Images and information from Pirelli's press material The Diablo Rosso II’s Tri-Zone, Bi-Compound rear tread features a central area that is comprised of high silica content mixture and features an enhanced elasticity for uncompromised traction in the wet and dry while still offering durability and riding comfort. The fine carbon black matrix compound on the tire’s extreme shoulders (12.5% on each side) offers maximum supersport grip at extreme lean angles, taking its compounding technologies from Pirelli’s experience on some of the worlds’ most demanding racetracks. Both of the tire’s compounds have undergone extensive testing for fast warm-up capabilities, high traction under straight acceleration and confident grip at all lean angles to suit many different riding styles.
The new supersport street tire’s dual compound also features an improved aggressive tread pattern, increased wet grip and enhanced dry performance. Designed with innovations developed during Pirelli’s seven years as tire supplier to the Superbike World Championship, Diablo Rosso II is the ultimate sport tire of the Rosso Generation and replaces it predecessor with a product that incorporates new and proven technologies straight from this experience that confirms the formula Race=Road.
RACE=ROAD
Highlighting Pirelli’s philosophy: “We sell what we race, we race what we sell,” the company developed the Diablo Rosso II alongside seven key motorcycle manufacturers. The cooperation accelerated Pirelli’s innovation and allowed for quick transfer to new structures, profiles and materials to provide a ready-to-use technology for everyday users. Word Superbike demands tires adapt to different bike dynamics, traction control, engine types and power, as well as differing suspension setups and riding styles on the thirteen racetracks run throughout the sport’s eight month season. SBK circuits - like Miller Motorsports Park - have become extreme testing grounds on which Pirelli searches for new formulas.
Diablo Rosso II is designed to easily fit to all competition bikes, allowing riders to exploit the full effect of their bike’s performance. This versatile tire is an on-road wonder as the two share many common technical characteristics. Pirelli’s passion for racing helps it maintain a competitive advantage and allows the company to quickly develop products for road use. Pirelli’s involvement in SBK and other circuit racing competition is a critical element for its technology, tire development and testing with the goal of delivering products to consumers that offer the highest quality and performance for everyday roads.
DIABLO TRADEMARK – A PRESTIGIOUS HISTORY
Pirelli’s entrance into the Superbike World Championship in 2004 as official tire supplier saw the Diablo trademark grow in prestige and influence thanks to its technological innovations and success on the track. Pirelli Moto has generated new radial products nearly every year covering all performance segments from full race slick, Racing Street-legal DOT, Racing Street and Supersport tires. The Rosso Generation tire family consists of the new Diablo Rosso II and its track-day counterpart, the Diablo Rosso Corsa - a tire that demonstrates huge performance in dry grip and track performance representing Pirelli’s top performance products for everyday use.
Diablo Rosso II raises the bar of the Rosso Generation’s sport capabilities and is destined for supersport and naked bikes that demand top performance in all types of use, from twisty countryside roads to city traffic in both wet and dry conditions. The Rosso Generation premium radial tire line utilizes modern technologies like patented 0° degree steel belt structure along with those drawn from Pirelli’s WSBK experience, such as and contact patch optimization (EPT) and Functional Groove Design (FGD) and attractive styling elements such as shoulder identification and the option to be personalised with unique labels (www.gettyre.com/stickers).
SIZES AND AVAILABILTY
Diablo Rosso II is available now in front 120/70ZR17 and 180/55ZR17, 190/50ZR17, 190/55ZR17 sizes as well as the unique OE 240/45ZR17 fitment for the 2011 Ducati Diavel. Additional front sizes 110/70ZR17, 120/60ZR17, and additional rears 150/60ZR17, 160/60ZR17 are also available with the 170/60ZR17 size to follow in 2012. More detail on the innovation and the technology of the Diablo Rosso II and other Pirelli tires of the Rosso Generation of are available on Pirelli’s website:
www.pirelli.com.
TECHNICAL
Diablo Rosso II features a restyled FGD (Functional Groove Design) tread pattern contributing to an improved wear regularity and offers +2% more surface contact (land/sea ratio vs. Diablo Rosso) for a greater confidence in the dry and an increased transfer of power to the ground. Grip is enhanced further by a Bi-Compound rear tread which combines a grip compound on the shoulders (25%) and Extreme Cohesion Compound (ECC) dedicated to wet behaviour and mileage on the center (75%) of the rear tyre. The tyre set benefits from patented EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology), developed in the WSBK experience which optimises contact area with the road at all lean angles. This contact patch area maximization is due in part to an ICS (Integrated Contour Shaping), complimenting modern bikes’ handling and power delivery by ideally mapping tyre profiles; resulting in strong improvements in stability, performance in the wet and safety in corners.
TREAD DESIGN: FUNCTIONAL AND FAMILY FEELING
The new design adopts its heritage from Diablo Rosso while keeping a family feeling with the Diablo Rosso Corsa but reducing the number of tread grooves (2% reduced land/sea ratio vs. Diablo Rosso.) The front tyre is a derivation of the Diablo Rosso Corsa with additional compact structures for tread stability, wear regularity, and optimised drainage efficiency in the wet. The rear tyre is derived from Diablo Rosso, now with Bi-Compound technology and incorporating a newly synchronized nude shoulder area and central rib area. This road-oriented design provides traction and stability on the straights and a complimentary mix of mileage and braking stability along with WSBK feeling at extreme lean at maximum lean grip in the dry. Tread grooves of the rear tyres have been projected for adequately dispersing the warm-up of the two compounds.
COMPOUND
Complimenting new specialized and functional design elements (thanks to the use of EPT, patented technology to optimize contact area), Pirelli has been able to develop specialized a new Extreme Cohesion Compound (ECC), containing new materials that perform together Pirelli’s III-zones technology, dubbed Bi-Compound on the rear Diablo Rosso II. The central compound area (75%) is a delicate mix of High Molecular Weight reactive polymers, resulting in increased resistance to abrasion, stability and mileage; together with a High Dispersion & High Silica content bringing better wet grip and behaviour as well as stable performances in dry. The more “naked” shoulder area (25%) and its even more compact tread elements reduce tread-block movements and thus improve wear regularity, along with a Fine Carbon Black sport performance compound mixed with resins for dry grip at high lean angles and performance stability during intense and prolonged use.
PERSONALISABLE
Like the Diablo Rosso Corsa, the Diablo Rosso II is personalisable in a unique way with the use of special adhesive labels designed on Pirelli’s website (www.pirelli.com). The rider can choose from different colors and flags options and add their own text phrases or names, then apply the labels to both the sidewalls of the front and rear tyres. The tyre then becomes an identity card on which each motorcyclist can communicate their story and passions for motorcycling.
DUCATI DIAVEL PROJECT
Pirelli collaborated with Italian manufacturer Ducati on original equipment fitment for the new 2011 Diavel, a project that required dedicated development of a new 240/45ZR17 sized Diablo Rosso II rear tyre along with a 120/70ZR17 front. This “project tyre” was essential to meet the needs of a new motorcycle segment, combining a custom section width and profile height more similar to that of WSBK: for a final result that offers sport, touring, urban and performance behaviours. The matching 17” diameter front and rear tyres take on a new sporty attitude while synchronizing and balancing the behaviour of the set, and a slightly higher rear sidewall ensures riding comfort and bump absorption. The racing oriented profile with its increased aspect ratio means handling easiness, quick corner entry and an increased contact patch area combined with supersport compounds for excellent grip and leaning confidence.
RACING SUCCESS
Pirelli Tyre continue its passion for and noteworthy performances in world championship motorcycle racing in 2011 racing beginning its now eighth season as official tyre supplier to the Superbike World Championship, whilst also looking to repeat its victories in IDM Superbike, CIV Superbike, French Supersport, several endurance victories such as 24 hours of Le Mans and 8 hours of Suzuka, and even the tough wins achieved at the Northwest 200 and Isle of Man TT races.