Circuit Semi Slicks

[ssxRicho]

FWIW, Nankang has technology licencing and technical support agreements with Yokohama... That's from Yokohama's website, not Nankang's - they don't mention it at all. Who knows how much of their technology is involved with the AR1, but it was one of the factors that encouraged me to take the gamble on these $209 semis! lol I wouldn't be so quick to write them off before trying them.

Funnily enough the NS2-R120 are my pick of the budget road/track tyre. The yoki and hankook are in a different league, both price and performance. But out of the NT03, 123s, RSRR, KU36 battle, I'd pick the soft NS2-R anyday.

[hrd-hr30]

What's wrong with the R888 (besides being the same compound as NT01)?

The replacement tyre R888R is street legal, it'll be interesting to see if the upcoming NT01 replacement will be too, and whether they'll again share the same compound.

Also the NT01 vs. RS-RR comparison seems a little odd, they're a different category tyre aren't they (100 treadwear semi vs. 140 treadwear street semi)?

yes, it is odd for a tyre like the RS-RR to set similar times to a semi slick.

NT01s on the Soarer were only 7 tenths faster than the 595SS and Achillies Sport street tyres they replaced! It had less power back then with just stock intercooler and exhaust, so that gives a good comparison on their lateral grip abilities - or lack thereof... They were monumentally disappointing.

Swap to to proper semis and it was a second and a half faster than them - on a 60 sec lap that really only has 4 corners!

The NT01s worked OK at the hillclimb with the help of tyre softener. That's something I suppose...

What's wrong with the R888 besides being the same as the NItto? Nothing!

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Interesting.. I went from Nitto Invo & Federal 595 RS-R to NT01 and jumped like 2.5 seconds around Wakefield

[hrd-hr30]

yeah well, your posts in the SAU Circuit Times thread says that time you did on Nitto Invo & Federal 595 RS-R was your 2nd time ever at Wakefield Park, and the next time also included going from "stock-ish" power and "some horse shit" suspension to a "Hypergear SS2 running 1.4bar ~300kW" and upgrading the suspension with "Lower sprinngs with Bilstein Shocks + 24mm F&R Whiteline anti-roll Bars"

maybe not the best way to compare the tyres themselves, huh?

Edited June 20, 2016 by hrd-hr30

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Well I have a friend and his brother (share car) that have gone from 595 RS-R on a 180SX to NT01s (same size, same everything) and managed 3 seconds better, tipping into the 1m07s mark - purely from a tyre change.

So yeah.

[Hadouken]

Look, in light of the fact that I'll get called a dickhead for not taking hr30's word for it I'll just say this.

You are the only person I have ever heard of say that federal 595 ss and Achilles are sports are as quick as nt01's. That must make the nt05 lightning quick according to what I see on the interwebs from other users.

[Hadouken]

Look, in light of the fact that I'll get called a dickhead for not taking hr30's word for it I'll just say this.

You are the only person I have ever heard of say that federal 595 ss and Achilles are sports are as quick as nt01's. That must make the nt05 lightning quick according to what I see on the interwebs from other users.

[hrd-hr30]

Look, in light of the fact that I'll get called a dickhead for not taking hr30's word for it I'll just say this.

You are the only person I have ever heard of say that federal 595 ss and Achilles are sports are as quick as nt01's. That must make the nt05 lightning quick according to what I see on the interwebs from other users.

Not what I said...

[hrd-hr30]

Well I have a friend and his brother (share car) that have gone from 595 RS-R on a 180SX to NT01s (same size, same everything) and managed 3 seconds better, tipping into the 1m07s mark - purely from a tyre change.

So yeah.

This unequivocal evidence has thoroughly convinced me.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

This unequivocal evidence has thoroughly convinced me.

You really don't like Nitto eh? I know Z221 are better but for the price NT01 tyres are good enough for most of us and don't degrade as fast as Z221 which go rock hard after 3 to 4 track days

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Not what I said...

I read the same, you pretty much insinuated NT01 tyres perform just as good as Federal 595 SS.

Anyhow each to their own. I'm happy with my NT01 tyres, I'm happy with the price and also few other guys I track with are happy with them.

If I had more money, and had z221 per track day then sure why not, but at the end of the day I prefer not to kill my limited cash on fancy tyres that are useful for about 2 track days.

I don't cry over a bad lap time, I'm purely there to have fun and enjoy driving my shit box beyond its limits.

[hrd-hr30]

noobs and their first ever set of semis...

[Duncan]

While I haven't used most of the tyres discussed recently, I have done a fair amount of time on the Z221s in mediums, have seen them on Neil's hillclimb car in softs, and have seen them on other rally or supersprint cars and they are probably the best semi around at the moment. They also lasted very well, there were cars at the Bathurst 6 hours who used 1 set all weekend....

Much more importantly though, they are very cheap compared to the established brands like yoko or dunlop. If you can't afford the hankooks you can't afford semis.....and yes tyres are probably the most expensive part of tracking your car (along with brakes, fuel, maintenance, accommodation, tow car fuel, entry fees etc)

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Thanks Duncan for the mature response, we can all agree Z221 tyres are brilliant however my mate says he finds they lose their performance dramatically after the 3rd or 4th track day.

Harry, you should get a better car you'll do better times.

[Duncan]

mebbe they do...but I did my fastest ever lap in a production car on very old Z221s the other week. There are a lot of variables in tyres and how they are treated so it's not surprising people get different results.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

mebbe they do...but I did my fastest ever lap in a production car on very old Z221s the other week. There are a lot of variables in tyres and how they are treated so it's not surprising people get different results.

What other tyres do you see coming close to their performance?

I wouldn't mind something I can drive to and from the track with so I don't need to swap wheels.

[Hadouken]

Dunlop dz03g [emoji106]

[Aqua]

Surprised someone would pick 595 RSR over NT01 for track use...

btw, pretty certain the NT01 is street legal here in Australia http://www.ozzytyres.com.au/blog/the-nitto-nt-performance-and-invo-tyre-range/ and a few other articles mention the same.

Agreed with the RS3 Z221. One of the best Semi. Even if you go one step down, the RS3 Z222 is one of the best bang for buck.

Curious, has anyone tried the new 595 RS-RR? (Not the 595 RSR) I have been wondering how they perform because they are dirt cheap...

[hrd-hr30]

Yep, having driven on Hankook Z2000S, Yokohama A032R, Yokohama A050M, Bridgestone RE55S, Toyo RA1, Toyo R888, Federal FZ201M, Nitto NT01, Hankook Z221 C70, Hankook Z214 C50, Hoosier R6, Nankang AR1, and streeters like Falken Azenis, Kumho KU36, Federal 595 RS-R, Hankook RS3 Z222 in various cars over the past 17years, I would not buy NT01s again. Better off buying RSRs or similar IMO, or literally any other semi slick. The reasons for this opinion are;

1. I've driven on better tyres and don't really want to go slower again. Some of those better tyres also have the advantage of being road legal and cost less!

2. Street tyres like RSRs or RS3s can do very similar times to NT01 in experienced hands, are significantly cheaper and road legal. And in some events they can keep you in a lower class.

3. If you're in a class that allows semi slicks, you are starting well behind the 8 ball if you choose NT01s.

But if you're just doing track days, don't really care about getting the best possible time your car can do, or haven't driven on any other semis, and just want a tyre that doesn't cost too much and lasts ages, then the NT01s might suit your purposes. It doesn't make them a good tyre compared to other options IMO.

NT01 are not legal in Australia. As explained before they have no marked load index on the sidewalls = not road legal. Cops are normally clued up on that from pinging people in utes for not having load ratings to match their tyre placard. They are also marked for competition use only, like full slicks.

And even if you ignore that and pretend they are road legal because ozzytyres website said so, the "legal looking" part of their 2 stage tread depth (assuming you guys don't consider 2 groove slicks road legal? They are DOT, after all) is just 3/32" deep. That's 2.38mm. Meaning you have 0.88mm of wear before they'd be illegal anyway.

I just got a set of RS-RR for one of my other cars. There'd be no point explaining what they're like though...

[Duncan]

I was going to say...personally I'd give Harry's opinion some credit given he has been driving a range of cars on a range of circuits over a decade or 2....but he got in first.

I mostly keep an eye on 245/45/17 prices because that's what I run on the race car, my opinion from fastest to not:

Hankook Z221 $400ea

Dunlop DZ03 $550ea

Federal FZ201 (dry only) $300ea

Yoko A050 $550ea

Bridgestone Re55s $550ea

Yoko A032

Yoko A048

Dunlop D01J/D98J

I've probably used a few others but can't remember everything

Other tyres like Toyo 888 I've never tried but anyone who has on a heavy car says they don't work well. They seem to be good on clubbies/mx5 etc. I've never tried the Nittos.