Best HPDE tire

[hound dog]

Had a great two days at CMP last weekend running in HPDE 2. But now it's time to put new brakes and tires on the Trans Am. Size is 245/50/16. My instructor, Bob Shields, who did a great job by the way, recommended Avon Techs. I'd been looking at Kumho 712's or Bridgestone Potenzas. I don't want to go to the Toyo RA1 for school. Does anyone have any recommendation on the Avons, Bridgestones, or Kuhmos?

[Shawn M.]

Had a great two days at CMP last weekend running in HPDE 2. But now it's time to put new brakes and tires on the Trans Am. Size is 245/50/16. I don't want to go to the Toyo RA1 for school. Does anyone have any recommendation on the Avons, Bridgestones, or Kuhmos?

 

 

Well, a good tire at a decent price is the Kuhmo V700. Good grip, forgiving, last reasionably well and, did I mention they have a decent price?

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?make=Kumho&model=ECSTA+V700

Check that out for more listings but they offer a 245/45WR16 for $157 which is a tad shorter tire than the tires you currently use but could be better for gearing, depending on the track you run on.

 

I cant comment on the Avons, never driven on them.

 

I have spent alot of time on a set (read, 1 set for a very long time) of Bridgstone Potenza Re070 on a STI for the entire "One Lap of America" as well as an additional 6 track event weekends before they were totally dead. I think we got 8,000 race miles on the tires which come stock on the STI and unfortunately, only in one size. (Including the 5K + one lap race.) They were amazingly fast, right up to their end.

 

The Potenza Re010 is a good tire as well but the problem you will have is finding a good affordable long lasting tire in your size. So, having said that, Spend some time on the Tire Rack web site and check out the sizes and tire specs and see what you can find. You could also consider another wheel size? That might make more tires available to you.

 

They are having some killer prices on Hoosier A3SO4's right now too. I just got a set cheaper than a new set of Kuhmos, unheard of!

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?make=Hoosier&model=A3S04

[chicote]

If you are looking for in expensive. I would look at the Kumho Escta MX's. Allthough I have not run this tire — word on the street is that they are sticky! I just ran the Falken Azenis this weekend at CMP and was amazed at how sticky they were. They have a new tire out called the Azenis 615 (i ran the 215 discontinued) which are suppossed to be even better than what I ran. They are just a tad more expensive than the Kumho MX's. Both tires are way better than the 712's all though the 712's are very easy on your wallet.

 

One place to look for the tires I mentioned is:

 

vulcantire.com

 

hope this helps.

 

Ron

[kinkyllama]

Something pretty much the same as the aziens (althought hte tread doesnt look as good) is Hankook Ventus R-s2 and they're a little bit cheaper. I talked to someone that used to run aziens and now has the hankooks and says they're the same.

[FocusTed]

Had a great two days at CMP last weekend running in HPDE 2. But now it's time to put new brakes and tires on the Trans Am. Size is 245/50/16. My instructor, Bob Shields, who did a great job by the way, recommended Avon Techs. I'd been looking at Kumho 712's or Bridgestone Potenzas. I don't want to go to the Toyo RA1 for school. Does anyone have any recommendation on the Avons, Bridgestones, or Kuhmos?

 

I guess the main question would be if you're only going to use these tires for just the track.... or use them for both track and street, and since you said you didn't want to RA1s for school....I guessing you want a street tire.

 

If that is the case go with the Hankook Ventus R-s2 you would have to switch to 245/45/16s, but you can pick them up for about $95 a tire.... I have been using the Falken Azenis Sport tires, and they work well... but both Azenis tires don't come in your size...and are not even close to your size. at least for right now.

 

I have been told that both the new Ventus R-S2 and the new Azenis tire handle the heat pretty well. Both of these tires bridge the gap between the RA1 type tires and the Kumho MX type tires. They both have a trade wear around 200 (more like 180) and the RA1 is at 100 and the MX is at 220.

[FocusTed]

Had a great two days at CMP last weekend running in HPDE 2. But now it's time to put new brakes and tires on the Trans Am. Size is 245/50/16. My instructor, Bob Shields, who did a great job by the way, recommended Avon Techs. I'd been looking at Kumho 712's or Bridgestone Potenzas. I don't want to go to the Toyo RA1 for school. Does anyone have any recommendation on the Avons, Bridgestones, or Kuhmos?

 

I guess the main question would be if you're only going to use these tires for just the track.... or use them for both track and street, and since you said you didn't want to RA1s for school....I guessing you want a street tire.

 

If that is the case go with the Hankook Ventus R-S2 you would have to switch to 245/45/16s, but you can pick them up for about $95 a tire.... I have been using the Falken Azenis Sport tires, and they work well... but both Azenis tires don't come in your size...and are not even close to your size. at least for right now.

 

I have been told that both the new Ventus R-S2 and the new Azenis tire handle the heat pretty well. Both of these tires bridge the gap between the RA1 type tires and the Kumho MX type tires. They both have a trade wear around 200 (more like 180) and the RA1 is at 100 and the MX is at 220.

[hound dog]

Well, I think I'm going for the Avons. Not the worst of anything. Heck of a way to choose a tire isn't it? I think that they will be worn out before I finish HDPE and get ready to move on to a comp license or instructor and then I can move to the Toyos.

h dog

[bellwilliam]

since you have a heavy car, I would not recommend Azenis 215s. they don't worry so well when tires heat up.

 

I ran Kumho MX, they are pretty decent tires. although treads are gone in 4 track days. but I do have a heavy car.