I was getting ready to quote post #191 and ask you how it went with them because I'm deciding what I want to run for TTD in two months.

Any chance anyone has any data on the new compounds? Most of google results bring up less than trustworthy reviews and anecdotes.

 

-some personal data on RS3V1 vs Rival vs RS3V2 for people trying to decide between them.
-2300lb/low boost approx. 200whp. TMP/Cayuga road course. low speed/bumpy track. no other changes to car/similar weather/etc.

-1:20.0-RS3V1-30PSI-15HRS-consistent high 20's low 21's. Numb turn in, twitchy at limit, tough braking, got harder to get temp. towards end but never cycled out.
-1:19.7-RIVAL-35PSI-18HRS.-consistent high 20's low 21's. nicer than RS3V1 to drive, fantastic braking, easy to control at limit, quick to get temp. Badly cycled out, fastest lap when tire was new. End of life could barely get into 20's.
-1:19.2-RS3V2- 30PSI.-only 3 days on them so far. consistent mid to low 19's. numb turn in. otherwise , more grip, similar braking, way better putting power down.

 

Thanks for info! My RS3s V1 just seem to last forever

 

I've heard that continental DW and Toyo R1R are both very good street tires for rain use. I doubt +6...

 

They've both been eclipsed by at least the RE71R, maybe the Rival-S

 

Has anyone found out how the rival s holds up on track?

 

Re71r is stupid fast. It's also a 4day hpde tire. Rs3v2 on same car was 1.5 sec. slower on 80 sec. Lap but went out to 15 days. Pick your poison. Very good , consistent driver in a supercharged s2k.

 

On a heavy car you measure life in minutes. On a Miata at least, you can measure it in hours, well two maybe.

 

The street tire is dead. Long live the street tire.

 

Even in the rain? The original Rival at least was not the best in the rain. I'm thinking the R1R may still be the best street tire rain tire

 

Does the Toyo RA1 count as a street tire? If so, then there's your (raining) reigning champ.

 

At least 180 UTQG, really 200 TW now per SCCA

 

It's funny how "bad" the original rival is supposed to be in the rain. If you believe the internet, one wouldn't dare venture out on a wet track with standard Rivals on your car.

My experience has been quite the opposite, in both full wet and changeable conditions. We had regular Rivals on our chumpcar at Daytona and it rained quite a bit during the race. None of the other driers had issues with the tire in the wet, and I drove around the field when I was in the car in the wet.

 

I still maintain that the Falken RT615 (can't comment on the K, but can't imagine it's anything better) might be the sketchiest tire in the rain. However, if you dare to question the Azenis on the internet, you'll be transported back in time to 2006 where the Falken still reigns supreme.

I, too, haven't had any issues with the original Rival in the rain. The Z2s were probably a hair better and not as squirrely, but not a night/day difference.

General thread maintenance:
Street tires have changed once again, but it looks like grip is at ends with tire life. Emilio had a good write up on the Rival S in the wheel/tire subforum, but as he indicated here, expect single digit hours of life. The Rival S is also fairly expensive (and unavailable) while still being a street tire that handily beats out yesterday's hard R compounds (NT-01, Toyo RA1/888/etc). The Bridgestone RE71-R seems to be in the same boat and is currently killing everything in it's path at autocrosses across the country; however, I'm sure that the wear leaves a lot to be desired. Hankooks still have awful availability and the Z2 Star Spec seems to be marginally faster than the OG Z2.

My uneducated recommendations based on conjecture for the best $/performance as of Summer 2015 for the track:
R Comp TT/Sprint: Whatever Hoosier you have points for (SM7/A7)
R Comp sweet spot: Toyo RR/Maxxis RC-1
Street tire hero: BFG Rival S/Bridgestone RE71-R
Street tire sweet spot: Hankook R-S3 V2

For autocross: RE71-R until it gets blacklisted

For self-loathing/Mnet cred: Falken Azenis RT-615K

 

I would say the 1st generation RS-3 is worse in the rain than the gen1 Rival. The RS3 needs more heat in it than the Rival, when cold it was terrible.

What I would like to find out is which is faster - the widest available 15" RE71R (205) on 15x8, or the widest available 15" Rival-S (225) on 15x9.

-Ryan

 

I'm pretty sure that will be the 225/45 on 9 combo. The Rival-S and RE71-R are so close that contact patch will be the decider.

 

I don't have it in front of me, but GRM did a shootout between the Rival S and the RE71-R last month. I can't remember what the mule was, but the RE71-R squeaked by with a ~.5 second lead on a 30 second autocross course and had a slightly higher lateral G.

Right now, it's simultaneously the best and worst time to be on street tires in a Miata. One one hand, they're ridiculously fast, on the other, they're unavailable or have sizing issues.

R-S3: Perpetually unavailable for months at a time
Rival S: Currently unavailable
Z2 SS: 205
RE71-R: 205
Yokohama AD08R: 205

 

Phils Tire Service and Tire Rack have done well at keeping the 225/45/15 Rival-S in stock after the initial rush. I think both have them in stock now.

I am trying to talk to Yokohama about making the AD08R in a 225/45/15. They are a sponsor of WRL and supposedly they are really trying to listen to what enthusiasts want. I may need a little help getting all of my info together to show them the demand, but they seem open to listening.

 

I used the RA1 at a track day with a downpour and rivers running across the track. They worked well. Granted I'm not the fastest driver.

 

Can you guys get the Yokohama Advan A050? Its at least a second quicker per minute than a A048. Not exactly cheap though. Also only comes in a 205, 225, 245 / 50.