Here are my four choices:

Falken RT-615 205/50 $583
Kumho XS 205/50 $623
Bridgestone RE-11 205/50 $639
Hankook RS2 225/45 $719

The prices seem high, but these are from a Canadian retailer, which ends up being cheaper than sourcing them from the US because of shipping and brokerage fees.

I'm leaning towards the RE-11 right now. These are going on 15X8 6UL.

Thoughts?

 

If you are not concerned about tire wear or rain, add the Nitto NT01 225/45 to your list. I just bought a pair, put them on 15x8 6uls, and they are fantastic. The only downside is I like them so much I am going to have to force myself to take them off the car so I do not wear them out before I get them to the track
I have a set of Fuzion ZRi in 205/50 on 15x6 stock wheels for my daily driver tires.

 

RT-615s are old news. For the price the XS or RE-11s will be a good tire, however, I wouldn't be putting no 205s on a 8" wheel. Therefore I'd be leaning towards the RS3s.

 

rt615's get my vote. I absolutely love these tires on the street.

 

+1 on that. Meant to say that before. I personally HATE the stretched look. To each his own.

 

But those tires don't look that stretched on an 8" wheel and they fit very well...the 615s are ******* massively wide tires for 205s.


I like how cheap they are, not that great in the rain, but they do well, turn in is good, grip is awesome for a street tire.

 

Dunlop star spec gets good reviews for both wet and dry.

Slight thread jack: for 15x7 wheels. Is a 225 tire too wide? Will I loose very much handling if I drop to a 195 tire assuming from a 205 tire? I want to switch to either the dunlop star spec, or hancook rs3. Neither of which come in a 205, which I currently run.

 

The MR2 Spyder crew will put 225s on their 15x6s all day long...

 

The 225/45 RS2 has a tread width of 8". RT-615 and RE-11 both have a treadwidth of 7.6". Not sure about the XS.

And there is this quote

 

Reports say the XS is not great in the rain. So the RE-11 is on the top of my list now.

 

my 205 nitto neogens are on the far right, next to 225 ra1's

and next to 225 rs-2's


I don't have any pics of them on the car yet, but they do not look stretched at all. I was concerned about this, but my research for "the widest all season tire" was fruitful.

 

I drove on mine in the rain this morning. I didn't die. Much better than the RT-215, might even be better than my street tires.

 

If you can find RS-3's they really are a good tire, was at the track sunday and they performed to the limit of my ability, which isn't great, but its something.

 

I had both the 615s and the XS, the XS has a higher overall limit, turn in is even. The 615 is a little more communicative, not in feel, but in the squalling they make at the limit. If you don't need to hear 'em squalling, the XS would be my choice, at least between these two. I don't think I would go with the RS2s (on my new track toy, I can report after my first track day) because the XS is as good or better, for less $. I will be looking at Nittos once my RS2s are dead, any more input on the NT01s?

 

They are not really stretched at all. Here is a 205/50/15 RT 615 on an 8in wheel.





Yes it can be done, but you sacrifice contact patch because of the sidewall bulging over. Here is a 225 on 6 in wheel.





I think a 225 is best fit on an 8 in or even a 9 in wheel. The wider rim gives a slightly firmer side wall and yields a more crisp turn in feeling. So IMO a very slight stretch is OK, not that donk drifter stretch ****. Here are my current setups with 225's:

225/45/15 NT01 on a 15x8





225/50/15 A048 on a 15x9






The best tire especially for the money out of that bunch is the RE-11 for sure. I bet it will still offer much more grip in a 205 compared to the 225 RS-2. It also shouldn't really look stretched on an 8in rim.

I run RS-2's on my dd Civic and Azenis 615 for my street wheels on my NB. The Azenis offer a little more grip, but the RS-2 seems to be an easier tire to drive on and offers better feedback to the driver at the limit. Both tires are sensitive to temperatures, especially in the cold. Living in New England, I have had the oppurtunity to drive them all in temperatures from 20 F to 100F. I love the NT01's for track days. They are hands down an awesome tire and manage heat very well on a lighter car. Compared to the A048's, the grip is very similar and they cost almost half the price. I only bought the A048's because I got a good deal on them from Matt Andrews.

 

I did 2 10 minute sessions in my friends H22 eg civic racecar on brand new 195/50/15 RE-11's at the begining of the season and I thought tey were great.

The car could have used a wider version as wot induced spin n 1-3 gear. I'm coming from a backround of lots of azenis so I don't know a lot about too many tires, but you defnately don't want Azenis (your friends will laugh at you)

The tire was responsive and didn't get sloppy with alittle heat. Grip transition was smooth and predictable, my only issue was that the car needed a 205 easily and the 195's were definately under-sized.

I also talked with one of the guys that was running star specs last year (the only guy to beat my lap time, so he is quick) and he switched to xs' this year after all the hot reviews and he didn't like them at all compared to his dunlops. Said turn in was late and loose and the star specs had overall more grip. (His laps were cosistantly .5sec or so slower than last year).

I would be looking for something 225 wide and definately don't bother with RS-2's or azenis.

XS or RE's either should do the trick.


-Dean

 

I would cross off the RS2 and the RT-615 off the list. RE-11 will offer more grip in the wet compared to the XS dry grip will be similar. RS3 is also a good choice but harder to find in 225/45-15

 

I love my Rs2' i live in miami its been raining a lot lately and i havent had trouble with em they are fine about auto crossing and stuff i wouldn't know much since i dont have time for any of that.
BTW to the op check your pm.

 

Hankook RS2 225/45 $719 WTF!!!! i bot some fore $420 US shipped, is Americas hat that much more expensive?

 

Does a 225 on a 6'' really work...well? Seems like the side walls would just be flopping all over the place being as they are wider than the wheel. At least a 205 on an 8'' wheel is slightly more narrow, stable like standing with your legs spread. Unlike the 2225's on a 6'' wheel, like standing with your legs crossed, not stable and solid.