High performance/trackday/sprint tyres

[thetyrant]

Ok time to replace my trusty Federal 595RS-R tyres which ive had on the MR2 since early 2019, paid £260 for full set (195/50-15 & 205/45-16) and they have been great on road and track, rears still have some life but front shoulders are well past there best so need changing, they are being phased out it seems and prices are over £100 more for what is left it seems!...its replacement doesnt offer the same performance and is more money 


My car usage is mainly fast/fun road and sprint events with the odd trackday so need a track capable tyre, ideally lots of grip with quick warm up for sprints and enough tread to clear standing water in rare occasion car gets used in the wet, price wise im trying to keep it under £400 for the set and want to tick as many boxes as i can for that, i could switch to 15" front and rear which would bring cost down but decided to stick with stock FL 15/16 setup and run same 195/50-15 front and 205/45-16 rear i have been running.

So all this into consideration below is where im at.

Federal 595RS-R - Price increased and fancy trying something different this time.

Nankang NS-2R (180) - similar price to above but slower to warm up so not as good for sprints, softer compound version not readily available now unfortunately

Nankang AR1 - More than budget and concerned about wet weather/road use with minimal tread

Toyo R888R - tempted but more money than i wanted to spend again and wet weather not to good same as AR1

Yokohama AD08RS - heard nothing but bad from people using these on track, massive step back from older AD08 and AD08R in terms of outright grip

Uniroyal Rainsport5 - Normal road tyres compared to above and while ok for road and trackdays i think the outright grip and soft sidewalls would spoil it on sprint events for me, would like a 2nd set of wheels with them as full wet option though.

So not finding what i wanted from above ive been looking at other options not so well known, ive decided to try some totally unheard of to me (any many others i imagine!) Zestino Gredge 07RS as per pic and link below, reading and watching reviews i think these could be what i want, soft compound for quick warm up, faster laptimes than AR1 and R888R but with more tread if there is some water so hopefully clear it better than both those making better for road use.

Spotted them on demon tweeks site which got me researching and then ordered direct from European distributor in Netherlands, will report back once i get them on car and hoping for good things.

https://www.zestino.eu/en/gredge-07rs/

Pic of what they look like...

[JB21]

Have a look at these as well mate. Come in soft compound too.

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/maxsport-rb5-tarmac-rally-tyre-247193/

[thetyrant]

Have a look at these as well mate. Come in soft compound too.

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/maxsport-rb5-tarmac-rally-tyre-247193/

Ive looked at them but im not a fan of remoulds and the Extreme tyres i was also looking (forgot to add to list) are same, usually ok unless you get a bad carcass of which you have no control, if i had another set of wheels just for them might be worth trying but i wouldnt want to use them as a road tyre, i had some similar Pirelli rally tyres on my old Evo and they were awesome in dry but not so much in wet with no drainage grooves and also very noisy!

[JB21]

Here you go @thetyrant , Kumho V70a. 225 rears but one the best all-round semi slicks you'll find. These really will give you an edge on track.

I've used the seller many times and he's very reliable. You'll get these for £400 delivered with best offer.


225/45/16

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283908691202

195/50/15

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274444891226

My old Celica 190 on them keeping a 300hp Megan honest

[Gaz2405]

This is why I'm considering going to a square 15" set up for cheap slicks.

[thetyrant]

Here you go @thetyrant , Kumho V70a. 225 rears but one the best all-round semi slicks you'll find. These really will give you an edge on track.

I've used the seller many times and he's very reliable. You'll get these for £400 delivered with best offer.


225/45/16

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283908691202

195/50/15

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274444891226

V70s are awesome tyres but not E-marked seller says which is odd as thought they were, if not then cant use in the Javelin sprints.

Ive ordered the Zestinos Gredge07RS now for £360 delivered including CC charges etc so will hopefully soon find out what they are like, from what ive seen they are better than AR1 and R888R in the dry for lap time, feedback and heatcycling etc, not seen a wet weather comparison but hopefully be better due to more tread for water dispersal, they also offer a harder compound called Acrova 07A which are good bit cheaper and probably about same as my Federal RSR's but fancied trying softs see what they are like

[JB21]

Here you go @thetyrant , Kumho V70a. 225 rears but one the best all-round semi slicks you'll find. These really will give you an edge on track.

I've used the seller many times and he's very reliable. You'll get these for £400 delivered with best offer.


225/45/16

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283908691202

195/50/15

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274444891226

V70s are awesome tyres but not E-marked seller says which is odd as thought they were, if not then cant use in the Javelin sprints.

Ive ordered the Zestinos Gredge07RS now for £360 delivered including CC charges etc so will hopefully soon find out what they are like, from what ive seen they are better than AR1 and R888R in the dry for lap time, feedback and heatcycling etc, not seen a wet weather comparison but hopefully be better due to more tread for water dispersal, they also offer a harder compound called Acrova 07A which are good bit cheaper and probably about same as my Federal RSR's but fancied trying softs see what they are like

Shame they don't do anything wider than 205 in 15s as the tests seem encouraging.

[thetyrant]

Shame they don't do anything wider than 205 in 15s as the tests seem encouraging.

Yes sizes are a bit limited and just glad they do the same as i have been running so i can try them back to back, if they are better than my RSR's (which they should be going on spec and tests) i will be happy enough    i doubt lifespan will be as good as its 140 treadwear vs 220 on the Federals but hopefully not too bad, the Federals have done me well for lifespan with quite a few trackdays and sprints last year as well asabout 9k road miles, still plenty legal tread wise just n/s outer and o/s inner shoulders have got very low with all the righthanders!

[thetyrant]

Well the Zestino Gredge 07RS have just arrived!, hopefully get them fitted this weekend and report back

You cannot view this attachment.

[thetyrant]

At tyre fitter now he is complaining about how stiff sidewall is, at least as stiff as run flats were his words!  Bodes well for feel at least

[Gaz2405]

Be interested in hearing your thoughts on them.

I'm looking at going 15x7 all round for tyre choice.

[thetyrant]

Ok 20 miles on them just now and all is well   in terms of feel they remind me of the original AD08 i ran on the Evo many years ago!  its early to say much more as was mostly just pottering and doing some datalogs etc but feel very grippy so far with nice firm turn in etc

I was a bit concerned about the tyre dates as front are early 2020 but rears early 2019 so they are over a year old! visually and to the touch the rears looked/felt harder but after the above miles they all feel/look the same so hopefully be ok once i start to push them, usually takes a couple of years for soft tyres to start to degrade with age in my previous experience so shouldnt be an issue with them.

Will report back with more miles/abuse but so far all is well

[shnazzle]

Ok 20 miles on them just now and all is well   in terms of feel they remind me of the original AD08 i ran on the Evo many years ago!  its early to say much more as was mostly just pottering and doing some datalogs etc but feel very grippy so far with nice firm turn in etc

I was a bit concerned about the tyre dates as front are early 2020 but rears early 2019 so they are over a year old! visually and to the touch the rears looked/felt harder but after the above miles they all feel/look the same so hopefully be ok once i start to push them, usually takes a couple of years for soft tyres to start to degrade with age in my previous experience so shouldnt be an issue with them.

Will report back with more miles/abuse but so far all is well

Definitely interested in the wetter/ older review when available

[Gregmorse]

How did test drive go?

[Gregmorse]

Oops posted that on an unrefreshed page....good to hear you had positive experience so far

[JB21]

They'll feel better still once they've had a proper heat cycle and all the release agent has burnt off.

I've used 10 year old r888s so a year old shouldn't be an issue.

[thetyrant]

Few more miles on this evening and grip seems pretty epic!  they feel like a cross between the old AD08 and a rally slick!  very firm sidewalls and it actually feels like ive stiffened dampers slightly but thankfully not jarring at all on sharper edges, tyre noise not bad and not a lot different to Federal RSR that came off but they were quite worn which makes them worse, with these if you drive over smooth areas of tar where there is no/little amount chippings etc in the tarmac you get the hum like you do with rally slicks

Looking forward to trying them in the wet to see what that is like, im expecting them to be pretty reasonable at least while still new as there is plenty of tread and its a soft compound so that generally makes a reasonable wet tyre, until water gets too deep for the tread to clear it, i would think they will be better than the AD08 and R888 in wet but we will see, also cant wait to try them on track but hopefully in the dry first

[BahnStormer]

Looking forward to feedback - I've got a limits day this week to prove suspicions, but I think the AD08RS are my last set of Yoko's until they get back to the AD08R formula.

[thetyrant]

So far im really really impressed and just waiting for some wet weather to see how they clear water, im not expecting miracles but as long as they are safe in the wet im good with that, i would expect them to be similar or slightly better than my old AD08 looking at tread and compound, hoping the softer compound makes them better in wet.

[thetyrant]

Got some wet running on them yesterday after a storm passed through just before i was heading home from work, unfortunately it soon passed over so not the test i was hoping for but roads were still pretty wet with lots of puddles/small floods etc, didnt get huge amount of miles on but grip was good and water dispersal much better then the half worn Federal RSR they have replaced, i no longer have to fear puddles like i did on the Federals for last few months!  in fact i ended up purposely aiming for them yesterday to see how these tyres coped and was pleasantly surprised not to have any scary moments, well i had  one when road was flooded right across in a hidden dip but no worse than the Michelins on my BMW would of dealt with it.

Of course weather is warm so that helps from compound point of view and will be interesting to see when temps start to drop how they do, based on findings so far i think we will be ok as i tend to drive to conditions so if cold/wet i dont push on and feel they will be better than federals anyhow, we will also see if they harden up after some track heat cycles which is why the Federals start to drop off in wet weather as they are pretty good when new.

There is a small roundabout near my home that is very greasy in the wet, often see motorbikes/scooters laying on their side as owners dont realise how slippy it is, previously in teh wet i could do a nice easy and safe slide as i went around to my exit, tried it last night and it barely moved....good and bad to having more grip i guess

[BahnStormer]

looks like the DB could do with a new review?

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=3313.0

and yes - I'd expect cold+wet performance on a soft compound tyre to degrade a lot more than warm+wet... I always correct people when they say that AD08R's are bad in the wet.... I always found them very good on damp roads... but in the cold - very different! 

[Petrus]

i doubt lifespan will be as good as its 140 treadwear vs 220 on the Federals

The soft NS-2R has(had) 120 and the harder one is 180.

The treadwear index is the best comparison as available for the grip the rubber has.

The trick aspect of compounds is illustrated by the AR-1 which needs rubber temp of 70 degreed C. to get into the grippy zone.

[thetyrant]

Little bit of an update on this one after 1st track event with them at Croft last weekend, it was just a sprint event which is 1 lap from  standing start against the clock, so tyres start off pretty much stone cold and are pushed hard as you can right from the off, this is why i went for the softer of the 2 compounds of these tyres.

It was a damp start to the day and air/track temp was pretty cool as well, track did dry out fully pretty quickly as day went on and afternoon was bone dry but still cold, tyres worked really well and i would say slightly better on 1st half of lap than last time there with my Federal RSR, 2nd half once some heat in them pretty similar feeling and well stuck to the track, although was struggling with loose rear on high speed entry as you come into "Sunny in" on back section, i think this was more down to the rear geo though as i forgot i needed to reset to my usual zero toe setting and was slightly toe out afer having all rear end apart.

Wear wise they looked fine as well which was good, was concerned they were too soft and would of melted but all looked fine.

Overall im happy with the tyres but would like to try on track in wet conditions to see how that goes, ive had no issues on wet roads even when very wet but i dont like to push car on road like i would on track.  Also a full trackday would be good rather than a sprint but not sure when i will get one of those sorted, i am at another sprint in a couple of weeks at Cadwell though.

[AdamR28]

Thanks for the info Ian, good to hear you're enjoying them!

Any tyre that has 'Lightning Groove can not only insure broadwise's tenacity, but also show special of pattern' in the marketing blurb gets my vote

Are you all booked for Cadders in the MR2 then?

[thetyrant]

Thanks for the info Ian, good to hear you're enjoying them!

Any tyre that has 'Lightning Groove can not only insure broadwise's tenacity, but also show special of pattern' in the marketing blurb gets my vote

Are you all booked for Cadders in the MR2 then?

Yes some interesting jibber these companies come up with lol

Im booked on in the MR2 yes so fingers crossed im there in it!, got MOT this week so just waiting on that really as im going to hold off starting turbo conversion until after Caddy, if i run into issues with mot i will bring the BM 130i instead but hopefully all is ok.