Cal Club Autocross Forums

Hi everybody. I had a great time at the 11/4 event, hoping to go to the next one.

Anyway, (as Leonard may know,) my tires are basically skateboard wheels painted black, which means they're actually kind of dangerous in the wet at highway speeds. And "winter" is coming to CA...

So, I'm looking for some recommendations, probably for 185/60r14, maybe 195s. I've got my eye on the Kumho Solus KH16 or the BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sport A/S H/V at the moment, but I'm open suggestions.

What I'm looking for is some kind of compromise between performance and pocketbook. I don't mind noisy or hard tires for my daily drive, but I do want them to last for a couple years. I figured this has got to be the best place to ask, since many of you will have driven on several tires.

Thanks in advance, and if anybody wants hard-as-nails 185/60r14 "Sunny" brand tires (I imagine they'd do well in an amateur drifting event), let me know and you'll save me $10 in disposal fees.

Curt Thompson wrote:Hi everybody. I had a great time at the 11/4 event, hoping to go to the next one.

Anyway, (as Leonard may know,) my tires are basically skateboard wheels painted black, which means they're actually kind of dangerous in the wet at highway speeds. And "winter" is coming to CA...

So, I'm looking for some recommendations, probably for 185/60r14, maybe 195s. I've got my eye on the Kumho Solus KH16 or the BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sport A/S H/V at the moment, but I'm open suggestions.

What I'm looking for is some kind of compromise between performance and pocketbook. I don't mind noisy or hard tires for my daily drive, but I do want them to last for a couple years. I figured this has got to be the best place to ask, since many of you will have driven on several tires.

Thanks in advance, and if anybody wants hard-as-nails 185/60r14 "Sunny" brand tires (I imagine they'd do well in an amateur drifting event), let me know and you'll save me $10 in disposal fees.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... &tab=Sizes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KJ Christopher wrote:

Curt Thompson wrote:Hi everybody. I had a great time at the 11/4 event, hoping to go to the next one.

Anyway, (as Leonard may know,) my tires are basically skateboard wheels painted black, which means they're actually kind of dangerous in the wet at highway speeds. And "winter" is coming to CA...

So, I'm looking for some recommendations, probably for 185/60r14, maybe 195s. I've got my eye on the Kumho Solus KH16 or the BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sport A/S H/V at the moment, but I'm open suggestions.

What I'm looking for is some kind of compromise between performance and pocketbook. I don't mind noisy or hard tires for my daily drive, but I do want them to last for a couple years. I figured this has got to be the best place to ask, since many of you will have driven on several tires.

Thanks in advance, and if anybody wants hard-as-nails 185/60r14 "Sunny" brand tires (I imagine they'd do well in an amateur drifting event), let me know and you'll save me $10 in disposal fees.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... &tab=Sizes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just to add on to the link KJ has provided, I pretty much do all my tire shopping using Tire Rack whether for Autocross or DD. Not only do they have an extensive range of brands, but the site itself has a lot of information about particular tire brands, models, specs and reviews if you drill down to find it. As long as they carry the brand you are looking for, their prices are quite competitive and they ship immediately in most cases out of Reno.

I have the tires sent directly to my favorite installer ... in my case ISLAND Tires in Pasadena ... the type of place where you don't have to remind them to line up the dots

KJ Christopher wrote: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... &tab=Sizes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BTW, this is pretty much the end of the discussion for your size and need.

TireRack is also a big supporter of our sport, so while I usually like to support the local guy, TireRack gets a big free pass from me.

Jay W

Thanks to everybody who replied! It looks like the consensus is Star Specs. I wish they came in 185 and at about half the price

@Mako thanks for the advice. I may end up using ISLAND for mounting/balancing anyway, but when I had them do my alignment, I had to bring the car back because it pulled badly to the right, then they made it pull badly to the left instead. After that you gave me some advice on what to do and I fixed my own alignment in my driveway in a total of about 20 mins. Thanks by the way

I'll consider the Star Specs. But since I'm not really competitive at the moment anyway, I might want to go with something cheaper, then, when it's time, get rims/serious tires. Then again, I don't want to regret the decision for the next year.
Has anyone driven those Kumho Solus or BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sports? Their reviews/ratings at TireRack are pretty decent as well.

Oh, and as for TireRack, they almost always have the best price anyway, so it's pretty likely I'll use them.

There's always the 615k from discounttiredirect for 97 a pop 195 though.

Bobby Beyer wrote:There's always the 615k from discounttiredirect for 97 a pop 195 though.

I used to have some variety of Grand Touring Falkens on my '92 Civic EX. I never competed on them, but I was pretty happy with their performance on the street. Do you run those Azenis? How are they in the wet?

Oh and the Star Specs do come in 185.. it just doesn't show 185 under "other sizes" because it's already the size in the link KJ sent me. Doh!

Curt Thompson wrote: It looks like the consensus is Star Specs.

Star Specs are a great choice. That's what I daily drive...I don't even autocross them. Great in the wet and dry. Give up grip very progressively and predictably. A little noisy, but my car isn't really made for noise isolation in the first place.

Curt Thompson wrote:

Bobby Beyer wrote:There's always the 615k from discounttiredirect for 97 a pop 195 though.

I used to have some variety of Grand Touring Falkens on my '92 Civic EX. I never competed on them, but I was pretty happy with their performance on the street. Do you run those Azenis? How are they in the wet?

Oh and the Star Specs do come in 185.. it just doesn't show 185 under "other sizes" because it's already the size in the link KJ sent me. Doh!

AFAIR the Azenis hydroplane fairly easily, but they still work as a DD in the rain. The Star Specs on the other hand, have a good wet tread design.

The SS is a great AX tire ... very confidence inspiring. What about the RS3 ... definitely not as good in the wet though

No RS3 in 14". I've never Autox on a RT-615k so I can't answer that question, but my 615's were better in water than my Sumitomo HTZ-III but neither of those tires are anywhere near as crisp as my Conti ExtremeDW in the wet.

Being 14" you're really limited on choice for tires, on the cheaper end you can get Riken Raptors or Sumitomo HTZ or BFG Super Sport but I don't have much recommendation in the 14" size. If you had 15" rims on the other hand I'd tell you to buy the Yoko S.Drives I got 40k out of a set and they weren't all that terrible of a tire...they weren't good but they did work really well in the wet.

Do you have a 99- Miata? Then convert it to a the option package that uses the 15x6 wheels your tire choices will be much better.

George Schilling can tell you in detail the parts required to convert the 99 base to a sport package.

Steve Coe

Curt Thompson wrote:

Bobby Beyer wrote:There's always the 615k from discounttiredirect for 97 a pop 195 though.

I used to have some variety of Grand Touring Falkens on my '92 Civic EX. I never competed on them, but I was pretty happy with their performance on the street. Do you run those Azenis? How are they in the wet?

Oh and the Star Specs do come in 185.. it just doesn't show 185 under "other sizes" because it's already the size in the link KJ sent me. Doh!

Just so you know for reference, I'm running Star Spec 195s on 14x6 rims on my '95 Miata. Great tires. No issues.

What car are you racing? Your picture shows an NB, which means you should be on 15" (or 16") wheels not 14's

Steve Coe wrote:Do you have a 99- Miata? Then convert it to a the option package that uses the 15x6 wheels your tire choices will be much better.

George Schilling can tell you in detail the parts required to convert the 99 base to a sport package.

Steve Coe

Sadly, I doubt I'd be able to afford the conversion AND decent tires at the moment. I did look into 15x6 rims (at tirerack), but I've also read that Miata records are usually set on 185/60r14s. I know I won't set any records anyway (yet? hehe), but I figure I might as well keep the stock rims for now. They're bound to be better than some cheap-o brand 15-inch'ers.

The ones I have in mind right now are either the Star Specs or the BFG Super Sports. Trying to decide what to compromise on, price or performance...

@Steve L, it's a 1999 Mazda Miata base. It comes with 14" wheels, sport package is 15"

@Others, I'm not mainly concerned with how they are in the wet since CA is mostly dry, (I'm not a psycho in the rain,) but some people are, so I just need tires that can get me out of the way when they have to. I bet Azenis would fit the bill, but once I thought about it, the price difference between those and the SS isn't big enough to grab me.

I really appreciate all the advice though. Got an opinion? Feel free to keep sharing. I'll let you guys know what I finally get and how I like them.

Steve Lepper wrote:What car are you racing? Your picture shows an NB, which means you should be on 15" (or 16") wheels not 14's

Steve the '99 did offer a 14' wheel


But would agree the sport conversion and additional wheel options would be a great idea.

Curt, no matter what wheel size you move forward with, I would also suggest the Dunlop Star Spec. I'm at 2 1/2 years on mine, while not the most competitive tire (Toyo, would be), I still have about 1/2 of my tire tread left with ~10k street miles, and ~120 runs.

Craig

Craig Naylor wrote:

Steve Lepper wrote:What car are you racing? Your picture shows an NB, which means you should be on 15" (or 16") wheels not 14's

Steve the '99 did offer a 14' wheel


But would agree the sport conversion and additional wheel options would be a great idea.

Curt, no matter what wheel size you move forward with, I would also suggest the Dunlop Star Spec. I'm at 2 1/2 years on mine, while not the most competitive tire (Toyo, would be), I still have about 1/2 of my tire tread left with ~10k street miles, and ~120 runs.

Craig

2 1/2 years seems pretty reasonable. If they last for a couple years, I'd be satisfied. By then I should be able to get some good rims and such assuming I still have the car. And just maybe I'll be a good enough driver to need them. ;)

I don't know if it makes a difference for the Sport Conversion, but I already have Tokico Illuminas and FM Springs, Sways are stock (for now (with the current tires oversteer was already a problem)). I put Hawk HPS's in the front and rear too, though the rears have worn unevenly due to some idiot (me) lazily not replacing the little cap that keeps the caliper grease in.

Star Spec ~$605
BFG ~$360

Leaning toward the SS, I suppose, I just don't like making myself poor haha.

Mako Koiwai wrote:What about the RS3 ...

Not in 14"

Jay W

I dont suppose any of you Star Spec owners wants to sell your used ones? Or should I open a WTB thread?

Curt Thompson wrote:I dont suppose any of you Star Spec owners wants to sell your used ones? Or should I open a WTB thread?

I'm soon to be tearing down my miata for winter upgrades. I've got a set of 14x5.5 with moderately worn Star Specs on them that won't have a car for a couple months. You can come borrow them for one event for the price of a six pack to see what you're missing.

Jay W

Curt Thompson wrote:... I've also read that Miata records are usually set on 185/60r14s.

Can you give context for this? What kind of records? Not many autocross clubs have records, because they run a different course every time.

Curt Thompson wrote:I dont suppose any of you Star Spec owners wants to sell your used ones? Or should I open a WTB thread?

I have two 185s and four 195s (run for the last time this past Sunday). They could be used for a couple/few events. $100 gets you all six (6).
Let me know.

John Stimson wrote:

Curt Thompson wrote:... I've also read that Miata records are usually set on 185/60r14s.

Can you give context for this? What kind of records? Not many autocross clubs have records, because they run a different course every time.

[citation needed] huh? I read this (or similar) in a couple other forums discussing the best tire sizes for NBs. I agree it's not really evidence per se, but unless somebody is selling a nice set of 15" rims for super super cheap, it's not gonna matter to me much. For now anyway ;)

Ideally I'd have a chance to put the same tires on 14"s and 15"s and see which ones feel better to me. If somebody wants to arrange a little tire swap during one of these events, it might be a fun experiment.

Ed Holley wrote:

Curt Thompson wrote:I dont suppose any of you Star Spec owners wants to sell your used ones? Or should I open a WTB thread?

I have two 185s and four 195s (run for the last time this past Sunday). They could be used for a couple/few events. $100 gets you all six (6).
Let me know.

Do you think the 195s have enough tread left to get through 6 months or so of daily driving and a few AX events? If so, please send me an email: [redacted to save my email from spambots].