Exige S2 sized tyres for all year round road use?

[Herman Toothrot]

What do people recommend? I had Khumo KU31's recommended to me but the place i've ordered the wheels from have found the front 16"s won't be available again until the end of August. So i'm a bit stumped as to what to go for. I see Toyo TR1 recommended but on the MR2 they were crap so i'm not convinced.

[Tango7]

I had Toyo Proyes T1-R's on my S1 Elise and S2 Exige and found them an excellent all round road tyre. I wouldn't expect them to be too good for track laps but certainly for driving normal roads esp. if it was wet, they gave decent performance.

[bogie]

the best all round tyre in Exige sizes are what came as OEM on the S1 Exige - Yokohama A039s - 95% as sticky as A048s in the dry (certainly no difference on the road) and 300% better in the wet, as they actually clear standing water

however they are even more of a low volume tyre (more so than A048s) so they are expensive - £850 a set. They also only start off with the same tread depth as A048s, so last about as long - 6K miles out of the rears if you are lucky.

so as usual "the best" is also the most expensive ....but tyres and brakes are probably the most important thing on the car, so I always like to fit the best

[Herman Toothrot]

That is rather expensive! £694+vat on elise parts I see

[Scuffers]

Herman Toothrot said:

That is rather expensive! £694+vat on elise parts I see

shame really (blame Lotus stupidly high mark up's)

they are the best tyre by a country mile for road work.

[bogie]

Herman Toothrot said:

That is rather expensive! £694+vat on elise parts I see

yes, expensive for ELise tyres, but about average for say a set of premium brand tyres for a German saloon these days.....

[Gooby]

I was doing a shed load of commuting miles last year so I purchased some T1-R's. They dont have the grip of the neovas (as expected) but they are good in most conditions and they last really well. I have been doing my best to wear the barstards out and get some Neovas but they still look like new...

Must lend them to Lotustewart. He kills them in a day!

[S Works]

Gooby said:

I was doing a shed load of commuting miles last year so I purchased some T1-R's. They dont have the grip of the neovas (as expected) but they are good in most conditions and they last really well. I have been doing my best to wear the barstards out and get some Neovas but they still look like new...

Must lend them to Lotustewart. He kills them in a day!

Book a Walshy Day or a LoT day at Abbeville. They'll be gone before lunchtime.

[smart move]

I've run Ku31's and Toyo T1R's (on a VX220). Preferred the Ku31's. Toyo's were fine in the wet, but in the dry went off quickly on track and during spirited road driving. Their soft tire wall gives a less sharp steering response. Upping pressures to compensate, compromised grip.

[Herman Toothrot]

smart move said:

I've run Ku31's and Toyo T1R's (on a VX220). Preferred the Ku31's. Toyo's were fine in the wet, but in the dry went off quickly on track and during spirited road driving. Their soft tire wall gives a less sharp steering response. Upping pressures to compensate, compromised grip.

Thats the MR2 problem, turns the car into some wandering un-responsive barge, glad someone said it for the VX I'd be pissed off if I bought them then. Weird but so many peple rate them, I think it purely a cost thing, they "grip ok and are cheap so they are good" I'm happy to spend more to avoid that. Don't really want toe spend 3X the amount though. The KU31's are supposed to be better and cheaper, complete winner if only they were available before the end of next month.

[Scuffers]

smart move said:

I've run Ku31's and Toyo T1R's (on a VX220). Preferred the Ku31's. Toyo's were fine in the wet, but in the dry went off quickly on track and during spirited road driving. Their soft tire wall gives a less sharp steering response. Upping pressures to compensate, compromised grip.

that's basically summing up Toyo's...

yes, they use soft compounds to get grip, but the carcase behind is just not up to it, at the end of the day, they are cheap for a reason, and the "one-size fit's all" approach just does not cut it when your talking cars like the Elise/VX/etc

[smart move]

In my opinion the Ku31 is a better tyre than T1r for elise variants. I'd hang on rather than go with T1r's. I'm sure not a patch on Yokohama A039,(never tried them) but you pay's your money and takes a choice. The Ku31 gives reasonable steering feel, but not stuck like glue grip, i.e on the road fun at a reasonable speed.

[smart move]

http://www.vx220.org.uk/forums/Kumho-Ku31-Tyres-t8...

do a search for discussion on merits of different front sizes etc.

[Herman Toothrot]

The fronts in the package (getting wheels as well) are 195/50/16"s so maybe worth just waiting for the KU31's.

[dom180]

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

Edited by dom180 on Sunday 2nd August 18:59

[Scuffers]

dom180 said:

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

which is a bit dumb when they have the A039R.....

[dom180]

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

which is a bit dumb when they have the A039R.....

Can't get 39s in a current Elise size.. and although 39's are fantastic tyres not really suitable for more than a few thousand road miles before the tread is down to 2/3mm and then not so good in the wet.... And certainly not a < 7 degrees Winter use option.

Edited by dom180 on Sunday 2nd August 19:23

[Scuffers]

dom180 said:

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

which is a bit dumb when they have the A039R.....

Can't get 39s in a current Elise size.. and although 39's are fantastic tyres but not really suitable for more than a few thousand wet miles before the tread is down to 2/3mm....

so what's wrong with the Advan Neova then?

[dom180]

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

which is a bit dumb when they have the A039R.....

Can't get 39s in a current Elise size.. and although 39's are fantastic tyres but not really suitable for more than a few thousand wet miles before the tread is down to 2/3mm....

so what's wrong with the Advan Neova then?

Great tyre in my limited experience - not type approved I believe for the S2 and doesn't come in an S2 front size - we have AD07s which are great (don't last that long though) but not so good for Winter/cold use.

[Scuffers]

dom180 said:

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Scuffers said:

dom180 said:

Might be worth experimenting with a set of Goodyear F1 GSDs - Lotus fit them to the Europa SE and claim they're great in the wet so probably a better bet than the Kumos....

Real shame Lotus don't offer recommended all season and winter tyre options for both the Exige/Elise at the moment.

which is a bit dumb when they have the A039R.....

Can't get 39s in a current Elise size.. and although 39's are fantastic tyres but not really suitable for more than a few thousand wet miles before the tread is down to 2/3mm....

so what's wrong with the Advan Neova then?

Great tyre in my limited experience - not type approved I believe for the S2 and doesn't come in an S2 front size - we have AD07s which are great (don't last that long though) but not so good for Winter/cold use.

?? they should be and they do make the right sizes (they were made initially for Lotus)