Ok so I have been lurking around trying to do some research and I still cannot make a decision on a set of tires. Size will be 16" but i am flexable on everything else, what I would like would be a 215-45-16. Chassis is a 97 civic hatch with alot of suspension supporting mods and alot more to come. So tires that have caught me eye...kumho xs, azenis rt-615 k, dunlop star spec, re-11 stones etc etc.

So what I am looking for is a very sticky street tire that has good handling chracteristics. At first I was looking into a set of mickey thompson streets which is very sticky but handling aspect isnt good. So I am looking for a compromise and so far im looking towards the kumho xs. But I would really like you opinions. Also i got quoted $450 for the kumho's installed mounted and balanced with new valve stems what do you guys think about the price. Also I have recently saw the new falken azenis rt-615K and maybe considering those.

 

You can use any of these, as long as your wheels are 16x7:

Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 205/45-16
Toyo Proxes R1R 205/45-16
Kumho Ecsta XS 215/45-16
Falken Azenis RT-615K 215/45-16

If your wheels are 16x8, you can only use the two tires in 215/45-16.

The XS is less expensive than the others, but the big downside of those (as well as the Azenis) is that they're not as good as the others in rain. Dry performance is similar for all four.

 

I wouldn't recommend any tire listed above. Keep in mind that the tires listed have a very short tread life. You may get twice the life from another set of better suited street tire, which means your price just went from $450 to $900. I had Falken RT615's and they lasted maybe 15-20k. I'd expect the same from the XS, RE11. The current tires I've got now are going on 10k with plenty of life left.

Check into Yokohama S Drives. That's what I have now and I'm perfectly happy with them. I wouldn't track them, but auto-x is not a problem. Of course, it handles spirited driving just fine. Good in the wet roads, too. Right now, Yoko is having a $40 off sale. I got mine from Discount Tire for $350 installed.

 

Well, it all depends on what you're looking for. If you want the best traction, the extreme performance tires listed above will give you better traction than the Yokohama S.drive. Maybe you're autocrossing or road racing and looking for every bit of advantage. OTOH if you're willing to sacrifice some traction in exchange for longer treadlife and a lower price. (The tires above will indeed typically last 15-20K miles, whereas the S.drive will last about twice as many miles.) The S.drive is very good and may be perfectly adequate, especially if you're only driving on the street and never pushing it. But if you want to take advantage of better traction and you don't mind the downsides, then get one of the previous group. That's why they make different tires, for folks with different priorities.

 

pnut thanks for your input but tread life isnt an issue i want to get the stickiest tires out there that still handle well. its a weekend/track car and sometimes not even that because the car stays at my parents house about an hour away since i dont have a garage.

nsxtasy the wheels are 16x7.5 i rather run a 215 just to have that little bit more surface on the road. but i can run either one of those tires and in your honest opinion can you list those tires in order first being the best? wet performance really isnt a concern since i really dont drive the car when its raining. i also heard toyo makes a nice tire also.

 

Iv went through 2 sets of Z1's, great tire. Im currently using a Kumho XS staggard setup for autocross, with 215/45/16 front and 205/50/15 rear, they are great tires as well.





Your 7.5" wheels wont have much of a pull. I vote XS, you will love them and they are very reasonably priced.

 

If you don't care about tread life and won't be driving in the rain, I loved my Falken Azenis RT615's (road and autox). Great grip and cheap. And get 215/45/16's, if that's what you want. They are fine on 7" rims. Stock ITR (JDM) rims are 16x7 and it comes stock with 215/45/16.

RT615's are $88 from Vulcantire.com, FYI.

 

Dunlop Z1 star specs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! I loved them to the bitter end!

 

The RT615's are discontinued and replaced by the RT615K's, which are more expensive and not as sticky as the tires in this thread. The K's are 125 each, and at that price R888's and NT01's are just a hair more.

As for the Z1's they are a great tire, just no 215/45, and the 225/50 is effing huge.

 

so you think the r888's or the nto1's are better than the kumho xs?

 

Grip wise yes, but they arent street tires they are dot approved race tires.

 

Thanks for the update. I didn't know that. Seems like the Azenis have been getting watered down more and more. Disappointing.

I've always had good luck with Bridgestone tires (RE010's on my R, RE730/750's). I'll probably end up getting the RE11's for my autox rims. I wish they still made the RE750's in 205/50/15's. They were just about perfect for street/autox. The Yoko S Drives lack just a little in every area, except rain traction.

 

Yeah. The K was better than the original, but just not up to snuff with the competition and is overpriced. Havent driven on the RE11, but im sure its a fantastic tire.

There is also the Toyo R1R in a 225/45/16 at $142 per tire, and is only a hair taller than the XS.

 

Great, then you can use either size, 205/45-16 or 215/45-16.

The tread width has nothing to do with the size of the contact patch (the amount of "surface on the road"); it only affects the shape of the contact patch. As long as the tires are normally inflated, the size of the contact patch is determined by the weight of the car and the pressure in the tires. If you have a 2640-pound car and you inflate the tires to 33 pounds per square inches, the amount of "surface on the road" will equal 2640/33 = 80 square inches, and that number is the same regardless of whether you've got 245-treadwidth steamrollers or 175-treadwidth skinnies.

They're all pretty close, but I'd say RE-11, then XS, then R1R, then RT-615K.

They're not made in 16" sizes for his car.

The old RT-615 has been discontinued. Try one of those other tires because they are all better than the RT-615 and will last a little longer too.

They're not made in 16" sizes for his car.

The R888 and NT01 are R compound track tires and they're really not suitable for street use, for a multitude of reasons - they're very expensive, they won't last very long (maybe 5K miles), and they'll never get hot enough on the street to give the traction they're capable of. Stick with street tires on the street.

No, they're different. If you were going to use these tires ONLY on the racetrack, then you might consider one of those.

The Azenis isn't "getting watered down". What has happened is that other manufacturers have come out with tires that are even stickier than the Azenis.

That will rub. But you can get the R1R in 205/45-16, which will work just fine.

 

So have you done a head-to-head test yourself on this? Or where is this info coming from?

 

I've driven and ridden on them on the racetrack. And almost everyone who has done so has agreed that they are better than the old RT-615 (the new RT-615K is too new to have a lot of opinions but they are supposedly improved in heat management, not performance). If you would like to read additional informed opinions on them, look for posts in the RR/AX forum by Andy Hollis such as in this topic.

The RT-615 was the stickiest street tire you could buy in the U.S. when it first hit the market a few years ago. But since then the other manufacturers have introduced these other models that are even stickier. I'm sure they're all hard at work developing even stickier tires to introduce in the coming years.

 

Azenis are the only one of the bunch in 14" sizes

 

hankook rs2

 

Dunlop Z1 my man.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Z1SS&tab=Sizes

 

Not even close, and the Rs3 is a huge 225/50.. 24.9" tall.

Are you saying that due to it being a 225? Or how tall it is?

The 225/45 R1R is 23.9" and the 215/15 XS is 23.6". Im on a 215 XS and im sure I could fit the R1R with no problems.

I have played with a 225/50 that came in at 24.9" and that rubbed.

 

Lots of guys use 225/50/15's in my autox group with no rubbing issues.

 

We are talking about 16's.

 

Yes, I know, but just pointing out 225's fit without issues. The two sizes are almost exactly the same size anyway.

 

good info guys keep it coming

 

Idk what else to tell you hombre. But if your in the tampa/ft myers area I can let you try on my 215 XS's.