{"id":923,"date":"2026-06-06T07:27:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T07:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chinakingtyre.com\/motorcycle-racing-slicks-k00-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T07:33:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T07:33:29","slug":"motorcycle-racing-slicks-k00-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chinakingtyre.com\/kr\/motorcycle-racing-slicks-k00-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Motorcycle Racing Slicks: A Technical Guide to the Kingtyre K00"},"content":{"rendered":"

Motorcycle racing slicks are a distinct category of tire. They lack tread patterns entirely. They cannot be used on public roads. They exist for one purpose only: delivering maximum grip on a prepared racetrack surface.<\/p>\n

The Kingtyre K00 is a full racing slick designed for this purpose, placing it at the top of the global motorcycle racing slicks<\/strong> market. It carries documented race pedigree from the Asia Road Racing Championship, FIM MiniGP Series, European Superbike Amateur Cup, China Superbike Championship, and Malaysian Super Series. Over 15 race teams across Asia, Europe, and South America campaign the K00.<\/p>\n

This guide covers the K00 compound system, its 30+ size range, the pressure data that track engineers need, construction details, and the race series where it competes.<\/p>\n

What Makes Motorcycle Racing Slicks Different<\/h2>\n

A treadless tire has 100% of its rubber in contact with the asphalt at all times. A road tire loses 30% to 50% of its contact patch to tread grooves. Full slicks therefore generate higher grip levels, but they also generate more heat. They require tire warmers to reach operating temperature safely. They have zero water evacuation capability.<\/p>\n

This trade-off is acceptable on a racetrack. Racing slicks operate in a controlled environment. The surface is clean. The temperature range is known. The bike uses warmers between sessions. The rider accepts that wet conditions mean switching to rain tires.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, the K00 is classified as track only motorcycle tires<\/a>. It cannot be registered, insured, or legally ridden on public roads in any jurisdiction that follows ECE or DOT standards. This is not a limitation. It is a design requirement. A tire that must meet road-legal tread depth cannot deliver the same peak grip as a full slick.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the construction differs fundamentally from road tires. Racing slicks use softer compound families, lighter carcass materials, and optimized belt angles that sacrifice mileage for grip. A typical road tire lasts 8,000 to 15,000 km. A K00 Medium compound lasts 90 to 120 km under full race load. That is a deliberate trade-off.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle Racing Slicks: The Four-Compound System<\/h2>\n

The K00 ships in four distinct compounds. This compound range is rare among motorcycle racing slicks<\/strong> manufacturers. Each one targets a specific temperature window and race distance.<\/p>\n

\uc288\ud37c \uc18c\ud504\ud2b8(SS)<\/h3>\n

Peak grip window: 50 to 70 \u00b0C. Best use: sprint qualifying sessions, cool morning track conditions, and sub-15-minute races. Lap time advantage: fastest compound in the range. Wear rate: highest. During the 2024 Asia Track Series, Super Soft was the qualifying compound of choice for 78% of riders.<\/p>\n

\uc18c\ud504\ud2b8(S)<\/h3>\n

Peak grip window: 60 to 85 \u00b0C. Best use: club-level track days, 15 to 25 minute sessions, mixed ambient temperatures. Wear rate: approximately 50% longer than Super Soft. This is the most popular compound for amateur race weekends.<\/p>\n

\uc911\uac04(M)<\/h3>\n

Peak grip window: 80 to 105 \u00b0C. Best use: endurance races, hot asphalt, all-day track days. For example, the Medium compound dominated endurance races in the 2024 Asia Track Series. Wear rate: 2 to 3 times longer than Soft. Expected race life: 90 to 120 km.<\/p>\n

\ud558\ub4dc(H)<\/h3>\n

Peak grip window: 100 to 130 \u00b0C. Best use: extreme heat conditions, long endurance stints, aggressive rider weight loads. Wear rate: lowest in the range. Race life exceeds 120 km.<\/p>\n

Race engineers frequently mix compounds front and rear. A common setup pairs a Soft front for steering feel with a Medium rear for drive traction. The K00 supports this because both compounds share the same carcass geometry and profile.<\/p>\n

Consequently, a single team can cover an entire race weekend with the K00 range: Super Soft for qualifying, Soft or Medium for the race, and Medium or Hard for practice sessions that need to conserve tire life.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle Racing Slicks Size Coverage: 30+ Fitments<\/h2>\n

The K00 line spans 30 sizes across rim diameters from 6.5 inches to 17 inches. This covers everything from 250cc MiniGP machines to 1,000cc superbikes.<\/p>\n

\uc804\uba74 \ud06c\uae30<\/h3>\n

90\/65R6.5, 90\/90R10, 100\/85R10, 100\/90R12, 125\/75R16.5, 95\/75R17, 110\/70R17, 120\/70R17, 125\/70R17<\/p>\n

\ud6c4\uba74 \ud06c\uae30<\/h3>\n

110\/55R6.5, 100\/90R10, 120\/80R10, 115\/75R17, 120\/80R12, 120\/70R17, 140\/70R17, 160\/60R17, 180\/60R17, 190\/60R17, 200\/60R17, 200\/65R17<\/p>\n

The 120\/70R17 front and 180\/60R17 rear combination covers the middleweight sportbike segment. This includes the Yamaha YZF-R6, Kawasaki ZX-6R, Honda CBR600RR, Suzuki GSX-R750, and Ducati Panigale V2.<\/p>\n

The 200\/60R17 rear is the liter-class standard in the motorcycle racing slicks<\/strong> category. superbike standard. It fits the Yamaha YZF-R1, Kawasaki ZX-10R, Honda CBR1000RR, Suzuki GSX-R1000, and Ducati Panigale V4. A 200\/60R17 racing slick<\/a> delivers the largest contact patch in the range, measuring approximately 200 mm across at the tread surface.<\/p>\n

The smaller sizes \u2014 90\/65R6.5, 90\/90R10, 100\/85R10, 100\/90R12 \u2014 serve the MiniGP and junior racing categories. These are specified in the FIM MiniGP technical regulations.<\/p>\n

All 17-inch sizes fit standard ETRTO-compliant rims. No wheel modification is required.<\/p>\n

Pressure Chart: Cold and Hot PSI for Track Use<\/h2>\n

Cold tire pressure is set in the paddock before the bike goes on track. Hot pressure is measured immediately after a session. The difference, typically 4 to 6 psi, comes from heat expansion.<\/p>\n

\uadf8\ub9ac\uace0 racing slick tire pressure chart<\/a> below covers the most common K00 sizes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\ud06c\uae30<\/th>\nCold PSI<\/th>\nHot PSI<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
140\/70R17 (rear)<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
160\/60R17 (rear)<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
180\/60R17 (rear)<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n30.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
200\/60R17 (rear)<\/td>\n24.5<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
All front sizes<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Cold pressure drops by approximately 0.5 psi per 5 \u00b0C drop in ambient temperature. On a 15 \u00b0C morning, a tire set to 26 psi cold will read 25 to 25.5 psi by the time it reaches the track. Adjust accordingly.<\/p>\n

Hot pressure is the more important number. A tire that reads above 33 psi hot is overheating. A tire below 28 psi hot is under-inflated and will flex excessively, causing edge wear and instability under braking.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Super Soft compound is the most sensitive to pressure changes. A 1 psi deviation from the target costs approximately 0.2 seconds per lap. Medium and Hard compounds are more forgiving, tolerating a 2 psi window without significant lap-time loss.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle Racing Slicks Lap Time Data<\/h2>\n

Kingtyre conducted internal comparisons between the K00 and leading competitor racing slicks on the same bike, rider, and track surface. Results showed the K00 reducing lap times by up to 1.2 seconds per lap.<\/p>\n

This improvement comes from three areas:<\/p>\n

Contact patch optimization:<\/strong> The K00 carcass profile keeps a larger percentage of the tread surface in contact with the track at lean angles above 45 degrees. This directly translates to higher corner exit speed.<\/p>\n

Compound consistency:<\/strong> The Medium compound maintains grip within 3% of its peak value from lap 5 through lap 20 of a typical 25-minute session. Competitor tires in the same test showed a 7% to 10% drop over the same window.<\/p>\n

Dual-layered construction:<\/strong> The perimeter wear layer reduces edge degradation. Riders report consistent feel through the last 30% of a race stint.<\/p>\n

For amateur and intermediate racers, the delta from switching to best racing slicks for track day<\/a> setup like the K00 is typically 1.5 to 3 seconds per lap compared to road-legal hypersport tires.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle Racing Slicks Race Series and Circuit Proven<\/h2>\n

The K00 has been campaigned in the following race series:<\/p>\n