Running Tyre Review: Achilles Atr Sport

[kingtube69]

Hi All,

I needed some new tires for my Skyline - I came across someone selling Achilles tires for a bargain price so I thought what the hell and bought them.

This will be my running review of the tires themselves. I've read a lot of good but a lot of bad stories about them. I bought them more of a get out of jail tactic.

Initial Review:

Tires are sitting in my garage until tomorrow. The tread pattern looks similar to some tires I've had in the past on my old car (maybe same mould???) Specs on the tire sticker looks OK-ish.

Stay tuned for reviews at various stages. If you've used these before let me know what you thought

[GTSBoy]

They're related to the Federals, hence the familiarity.

[sleptema]

I am running these tyres on my skyline. For the price I paid (which was cheap) they are really really good value. I had 265s on previously, didn't take notice of the brand, but they would make me powerskid 1-2-3, switched to ATR sports 245s (different rim) and now grips 2nd. I think I paid $80 a tyre fitted and balanced and for that cost I couldn't go wrong. 91W I believe.

[Kinks]

Great idea - this is the only true way to do a tyre test. Make sure you document kms travelled as well so you can see the wear rate (although this varies on driving style). I have had tyres that have been great when new and then when half worn have become treacherous in the wet (Bridgestone Adrenaline RE001). The rubber just seems to harden up and stop gripping. I have had other tyres that were brilliant wet and dry right down to the wear markers (Dunlop Sport Max TT). If you have to replace a tyre that still has half its tread left then it's a waste of money.

I have some sort of Achilles tyre on my R34 at the moment. When new they were impressive for a compliance tyre, now that they are half worn the wet grip is dropping off a bit, but it's still reasonable. I have a feeling that I may replace the tyres before they are worn due to lowered grip levels in the wet though.

[32GTRB]

I ran these on my 350z when I had them. Thought they were a great tyre for the price.

[kingtube69]

So I probably should have updated this a bit more I'm at about 3,000 KMS on the tires now

Initial impression of the tire was that they were a bit too slippery - This was because the grease on it from manufacture. Even in the dry they wanted to slide with ease.

Current impression of the tire is they are great! As soon as they get some heat into them they become very sticky and can take a beating while still holding well. With that being said there is more to it than "WOW the tires are doing all the work" but I really like them.

As with most tires on a RWD car they are average in the wet, if you're not careful they will slide no matter how hard you try to avoid it. I came up a slight inclined corner and it just slid straight out last week.

Wear on the tires is "OK"

Noise is minimal (quieter than my mates Feds on his Skyline)

More updates to come in the next couple of thousand kms

[Kinks]

As with most tires on a RWD car they are average in the wet, if you're not careful they will slide no matter how hard you try to avoid it. I came up a slight inclined corner and it just slid straight out last week.

You get what you pay for. Sport Maxx TT in the first half of their life could be driven very confidently in the wet. Even second half of life they were still good. My current Achilles tyres have to tiptoe around the place.. cheap cheap.

[_Wing_]

It'll help immensely if you frame the review with what tyres you've previously used

[kingtube69]

Bald ones! They had next to no tread so there is no point.

[kingtube69]

Another month on since my last post and I'm having to change tires.

These aren't great in the wet and worse they turned to crap after a small bit of abuse - It looks almost as if they delaminated.

I'll be replacing these this weekend.

As per everyone else's posts.. You get what you pay for.

[GTRPSI]

Yes we found at the half way wear point there was little traction on them, in the wet you may as well be driving on oil.....

New they were great though dry or wet.

Im under the impression that heat cycling them hardened the rubber up.

The other thing was that i had these on my Ute, i use to load it up to 3-400Kg (100Kg under its max load rating), every 3-4 months the sidewalls bulged from the cords inside breaking.

After 2-3 rear sets i changed tyre brands and the problem went away, no more sidewall damage and traction right down to the tread wear indicators.

They are cheap sh....

[Kinks]

Im under the impression that heat cycling them hardened the rubber up.

Agreed. I had the same issues with RE001s. With my current Achilles I have dropped my pressures to 28psi, which helps a bit in the wet. But they are so greasy I cannot recommend them, they are really slippery tyres and I will be replacing them very soon.

[Tonks]

Yes we found at the half way wear point there was little traction on them, in the wet you may as well be driving on oil.....

New they were great though dry or wet.

Im under the impression that heat cycling them hardened the rubber up.

The other thing was that i had these on my Ute, i use to load it up to 3-400Kg (100Kg under its max load rating), every 3-4 months the sidewalls bulged from the cords inside breaking.

After 2-3 rear sets i changed tyre brands and the problem went away, no more sidewall damage and traction right down to the tread wear indicators.

They are cheap sh....

More sidewall issue's here.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

I wasn't a fan of them at all, for the price + a little more some Nitto INVO tyres are a much better option or even Kumho KU31 (not as good as the Nitto).