Hankook R-S3: What's the next best Thing?
#1
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 5,360
Total Cats: 43
Hankook R-S3: What's the next best Thing?
I don't mind spending the bank on a set of Hankook R-S3's because, well, they're awesome. Problem is my commuting boring city highway driving distance is FAR greater than my spirited driving clover excitement. Face it, the RS3 tread wear is 140...
What would be the next best tire with a higher tread life in a 225/45-15 (or similar size) with similar value?
What would be the next best tire with a higher tread life in a 225/45-15 (or similar size) with similar value?
#4
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 3,468
Total Cats: 365
Or replace them frequently.
If you have the 16" NB wheels, the BF Goodrich Comp 2's are available in the weird 205/45R16. They are treadwear 340 or so but supposed to be very sticky and apparently will survive track days.
The 15" options are not as good, I believe they only have 195/50.
#6
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 5,360
Total Cats: 43
Buddy recommended the Z1 Star also, but they're not even close to wide enough. I hope to run a 9" wide wheel so obviously the options are going to be somewhat limited.
I don't/won't daily drive the Miata, it's only a nice weather / weekend playtoy as I've got 3 other cars to drive otherwise. Guess I'll order a set of RS3's and see how long they last..
On another note, I really like the cost of those TRM C1's...
#8
Buddy recommended the Z1 Star also, but they're not even close to wide enough. I hope to run a 9" wide wheel so obviously the options are going to be somewhat limited.
I don't/won't daily drive the Miata, it's only a nice weather / weekend playtoy as I've got 3 other cars to drive otherwise. Guess I'll order a set of RS3's and see how long they last..
On another note, I really like the cost of those TRM C1's...
#11
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chesterfield, NJ
Posts: 6,892
Total Cats: 399
I run the BF Gforce Sports in this size, f'in spectacular tire with great life and rain traction, quiet, and handled the 235wftlbs with no spin in 2nd. So a great daily driver tire. I am considering something more aggressive now that my car will hopefully have more power and won't be driven in the rain, once it's done.
#16
I originally had Toyo R1R 225/45/15's on my DD which have the same treadwear (140) as the RS3s and decided to save them for the track so purchased another set of 6ULs and Star Specs (205/50/15) for DD.
The Star Specs are definitely noisier but their handling in the wet is amazing. We did a club run to Mt. Glorious in Queensland on a very wet day and the roads looked very slippery but the Star Specs never lost grip once despite me trying to force the issue in some corners.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as a DD tyre (though some may find them too noisy).
The Star Specs are definitely noisier but their handling in the wet is amazing. We did a club run to Mt. Glorious in Queensland on a very wet day and the roads looked very slippery but the Star Specs never lost grip once despite me trying to force the issue in some corners.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as a DD tyre (though some may find them too noisy).
#17
I expect 8,000miles and 20 autox events out of my 205 star specs. They'll probably be replaced due to heat cycling when they have about 3/32 on the inside edge. I DD with 2.2* of camber like a boss. Currently preparing to shoot for 2.7*+.
#19
Heat cycle RS3's daily driving them? Do they even ware when you daily drive them? Things are impossible to get up to temp driving hard unless its over 75* out. And from the hand pyrometer they're not even up to warm enough to get out on course temp after my 80mph hour drive to and from work. Maybe today, since it was like 85* out when I drove home, but I didn't check. Once you've driven on them truly up to temp (aka nearly too hot to touch) anything below that and they feel like rocks.
Star specs wont fit on that wheel, but dailying you'll heat cycle them out way before you kill them, should be good for 20k miles easy though. I haven't run the RS3's long enough to get an accurate life on them.
Star specs wont fit on that wheel, but dailying you'll heat cycle them out way before you kill them, should be good for 20k miles easy though. I haven't run the RS3's long enough to get an accurate life on them.
#20
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 5,360
Total Cats: 43
I cooked a set of Toyo T1R's in about 5500 miles on the Speed6 and they're rated at 280. That was a VERY exciting 5500 miles though! The difference between Mazda's factory garbage tires and T1R's made it more than worth cost of entry!
Personally have never owned either the RS3 or Star so I'll give the RS3 a shot and see what happens. It's only like $500 worth of tire, what's there to lose?
Personally have never owned either the RS3 or Star so I'll give the RS3 a shot and see what happens. It's only like $500 worth of tire, what's there to lose?