Hey guys,

Looking at a dual duty street/track tire for this season, and have narrowed it down to a few choices. Rim size is a 16x7, and the car is an EP3 HFP (w/HFP suspension).

I'm hovering in-between the Kumho Ecsta XS 215/45/16, and the Hankook R-S3 225/50/16.

Few concerns with the Kumho. I've read in more than a few places that the XS is a menace in wet conditions. I'm generally ok with that, but if some of you remember what the old Falken RT215/615's used to be like in the rain, that would be about my threshold for "acceptable" wet weather performance. Can someone please advise/share some experience with the XS?

On the other hand, I do have a few concerns with the Hankook as well. 225/50/16 seems like a LOT of rubber. I've done the math, and the overall diameter is about 2.25% too slow for my optimal gearing. The Kumho in a 215/45 is about 0.5% too fast. With the extra weight of a 225/50, plus the slightly larger OD, am I putting myself at a disadvantage?

Regardless, if anyone can comment about the XS, it would be appreciated. I've just come off two sets of Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs and I'm just not feeling them anymore. Plus, the road noise and drone note I get from the star spec is unacceptable to me. Noisiest tire ever.

Thanks.

 

I have run the XS in the rain at New Jersey Motorsports Park (size 205/50/15) I found them to work quite well. They did not really have any bad attributes for a tire in that class. I have also run the Z1 SS, 615's and the RE-01R's. The XS never got greasy on me, can't say that about the Azenis... I would buy them again, but am also interested in the RS3, due to the good things I have been hearing about them, but they will wear faster.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Tread life isn't necessarily a huge factor for me (generally go through a set of tires every summer), but I suppose more is always better. As stated, the only issue I'm having with the Hankook R-S3 is the size. 225/50/16 is a huge tire. I'd probably lean more towards it if it came in a smaller size like the XS.

Totally agree with the Azenis. That tire was fantastic about 7-8 years ago. I think we all know better now. Hope the "K" variant is better.

Thanks for the insight about the XS in the wet. I'm generally not on the circuit during the rain, but I do commute with my car 365 days a year. Safety HAS to play at some point. The Azenis would hydroplane and become very unpredictable in standing water ... I suppose I just wanted to know if the XS was any worse. The Z1 SS was fine in the wet, but the sidewalls were made of cement, and the noise was brutal. The car is a daily driver first, and a lapping car second ... maybe I wouldn't care back when I was in my twenties, but I certainly do now!

 

I drove at the Mid Ohio track with XS's in the rain and they performed very well.
All the instructors said that the tire performs better than anything they have used in the rain.

 

The XS sidewalls are softer then the Dunlops for sure. Not offensively so however.

 

I've run both XS and RS3 and the XS is better in cold and wet. RS3's are pretty terrible in the 50 degrees and under range.

 

Thanks again for the replies.

I'm going to go ahead and grab a set of Kumho XS.

 

Just take it easy the first few times you're in wet conditions to get a feel for how the tire will do.