Sorry if this has been beaten to death but I'm just about to pull the trigger on another set of track tires and am trying to avoid making a bad choice. My choice of tire has to be a tire than can be driven to a track up to a couple of hundred miles since I don't trailer the car or want to carry the extra set with me.

I've got a spare set of OEM wheels with PS2's on them that have done reasonably well the past 2 seasons of track days but they are getting close to the point of replacement.

These good and bad news on this tire:
Good news
-long wear
-quiet
-great in rain
-good dry traction
-takes the heat well

Bad news
-expensive
-soft sidewalls

I 've almost decided on the Falken 615 as a replacement but am concerned about the traction when they get hot. I don't auto-x much so the issue is how they take a 20-25 minute track session.

Also, I've read on other boards where there is an outfit selling barely used Toyo RA-1's at a heavily discounted price; anyone heard of this?
Thanks
Mike

 

Are you looking for a street tire or a race tire first of all? If it's for a second set of wheels and for mostly track purposes but still need to be driven to the venue I would reccomend the Toyo RA-1. I have driven my set out to an event 180 miles round trip several times with no issues. If you get them full tread you can even drive them in rain. Another choice in this segment is the V700 Victoracer. A word of warning though, after a track session R comps will be noisy on the drive home.

There are a few race teams that use the RA1 and sell their scrubs for a reasonable price, just look around

If you want a fast street tire go for the Bridgestone RE-01R, Advan Neova or if you're on a budget Falken RT615.

 

Yes, I 'm mainly looking for a street tire just because I need to drive to the events on these tires.

The PS2's succeed in that but they are an expensive tire--with faults --to go tearing up at a track. I've heard good things about the RA-1; do you have any names of these sites for the used RA-1's?

Again, I like what I've heard about the 615 except they go away when they get hot and they get hot quick.

 

Just curious - why don't you want to carry an extra set with you? One of the great attributes of the RX-8 is that you can fit an entire set of wheels & tires in the back seat, and still have plenty of room left over for gear. Last season my co-driver and I drove up to Nationals (1000 mile round trip) in his RX-8, with a full set of wheels and tires in the back seat, plus all of our tools, gear, luggage for a week, and a big-*** cooler full of beer.

Personally, I'd rather deal with the minor hassle of putting race tires in the back seat instead of worrying about prematurely heat-cycling out my race tires on the street, trying to drive home in the rain on overly worn race tires, or getting stranded at the track when I cord a tire at an event.

Nothing says suck more than driving 200 miles home in the rain on flat-spotted, zero-tread depth tires. Do it once and you'll never have a desire to do it again.

More importantly, both your street tires and your race tires will last longer if you're not asking either set to pull double duty.

 

I understand what you are saying. I bought some RT615s specifically to do the same thing. I got about 14 weekends out of them plus the miles of driving to the track (some tracks as much as 5 hours away). The last 2 weekends, I toted them in the back seat since they were pretty treadless and there was a rain threat.
I don't think they overheat easily unless you over drive them (which some people do). If you drive properly instead of plow into a corner carrying too much entry speed, you will feel them start to get greasy. I don't recall having any problems at any of my weekends and I don't ***** foot my car around a track. (Some of my fellow track hos can attest to that). The RT615s didn't chunk even on cheese grater like track surfaces even at full tread. Initial wear was pretty rapid but then slowed down significantly as the tread blocks got shorter. I could have probably gotten in 2 more weekends out of the tires but I went back to R compounds.
Compared to R compounds, I feel like the RT615s understeer on corner entry until they start to grip. Time differences are around 2 seconds slower on a 2 mile track compared to Toyo RA1s.
I would enthusiastically recommend the RT615s as a durable, fun, and easy to drive tire for track use if you are not after the ultimate lap. Being able to put the wheels on the car at home, drive to the track, then go back home and change back if you have the time is very convenient. If you don't get to changing back, you can run them until you do have a chance.

 

You don't need an everyday street tire for this purpose, Toyo just came out with the new R888 made just for what you want, superior to the RA-1

http://www.toyo.com/docs/tires/tires...category=sport

but if you can get RA-1s in good shape for a good price that would make the most sense

also, I know of several sets of rear Konis that blew out from driving them on the bumpstops from loading the car up with excess weight, you've been warned ...

 

I agree the only reason i drive mine to events is that our surface is very abrasive and more likely to cord tires before they heat cycle out plus i bought them dirty cheap so i dont care.

You should still decide if you want one set of wheels with a good street tire or if you truly want to race on r comps. Also if you decide to bring an extra set with race tires get youself a good low profile aluminum jack and strong drill, it makes life much easier

There are often cheap used 17" ra1s on the evo board

 

new R888 :o???????

IC ... that is the first time I see American lacks behind. R888 has been here for years.

Good to see you have them. They are the class of road legal R spec tyres you can get. Forget Falken 615 and RA-1. They are nowhere near the R888.

RE55S Bridgestone and A048 Yokohama is in the same category.

 

yeah, many of these tires are available in Japan long before they come to the US market; Advan Neova, RE-01R, R888, etc.

 

Right.... Do you have the Kumho V710 or Hoosier A6? If not you have no clue as to what a fast DOT R tire is.

 

the subject matter does not include V710 or A6 consideration, they are not in the same category both in performance or in streetability

 

I would say that KDW's are pretty BAD at what I bought them for, which was daily driveable tires that see both track weekends and autocrosses. I've got dime-sized abscesses all over my tires from pebbles hit at speed.

They worked well in the rain on track, surprisingly (that's what the W is for, I suppose), and are even better in the dry. They're much better in every respect but treadwear than my old Kumho Ecsta's.

 

He said "They are the class of road legal R spec tyres you can get", I do not agree. I drive on my V710s.

 

+1, drive on V710's...about 400 street miles on this set, plus 50 some odd autocross runs...of course, it never rains in California, as the song says...

 

sorry, I refuse to argue with idiots

 

I don't drive on my Victoracers (they're on a set of track wheels, and to preempt, yes they're different than V710s, but they're certainly comparable) in the Porsche because of all the glass, shells, small animals, teeth, and illegals that they would pick up and hold on to if driven around the Houston streets...is that what you're arguing?

You could drive on them, though, and since he didn't say anything about them being daily driven:
...even if he means to say that.

Edit:
It really bothers me...quoting a post of someone "refusing to argue with idiots..." Haha.

 

OK, taking up the discussion on the part of "idiots"...let me qualify my statement. I drive on the V710's just back and forth to local events and, for that use, they cause no issues. I am not suggesting they are realistic true, everyday street tires.

On the other hand, I put many, many miles on Victoracers back when I was running my Mustang in Shelby club track events. I never thought twice about driving up to Thunderhill (about 130 miles or so), running all weekend and then driving home on the Victoracer. Yes, they would kick gravel up, but I never found them vulnerable to puncture and they worked great whenever I got caught in the rain...and, back then, they were about $135 or so a piece (275/40-17). They might not have been that sticky, bu looking back, those tires ROCKED

But, I agree, if I only had one set of wheels/tires, I'd go with the RA-1 or the R888.

 

V710 and Hoosier is available here but they are not legal in Australia.

I will talk my language. Yokohama A048, Dunlop D02J, and Toyo R888 are S tyres (in Japanese term)

Sorry that I get into your ego....

(......)

 

you can drive Indycar slicks on the street and say they cause no problems, assuming it never rains, then you're in serious trouble if you have hundreds of miles to go and can't even maintain the minimum interstate speed without hydroplaning off the road

I put 20,000 (easy) street miles on a set of V700 Kumhos and they still had over 50% tread life left, but those or Victoracers can't compare with V710s or A6s which are essentially slicks with two circumferential grooves

and please note the smilie on my idiots comment, it was a joke

 

Kumho SPT's may be what your looking for.

 

I've sent an email to an outfit in WI that sells used track tires (in good condition) with regards to the RA-1. I t will probably come down the the Toyo or the 615.

BTW, we've go the SPT's are street tires, which are fine for the street, but I don't think they hold up well on the track. As a comparison, our old MX's chunked like crazy on a hot day at the track; great tire for auto-x but I'm not sure even shaving them would help for a 20 minute track session.

 

Really, I've never heard of MX's chunking.

 

These tires have proven to be the best options, as far as I've seen and experienced. I've driven on them both and they're both exceptional.

Inexpensive: Hankook RS-2

More expensive: Bridgestone RE-01R

I DO NOT like Falken RT-615's on the track at all.

 

Your comment is consistent with a well known racer in Japan. Could you elaborate more please?

 

you didn't like the 615? Any specifics you can supply would be great.