gptoyz

I never understand how people put the michelin super sport in the same category as the EHP usual suspects - it's not; not by a country mile

your options are:
dunlop z2 star spec
hankook rs3 v2
bridgestone re71r
yokohama ad08r

supposedly the new rivals are coming soon as well as the new kumhos

EF9 Sedan

Go for the RE-11 tires if you can't get the RE11A?

I wanted a set of RE-11A tires, but the shop wasn't able to get me a full set. I didn't want mismatched front & rears. They told me the RE-11A were being replaced by RE-71R tires... but I was hesitant on getting the RE-71R tires since they're new and there aren't many reviews outlining their hydroplane resistance.

My tires are primarily used for daily driving, but I don't want soft sidewalls interfering with the handling so I went with the RE-11 since they have a good rep on S2Ki.

The shop was able to order a set of RE-11 tires from Bridgestone (got these tires approx 2 weeks ago). I think the RE-11 tires will continue to be produced... if anyone has more information on this, please correct me. My tires were manufactured late 2014.

DavidNJ

The new BFG Rival S is out. For the AP2 a 225/255 setup or 255/255; there is no 215. No AP1 sizes. I've never taught of the BFG as the best all around tire. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....-Force+Rival+S

The RE-11 is listed in 255/40-17 alone among S2k sizes.

Just checked the NJ auto-X schedule for 2015...surprisingly few events.

I'm still disappointed on the RE-11A demise.

How does the ride/noise of the ZII Star Spec compare to the original RE050?

Soof

That's a very good question Dave, especially if you want to stay in the BS family as I do.

What about the tires on the CR, the 070s? Does anyone know if they'll work on the non-CRs ????

colnagotifosi

I did my usual tremendous amount of research and (without calling out anyone specifically in this thread) I believe in Michelin and had installed last week a brand new set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports. I wanted many of the same traits you say and for me I couldn't take a chance on a couple of tires in this listing that are downright dreadful in the wet and if you read the forums and FB groups people keep crashing them over and over in the rain. Unacceptable for a street tire and since I'm already signed up for multiple track daze in May and October, who knows if it will be dry or raining.

I'm down at Rock the Dragon and driving my "new-to-me" car at the limits over multiple days for the first time and these tires are just plain awesome. The prediction was for rain throughout the event week/weekend so my more than half gone Nitto Invo's were just not going to cut it. The Michelin's get hot and sticky (spectacular steaming rubber all around tonight when I pulled onto the ballfield at that picnic after hitting the Dragon and Hellbender coming back from Knoxville at 9/10ths or 10/10ths for a darkness run. I keep being amazed at just how high the ultimate limits are before I get ABS or TC event.s They ride great and telegraph pretty well what is going on. Perhaps other tires could be more "connected" but I don't think you will find a better all around tire than this for this car IMHO. The Dragon and Devil's Triangle are some of the most challenging roads in North America and in many places the margin for error is zero (steep drop offs in corners, trees lining right up to the roadside and on the DT, some places where there was no guardrail and 100' or more straight down off the side. Reminded me of descending the Gavia and Stelvio passes in the Alps on my bicycle at 40-50 mph for pure sphincter pucker factor) so being confident is important.

I thought the OEM Pirelli P-Zero's on my V70R were fantastic handling but uncomfortable, short wearing and tammeled on ridged pavement horribly. I eventually started using Michelin Pilot Sport AS and AS/3 on that car and gave up ultimate by a fraction but gained 1/3 on mileage and much better behaved. Too much of a compromise for this car though. Read up and look carefully at the wet performance if you car isn't a garage queen and will see the real world. I could easily have days of pouring rain at Summit Point and it is paid for so I'll be there. I wouldn't consider doing that with some of the highly touted tires on these lists.

My 2-cents.

EricJT7

A bit rougher I'm guessing as far as the ride goes (at least compared to my all season set), but so far the noise I am noticing most isn't the vibration from the tires themselves as much as all the stuff they are picking up and spitting back out (like gravel and any debris/dirt on roadway).
No real complaints from me though, I am used to vibration though as my car is lowered more than an inch on coilovers. With the hardtop up and music playing more than half the time though, I don't let the road noise get to me. I think they ride just fine, but I do make extra sure to keep my hand on the wheel at all times.

I just came back from driving on the freeway in moderate rain, and can say they performed flawlessly at the speed limit and then some (no real standing water or anything crazy though).

So I guess my short answer would be they are a bit harsher than max performance tires or my all season set of Michelin Pilot Sports, but they make the car more fun to drive and knowing I can drive a bit spiritedly without even really pushing the performance/limit too far of the tires boundaries is not a bad thing in my view.


Sure the RE-070's would work on non CR models as long as you have the right wheel and fender clearance for the tire size just as with any other tire.
But according to tirerack they are considerably more expensive than other options which are just as grippy if not moreso, such as the new Bridgestone RE-71R.

EricJT7

Agreed, the Michelin Pilot Super Sports are an excellent all rounder and are undoubtedly awesome in the rain. Those are the tires I recommended for my brother soon after he got into autocrossing his GTI. I believe he still runs them for that car 3+ years later (they have worn very well--think he may have changed two of them out with new ones though), and he has outperformed far faster cars in the wet (including AWD STi's and Evo's).
For those who have to daily driver their car in the rain on a regular basis, I would recommend that tire over any extreme performance tire, if not a tire suitable for colder weather yet like a UHP All Season Tire or winter tire for those who drive in the snow and ice. (two sets is a must for those who do--summer/winter).

On the flip side, I think more of the Honda S2000 as much or more of a Sunday driver/fun car than just a "daily driver". And for those who like to get the best driving experience come warm fair weather summer days (when even the garage queens come out), I think there is no substitute for a good extreme performance tire. Especially for those that autocross or track on a warm/hot day, yet drive that same set on the street. Most all extreme performance tires will perform noticeably better than any other max performance tire on a nice warm summer day, including the Michelin Pilot SS.

DavidNJ

I fully agree the Michelin PSS is an awesome tire. Not quite sure it is the right tire for me. Yes, it is better in the wet...but the S2k is a roadster that I use when it isn't raining. I really don't care for it with the roof up. That said, there are times it rains when I don't expect it. I run an occasional autocross. It will never have the tire heat issues of a race track.

In 1986 I put Yokohama A008Rs on my MR2, They were treadless on the outer third of the tire, But they were a massive improvement. They were interesting in the rain...and at the time that was my only car,

A decade earlier I ran shaved Semperit M401s and Conti TS771 (165-13) on my SCCA showroom stock sedans. I drove them on the street (again, my only car). Again, manageable. In 1977 I had my RWD Opel 1900 third in a wet first practice for a race at Lime Rock. By the second practice when I went out the rain was harder, it snapped and brushed the inside embankment on the zig-zag straight and went over. Slowly, but enough to knock the wind out of me.

My S2k will never see a race track. I simply don't consider a street car chassis safe enough. If I was going to do track days I get a perimeter chassis super late model with a crate engine. Full race seat with thigh, neck, and shoulder restraints. 2x3 .125 wall tubing frame with 1.75" .125 wall full cross braced cage. 4 door bars capped with 3/16" steel plate. Fire system with an second thermostatically triggered unit next to the fuel cell. Safer. Fairly inexpensive. And easier to repair: wheels about $100, A-arm about $60, full frame around $3000. Full body around $3000 including windows. And then I wouldn't race in the rain...the risk/reward equation isn't good enough.

The extreme tires are no different than what Chevy sells on a Z06/Z07 or a Z28. Porsche on a GT3, or a a Nissan GT-R. ..The first three have 'streetable" track and competition tires, one step more severe. I think extreme tires are appropriate for a for an S2k if they have some wet weather capability, aren't too punishing in ride and noise, have reasonable wear (I only do 2500-3000 miles/year on the S2k), and reasonable puncture resistance. The RE-11a met those criteria but generally appears to be a one off in that regard. If it was my daily commuter than the PSS would be the choice.

What would be helpful is a test of the RE-71R, R-S3, V2SS, and PSS back-to-back. Of course, that doesn't exist.

.

EricJT7

I changed my vote from the ZII SS to the RE-71R. Main reason being I'm thinking the new Bridgestones might ride better than the Dunlops, and you do the vast majority of your driving on the street. Not to mention everything I've read indicates they are a very grippy tire, to the point where they almost are too grippy. And that's not a bad thing for an extreme performance tire, I could see myself going with them for my next set.

The RS-3 V2's are an excellent tire choice as well. In the most recent testing the RS-3 V2's rode the best and had the best street manners of any tire in the test (keep in mind RE-11's weren't included and the RE-71R's weren't out yet).
However, if you plan on driving much in temperatures shy of 65-70 degrees, they lose their grip advantage real fast over the others, and the lack of grip in cool temperatures is why my vote currently falls with the ZII SS or RE-71R.

DavidNJ

Too sticky sometimes is a problem 3 ways. First, they throw pebbles everywhere (noise and paint chips). Second, they pick up rubber and stones from the road, initially throwing off wheel balance. Third, when the resin is gone they are no longer sticky.

People have been all over the place with the ride and noise, some saying it is a smooth and quiet as an RE11a, It has also been reported to maintain its stick for a session, but there are differing reports on overall wear. The poll favors it over the extreme tires with the PSS a close second.