Ok, so I was planning on ordering some more V710's (torn between those and the V700's) to put on some AP1 rims (225 in the front, 265 in the back... I know it's a wide tire for the 16's but there are quite a few posts about ppl that have used them successfully on here)...

I was talking to the guy at Firestone and he wants to sell me something in a Bridgestone instead... I did some looking and it looks like when he calls me back tomorrow that the widest he's going to be able to offer is a 245... HOWEVER he told me if I don't like the tires I can bring em back within 30 days and he'll exchange them for new V710's for free.

So I'm thinking, why not right? I figure at the worst it solves my problem of bringing a trailer to the June 2/3rd event and I can try a new tire. It won't be a R compound but it's worth a shot.

I wouldn't mind going back to the street class, I just enjoy going out there so I don't think I'd mind it too bad.

What do you guys think?

 

Bridgestone what? They make tires you won't want to autocross on.

 

Bridgestone doesn't have very many good tires worth autocrossing competitively on so I hope he offered you the RE-01R, S03 or RE050's at the worst. The RE01R only come in 205/225 though, we have a set in the garage waiting to go on the S.

Either way a V710 is worlds faster than any street tire and a decent amount faster than the V700 so you're already spoiled and everything else won't be as great as a fresh set of V710's. If you get the V700's make sure they're the V700 Victoracers though. Plus I don't think they'll be too happy if you bring back the tires after they went through the MW cheese grater.

 

He didn't say what.. I notice they have a competition tire, but the widest is a 245...

Not sure which one he has in mind though.

 

Bidgestone no longer offers any true R compound tires in the North American market. The closest thing they've got is the new RE-01R, which is one of the best street tires out there (it is currently sweeping up in SCCA Street Touring classes)... but still a far cry from a modern R compound.

What do you want the tires for? V710s are one of the best autocross compound tires out there, but they won't last long for lapping days, and they're not as durable as Victoracers. I wouldn't feel bad driving to an event on a set of VRs, but there's no way in hell I'd do it on V710s. If you buy V710s and plan on running out an Mineral Wells during the summer, I'd also strongly encourage you to invest in a 2-gallon water sprayer and learn how to use it. These tires do not like to be overheated, and they will start to get greasy (even with spraying) halfway through the 3rd run at S2k events in mid-summer.

Iain
(Seven years on the R comp crack pipe, the last three on V710s exclusively)

 

What is your objective? You are looking for an R and a street tire. Assuming you have a 10" wide rear wheel, the 265 would certainly hook up but you reach a point with a wider tire where the benefit of the width is diminished by the width of the wheel. An 8.5" wheel with a 265 would not be good.

If you want more wear, go with a road race tire.