Hi Guys. I wanted to ask from your experience so far if you came about to decide on a specific brand that helps you in fast road driving but can also withstand the abuse during a trackday..

I am thinking to go for the R888 but not very sure until this moment so I just wanted to ask for your opinions.

thanks,
Lefteris

 

Lefteris,

I've been very happy with my Kumho XS (Extreme Summer) tires this year. When I don't feel like swapping out my other set of wheels with r-compounds or if there is rain for a track event, these have been great.

 

Gene
I just purchased but not installed the Kumho XS (235 and 315) how do you find the noise levels of the tires ?

Planning to use them for my DD and DE tires

Thank you in advance

 

C2SCanada,

I find they do communicate with you quite a bit (squeel) when driven at the limit, which is good as their break-away characteristics I find quite predictable.

On normal daily driving, I don't really notice anything from a noise perspective (possibly because my car is loud?), but I would say they are definitely quieter than the Toyo R888's that are on my Exige S. I've driven them twice for DE's and have been VERY IMPRESSED by them.

 

Gene,

Thank you very much for your input!

 

R888 are probably the best all around tire including wet, dry etc.


My vote goes in this order:

Best dry performance - MPSC
Best wet performance - R888
Best Value - NT01

All of these are within 0-2 seconds of each other on an average length track. The MPSC are probably 1-1.5 seconds faster than the NT-01 from my experience and the R888 and NT-01 are about the same as they are the same compound but different sidewall stiffness.

Others I have not tried:

Pirelli Corsa
Kumho Victoracer

 

I used to run Corsa and just recently switched to R888. I would say R888 is not great as a street tire - simply cannot get the heat into them. Corsa is great for that purpose.

 

It is the first time i hear somenone found R888 to be good on wet road...
Also i believe wheel allignmnet should be different from MPSC to R888

 

Good is relative. Relative to the other R-comps it is good. NT-01 or terrible, MPSC aren't great. The RA-1 were the best at full tread, but they have been gone and are coming back in limited sizes. The kumho's don't have the best rep in the wet either. So when you compare the tires in the category the R888 stack up pretty well. World Challenge run them full tread in the wet and do pretty well. None of the above work in standing water, so that's out.

However relative to street tires, not so good.

 

+1 for Toyo R888. Much better track tire than PS2 (which is only other I have experiance with). R888 = Excellent dry street tire. Good enough in wet to be safe as long as you take it easy, imo.

 

Kumho XS good DRY street/track tire. Horrible in the wet. If you can get the right sizes, the Yokohama AD08 is a good street/track tire and won't suck in the wet. Their AD08 295/30 18 tread is 11.5" wide, same as the 315 Kumho XS. The AD08diameter may be an issue unless you run the 255/35 18 front. In 19's the Bridgestone RE11 is also a good tire.

Peter

 

XPGT2
Thank you for the info on the AD08.
Have you tried squeezing the 295's on a 12 inch rim ?

D

 

That is the $64,000 question. I have talked to my Yokohama rep and he said it should work. I still a have little life left on my XS and then I will have to make a decision. If I do try them I will post the results.

Peter

 

I like the Bridgestone PS-02As

... not an r-compound, but seems to work very well for me.

 

I'll add Yoko A048's to the list...similar to the R888. Decent in wet.