sessions, versatility on different asphalt types and operating temperatures, high abrasion resistance and the possibility of reversing the rear tire between sessions (if the circuit wears a tire more on one side).

RACETEC TD Slick has been designed for motorcyclists who want the advantage of a slick product but without the need for additional racing equipment (stands / electric blankets / power generators, etc.) or the refined set-up of motorcycle and suspension that a slick racing tire usually requires.

RACETEC TD Slick is therefore intended for all motorcyclists who look for the performance of a slick tire. Expert riders who need a plug & play product for long practice sessions as well as club racers who require an excellent value for their money. The RACETEC TD Slick is a tire that allows riders to focus on improving lap times throughout the race weekend.

RACETEC TD Slick is part of the METZELER slick racing portfolio with a range that includes one front and four rear sizes which are most commonly found as original equipment on supersport bikes, to further testify the plug & play characteristics of the product.

The METZELER slick product family includes also the renowned RACETEC RR Slick, a tire for top competition, available in different compounds according to the type of use. The K1 compound is dedicated to professional use in the Superbike class of road racing such as the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy and various national championships. The K2 compound is the most versatile within the RACETEC RR Slick range and is developed for those competitions at professional and amateur level where it is necessary to combine constant peak performance over several sessions, resulting in the best solution on particularly demanding circuits and in endurance sessions.

The main benefits are:

• A quick warm up, which allows motorcyclists to free themselves from the use of tire warmers thanks to the polymers characterized by a lower glass transition temperature. RACETEC TD SLICK is suitable for use from low operating temperatures, with a consequent resistance to cold tearing.

• Reusable over multiple sessions. The evolution of resins resistant to high temperatures and their patented mixing process give RACETEC TD SLICK a uniform behaviour both on a thermal and mechanical level. This provides a high resistance to thermal decay, thus keeping the chemical-physical properties of the tire constant lap after lap, session after session.

• Plug & play solution, thanks to the choice of street-legal sizes that use sharp profiles but retain the geometries of tires approved for road use, thus not requiring complicated set-up solutions for track use. RACETEC TD SLICK is the result of a development aimed at combining ease of driving, plug & play performance and the METZELER road racing imprint to allow all motorcyclists to enjoy a weekend on the track.

• Reversible rear tire, thanks to the symmetrical structure that evenly distributes the dynamic stresses and allows itself to be fully exploited, even on circuits with a prevalence of turns in one direction.

The compound

RACETEC TD SLICK features a racing compound that includes polymers with a low glass transition temperature, carbon black and high melting temperature resins. This combination has numerous advantages: first of all the ability of the tire to get up to temperature very quickly, and even without the use of tire warmers.

Strengthened by the experience accumulated in road racing such as the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, which was used as a testing ground for the versatility of its products, METZELER engineers have designed a compound capable of operating in a wide range of temperatures and asphalt conditions, in order to offer consistency in performance and resistance to cold tearing.

The exclusive patented CCM process – Compound Continuous Mixing process – maximizes the homogeneity of the components in the polymetric matrix and allows the tire to consistently offer high performance, from the first to the last lap, even if divided between several thermal cycles.

The structure

The carcass of the RACETEC TD SLICK rear tire is characterised by a classic radial single-ply rayon structure, similar to that used in supersport road tires, and represents a plug & play solution. Allowing riders to make the bike track ready while maintaining their standard set-up.

The zero-degree steel belts used both on the front and on the rear tires are a patented technological solution that allows a high degree of structural flexibility and consequently a better feeling with the tire. These features allow the motorcyclist to be more precise in their trajectory, adjusting it when already mid-lean or delaying the braking point when entering the corner.

The profile

The rear RACETEC TD SLICK features a sharp profile that improves the handling of the motorcycle and at the same time increases the contact area when cornering, resulting in a considerable increase of grip. The profile of the front tire reflects that of the rear for a balanced and harmonious behavior of the tire set.

Link: Metzeler