I'm afraid to say anything here.

If you are new to the track and haven't been prone to drive recklessly on the street (like sfphinkterMC ), it is highly unlikely that the tires or suspension will be the limiting factor your first several times at least. Looking back at my experience, I feel that learning to drive near/at the limit and learning car control would have been easier on street tires, then graduate to R-compounds. If you have no fear then you can probably learn just as readily on R-compounds.

As for the size tires, I'd highly recommend keeping the Volks for street rims (with 225/45 front and 255/40 rear to keep close to the proper stagger) and use the OEM wheels for the track (205 front 245 rear). If you do get a larger front bar, then you can run 225 F/245 R on the OEM's, or the 235 F/255 R on the Volks. If you choose to use the Volks for the track, then get 225 F/ 255 R (Kumho Victoracers) or 235 F/ 275 R RA1's (though these are likely to rub without aggressive camber).

 

What is your reasoning for using the Volk as street and OEM as track?

From an aesthetics perspective I think the Volk will be better on the street and I was tempted to do this because I almost couldn't stand spending money on nice rims and using them only at the track.

I decided againt because I already have high spring rates and having a more rigid rim and lower profile tire worries me when it comes to crappy roads with potholes, etc. Also, with fat tires comes less stability on the street on rainy days. Plus, the volks are lighter than OEM by almost a pound each.

Let me know because I would love to find a good reason to use the Volks for street use.

 

Yes for ultimate performance the larger tires/less weight (Volks) would be better on the rack, but as I said earlier, this will be far from your limiting factor, for a long time, and the 16' will be cheaper to run on the track. As for spring rates, I think it's unlikely they will contribute to damaging your wheels on the street (255-40 and 225-45 are still tall tires). I've bent my Volks on the track from riding berms (which you will do as you get better (riding berms, not necessarily bending rims)). So my rationale was to save your nice rims for the street (aesthetics) and learn to drive on the OEMs. Having said that, I did the opposite, and my Volks are crappy looking rims now (lots of old rubber and brake dust (maybe corrosion from the brake dust too), scratched, bent etc.), but I'm probably getting the extra performance from the larger tires now. You can start with the OEM and later switch to the Volks (tires don't last forever).

 

I also use OEM 16" for street, and 17" Volk CE28N's for the track. Not sure that makes the most sense, especially for a beginner, but hey!

I'm using RA-1s, 235 F / 255 R. My car has always been less oversteer-prone than usual, even after fixing the alignment (initally had no negative camber up front). So I just have the stock suspension, no stiff front bar.

I like the feel of my setup, but your car, driving style, and preferences may vary.

 

No , what I meant was that street tires have a lower limit than r-compounds, thus even if you are driving at the car's limit you'll be slower on the street tires. In my experience , driving on street tires at the track really takes the fun out of it..YMMV

 

Sri, that's because you were fearless from the start.

 

We're talking in circles. Yes, they have a lower limit. Yes, you will be slower. I'll even go so far as to say that they will be "less fun" although that is so subjective as to be more or less meaningless. I've done a lot of track days on street tires, and those were very fun days (for the most part).

On the other hand, the lower limit is easier to get to, easier to recognize, easier to explore, and easier to exceed without wrecking your car. All of these things are good for learning how to find and stay at the limit of the car and the tires. Once you do that, then you can transfer those skills to the better tires.

MOST people learn how to find and stay at the limit faster on bad tires, and thus advance faster overall by starting with bad tires. Then, once they have gotten the skills, they move on to better tires.

This is somewhat similar to the progression of starting with karts before jumping directly into F1 cars.

When you reach the point of diminishing returns and the tires really are limiting you more than your ability to stay on the edge is limiting you, then move on up. Or just start with R-compounds (or slicks, or Porsche Cup cars, or whatever) and have fun because you will be faster than that other guy on the street tires in the stock S2000. It all depends on your goals, your previous experience, your learning style, and about half a dozen other factors.

 

DOT R, esp RA-1's, tires are not this huge scary leap from street performance tires, they are reinforced, heavy steel(mostly)belted radials. they are not Dunlop slicks.

they will be safer and more fun. they will be more progressive and give better grip for evasive braking and saves. They squeeeeeeal similar to street tires. Even if you r a beginner, you should be quickly pushing your car harder than on the street. Why chunk or rapidly wear out your street tires?

it's like learning the guitar. People tell a beginner to go out and get a cheap guitar to learn on. It's got terrible action, hurts to play, sounds like dooty, and won't stay in tune. Only an advanced guitarist can make music on that and the beginner gets frustrated, thinks he/she blows and quits, and becomes a manager. A beginner gets a decent guitar that plays easy, sounds and looks good, they go on to become a rock star (in the 70's), have orgies and then do drugs and die. Which is better ?

 

being a guitarist myself that has not participated in drunken orgies, I thought this was the best analogy yet...

 

I nominate this for Best Post of 2005.