Latest Dunlop Slick Developed Specifically For Middleweight Sportbikes
New KR451 rear tire size is making racetrack debut this weekend at Utah Motorsports Campus
Matthew Miles
Dunlop is introducing a new Supersport-specific slick tire size this weekend at Utah Motorsports Campus, which is hosting Round 5 of the MotoAmerica Series. Designed to fit any middleweight sportbike with a 5.5-inch-wide rear wheel, the KR451 comes in one size, 180/60R-17, and is presently available in soft and medium compounds. According to Dunlop, the new tire offers “significantly elevated performance” for 600cc-class machinery. Lap-time improvements of at least a second per lap, depending on the track, were reported during testing. MotoAmerica racers Garrett Gerloff, JD Beach, Benny Solis, and others played a role in the development process at Dunlop’s Proving Grounds in Huntsville, Alabama. The MotoAmerica spec-tire supplier admits sticking with the status quo would have been easy. Said Mike Buckley, Dunlop VP of sales and marketing, “This new tire is a way to provide 600-class riders with tire technology designed specifically for that class, which we hope will provide these riders new opportunities to elevate their own performance and get even better at their craft.”