RE11A vs Pilot Super Sport vs. Rival
08-08-2013, 12:07 PM
#1
RE11A vs Pilot Super Sport vs. Rival
Ok, although in the past I've run lots of auto-x, I haven't run one in a decade. I do have a super late model stock car for racing. The S2000, a 2004 which replaced one of the first 2000 models, is only used for driving with the top down save for the unanticipated storm. I didn't get a 2009 figuring it was a 10 year old design, there would be newer and better cars, etc. Here it is nearly 2014 and no better cars.
Need to replace the original RE050s. I was thinking about the Michelin Pilot Super Sports, but this year has the new RE11A and the BFG Rivals, both well reviewed. But few back to back with the PSS.
Compared to the RE11, everyone says the RE11A is a big improvement. One Tire Rack reviewer, with 2011 GTI said:
My car will get cold in the winter, so the ability to survive cold temps is important. But it won't be driven in the cold. It will probably be autocrossed, but around here unless you trailer Hoosiers you aren't really competitive. The difference between both in S2k sizes is insignificantly small.
Tire Rack tests them separately, considering the Michelin a Max Performance and the RE11A an Extreme Performance. Based on the times the Michelin is better in the wet, the RE11A in the try. It is hard to compare the subjective numbers. If they were comparable, they would have similar noise and ride, and the Michelin would feel better subjectively:
Tire Rack - Testing Extreme Performance Summer Tires: The Boys of Summer Are Here http://www.tirerack....ay.jsp?ttid=172
Tire Rack - Testing New Max Performance Summer Tires: Can the Latest Keep Up With the Greatest? http://www.tirerack....ay.jsp?ttid=174
A year ago this would have been easier as the PSS would be a better choice than the Star Spec V1 which would be better than the RE11. Now, it isn't as clear.
Anybody run both the PSS and the RE11A on an S2k?
Need to replace the original RE050s. I was thinking about the Michelin Pilot Super Sports, but this year has the new RE11A and the BFG Rivals, both well reviewed. But few back to back with the PSS.
Compared to the RE11, everyone says the RE11A is a big improvement. One Tire Rack reviewer, with 2011 GTI said:
Got these tires recently to replace my set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport, which were great tires in their own right. However for my car and my application(Daily driver/weekend autoX in stock class) the PSS did not like the stock suspension setup(lack of camber with the front strut) and had pretty quickly worn the shoulder tread of the tires. The Bridgestone were chosen because of it being a newer compound of a highly recommended tires, and is consider a step up from PSS in terms of performance. They are also supposed to be more suitable to daily use in the wet and noise department compare to its competitor from BFG/Dunlop/Hankook/Khumo. Since mounting these I have had 4 autoX thus far and 2200+ miles of city/highway driving in various weather condition in the midwest and they are no worse than Michelin in comfort/noise, slightly more sensitive to wet condition and temperature, but nothing drastic And they are glue on the autoX course. I can honestly say they are much grippier than my Michelins were and they are already pretty good. Time will tell if they can give acceptable wear life. But so far I am very happy with these.
My car will get cold in the winter, so the ability to survive cold temps is important. But it won't be driven in the cold. It will probably be autocrossed, but around here unless you trailer Hoosiers you aren't really competitive. The difference between both in S2k sizes is insignificantly small.
Tire Rack tests them separately, considering the Michelin a Max Performance and the RE11A an Extreme Performance. Based on the times the Michelin is better in the wet, the RE11A in the try. It is hard to compare the subjective numbers. If they were comparable, they would have similar noise and ride, and the Michelin would feel better subjectively:
Tire Rack - Testing Extreme Performance Summer Tires: The Boys of Summer Are Here http://www.tirerack....ay.jsp?ttid=172
Tire Rack - Testing New Max Performance Summer Tires: Can the Latest Keep Up With the Greatest? http://www.tirerack....ay.jsp?ttid=174
A year ago this would have been easier as the PSS would be a better choice than the Star Spec V1 which would be better than the RE11. Now, it isn't as clear.
Anybody run both the PSS and the RE11A on an S2k?
08-08-2013, 01:31 PM
#2
Moderator
Those two really arent comparable tires. What do you want more, performance or street manners? RE11A wins hands down performance wise and gives up a little in road manners to the Michelin. Michelin is probably a better all around tire, but if you autocross your going to want more tire. If your car is just casually used, I say go RE11A.
08-08-2013, 05:50 PM
#3
Those two really arent comparable tires. What do you want more, performance or street manners? RE11A wins hands down performance wise and gives up a little in road manners to the Michelin. Michelin is probably a better all around tire, but if you autocross your going to want more tire. If your car is just casually used, I say go RE11A.
08-09-2013, 06:16 AM
#4
Moderator
^ No the PSS is not even close to the RE11A in performance. You can't compare a 300 tire to a 200 tire performance wise. Not saying PSS isnt a good tire, its just not in the same league or even close to the RE11.
08-09-2013, 07:16 AM
#6
I've had the RE050, PSS, and RE11. I haven't tried the RE11A but it seems to me the biggest change was a huge reduction in price, so I'd be surprised if there was a significant improvement considering the tread pattern is virtually identical and it's just a revision version of the RE11. I currently have two sets of identical 17x7.5 +50 and 17x9 +63 CE28 wheels, one with RE050, one with RE11. I had a set of PSS on the exact same wheels. All tires in OEM sizes, 215/245.
Anyway, here's my take on them.
The RE11 has more grip but it's not a huge leap for street driving. In the old days you could go from a Goodyear Eagle to a Yokohoma A008R and be blown away by how much more grip you got from sticky tires. Now, it's more about the trade-offs because the performance gain is miniscule for the street. The downside to the RE11 is that they're not very good until they warm up, the fronts are wide so they rub a little on my 1" lowered car. The sidewalls feel pretty stiff but not harsh. The steering response feels a little slow and muted, even though the grip is high. Life of the rears should be around 10k miles for street driving. It's a good looking tire, if that matters.
The PSS were not very impressive to me. It's an ok tire that's probably better suited for a BMW sedan. On an S2000 it kind of skates around like a Falken RT-615. The rears look a little too narrow for the spec size, for the stock wheels it should be fine, I'm on 17x9. The ride is decent, the grip is decent. The warranty says 30k miles, but that's just for non-staggered sizes, for the OEM S2000 sizes you don't get a mileage warranty. They just didn't do much for me, and I'm a big Michelin fan.
And now the RE050. Honda and Bridgestone designed these just for the S2000. The rears are wide, the fronts are narrow. Good rear grip, crisp steering response, no fender rubbing. They work good as soon as you fire up the car, no warm up needed. In the corners they break away with consistency so you know what the car is going to do at all times. They're overpriced and not extreme performance, so people bag on them. But after trying almost a dozen different tires on my S I still think they're the best all around street tire if you exclude price, which isn't a big factor for me. I just want the best feeling tire for the car, and that's the RE050 for me.
Anyway, here's my take on them.
The RE11 has more grip but it's not a huge leap for street driving. In the old days you could go from a Goodyear Eagle to a Yokohoma A008R and be blown away by how much more grip you got from sticky tires. Now, it's more about the trade-offs because the performance gain is miniscule for the street. The downside to the RE11 is that they're not very good until they warm up, the fronts are wide so they rub a little on my 1" lowered car. The sidewalls feel pretty stiff but not harsh. The steering response feels a little slow and muted, even though the grip is high. Life of the rears should be around 10k miles for street driving. It's a good looking tire, if that matters.
The PSS were not very impressive to me. It's an ok tire that's probably better suited for a BMW sedan. On an S2000 it kind of skates around like a Falken RT-615. The rears look a little too narrow for the spec size, for the stock wheels it should be fine, I'm on 17x9. The ride is decent, the grip is decent. The warranty says 30k miles, but that's just for non-staggered sizes, for the OEM S2000 sizes you don't get a mileage warranty. They just didn't do much for me, and I'm a big Michelin fan.
And now the RE050. Honda and Bridgestone designed these just for the S2000. The rears are wide, the fronts are narrow. Good rear grip, crisp steering response, no fender rubbing. They work good as soon as you fire up the car, no warm up needed. In the corners they break away with consistency so you know what the car is going to do at all times. They're overpriced and not extreme performance, so people bag on them. But after trying almost a dozen different tires on my S I still think they're the best all around street tire if you exclude price, which isn't a big factor for me. I just want the best feeling tire for the car, and that's the RE050 for me.
08-09-2013, 07:25 AM
#7
Moderator
It is not pointless because tread wear is a criteria that is used to rank tires in their performance categories. The OP is comparing tires in two different categories. Extreme Performance Summer and Max performance summer. In just street driving there is probably not much between the two tires, but on track or on an autocross there is a much bigger gap in the two tires performance.
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08-09-2013, 07:37 AM
#9
Moderator
hehe