Help me pick out a good high performance summer/allseason street/strip tire
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Queens, NYC, US
Help me pick out a good high performance summer/allseason street/strip tire
Okay here is the deal, I'm looking for a good tire, Im leaning more towards summer than all season, my use is mostly for the best tire to hook on the street, but Im not looking for BFG drag radials, Im more so looking for a tire that is a competitor of the Falken Azenis, although I keep hearing that Azenis stiff side wall kind of hurts drag racing performance. I need some tires soon, the car is a stock H2B bluetop h23a vtec with a b16a tranny so you know I need some traction. The tires I get will be everyday tires. What do ya'll think about the tires below and also please leave other experienced suggestions
I kinda like these but only see em in 195 55 15 do you guys think the 10mm difference from 195 to 205 would hurt traction if the tire is already good to begin with
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....t+Z1+Star+Spec
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.performanceplustire.com/p...-15#prodAnchor
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda...t/61-0259.html
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....rtnum=05WR5EXS
I kinda like these but only see em in 195 55 15 do you guys think the 10mm difference from 195 to 205 would hurt traction if the tire is already good to begin with
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....t+Z1+Star+Spec
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.performanceplustire.com/p...-15#prodAnchor
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=false&cs=205
http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda...t/61-0259.html
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....rtnum=05WR5EXS
Last edited by CRAZY-EG9; Oct 14, 2009 at 01:31 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: NORCAL
Re: Help me pick out a good high performance summer/allseason street/strip tire
the difference in the width will not effect the traction at all, what is most important is the compound that the tire is made from. Personally i would get the Dunlop Z1 star spec, as that is what i have right now. they are great tires and have great traction. from what i hear they have the best traction in their class. the only down side is that they wear really fast, they will probably last from 15k to 20k miles. i've had mine for about for about 20k and need some new ones bad.
H-T Order of Merit
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 23,478
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
Re: Help me pick out a good high performance summer/allseason street/strip tire
First of all, the size you need for your '94 Civic is 195/50-15. It's the same treadwidth as 195/55-15 but with a lower profile and a shorter sidewall height. It will give you the same performance as 195/55 or 205/50, but it will maintain the accuracy of your speedometer and odometer, and it won't degrade your acceleration like the oversized tires will.
I'm not sure what you want from your tires. No tire can do everything. If you want a tire that's very sticky, it won't last all that long and it won't do squat in snow, which means it's not very good for daily driving. If you want a tire that lasts longer, and especially if you want a tire that will be okay in snow, you'll be giving up a lot of performance. What do you want to do?
If you want the stickiest street tires you can get - similar to the Azenis, only stickier - then get the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, which is available in 195/50-15. Another good choice is the Toyo Proxes R1R. Both of these are extremely sticky. Downsides include high price (both around $115), relatively short treadlife (maybe 15K miles or so), and won't grip at all on snow. These are comparable to the really sticky tires you mentioned (Kumho Ecsta XS, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08) that are not available in the 195/50-15 size you need.
If you want a somewhat longer lasting (20-40K miles) and less expensive ($60-65) tire, and you're willing to give up some grip in exchange, consider the Yokohama S.drive and Fuzion ZRi. Good for daily driving, good price, and somewhat sticky, but not suitable for use in snow. Both offer better performance, at a similar price, than the other summer tires you mentioned (BFG g-Force Sport, Dunlop Direzza DZ101, Hankook HR-II H405).
If you must use these tires in snow during the winter, you will need to get an all-season tire and give up a whole lot more traction in moderate to warm temperatures the rest of the year. They will last even longer (30-60K miles) and cost $50-55. The best all-season choices in 195/50-15 include the Goodyear Eagle GT-HR, Falken Ziex ZE-912, and Kumho Ecsta AST. The Nitto Neogen all-season you mentioned is not available in 195/50-15.
Unless you are going to use these tires ONLY on the racetrack, you don't want to get the R compound track tires you mentioned (Nitto NT-01, Toyo R888), for a whole lot of reasons: they aren't available in 195/50-15, they don't last very long (maybe 5K miles), they won't perform all that well on the street because they need the warmup of hard cornering on the racetrack to reach the hot temperatures at which they are effective, and they're really expensive ($130+ per tire).
If you don't want to make this compromise between performance and treadlife and winter use, you may want to consider getting an extra set of wheels and using two sets of tires - one very sticky set for use at the dragstrip and nice weather drives, and one longer-lasting all-season set for daily driving and winter use. Or, you could use the very sticky set nine months a year, and get a set of winter tires for that time of year. That way you can use different tires for different uses, using the ones most suitable for each particular use.
I'm not sure what you want from your tires. No tire can do everything. If you want a tire that's very sticky, it won't last all that long and it won't do squat in snow, which means it's not very good for daily driving. If you want a tire that lasts longer, and especially if you want a tire that will be okay in snow, you'll be giving up a lot of performance. What do you want to do?
If you want the stickiest street tires you can get - similar to the Azenis, only stickier - then get the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, which is available in 195/50-15. Another good choice is the Toyo Proxes R1R. Both of these are extremely sticky. Downsides include high price (both around $115), relatively short treadlife (maybe 15K miles or so), and won't grip at all on snow. These are comparable to the really sticky tires you mentioned (Kumho Ecsta XS, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08) that are not available in the 195/50-15 size you need.
If you want a somewhat longer lasting (20-40K miles) and less expensive ($60-65) tire, and you're willing to give up some grip in exchange, consider the Yokohama S.drive and Fuzion ZRi. Good for daily driving, good price, and somewhat sticky, but not suitable for use in snow. Both offer better performance, at a similar price, than the other summer tires you mentioned (BFG g-Force Sport, Dunlop Direzza DZ101, Hankook HR-II H405).
If you must use these tires in snow during the winter, you will need to get an all-season tire and give up a whole lot more traction in moderate to warm temperatures the rest of the year. They will last even longer (30-60K miles) and cost $50-55. The best all-season choices in 195/50-15 include the Goodyear Eagle GT-HR, Falken Ziex ZE-912, and Kumho Ecsta AST. The Nitto Neogen all-season you mentioned is not available in 195/50-15.
Unless you are going to use these tires ONLY on the racetrack, you don't want to get the R compound track tires you mentioned (Nitto NT-01, Toyo R888), for a whole lot of reasons: they aren't available in 195/50-15, they don't last very long (maybe 5K miles), they won't perform all that well on the street because they need the warmup of hard cornering on the racetrack to reach the hot temperatures at which they are effective, and they're really expensive ($130+ per tire).
If you don't want to make this compromise between performance and treadlife and winter use, you may want to consider getting an extra set of wheels and using two sets of tires - one very sticky set for use at the dragstrip and nice weather drives, and one longer-lasting all-season set for daily driving and winter use. Or, you could use the very sticky set nine months a year, and get a set of winter tires for that time of year. That way you can use different tires for different uses, using the ones most suitable for each particular use.
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Queens, NYC, US
Re: Help me pick out a good high performance summer/allseason street/strip tire
First of all, the size you need for your '94 Civic is 195/50-15. It's the same treadwidth as 195/55-15 but with a lower profile and a shorter sidewall height. It will give you the same performance as 195/55 or 205/50, but it will maintain the accuracy of your speedometer and odometer, and it won't degrade your acceleration like the oversized tires will.
I'm not sure what you want from your tires. No tire can do everything. If you want a tire that's very sticky, it won't last all that long and it won't do squat in snow, which means it's not very good for daily driving. If you want a tire that lasts longer, and especially if you want a tire that will be okay in snow, you'll be giving up a lot of performance. What do you want to do?
If you want the stickiest street tires you can get - similar to the Azenis, only stickier - then get the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, which is available in 195/50-15. Another good choice is the Toyo Proxes R1R. Both of these are extremely sticky. Downsides include high price (both around $115), relatively short treadlife (maybe 15K miles or so), and won't grip at all on snow. These are comparable to the really sticky tires you mentioned (Kumho Ecsta XS, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08) that are not available in the 195/50-15 size you need.
If you want a somewhat longer lasting (20-40K miles) and less expensive ($60-65) tire, and you're willing to give up some grip in exchange, consider the Yokohama S.drive and Fuzion ZRi. Good for daily driving, good price, and somewhat sticky, but not suitable for use in snow. Both offer better performance, at a similar price, than the other summer tires you mentioned (BFG g-Force Sport, Dunlop Direzza DZ101, Hankook HR-II H405).
If you must use these tires in snow during the winter, you will need to get an all-season tire and give up a whole lot more traction in moderate to warm temperatures the rest of the year. They will last even longer (30-60K miles) and cost $50-55. The best all-season choices in 195/50-15 include the Goodyear Eagle GT-HR, Falken Ziex ZE-912, and Kumho Ecsta AST. The Nitto Neogen all-season you mentioned is not available in 195/50-15.
Unless you are going to use these tires ONLY on the racetrack, you don't want to get the R compound track tires you mentioned (Nitto NT-01, Toyo R888), for a whole lot of reasons: they aren't available in 195/50-15, they don't last very long (maybe 5K miles), they won't perform all that well on the street because they need the warmup of hard cornering on the racetrack to reach the hot temperatures at which they are effective, and they're really expensive ($130+ per tire).
If you don't want to make this compromise between performance and treadlife and winter use, you may want to consider getting an extra set of wheels and using two sets of tires - one very sticky set for use at the dragstrip and nice weather drives, and one longer-lasting all-season set for daily driving and winter use. Or, you could use the very sticky set nine months a year, and get a set of winter tires for that time of year. That way you can use different tires for different uses, using the ones most suitable for each particular use.
I'm not sure what you want from your tires. No tire can do everything. If you want a tire that's very sticky, it won't last all that long and it won't do squat in snow, which means it's not very good for daily driving. If you want a tire that lasts longer, and especially if you want a tire that will be okay in snow, you'll be giving up a lot of performance. What do you want to do?
If you want the stickiest street tires you can get - similar to the Azenis, only stickier - then get the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, which is available in 195/50-15. Another good choice is the Toyo Proxes R1R. Both of these are extremely sticky. Downsides include high price (both around $115), relatively short treadlife (maybe 15K miles or so), and won't grip at all on snow. These are comparable to the really sticky tires you mentioned (Kumho Ecsta XS, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08) that are not available in the 195/50-15 size you need.
If you want a somewhat longer lasting (20-40K miles) and less expensive ($60-65) tire, and you're willing to give up some grip in exchange, consider the Yokohama S.drive and Fuzion ZRi. Good for daily driving, good price, and somewhat sticky, but not suitable for use in snow. Both offer better performance, at a similar price, than the other summer tires you mentioned (BFG g-Force Sport, Dunlop Direzza DZ101, Hankook HR-II H405).
If you must use these tires in snow during the winter, you will need to get an all-season tire and give up a whole lot more traction in moderate to warm temperatures the rest of the year. They will last even longer (30-60K miles) and cost $50-55. The best all-season choices in 195/50-15 include the Goodyear Eagle GT-HR, Falken Ziex ZE-912, and Kumho Ecsta AST. The Nitto Neogen all-season you mentioned is not available in 195/50-15.
Unless you are going to use these tires ONLY on the racetrack, you don't want to get the R compound track tires you mentioned (Nitto NT-01, Toyo R888), for a whole lot of reasons: they aren't available in 195/50-15, they don't last very long (maybe 5K miles), they won't perform all that well on the street because they need the warmup of hard cornering on the racetrack to reach the hot temperatures at which they are effective, and they're really expensive ($130+ per tire).
If you don't want to make this compromise between performance and treadlife and winter use, you may want to consider getting an extra set of wheels and using two sets of tires - one very sticky set for use at the dragstrip and nice weather drives, and one longer-lasting all-season set for daily driving and winter use. Or, you could use the very sticky set nine months a year, and get a set of winter tires for that time of year. That way you can use different tires for different uses, using the ones most suitable for each particular use.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tygsr
Road Racing / Autocross & Time Attack
12
Jul 17, 2002 05:59 AM
