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Lets talk 200TW tyres


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I wanted to get some thoughts on what the appeal is of the 200 treadwear tyres. Tyres like AD08R/AD09, Pilot Sport Cup 2, RE-71RS, etc etc

There seems to be so many people in love with their preferred 200 treadwear tyre, but I don't really understand why. They seem so expensive to me when compared to either a proper R compound tyre for the track or a ultra high performance for the street (tyres like Pilot Sport 5). I don't understand why someone wouldn't buy a 2nd set of wheels, run a street legal semi slick for the track, which is cheaper then a 200 treadwear tyre while out performing it. Then run a tyre like a Pilot Sport 4/5 for the street, which are vastly cheaper, still perform adequately and will last many more KM's. 

The only logical reason I see to run a 200 treadwear tyre is because the class your driving in won't allow for a softer tyre to be run. 

I'd really love to hear from anyone that has experience driving on these tyres as well as experience with R compound tyres.

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I only have <200rwkW and the R32** has poor longitudinal traction with anything less than this sort of tyre.

Additionally, the way I drive is same-speed-all-the-time. I get 100000km out of a set of brake pads, but I kill tyres every 10000km. I need the lateral grip provided by the ~200tw tyres so I can treat all corners as if they are part of the straight.

** Stupid anti-squat geo is next on my list to kill.

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In my case it's cost. I don't have the funds/space to buy two sets of rims and have them sitting around like the pair of drag tyres/rims I already have sitting around.

The idea is you have one set of tyres for road AND track duties. No it's not as good as either. As as result, you can scoff and disregard people who R comps as "ah yeah track only tyres" and feel smug about your street car.

In the future I will most likely do what you say honestly. 80TW or R comp (cup 2 etc something) for track tyres, and a 300 treadwear good-ish road tyre. Like a Bridgestone RE003 or NS2 or something like that. Truth of the matter is even RS4/AD08R's only really start gripping up at tyre temps at 80C+

Can't really see/admit to ever pushing hard enough on the street where I need to drop pressures and get tyre temp up that much - So they aren't even operating as designed on the street anyway, and I always wondered if a softer tyre that grips better at 50C actually provides more total grip than a UHP/200TW tyre at 50C does when it's out of its temperature windows, AND then its pressure window if you DO get it up to 80C.

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I found RS4's a good compromise for a 200tw cheap tyre

I found the RS4 well out perfored the RE003, I think the RE003 are a 240tw ??? maybe

They last well too

Sizing can be an issue with the RS4 though 

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For a cheap tyre I quite like the R888R's that are on my Commodore, 100 tw though, from looking at them they should get at least last 10k km, maybe more

In the dry they grip alot better than the RS4's that were on it, for roughly the same cost, in saying that the RS4's were 255, and the R888R are 275

And both are/were pretty similar in the wet

I've done a few thousand km on them now and am pretty impressed with them for a $300 275/40 17 tyre

They are not a drag radial, but they are as close to a drag radial that I am happy to drive on the street

I rate them highly for a street car with some balls

I have no clue how they perform or last when on the track

Opinions may vary 

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A lot of good food for thought here. 

I've got Nankang NS2R (120TW) on my track rims at the moment and I need to replace my street tyres soon. The RS4 look really interesting as a street tyre option but they need to perform double duty as my drift tyres too. 

Would there be any reason why they wouldn't be a good drift tyre?

The Zestino Gredge 07R in 240TW as a street/drift tyre have also caught my attention. 

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I've been eying off the Nankang CR-S (CR-1 in other parts of the world).

The Porsche fellas seem to like them, they said it's as good as AD08R and that's a good sign.

I'm currently using 5 year old Nankang AR-1, although good grippy tyres they sure melt fast 😂

3x track days in (2x at Wakefield and 1x at Luddenham) plus a few anti lag launches and a small donut or two and they're on the tread indicators.

Either that or Hankook RS-4 and call it a day.

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17 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I've been eying off the Nankang CR-S (CR-1 in other parts of the world).

The Porsche fellas seem to like them, they said it's as good as AD08R and that's a good sign.

I'm currently using 5 year old Nankang AR-1, although good grippy tyres they sure melt fast 😂

3x track days in (2x at Wakefield and 1x at Luddenham) plus a few anti lag launches and a small donut or two and they're on the tread indicators.

Either that or Hankook RS-4 and call it a day.

Yep they caught my eye too but the price surprised me. I got quoted $435 for CRS in 275/35R17, seemed too expensive to take the chance on. 

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17 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I've been eying off the Nankang CR-S (CR-1 in other parts of the world).

The Porsche fellas seem to like them, they said it's as good as AD08R and that's a good sign.

I'm currently using 5 year old Nankang AR-1, although good grippy tyres they sure melt fast 😂

3x track days in (2x at Wakefield and 1x at Luddenham) plus a few anti lag launches and a small donut or two and they're on the tread indicators.

Either that or Hankook RS-4 and call it a day.

I can recommend the nankang cr-s but its a time attack tyre and can't do full sessions at full pace. Testing so far has shown they are faster than the advan over 1 lap but the advan is more consistent over the session. 

I'll look for the Testing video that Dylan from skid control has done. 

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46 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

Looks like it really performs, just need a track review from him.

Well that might be a while for the video to come out but I can tell you from testing the advan a few weeks ago that the crs was quicker around QR sprint & clubman layouts. Only changes to the car was the advan needed rear dampers softened a little bit.
The wear on the r35 GTR has been good too (1500ish kg with driver & 20L fuel) done test day at QR sprint & clubman, Goldrush Hill climb and King of QR (4 layouts) this weekend and the Nankang CR-S are still performing well and lots of tread still. 

Edited by robbo_rb180
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AD08R and RS4 is what I run and found them both to be excellent, with I THINK the Yoko being slightly better. I really like both of them and is the only tyres I'll run on the Rs for street or comp duties unless R comp. I was quite surprised how well the RS4 coped with my 600kw+ 32 on the Motorkhana a couple of weeks ago, very impressive with a fair bit of bite. Both have extremely stiff sidewalls for good conering too unlike something like a soft sidewall R888R.

Next step is obviously R comp, but good R comp like A050 is not even close to the same cost range for 200tw yoko ad08r / Hankook RS4 price. They're more like $2k+ a set for A050 in 17/18s, so only cheaper R comp than 200tw tyres the is AR-1.

19 hours ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

 

The Porsche fellas seem to like them, they said it's as good as AD08R and that's a good sign.

I'm currently using 5 year old Nankang AR-1, although good grippy tyres they sure melt fast 😂

Of course fast wear - AR-1 is as mentioned an R comp 80tw tyre so not really a relevant comparison, but sounds like these CR-S are worth try for cheap 200tw rubber if it's anywhere in the ballpark of the Yokos AD08R though.

Regarding 200tw, I'm actually wanting feedback on Yoko A052 as they seem to be as good as it gets before the R comp A050 so very interested in them, but can't go wrong with the AD08R or RS4 for non R comp tyres with any cornering requirements really.

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So looking around at prices, my lord.... Nankang CR-S cost more than Nankang AR-1 and Hankook Z232 (RS-4).

I think I'm going to get Hankook Z232 RS-4 next. For a 265/35/18 tyre:

Makes the decision a bit easier I think.

 

@WantGTR I have a mate with a 4G63T in his Mirage and he rates those tyres too for just straight line grip, haven't heard of anyone use them as a street -> circuit tyre though.

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40 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

So looking around at prices, my lord.... Nankang CR-S cost more than Nankang AR-1 and Hankook Z232 (RS-4).

I think I'm going to get Hankook Z232 RS-4 next. For a 265/35/18 tyre:

Makes the decision a bit easier I think.

 

@WantGTR I have a mate with a 4G63T in his Mirage and he rates those tyres too for just straight line grip, haven't heard of anyone use them as a street -> circuit tyre though.

They do well on the street, I mean nashos, I mean everyday/sometimes spirited driving. Even at the new increased price they are still very affordable.

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8 hours ago, WantGTR said:

for the money, hard to beat Sailun Atrezzo RO1. 265 35 18. price was about 110 per tyre but they are now 154 per tyre. great tyre for a 180TW. unknown and underrated.

They look really interesting. It's a real shame there is only one size in 17"

I feel the world forcing me to get 18" wheels. It's crazy that these days some tyres smallest size is 19".

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