I'm considering some new street tires for my new 2000 Civic Si.

For usage/goals, they will see:
-Frequent autocross duty in ST class on the local level.
-A little bit of daily driving now and then, mostly to and from events on weekends.
-A few open track days and SCCA time trials events.

Will be running them on 15x7.5 Slipstreams (once I wear out an old set of 225/45-15 Hoosier R6's). Will have about 2' negative camber in the front, and 1.5' in the rear. I think the EM1 will be about 2450-2500lbs in race trim w/o driver.

I'm very interested in the Hankook RS3; I liked the RS2 a lot on the track because it took heat well. That and the Toyo come in 225/45-15 as well, which is a plus. I'm afraid the R1R might overheat for track use, but it seems to be a great autox and rain tire. Ad08 is only available in 205/50-15 but should be a good tire as well.

any input? thx

 

the AD08 is expensive usually and doesnt come in the size you were looking for. The R1R's tend to heat cycle out quickly, but do better on lighter cars like early .gen civics, miata, lotus etc. the RS3 should be faster then the R1R, and should be cheaper too, but im unaware of their heat cycle/ware characteristics

 

Given the heavier car, I'd go straight to the RS3. Awesome on the track and autox course, even at full -tread. Takes heat very well for hard road course sessions, but still works well at a variety of temps for autox. Just don't drive them very fast in a rain storm.

I would not suggest running the R1R for track sessions, unless you shave them a bunch. Even then, the heavy car will overheat them quickly.

AD08 is a great all-purpose tire and will also do well. Just not as good for your application. Better in the rain, though.

--Andy

 

^yeah the weight of my car did not go well with the R1R on road courses, and my car weighs about the same as the original poster's

 

Thanks for the input!

I was already leaning towards the 225/45-15 RS3's until I read they suck in the rain. Still, that's probably my best choice and at least rain is not usually a problem in Colorado.
I'll probably go with those, and would run them full-tread.

 

i had the RS2's on my ITR for awhile and liked them alot. i would imagine the Rs3's are just as good if not better.

i'm on the Potenza RE-11's right now and like them alot too.

 

It's great to hear positive feedback on the RS-3's. At the price point, they are really attractive.

 

What about the Kumho XS? They should be the cheapest tire out of the ones you listed but still in the same category.

 

the XS only comes in 205/50/15 like the AD08, and is from what i here not so good in the wet

 

XS is way worse in the wet. RS3 is not great in the wet, but not as bad as the XS. That said, in the dry, the XS is a fabulous value especially for track day use. They like and tolerate heat so they work well for hard 20-30 minute sessions, they have phenomenal lateral grip, and they last a long time.

--Andy

 

Would you say the XS is bad in wet because of the tread design or the compound of the tire?

 

Don't know, don't care, doesn't matter.

--Andy

 

How come you aren't considering the Star specs or RE-11's? Just curious since I drive an EM1 as well and I'm looking for rubbers to replace the re-01r's.

 

Because the StarSpecs are only available in 195/55-15,
and I know how the RE11's perform and they are only in 205/50-15. <Same thing with XS'

 

I'd be more concerned with the actuall meassured width of a the given tire then I would be with the size on the side wall..

Like the 205 hoosier R6 is wider then a 225 toyo Ra1

You should be able to find the specs of the actual width.

 

Yes, I've already done that.
The 225/45-15 street tires are all wider than 205/50-15 street tires, but not by much.

and no matter what the actual tread widths and section widths are, 225 IS cooler than 205

 

and a 195 R1R IS faster than its own 225 size in regards to 15" in ST civics.

Tires require testing and your own personal preference. Don't let the size get you down. Bigger isn't always better.

I like a tire that is great right off the bat, thus removing that wasted first runs. The Bridgestone RE-11 and Toyo R1R work great in that aspect, in the cold as well. The other tires i've tested required heat to work well and first runs were a wash once again. I am currently running a 225/45 hankook all around. I am getting another set Bstone or Toyo as well for an upcoming Tour.