From a press release:

PIRELLI TO PRESENT FREE TIRE SEMINARS AT LAGUNA SECA RACE WEEKEND IN CONJUNCTION WITH APRILIA

Pirelli has announced that company tech representatives will be conducting free tire seminars during the upcoming Laguna Seca AMA/World Superbike race weekend, July 13 and 14.

The seminars will be held at the infield Aprilia display area as part of a joint activity between the Italian premium-tire maker, and the famed Italian bike manufacturer that features Pirelli’s high-performance street tires as OE on many of its models.

The 45-minute seminars are designed to be both entertaining and highly informative. Subjects will include the tires’ role in transferring power to the ground, in steering, braking and acceleration, in working with the bike’s suspension, and in carrying the bike’s weight. A particularly interesting portion will cover how the increased needs of today’s riders, combined with the rapid advancements in motorcycle technology, require the highest level of tire development in such areas as mileage, wet and dry grip, handling and stability are how these demands are met in tire construction, contour and weight, and tread compound and design.

The seminars will help educate consumers on the different tire constructions, from bias to belted to radial, including, of course, Pirelli’s patented 0 steel-belted radial construction. Other subjects will cover how tread compound affects mileage, how tread pattern design affects mileage and grip, and how to ride safely. A question-and-answer session will follow each seminar.

Alberto Warburg, Pirelli’s North American Marketing Manager explained the rationale behind the seminars. “We want more consumer contact. We don’t want tires to be a mystery. We want people to understand them and how they work through more personal contact directly with our technical people. We want to do more than advertising and PR, we want to share our knowledge, technology and passion with consumers. That is why we are doing these seminars at Laguna and places like Americade and Honda Hoot. At Pirelli, our passion is motorcycle tires. We want to share this with riders who also feel passionate about their bikes and riding. Business does not just get done in big offices high up in big buildings. Good business also means getting out and getting in touch with your consumers.”

Everyone is invited to attend. Check the Pirelli tent in the Aprilia display area for seminar times over the two days.

Pirelli has emerged as a major player in roadracing over the past couple years, mainly on the strength of its Supercorsa DOT radials, and slicks. Pirelli tires dominated the just-completed 2002 Isle of Man TTs, and Supercorsas were chosen by Honda’s World Supersport factory team as the tire of choice for its 2002 assault on the World Supersport championship.