cause imma get some tires for some rsx rims i have but i dont really know anything about tires

 

Here's a start:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Input your stock tire size at the top, then fiddle with the other numbers until you find something close.

They originally came with 205/55-16. That's just a hair too much tire for my '02 EP, which came with 195/60-15 tires -- 205/50-16 is the usual "plus one" equivalent. I have 195/55 winter tires on my set now (got 'em with the Type-S hub swap), and I've also used 215/45 Azenis on them.

Whatever profile you end up with, check the manufacturer's own specs for recommended wheel widths for their tire. As a general rule for 6.5" wheels like those, I'd say to not go any wider than 215 or 225, especially if you're going to beat on them.

 

Falken Azeni's rt615's they are amazing.

 

Falken's Azenis sport tires (even the now-discontinued RT-215's that I have) are a BLAST, but for regular driving, I tell people to not bother with them.

I have several reasons (beware, I think I went into lecture mode.. lol) --

They're really not as good as the rain as many conventional tires. If you get in a situation where you must brake very hard or try to maneuver quickly, they're simply not going to work as well as good summer or all-season tires.

They suck when it gets cold (say, 50 degF and below) -- their rubber compound gets too hard to work right. Probably not an issue where you are in Cali, though.

They're soft, and will wear more quickly than most other tires. Sure, they're priced really well compared to other high performance tires, but you're going to eat up more of these than you will almost anything else.

If you have a flat, and you're far from home and need a replacement from whatever tire shop you can find, you won't find anything like this. You'd have to suck it up, get what you can, then drive safely so that you don't discover how much the car's handling balance has been affected.

<u>LASTLY</u>... and this may seem odd for me to say, but follow me...

They are too grippy to be practical tires for street driving.

I say this because their big advantage over most other tires would not -- or should not -- be exploited on public roads. They really do grip harder and corner faster than any all-season tire and probably every summer tire... which means that, to really enjoy them, you would have to be driving at speeds that are simply too dangerous. There are a lot of idiots out there, and they literally won't see you coming.

SO, because you can't fully exploit their abilities, you're left with a fast-wearing, hard-to-find tire that sucks in the rain.

For what they're designed to do -- specifically autocrossing -- they're fantastic. They can account for cutting whole seconds off of my times. Passengers go "holy ****" before the tires reach their limits. BUT... I can't recommend them with a good conscience for use as daily driving tires.

 

do they have a hard sidewall?

 

Yes, they're purposely made with a stiffer sidewall for better cornering response. They'll do in a pinch as drag tires, but given a choice, you'd want something with a little more compliance for a good launch.

 

p225/50R16 is a wider option with the same overall diameter