METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK Motorcycle Racing Tyres

Professional Racing Slick Performance

The METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK is a professional motorcycle racing slick developed and tested through some of the most demanding road racing environments in the world.

Designed for dry-track and road-racing competition, RACETEC™ RR SLICK combines racing-specific compounds, aggressive racing profiles and a slick tread surface to deliver high levels of grip, precise cornering, rapid agility and predictable behaviour at the limit.

Developed for professional racers and serious competition riders, the RACETEC™ RR SLICK is engineered to maintain consistent performance across different asphalt characteristics, tyre operating temperatures, motorcycle setups and race distances.

Key Benefits of RACETEC™ RR SLICK

• Professional-level motorcycle racing slick performance

• Developed and tested through demanding road racing

• High levels of dry grip and track adherence

• Precise trajectory control and corner entry

• Excellent high-speed stability

• Rapid transition from upright to high lean angles

• Large effective contact patch throughout the lean range

• Predictable behaviour approaching the limit of adhesion

• Adaptability across different asphalt surfaces and temperatures

• Multiple front and rear racing compounds

• Consistent performance through multiple laps and thermal cycles

• Racing construction designed for relatively straightforward motorcycle setup

• Available in dedicated racing sizes for modern supersport and superbike applications

Slick Tread Design for Maximum Track Contact

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK uses a completely slick tread surface, eliminating the grooves required for road-going water evacuation.

This maximises the continuous rubber-to-asphalt contact area and allows the tyre to generate the high levels of dry grip required for professional motorcycle racing.

The slick profile is designed around the demands of high lean-angle riding, with the objective of maintaining a large and consistent contact patch as the motorcycle transitions from upright riding to full lean.

Because the RACETEC™ RR SLICK is a dry racing slick, it is intended for dry racetrack and road-racing use only. It should not be used as a conventional road motorcycle tyre or in wet conditions. Metzeler provides the dedicated RACETEC™ RR RAIN for wet racing conditions.

Racing Profiles for Agility and Precision

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK uses a racing-specific contour designed to make the motorcycle quick to transition from upright to lean angle while maintaining stability and predictable behaviour.

The rear tyre features a particularly sharp and wide contour. Metzeler increased the dimensions of the traditional 180 and 190 supersport rear sizes, evolving the 180/55 into a 180/60 and the 190/55 into a 200/60.

The wider and sharper rear profile increases the effective contact patch across the lean range and allows the motorcycle to reach its desired lean angle quickly.

This means the rider can access the tyre's available cornering grip sooner, helping support fast direction changes and high-speed cornering.

Front Racing Compounds – K1 and K2

The front RACETEC™ RR SLICK is offered in different compound options so the rider can select the characteristics best suited to their motorcycle, riding style, asphalt and operating temperature.

K1 – Soft

The K1 soft front compound is aimed at riders looking for a strong edge-grip feeling and predictable behaviour close to the limit.

The tyre is designed to provide the rider with useful feedback as the front approaches the limit of adhesion, helping communicate changes in front-end grip before the limit is exceeded.

K2 – Medium

The K2 medium front compound prioritises stability and precision during corner entry.

It is particularly suited to riders who prefer a more stable and precise front-end response when braking hard and turning into corners.

Metzeler describes the neutral characteristics of RACETEC™ RR SLICK as providing useful warning as the limit is approached, helping the rider maintain control and confidence when searching for faster lap times.

Compound selection should be based on tyre operating temperature, asphalt characteristics, motorcycle setup and riding style. Metzeler identifies K0 as Super Soft, K1 as Soft and K2 as Medium.

Rear Racing Compounds – K0, K1 and K2

Rear compound selection is particularly important because the appropriate specification depends on the friction and severity of the asphalt and the tyre's operating temperature.

Metzeler provides three rear compound levels:

• K0 – Super Soft: maximum performance for suitable conditions and applications

• K1 – Soft: a softer racing specification balancing high grip with performance consistency

• K2 – Medium: a harder specification offering a different balance of grip, durability and operating-range performance

The ideal rear compound depends on the circuit or road-racing course, asphalt severity, operating temperature, motorcycle setup and rider requirements.

Metzeler identifies approximately 25–30°C tyre operating temperature as an important threshold when selecting the appropriate rear compound according to asphalt severity and temperature.

Compound Technology for Consistent Racing Performance

RACETEC™ RR SLICK compounds have been developed with particular emphasis on performance consistency over both distance and time.

Specific resins and a dedicated mixing process allow the compounds to maintain their characteristics through multiple thermal cycles, helping the tyre remain consistent across repeated laps and race sessions.

This is particularly important in road racing, where races and practice sessions can expose tyres to prolonged periods of high load, acceleration, braking and cornering.

The objective is not simply maximum initial grip, but a controlled and predictable performance level throughout the tyre's usable operating cycle.

Predictable Grip at the Limit

For a professional racing slick, ultimate grip is only part of the equation. Rider feedback and predictability are equally important.

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK is designed to provide the rider with a clear indication as the front tyre approaches the limit of adhesion.

During hard braking followed by corner entry, the neutral front-end characteristics can provide a gradual warning as grip is approached rather than an abrupt loss of control.

This predictable behaviour helps the rider understand where the limit is and make better use of the available grip when chasing faster lap times.

High-Speed Stability and Trajectory Precision

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK is engineered for the demands of high-speed road racing and professional circuit competition.

Its racing profiles provide precise trajectory control while maintaining stability when the motorcycle is travelling at high speed.

The combination of profile shape, compound selection and structural design is intended to provide a precise transition into the corner, controlled lean behaviour and strong stability once the motorcycle is established at high lean angle.

For serious racing applications, this balance between agility and stability is critical: the tyre needs to respond quickly to rider inputs without making the motorcycle nervous or unpredictable.

Single-Ply Rear Structure

The rear RACETEC™ RR SLICK uses a single-ply structure designed to closely resemble the structural characteristics of production hypersport motorcycle tyres.

This helps make the tyre comparatively straightforward to integrate into a suitable motorcycle setup and allows tyre pressures to be used closer to the recommendations associated with the motorcycle manufacturer's original tyre geometry, subject to the specific racing application and professional setup guidance.

The result is a racing slick designed to offer high levels of performance without requiring an unnecessarily complex chassis setup.

Adaptable Across Different Asphalt and Temperatures

One of the defining characteristics of RACETEC™ RR SLICK is its versatility across different racetracks and road-racing surfaces.

Professional racing can involve dramatically different asphalt characteristics, from smooth circuits with relatively low surface severity to highly abrasive road-racing surfaces.

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK compound range has been developed and tested to operate across a broad range of asphalt roughness and associated tyre temperatures.

This allows riders and race teams to select a compound according to the specific demands of the circuit rather than relying on a single universal specification.

Racing Sizes for Modern Superbikes

The RACETEC™ RR SLICK range is available in dedicated racing dimensions, including:

Front:

• 120/70 R 17

• 125/70 R 17

Rear:

• 180/60 R 17

• 190/60 R 17

• 200/60 R 17

• 200/65 R 17

Available sizes and compound specifications can vary, so always select the correct size and racing specification for the motorcycle, circuit and application.

RACETEC™ RR SLICK vs RACETEC™ TD SLICK

The two Metzeler slicks are designed for different riders and applications.

RACETEC™ RR SLICK is the more specialised professional racing product, developed and tested through road racing and intended for riders who require compound selection, high-level performance and adaptability to different asphalt and temperature conditions.

RACETEC™ TD SLICK is designed around the track-day rider, with a plug-and-play approach, very rapid warm-up, a single low-Tg compound concept and a reversible rear tyre.

For a rider or race team competing at a high level, particularly where circuit or road-racing conditions require compound selection, RACETEC™ RR SLICK provides the more specialised racing platform.

Important: Dry Racing Use Only

The METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK is a dedicated dry racing slick.

Its slick surface is designed to maximise dry-track contact and grip and does not provide the grooves required to evacuate water.

It should therefore be used only in appropriate dry racing conditions and is not a conventional road-legal motorcycle tyre.

For wet competition conditions, Metzeler offers the dedicated RACETEC™ RR RAIN NHS competition tyre, which uses deep grooves and a 100% silica compound specifically developed for water evacuation and extreme wet grip.

Who Is METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK For?

The METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK is designed for experienced racers, professional racing teams and serious competition riders seeking a dedicated dry motorcycle racing slick.

It is particularly suited to:

• Professional motorcycle road racing

• Superbike and supersport racing

• High-level circuit competition

• Experienced track racers

• Riders requiring selectable racing compounds

• Riders competing across different asphalt surfaces

• Race teams seeking predictable, repeatable tyre performance

• Riders prioritising cornering grip, agility and high-speed stability

METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK — Professional Racing Performance

The METZELER RACETEC™ RR SLICK combines a dedicated slick tread, racing-specific profiles, K0/K1/K2 compound options, a single-ply rear structure and development derived from demanding road-racing conditions.

The result is a professional racing tyre engineered to deliver high dry grip, precise trajectory control, rapid agility, high-speed stability and predictable behaviour at the limit.

For riders chasing lap times in dry competition, RACETEC™ RR SLICK provides a highly adaptable racing platform developed for the demands of serious motorcycle racing.