nick470

My totally subjective, non scientific and entirely inconsistent observations on tires I've tried in my limited experience:

Original BFG Rival - Good wear, easy for my novice *** to drive, grip was good but not amazing. Ran this setup on Konis/FM Springs/FM sway bar, and a close to stock alignment. 205/50

Nitto NT05 - Similar wear to the Rival. Decent grip. Not really extraordinary in any way. Good open lapping and street tire. Same car setup as the Rivals. 205/50

Bridgestone RE71R - Extremely noticeable increase in traction and warmup temp over the last two. I've driven these on a few cars, but never my own - so unfamiliar car/different setup was always at play, but the grip is obvious. Steering felt precise. 205/50 and then in a couple different sizes on BMW M3s

Hankook RS4 - I really like these tires. My car got Xidas and 15x10s and I stepped up to 245/40 after the Nittos, and my driving had improved a lot by the time I put these on, so maybe this isn't a good basis for comparison... General perception was that warmup takes a minute (there's 40mm more tire at each corner, duh) but grip levels were quite good once up to temp. Still a step short of the hero tires in total grip. Steering feel was good, I liked how my car felt through slaloms. Never managed to get them greasy in 20+ minute track sessions, it seemed like once they got up to temp they just stayed consistent for the rest of the session. I'd rock the crap out of these again as a street and lapping day tire. Definitely see why endurance guys like them. 245/40

BFG Rival S 1.5 - These feel the most like an RE71 competitor. Grip comes on quick, peak grip is very high. Drove these on my dad's Miata at MRLS back to back with my car on RS4s. His car is set up kinda like a softer version of mine. Tires were 225/45 on 15x9. Tons and tons of grip, very noticeable after jumping out of my car and into the driver seat of his. They felt more vague than the RS4, but that might just be the softer setup of the car and the fact that I didn't get a chance to play with tire pressures. His alignment is somewhere around the 949 dual duty spec, with around .5-1* neg camber less than my car at all 4 corners. Didn't take lap times, but it felt like I was immediately able to turn as fast or faster laps in his car despite being unfamiliar with it... just felt like I had way more grip than I had gotten used to earlier that day. I'm getting Rivals in 245s for this coming season, and I think I'll like them even better on my car and with some opportunity to dial in the setup.

Basically I just want two sets of 15x10s, one with RS4s and the other with Rival S 1.5s. That's my scientific conclusion.

mrtopher

Direzza Z2 Star specs- probably my favorite all-round tire. I've been able to run street pressures on track with pretty good success, breakaway is always super predictable and they last a whole session without getting greasy. Works great in the rain, on the street, even in the winter (though not recommended) in a pinch. In my experience they heat cycle well, too

BFG Rival S 1.5 - This wasn't my first choice, and I've only driven on a set that's been worn, but they grip great in the dry. Pretty much un-drivable on a colder damp morning, found them to be very skittish in the rain. They heat up fast and grip well, but not as much steering feel and accuracy as I'd like.

Falken Azenis RT615k - Great tire for the first year or so, it does everything well, but not better than anything else. After the first year they got hard and never gripped the same (although still very usable). Never was able to get the pressures right in these, I think they like to be a little lower than I was comfortable going. Overall good tire, great wear over time because of how hard they eventually get.

mx5-kiwi

Good info but can you guys include your power levels and if its a road based car, dual purpose car or race car (or setup your signatures). This would help qualify the info provided.

I'll add something...if I haven;'t already.

Toyo R1r - 225 x 45 x 15.
Was HIGHLY recommended by Honda Civic racers in my Classic Japanese series and the Honda Cup that the R1r was an amazing wet tyre. I rushed out and bought a set purely as wets (and the occasional road legal tyre for Warrant of Fitness tests).

First time I used them I was shocked how average (slippery under braking and turn in). in damp conditions they were feeling very much like a nicely treaded road tyre more than anything, certainly not like the near wet the Honda guys had been describing.

Discussed it with the Honda guys and they were a bit disbelieving. Happened a few more times in damp conditions (although we did do okay, with poles and race wins etc). It was only when another competitor was reading my tyre size and details off the tyre (he was considering them) that we realised the Honda guys use a 205 that comes in a soft whereas the 225 only comes in a Medium (In NZ anyway). I think a soft would be an amazing tyre for wet if you can get it in your size. Though as below, if the price and availability is there, I would probably opt for the Hoosier. Hoosiers here are nearly double the price.

Weirdly, in true wet conditions (often torrential), though they do give way pretty easy still (but VERY predictably)... we have often qualified 2 - 5 seconds faster than anyone else and had very good race results....so I am a bit confused at this point.

To be fair our car is the quickest in the class at the moment and I really like driving in the wet so maybe the tyres are average and the package is just covering the tyres, yet to decide if its one factor or a combination of all. Anyway, the purchase of Hoosier Dot rated wets has been put on hold because despite the not awesome turn in and braking, we are still getting great results on them and its hard to justify the cost with the results.

Mobius

iTrader: (2)

So there is something with the R1R in different tire sizes. Apparently the 195 is the only one that has the magic compound all the way down to the cords. The larger sizes all use either a stacked layer of compounds, or possibly different compounds altogether.

If you have 15x8's available, it would be interesting for you to stretch the 195's onto them and see how they perform. I have seen pictures of cars on 195's in dripping wet conditions picking up both inside tires.

bigben

Blkbrd69

Changed from 225 RS-4's mounted on 9" wheels to 245 Maxxis VR-1 on 9" wheels. New VR-1 grip was better than used RS-4, no surprise.. Added turbo so 10 second drop in lap times don't count.

The 245 on a 9" wheels are noticeably less precise and softer on Sebring bumps. Overall pretty sure they are very close in pace between the two brands given equal size.

Now I have moved the same 245 VR-1's to a set of 10" wheels and they are defiantly more precise with better feel, will see how that equates to lap time.

Note: 245's on 10" wheels are freeken wide. Pictures do not do justice how much work is really needed to make them fit even an NB, and they do look kind of poser no matter what.

bigben

Anybody has feedbacks on the new Yokohama A052?

Z33Taxi

Nitto NT05 205/50/R15(200 UTGQ): Stock power, Stock suspension and FM Miata alignment. These tires came with my Miata when I bought them and I don't have a ton of experience with tires, especially this being my first R-Compound. I have roughly 1000 miles of street on them and (6) 20 minuet session of HPDE. These tires grip very well and I don't feel like they took very long to heat up either. During my sessions the heat was a raging 97 F and the tires never quit or felt greasy. They were very confidence inspiring in turns and hooked up well coming out onto straights. Not a lot of audio feedback, but I probably wasn't pushing them anywhere near their limits. Allegedly these tires are good down to the cords, which I'm counting on because I have 2 more track days coming up next month. I am thinking about picking up a set of 595RS-Pro tires in case my NT01s let go at Watkins Glen. Will Update

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

So just picked up my car after ordering and having the BFG rival 1.5 s.....but they just say Rival S on the sidewall. Do the 1.5s say 1.5 on them???

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

I know that the Rival S that I have don’t even have the ‘S’. I only know they ere the ‘S’ because I have a pic of the big sticker.

Gunna be replacing them with same size Federals within the next 2 weeks. 225/45-15 on 8” wheels.

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

Hmm, I have an "S".

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

I’m just proposing that BFG may allow the markings to be behind the actual parts, time-wise.

I had ‘S’ tires that did not say ‘S’ and you MAY have 1.5’s that do now say ‘S’, but the molds have not been updated to add the ‘1.5’.

Just conjecture on my part, but with some historic precedent.

Morello

The S tires will all have a stamp that says "S" on the sidewall, but not in the same spot as the Rival logo. 100% if you don't have that marking, you don't have an S model. 1.5 isn't present anywhere - to know that, you'll need the MSPN which is on the sticker.


Just wanted to provide my feedback on these tires as well
BFG Rival - I've driven these on a number of cars and tracks and conditions. They're easy to drive and relatively grippy when new and when the weather is warm and dry. After about a year, grip falls off pretty noticeably, to the point where even in dry weather it is difficult to get the tire up to temperature. They will last an entire 24hr race and then some, though.

BFG Rival S 1.5 - These lasted me my whole HPDE season this year, or probably 15 hours on track in a 200whp Miata before they were totally gone. I did flip them on the wheel towards the end of of life, as I was wearing the outside shoulder more aggressively (not enough camber). They were fast and easy to drive until the very end - I was running 1:44's at Road Atlanta with no tread left. Looking to replace these with something like a Maxxis RC1 for next season.

1slowmx5

any intel on the new Falkens?

Schroedinger

I wrestled with starting a new thread, but figured I would try here first. There are three interesting new options for 205/50R15 track day tires.

- Advan A052
- Falken Azenis RT660
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar R3

Anyone have any practical experience with these? GRM reviewed the 660, sounds like it’s better suited as an autocross tire. The Supercars intrigue me, the ZL1 Camaros have TONS of grip.

Z33Taxi

falken azenis rt615k+ 205/55/15 on 15x7
Lime rock park. 135 laps over 2 days
This was my very first time on these tires. Previously I was using NT05 and they are a bit different. The Falkens cold have a lot of grip. I was finding on the first few laps they were quite sticky and felt solid. When they started heating up I don't think they were "losing" grip, but they allowed more slip, but they were very predictable and still gave my enough confidence to slide into corners. Maybe towards the end of the 2nd day they gave me a few "uh-o" moments, but they again the stayed very predictable. The Falkens also handled very well in the wet. We had some heavy rain and they performed well. They may have another day in them, but they took a beating this weekend. For their price and performance I would definitely get them again.

Downmented

iTrader: (1)

Old thread bump, im in the market for a new set of tires, currently on 245/40/15 RS4s on 15x9s, around 400whp in my NA. Primarily street driven, with the desire to make it to a few track days this year. Id love another set of RS4s but that seems to be difficult these days, considered the Falken Azenis, but open to suggestions.

msm650

Nankang CR-S.