First, while we say a minimum of 50% treadlife is required, if you’re still in doubt then a better gauge if your tires are ready for track days is to check and ask yourself if you have 75% or better tread left on both front and rear? We don’t have a tire service at our track days, so if your tires are too worn down, or more than about five (5) years past their production date, then you are at risk of not being allowed on track. We don’t want to tell you that you can’t ride because your tires are not safe, but it comes down to Safety. Keep in mind you’ll likely be working your tires a lot harder on track than on the street, so for your safety and the safety of everyone at the track, you’ll want to have good tires on your bike. Plus, I can practically guarantee that you will have more FUN with fresh, grippy, healthy tires on your bike.
If you are still in doubt, get new tires. The track will wear down tires many times quicker than a street ride will, so come to the track with tires that have plenty of life in them.
Second, what’s the age on the tires? If your bike hasn’t been ridden in a year, for instance, and the tires feel hard as a rock, get new tires. Tires that are more than five (5) years older than their production date are really not suitable for track riding (particularly in Intermediate / Advanced Groups). Bottom line is this: don’t go cheap on tires. They’re the difference between good traction and bad, which can be the difference between a fun day… or a day with a crash.