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Tires .... which are best ?

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Luke@tirerack

20+ Year Contributor
43
2
Jul 25, 2002
South_Bend_IN__..._USA
We have broken down tires into several catagories and here is a short list of what I have experienced in our
testing. Now remember, we do not have every single tire line in the world so, if your particular favorite is
not in this list it is probably because we haven't tested it. Also, this is my take on the testing that I have
completed here at The Tire Rack on our test track.

Maximum Performance:
These are the absolute best performing tires on the market. Great steering response and wet/dry traction (not
for use inthe snow!!!) which is at home on the track.

1.)S-03 Pole Position
2.)Pilot Sport
3.)S-02 Pole Position (discontinued)
4.)AVS Sport
5.)P-Zero Rosso

There is 1 glaring omission in this list. It is the BFG G-Force T/A KD. The reason for this tire not being on
the list is because of its lack of versatility. It is the best performing tire in the dry but, is almost scary
in the wet.

Ultra High Performance:
A step down form the Max tires but, still exceptional performance which fits most application for a street tire
that can be
driven very aggressivley.

1.) Firehawk SZ50 EP
2.) Potenza RE730's Gen. II
3.) A520
4.) G-Force KDW
5.) Sport 8000
6.) HTR Z II

3-6 are all very close in performance levels.


Ultra High Performance All Season
Performance tires which are capable of going through the snow.

1.) Sport 5000
2.) Michelin Pilot Sport A/S
3.) BFG G-Force KDWS
4.) P7000 Super Sport

Budget Performance Tires
Summer performance with a cost effective tire when your budget is a concern. (based on performance not cost)

1.) Sumitomo HTR Z II
2.) Sumitomo HTR Z
3.) Kumho Ecsta Supra 712 (best ride quality in this group)
4.) Yokohama AVS Intermediate


I hope this helps you in your tire selections

Thanks, Luke@tirerack
800-428-8355 ext. 362
 
Very Informative. I say a mod should sticky this right away, I might try some of the maximum performance when i get my 17inch rims soon.

Later,
 
Luke. Thanks.

I have had the Kuhmo Supra 712 (225/50R16) They were GREAT in the wet. I would drive thru water puddle to watch the water stream from the tires.


I now have the Firehawk Sz50 EP. I have got under 100 miles on them because of an engine rebuild that happened before I was ready. They are not cheap tires!! I got them through a sponsor. (lots of a55 kissing:) )

I will see what they can do here in a couple of weeks.
 
I also love the Kuhmo's. I swear that for the money, you can't possibly find a tire better, IMO. The wet traction is absolutely wonderful allowing you to push it to the max without fear regardless of road conditions. I use it all-weather and haven't had any complaints. I use Parada's on the rear, and I can complain about those. Don't use them up front, their cornering grip blows (first run, I don't know about the newer Spec-2's). Straight line grip and water evacuation seems really good, but not much else. This is all from my personal expirience, so I can't use numbers.
 
Originally posted by mister2sc88
falken azenis for cheap badddddddddddd azzzz tires:) summer tires

-I second that, I use them for dry season, only $89 each. very sticky tire for tread wear rating of 200, don't squill at all, when corner hard, they make the sound as if you're lifting a piece of masking tape off the table.

-The Kumho 712 is nice but it simply whine too much when push hard.
 
I use the non all season :) Michelin Pilot Sports in a 245/45R16. Nice ride, decent in the wet. Not good for auto-x, just too hard to get any heat into them. Supposedly much better for street tire road racing... Way too expensive.
 
I have to agree with the SP5000s being at the top of the list in their class. These came on the rims that I bought (Thank you dsmtrance, pics go up hopefully tomorrow) and I love them. The only problem I've had is that every once in a while on grooved pavement I'll get tossed a little. Other than that, they rule!
 
The Pirelli P7000 Super Sports are awesome. i got them for $125 a piece, mounted. They are 225/45/17 and have excellent grip. There was a very noticable difference in grip compared to stock. They work great in rain too.
 
Yoko Parada Spec-2's are damn good off the line but I can't even tell how they are un handling because of my damn understeer. Anyone want to donate some rear swaybars?
 
Originally posted by mister2sc88
falken azenis for cheap badddddddddddd azzzz tires:) summer tires

Yup, Falken Azenis and Kuhmo's new Ecsta MX are probably the best budget dry street tires on the market and will grip better than most, if not all the top $$ dry/wet tires. They'll work in the wet too, just don't except them to have too much grip in the wet. Same as the BFG G-force KD. That will work in the wet, just not grip well. They're probably as close as you can get to full competition tires on the street.

I notice that the list above is out of date... for example...
Continental's ContiSport2s are coming out slowly but they should be listed as well since they are good tire as well with supposedly (according to the Continental rep I spoke to) the ability to handle light snow! No listing of any Toyo tires seems almost criminal considering how good they are. But then again, TireRack doesn't carry them so that's no surprise. The Dunlop Sport 8000 is listed... but the newest 9000 is not. Also, there is a completely new version of BFG's KDW out for this year. Yokohama Paradas seem to not be in most of the larger tire sizes our cars use, then again... it's a tire mainly for Honduhs and other small width tire cars.

Just a note about the Pirelli 7000 SuperSport... it's probably one of the lightest street tires on the market. That extreme lightness, with it's aramid reinforced sidewalls, can be really appealing to some folks. The tread design is basically the same as the intermediate tarmac tire they use on the WRC circuit. They barely go through snow.

For competition tires, everyone I've seen at my local autoXs either use Kuhmos or Hoosiers... no feedback on the new Yoks yet since they are new and both the old standbys are proven.

For drag radials... well, I haven't a clue. I know some people really like the BFG DRs and some people have complained about the Nitto DRs. But nothing really substantial...
 
Nitto 450's are one of the worst tires out there. Horrible traction.
 
i have g-force ta kdw and i love them heat nice and hold the road like a glove. on night after some burn outs i happened to go through some gravel i was throughing it up all over the place
 
Why didn't you post Nitto-555?
 

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:thumb: I have been running the Sumitomo HTRZ II 245/40/18 on 18X8 O-Z Racing F1 Cups... they are AWESOME tires... ESPECIALLY for the price... at about half the price of some of the "track" tires, and comprable performance, I would rather run the HTRZ II and run street tire class...
 
yeah i used to run nitto 450's not to bad for a dry/wet tire, and i was going to try the 555's but i got a deal on the kuhmo's, and it's a night and day difference between the them and the 450's. if you like your 450's then try the kuhmo's next and you will be very impressed.
 
I am actually on 225/40/18 rubber... I am not at a computer that will allow e-mail at this time... and the thread will not allow me to edit my post without e-mailing the administrator... sorry for the confusion...
 
What is wrong with the nitto 555's or the Nitto 450's? I heard that for the money they are the best tires you can get.
 
anybody know about the A520's.. how do they work?
 
I think Yokohma Parada Spec 2 is alright in my opinion
 
I recently bought a new set of toyo proxes tpt tires and the difference is incredible. On my old tires i had no wet traction and stomping the throttle in first or 2nd gear in any weather just resulted in spinning tires. With the toyos i can stomp the gas anywhere past about 4k rpm in first gear and maintain good traction, and I can actually drive at a decent speed in the rain without drifting around.
 
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