I'm taking off my winter wheels & tires and putting my 16" runflats back on. One pair has somewhat more tread than the other; in anticipation of the Dragon, should I put the better tires on the front, or the rear?

 

It is always a good idea to put the better tread on the rear in a front drive car.

 

Assuming you'd want an understeer situation to recover from.

 

Better than snap-oversteer on the Dragon IMHO. (Chicken meet Egg)

 

Time to tire shop? I hate to add the possibility of more expense to anyone's adventure, but that is not a good place to experiment with traction! LOL

Tim

 

If one puts the new rubber on the rear then one must be planning to buy two tires at a time.

Since the front tires wear faster every time one rotates the tires four tires violate this rule.

I'm not sure deeper tread always translates to better traction. I suppose it could apply to thunderstorm situations. Of course the rear tires are following in the tracks of the front tires.

I try to rotate my tires often enough that the difference in tread depth is small. I put the less worn tires on the front so that I can keep the difference small.

I've bought new tires and have had to tell the tire guys to put the new tires on the front after they ignored my instructions the first time.

I put this "rule" in the category of "ride your bike facing traffic." Some trainer must have had a lot of charisma to get so many professionals to give bad advice. Just my opinion, no offense meant to others with a different point of view.

 

When I was there in October my Faulken ZE512's were near slick they were so worn down down from May and alot of spirited driving elsewhere. I was amazed at how much better the traction was in that state than when they were worn in a bit.

 

IF the tires have not cleared the wear bars, you'll get less wiggle from that pair having less remaining legal tread. That said, a slick, or below-the-wearbars near-slick, DOT tire is pretty useless. On the Dragon, you definitely want to be able to keep the front end planted and delivering power or brakes.

As for power-off (snap) oversteer: IF you are smart you won't be jabbing the brakes while inloading the suspension. Here are some simple rules-

- Drive the Dragon at your skill level: don't try to push it or keep up with faster vehicles.
- STAY IN YOUR LANE, There are videos available for sale that show vehicles cutting the corners and taking chances that might appear "fun" while sitting in your easy chair. BEWARE ! This style of driving on the Dragon can cost you dearly. The challenge of the Dragon is to take the many curves in the best line possible and both lanes IS NOT "the line". Drive Florida if you like to straighten out the curves.
- Do NOT sight-see. The Dragon is to drive, not to watch the sights. On many runs I don't even see what is on the side of the road. I'm watching the roadway way ahead.
- Look far ahead at the road, curves, bushes, other vehicles, etc. If you haven't seen the hazards right in front of you, you are going to hit them anyway, so you might as well pay attention to what you have time to avoid. - We have seen deer, bear, turkeys, and wild boar on the roadway. Be ready to brake and slow. When we say brake we DO NOT mean slamming on the brakes. That will get you turned around in a hurry and it’s no fun looking at where you’ve been at any speed.
- Maintain a "safe zone." Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Watch your rear view mirrors for faster vehicles. If you see a faster rider/driver coming up behind you, pull over to the right of your lane, slow down just a little, and wave them around. It is much safer to let a faster vehicle around you than to try to outrun them. NEVER stay left trying to keep someone from passing you. NEVER pull off the road onto the shoulder unless it is at one of the pull-off parking areas. It may be illegal to pass on the Dragon, but I'll let a faster vehicle get around me to protect my safe zone.
- There will always be faster drivers than you. Don't try to be the King of the Dragon.
- Drive the Dragon many times before trying to challenge it. Then you still need to respect it at all times.
- DO NOT STAND ON THE BRAKES if you see danger ahead. You are much better off to tap the brakes and maintain control. Some 90% of the accidents on the Dragon are due to speed and then over-braking. If you see another vehicle coming at you in your lane, hug the white line in your lane. In all likelihood you can avoid trucks and trailers if you stay alert and watch ahead.
- DO NOT be spooked by other vehicles. DO NOT make sudden avoidance moves. You might have to adjust your line to avoid a car, truck, or bike, but DO NOT lay on the brakes or turn off the roadway suddenly unless that is the only out you have.
- Motorcycles might dent your car, but that is better than going off the bank and hitting a tree sideways. If a cycle is in your lane that is their mistake and problem … don’t let them force you into a worse situation for yourself.
- Trucks are usually traveling at a very slow speed and you should have time to stop and back-up if you see one coming at you and taking the whole corner. Watch for signals from drivers/riders coming at you. Many times they will escort a big truck over the Dragon and wave a warning to you to pull over. DO NOT ignore these warnings.
- Avoid driving hard on the Dragon in heavy traffic times. Weekends from 11 am to 5 pm are the busiest. These are the times to lay back and enjoy watching the "show" go by.
- The early mornings (before 11 am and the late afternoons (after 5 pm) have the least traffic.
- ALWAYS stay 100% alert. You do not have the advantage of relaxing on the Dragon.
- Make sure your vehicle is mechanically sound and that your tires are good.
- Plan to make several runs, the first is always a nervous one .... then you can have fun on the second and third.
- DO NOT over-use your brakes. Use your gears and DOWNSHIFT. A good Dragon driver WILL NOT use a lot of brakes.
- Focus: do not daydream. Watch the road, your mirrors, and pay attention to other bikes/cars/trucks.

99% of the accidents on the Dragon come from the following:
Too much speed
Too much brakes
Inattentiveness
Driving above your abilities

 

Excellent and very sound advise
This is my 5th MOTD as I was a member of the very first Dragon Run
Each year, I gain more respect for the Dragon and learn more about my ability as a driver and what to expect from my MINI. This is not a race, so just have a FUN time and enjoy the event
I leave my racing to the AutoX

Sam

 

One thing to remember with ALL non-competitive driving events, there aren't any trophies or prizes accept the one you're driving. Take it home the way you brought it to the event.

Good tires are an excellent idea on a road like this (sent to me by wame):

 

J A Blazer,

It would be a very good idea for you to measure your actual tread depth before deciding which tires should go in front/back. While at the dragon, you will likely scrub off more tread per mile than anywhere you typically drive.

If you are driving several thousand miles round trip and two of your tires are nearing the end of their lifespan, you might find yourself stranded without easy access to odd sized runflat tires in rural North Carolina/Tennessee.

I'd also like to go off the subject a bit and suggest that everyone take their MINI in to their most trusted local mechanic for a quick safety inspection: tires, brakes, all fluids, etc. This would also be a great time to change your brake fluid if you have not already done it this year.

As someone who has been towed away from the dragon twice due to a recurring warrantee problem with my rear brakes, I don't want anyone to ever have to cut their trip short because of a minor problem that could have been easily and inexpensively remedied before heading out to the dragon.

 

Great advice, Yucca!