Did a search and didn't really come up with the answer. There seems to be alot of praise about with the Falken Azenis among this board. How would this tire compare to a RA1?? I will be getting a set of track tires and it seems the Falkens are realatively cheaper than the Toyo. But these tires will only be used on the track so should i spare no expense and purchase the RA1??? Any inputs??

 

i want to know too.

 

You're going to want a competition tire, not an unltra-high or max performance tire( like the Azenis). The competition tire will give you better adhesion and less side wall flexion. Look into Yokohoma AO32, Kuhmo V700, Hoosier, etc. Who gives a damn about tread life, that's what competition tires do; they give up their lives for the utmost in traction. My opinion, forget about Azenis, they're better suited for daily street use, not track use. There are far batter track (competition) tires available.

 

No comparison at all. One is a R compound race tires, and the other one is a street tire.

People praise about the Falken is because of the dollar to performance value. They are cheap and provide good performance. But still not close to what R tires can give you.

If you're experienced, get the R compound. If not, stay with the street tires.

 

..and I have a set of A032R`s for sale

 

Toyos are really soft and greasy until you wear some of the tread down - they're actually like a rain tire in a way. They get progressively faster and perform best when you're almost down to the cord.

Street tires can't handle the heat of spirited driving very well - they tend to fall into pieces. If you're just street driving - they're a great all around performer. But you can't beat R compounds in dry adhesion with street tires.

Now some may say that it's the driver that makes the biggest difference. This is true - but if you want to get your car into higher G's (braking and cornering) then R compounds can be a lot of fun. R compounds will of course wear out much more quickly that a street compound. But you gotta pay to play.

 

Well, fwiw, I was up at Roebling Road a few weeks ago and there was another TypeR running on the Toyos (I was on Azenis). He had extensive suspension work and some engine mods whereas I just had Panther+ pads and Koni Yellows. My fast lap tims was about 1:26 and he was running consistent 1:23-1:24's... he was also a more experienced driver. I'm sure that the Toyo's have higher grip levels but imo, I don't know if they are really worth the $$ over the Azenis. If you want a set of R tires, go all the way and get some Victoracers or some Hoosiers

 

You can still drive Toyos and A032R's on the street. Sure there are different grades of R compounds. Hoosiers are obscenely expensive - whereas A032Rs and such are more moderately priced. I would like to try the Victoracers - but they're not the easiest things to get in Canada.

 

I hear you Big Phat R, I'm ordering SSR Comp's and getting Kuhmo Ecsta V700 R compound competition tires for street use which I'll use from about March to November. And like you said, you do gotta pay if you wanna play, which is why I have a tire fund set up to keep fresh rubber on as I cycle through the damn things. Bring on the turns!

 

Do they sell the RA1's in the US

 

I run Vicotracer's for autoX regularly... they're a good tire but the Hoosiers are lighter and grip better whereas the Kumho's last longer and are harder to flat spot. If you are using the tires for competition the Hoosiers will be a better bet

 

yes...

 

Phat R: Victoracers are very easy to get in Toronto. The Canadian distributor is in Mississauga. I don't know how hard it would be to get them delivered, but the distributor is http://www.wheelandtirezone.com/ Dont' know if that helps.

 

I rode in both of these cars mentioned. I have to agree that the grip of the Azenis is amazing...for the price. Yes an RA1 will give more grip, but for the price and the wear of the tire, Id really stick to the Azenis if its between the 2 choices. If your open to other R's look into the new V700's or Hoosier if you got some green.

 

what about the bf g-fource. i heard they were sopppuse to be very good. had anyone experiment with these tires? how are they really like?

 

Easily the RA1's are the choice if you're looking for a competition only tire. I ran the Azenis at a lapping day at SIR and they held up ok, though I would've been faster with R compounds for sure. Compared to the Advan 32R's I had before, the Azenis just don't quite cut it under hard driving. Actually I took the Azenis for autoX today in the rain and they weren't all that bad; just like 32Rs, they're grippy in the wet until you hit standing water

 

ok what is the best tires out there for use in racing only regardless what the price is. i know to look for R compound but want to know for experiance. looking for a good set of tires for drag. price is not an issue right now.

 

for dragracing. Drag Radials or MT Drag slicks?

 

You'll want to ignore R compound competition tires for drag racing because they have very stiff sidewalls that reduce flex and enable fast steering response when entering corners on a road course or autocross track. You don't need or want fast steering response on the drag strip; you want soft sidewalls that flex under acceleration off the line, thus allowing for a greater contact patch as the tire deforms under launch stresses. Plus, the soft sidewall will enable the tire to deform again as the wheel speeds increase, effectively making the tire narrower the faster you go as the centrifugal forces pull the tire around it's diameter. This has the effect of decreasing the rolling resistance as the contact area narrows. The drag radials or drag slicks you can buy have a very sticky tread compound that'll be like those of R compound competition tires. Check out tirerack.com, and browse under tire brands. You'll find a few companies make a dedicated drag racing tire. If you're interested in drag racing, this is what you want.