smallttocs

Looking for new summer tires for my GSR (stock blades) and I am overwhelmed by all the options. I am looking for a high summer performing tire with these qualities...

- Durability - lasts at least 25K +
- Rain / Hydroplaning - I am a storm chaser and need to think safety
- Good handling & cornering - Lowered on GC / Koni Yellows
- Somewhat Quiet - Long highway trips with storm chasing
- Good for being a Daily Driver
- $100 per tire or less

Top Contenders so far....

Fuzion ZRi
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500
BFGoodrich G-Force T/A KDW 2
BFGoodrich G-force sport
Dunlop Direzza DZ101
Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
Yokohama S Drive Tires
Toyo Proxes 4
Kumho Ecsta SPT


HELP!!!!!!

racebum

look at the star spec and s drive

the star specs would be my choice but will likely only last 20k miles and that's if you don't run much front toe out

the s drive is harder, performs worse but will probably give you another 5-8k miles, maybe even 10k

rule out the rest and go with one of these two

cletus11

The star spec would fit your needs except for the mileage requirement. I had some on a BMW M3 and I noticed that I lost about 3mpg per tank.

Have you looked at the Continential DW?

JasonYo

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...mparison_tests

Almost all of the tires on that list would be good.

Or if you don't mind high performance all season tires, you can get nitto neo gens, or kumho asx. They wont perform as well but will last longer.


Basically you can have a long lasting tire that doesn't grip as well. Or a very grippy tire that doesnt last as long.

smallttocs

As much as I really want the Star Specs... I think the smart thing to do is to get some all seasons. The main reason is because I often find myself on crappy wet dirt roads when storm chasing and I can't imagine the Star Specs handling that too well... correct me if I'm wrong.

Any preference between the Nitto Neo Gens vs. the Kumho ASX??

soiii

The Firehawks seem to be a good choice for what your looking for. Read the reviews on tirerack.com

The Destroyer

If your not autocrossing/track day the Star Spec is a waste of cash, you will never push the tire to its limits and it will wear faster than the rest.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=97
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=131

smallttocs

I agree, the star specs are out. Narrowed the list down to these...

Kumho Ecsta ASX - Good treadwear, decent in rain
Toyo Proxes 4 - Great in rain. Mixed reviews on noise. Treadwear??

Yokohama S Drive - Great tire for price, good treadwear. Get loud as they age??
Fuzion ZRi - Good performance tire for the price. Mixed reviews on rain handling
Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 - Not many reviews out there. Mixed reviews for rain.


I have winter tires on steelies so I'd prefer to get some summer tires. However, it comes down to can these summer tires handle wet muddy roads without getting stuck. I'm not looking to be a monster truck in mud, I just don't want to get stuck in the middle of Nebraska with a tornado coming at me.

racebum

if you have winter tires you don't need all season

the s drive is an alright tire

i roll around on ad08's and push them to the limit on the street frequently. the star spec is the same type of tire and would be my choice in your situation

however, if you don't drive hard, the s drive is the best of your recent choices

Atomic1

From your explanation, it sounds like you should be shooting for an allseason with an open tread pattern that might do good in mud/grass/hail.

Till I got a truck, I used to take the civic out to muddy jobsites and country roads often. Kuhmo ASX's were great for the first 10,000mi but after that it was a dicy tire. They had a pretty tight tread pattern and slid like s**t on gravel. I liked my BF Traction T/A's better overall. Long lasting, good overall grip, and stiff sidewalls. Traction T/A's are a prime choice for mixed use (on road/offroad) Subarus fyi. Would consider their successor, BF Super Sports A/S.

gringotegra

Neo Gens Hands down

0Cooper The Tire Rack

What size are you running?

smallttocs

195/55/15 or 205/50/15

smallttocs

I'm leaning towards the S-Drives for summer tires and the Neo Gens if I go the all season route. I just have to decide if I think it would really be necessary to get all seasons for storm chasing for driving on dirt roads.

0Cooper The Tire Rack

Given your information, here are my favorites, in order (with some pointers):

Yokohama S Drive - decent, but not great on wet. Great on dry, responsive, good treadlife
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 - newer tire, newer technology, etc.
BFGoodrich G-force sport - Good road manners, average in the rain
Kumho Ecsta SPT - a little stiff on the road, good wet traction
Fuzion ZRi - OK for an entry-level summer tire
BFGoodrich G-Force T/A KDW 2 - Awesome looking, but LOUD on the road.
Dunlop Direzza DZ101 - one of the worst tires we have ever tested in the wet.
Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec - awesome tire, but too aggressive for your type of driving, and not recommended to be driven at high speeds on standing water.

Can't opine on the Toyo Proxes 4.


Take a look at the Goodyear Eagle GT and the Sumitomo HTR P01 (if snow is not an issue). Those are all-season tires and will give you good treadlife and predictable wet traction, especially the Goodyears.

0Cooper The Tire Rack

Let me know if you would like to place an order.

Thanks.

racebum

agree

Libertariat

I can vouch for the NeoGens for all season in the wet. They've been sticky to fit my needs and I was astonished at the wet traction.

With as little snow as I get around here in Georgia I regret not getting summer tires. Especially considering the NeoGens have a 280 treadwear. I like the Nittos, and they're cheap.

smallttocs

I'm going with the S Drives unless someone can shed some light on how the Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500's are. Their reviews on tirerack are through the roof, but I am attributing that to them being a new tire. The tread pattern doesn't look great for rain but the reviews beg to differ.

Anyone have experience with them???

DaveSi677

Kumho SPT lasted an easy 35k and I was auto-xing them too! Good on dry and excellent in the rain loved them...

smallttocs

Going with the S.Drives. Looks like the SPT, S.Drive, and even the ZRI are all great tires and I probably couldn't go wrong with any of them. Big thanks to nsxtasy for all of the pm's.

Now I just have to decide between the better rain handling 195/55/15's or the slightly more expensive 205/50/15's...

racebum

difference is almost non existent, the 195 55 looks better on blades

smallttocs

Why do they look better?

joey77051

hankook v12 evo!! those tires are pretty cheap and quiet

used to have them on my car and pretty sure they last more than 25k miles

smallttocs

They don't make those in 15's