Difference between street tires and slicks :shocked:

[slngsht]

I will probably try the Toyo R888 next time, if they come in my sizes

 

http://www.justracing.com/features/2007_toyo_announces_r888

[soareyes]

Gary, it's the Toyo RA1, a Dot R tire with enough tread to be suitable for road use:

 

Toyo RA1

 

 

 

edit - scannon beat me to it!

 

edit x 2 - The R888 looks good, and has been well received by European 7's owners, but I wonder if it will ever be brought into the US in sizes we can use. So far only 17 to 19 inch sizes. I'm hoping we can get them sooner or later!

 

Toyo R888

 

 

[slngsht]

Gary, it's the Toyo RA1, a Dot R tire with enough tread to be suitable for road use:

 

Toyo RA1

 

 

 

edit - scannon beat me to it!

 

edit x 2 - The R888 looks good, and has been well received by European 7's owners, but I wonder if it will ever be brought into the US in sizes we can use. So far only 17 to 19 inch sizes. I'm hoping we can get them sooner or later!

 

Toyo R888

 

 

I use 17's and 18's, so I'm good to go.

[Keith]

 

Thats kinda of like comparing apples and organes isnt it? RA1 is intended to be a track tire although it is DOT approved. Falkens are a true 220 wear street tire.

 

It's not apples and oranges at all, other than price. They're both legitimate options for us. The RA1 is a streetable R compound which can legitimately be driven daily. Compare this to most other DOT R compounds where you are explicitly told not to drive them on the street.

 

After two years of hard driving (including two magazine tests, a photo session involving lapping a skidpad at opposite lock, several lap records and a whole bunch of track days and road miles all over the country), my RA1s needed to be replaced because one was corded. That was because I'd used it on a Miata with an alignment problem for a track day - the other three were still good and sticky. Don't expect any other R compound to behave like this, it's the magic of the RA1. You cannot heat-cycle them out.

 

Meanwhile, my Falkens have turned to rocks. There's still lots of tread left but they don't grip at all. They've heat-cycled out with about 1/3 as much use as the Toyos. I tried autocrossing on them recently and it was a terrible experience. So my "true 220 wear street tire" didn't last anywhere near as long as my track tire did.

 

The R888 isn't radically different from the RA1. I've been told it's the same rubber compound (excellent) as the RA1 but with a different tread pattern and a slightly stiffer casing. So don't cry too much if they don't show up in our sizes.

[Al N.]

I'm sure this has been noted before, but the RA-1 and the Nitto NT-01 are basically the same tire...same parent company.

[slngsht]

 

It's not apples and oranges at all, other than price. They're both legitimate options for us. The RA1 is a streetable R compound which can legitimately be driven daily. Compare this to most other DOT R compounds where you are explicitly told not to drive them on the street.

 

After two years of hard driving (including two magazine tests, a photo session involving lapping a skidpad at opposite lock, several lap records and a whole bunch of track days and road miles all over the country), my RA1s needed to be replaced because one was corded. That was because I'd used it on a Miata with an alignment problem for a track day - the other three were still good and sticky. Don't expect any other R compound to behave like this, it's the magic of the RA1. You cannot heat-cycle them out.

 

Meanwhile, my Falkens have turned to rocks. There's still lots of tread left but they don't grip at all. They've heat-cycled out with about 1/3 as much use as the Toyos. I tried autocrossing on them recently and it was a terrible experience. So my "true 220 wear street tire" didn't last anywhere near as long as my track tire did.

 

The R888 isn't radically different from the RA1. I've been told it's the same rubber compound (excellent) as the RA1 but with a different tread pattern and a slightly stiffer casing. So don't cry too much if they don't show up in our sizes.

 

2nd that for the RA-1. I had them for over a year (about 6000 miles), and about 40 autox runs. Still had alot of tread left, and just as grippy as day 1. Now Robert has them, and they still have quite a bit of life left.

[Keith]

I'm sure this has been noted before, but the RA-1 and the Nitto NT-01 are basically the same tire...same parent company.

 

I didn't know that, interesting. A bit of shallow research indicates the Nitto has a bit less tread depth and a stiffer casing, but that the compound is rumored to be the same. And the NT-01 comes in my 205/55-14 size - and at Onlinetires.com, they're also less expensive and have free shipping while the Toyo does not. If I hadn't just bought a set of the RA-1s for the Seven, I'd be trying out Nittos. The softer sidewall of the RA-1 may benefit those of us with lighter cars though.

 

Here's a chuckle- the NT-01 is listed as "all season" on the OnlineTires.com website

[slngsht]

Here's a chuckle- the NT-01 is listed as "all season" on the OnlineTires.com website

 

I'm sure it will do just fine sitting in your garage all winter :thumbs: