Circuit Semi Slicks

[34GeeTeeTee]

They may have tread for 300 laps, but doesn't mean they will have grip for that long.

If your planning more sprints and hill climbs, the softs would still be the go I guess.

I mean they last that long But apparently had grip all the way to the canvas... In saying that it is probably bias info

[evil_weevil]

I've had my medium V70's since June 2012 and did....

rest of 2012 - 4 race meets (some meets had either 4 sessions (1 X qual and 3 x race) or 8 if I double entered (giggle)

2013 5 race meets and 2 of them I had doubkle entered again (MX5 and superTT)

this year1 hill climb and sprint

so they lasted very well!!!

they also had about 300kms of road use give or take.

[34GeeTeeTee]

I've had my medium V70's since June 2012 and did....

rest of 2012 - 4 race meets (some meets had either 4 sessions (1 X qual and 3 x race) or 8 if I double entered (giggle)

2013 5 race meets and 2 of them I had doubkle entered again (MX5 and superTT)

this year1 hill climb and sprint

so they lasted very well!!!

they also had about 300kms of road use give or take.

Wow nice effort! So they are certainly worth the money

[evil_weevil]

the mediums were...!

[Duncan]

I've run both the mediums and hard V70a on the GTR and was happy with them. Just bought another set of mediums the other day for hillclimbs

I found the mediums were destroyed on a 20 lap race on a hot day though, the hards were fine for sessions up to an hour without undue wear. And they grip very well long after the visible tread is gone (it is designed to wear off early in the tyre's life, the wear indicators are on the 2 main grooves).

I have no experience with their softs; but I would have gone them for hillclimbs if I could of got them...you can't have too soft for a hillclimb

Also one thing to keep in mind with these, on the GTR and GTSt at least, they work best at 44psi hot. I tried them at both 42 and 46 and they were slower.

[MrStabby]

Yeah sorry I don't believe that every racing team in the world was wrong. Hectic drifters want stretch because 1) narrow tyres are cheaper and 2)it is a fashion and that is about the only people who do it.

I'll stick with the widest tyre I can fit on a given rim size except for 2 cases:

Assuming I understand what i've read - I think your focussing on the wrong bit. Yes, the widest tyre that will fit within the wheel well and past the suspension components is the best, however, you should put that tyre on the widest rim that is approved for that size tyre.

FWIW, here's pics of 265s on 10.5 inch rims, for those concerned with aesthetics;

[niZmO_Man]

Fat, I like it.

[hrd-hr30]

I'll second that. I gained almost time and a whole bunch of "feel" changing from 9" to 10" wheels with 255 semis (which measured 270) on my old 180SX. They were pretty bulgy on the 9s and gave no feedback near the limit - very snappy. On 10s they were slightly stretched, heaps more progressive on the limit and faster at both QR and Lakeside.

[34GeeTeeTee]

I'll second that. I gained almost time and a whole bunch of "feel" changing from 9" to 10" wheels with 255 semis (which measured 270) on my old 180SX. They were pretty bulgy on the 9s and gave no feedback near the limit - very snappy. On 10s they were slightly stretched, heaps more progressive on the limit and faster at both QR and Lakeside.

Interesting feedback! I run 265 on a 9" which measures about 280 and they felt OK, in saying that i have nothing to compare against so if i find some wider rims ill see if i can notice a difference.

[djr81]

Probably been done to death but after a tyre on which I can drive 400 kms, do a hill climb and sprint then drive 400 kms home on. Seeing as the events are in Albany in the middle of winter there is a distinct chance it will be cold/raining. Not after the last word in competitive R comps (have some A050's for proper stuff) but was wondering if there was a decent S tyre tyre or similar that I could use for this trip and as a roadie thereafter.

Falken RT615.

Kumho KU36.

Yokie AD08R.

Other suggestions?

[Hadouken]

595 rsr

Nitto nt05

I think those are your options

[Roy]

If A050 re the baseline over a 90 second lap how much are you givcing away running AD08R and then the likes of 595RSR and KU36, Achilles 123?

[XKLABA]

Scrap the Faulkens, I have them, they are crap, the K version is suppose to be better but have heard any proof yet

The Kumhos are good as an alrounder, no complaints from me about them, except the AD08s are way better and worth every cent they cost

The yokie AD08s I currently have on my 32 are by far the best road tyre I have ever driven on

The hankook RS-3s I currently have on my 34 are a really really good tyre, slightly better the KU36, but just not quiet as good as the AD08s

I am keen as mustard to try the Achilles 123s next as I believe they are going to be a really good tyre and for the price they are impossible to beat value for money

[SimonR32]

If A050 re the baseline over a 90 second lap how much are you givcing away running AD08R and then the likes of 595RSR and KU36, Achilles 123?

Myself on a 60 odd second lap give 2 seconds away going from A050 medium to 123s

[Roy]

Yikes...2 seconds. So at a place like Phillip Island the 123s will be likely 4 seconds slower given the high speed corners and length of the track. Bugger. Seems AD08Rs are the go then

[hrd-hr30]

my take on these street-track crossover tyres is that anything that costs as much as cheaper semis is pointless - buy the semis! So for me that rules out AD08, RS3 and R1R. If you really have to have the fastest tyre over 120 UTQG reagardless, WTAC pre-control tyres pretty much proved its the RS3. And they should be cheaper than AD08 too.

Otherwise that basically leaves the choices down to KU36, RSR and 123S if you're looking for something cheaper than semis that will do an OK job on the track and road..

RSR are the fastest of the rest but wear out so quickly that buying semis works out to be better value.

KU36 - I've had these on a Supra and Legnum. They do respectable times and can cop an absolute flogging. They were quiet on the Supra but noisey on the Legnum. They were good in the wet imo, but many disagree with that. 180 treadwear. These lasted as long as normal road tyres on my Supra and did heaps of track days locally and interstate. I wouldn't hesitate to buy these again.

123S - all i really know is the Excel racers do pretty respectable times on them. 200 treadwear and very deep tread - might be a bit squirmy at first but they should last pretty well. Sidewalls seem nice and stiff too. I just put a set of these on my Datto yesterday. The main reasons I chose these over KU36 was that he had them in stock and gave me a pretty sharp price on them.

Edited December 27, 2014 by hrd-hr30

[djr81]

Well the A050's are $520 each and the KU36 were out on special from Tempe tyres at $250 each. I was going to buy them but I noticed that their special of free shipping didn't include anyone who lived outside a capital city. So I ditched that and will probably get them from the local shop as by the time you add freight and fitting there is nothing in the price.

Either that or some AD08R's if I can find them on special at some point as they are $400 each.

Just needing a road tyre than can do an occasional hillclimb. Basically they are for driving to the track more so than on it. 600km worth of travel to/from the track and four degrees neg camber don't make for a long lasting tyre.

Edited December 29, 2014 by djr81

[hrd-hr30]

Personally, I reckon if you're after a tyre that's more for driving to the track than on it, you'd be better off running less camber too, so the car matches that ethos as well. You won't need 4degree camber on a crossover tyre, it will be better on the track and road with less camber.

Hankook RS3 are cheaper and faster than AD08Rs. But if you're looking for a tyre more for the drive to the track than on it, KU36 or 123S will be the ones that last better on the road and cost way less than AD08R. You can even get R888 or NT01 semis cheaper than AD08R, and they won't last much less on the road than AD08R.

[Roy]

One thing to consider is that there are people claiming to have done 12 track days and 5,000km on the street on AD08Rs. Certainly not possible to get that sort of economy out of A050s

[XKLABA]

I currently have both AD08s and RS-3s and no way is the RS-3 better then the AD08, and I will be replacing the RS-3s with AD08s when the time comes, value for money is a different story