Tyres - R888's Cups anyone know who has stock??

['95 993]

Need a set of tyres for my 993 for castle combe on the 12th, my current toyo 888's are completely bald on the back, so I phone up the tyre support guys prosport and ask can you bring along a set of 888's on the 12th - No mate, none available in the UK don't know when but at least 1.5 months, Ok says I, bring along a set of cups please, no probs will do says prosport, then they phone me back, no cups available don't know when they will be available but will be weeks and weeks maybe months, we can only do you Khumo of Yoko's.

What is going on? Why no quality R compound tyres available?

My sizes are 285 30 rears and 225 40 fronts, any views on the Khumo and yoko's??? I had heard that both were pretty budget and not great, I love cups, have enjoyed 888's but really don't want anything with less grip than 888's and mainly dry driving (tend not to drive hard in the wet and have bridgestones (so2's on 17") for the road on different wheels for when its wet)

Thanks in advance, no tyres = Sloooooow track day :-(

cheers

John

[HarryW]

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/autobild-trac...

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-Reader-T...

V70a's actually seem to get good reviews all round and apparently don't overheat as quickly as the 888's

Edited by HarryW on Saturday 31st July 15:37

[fiveoclockhero1]

Try Adams & Page in High Wycombe, they do mail order

[joe_90]

Redish motorsport in Bristol, James does have some (I think..) tell him joe pointed you in his direction..

[Jon Ison]

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m12b0s...

[swtmerce]

The Kumho V70A is a proper track tyre and not a budget option. At least as good as 888s. I've used both on my M3.

[thegreenhell]

Out of Yoko A048R, Kumho V70A and Toyo R888, many people would consider the 888 to be the 'pretty budget, not great' option...

[F1Yorkie]

http://linktyres.co.uk/

Ravensthorpe near Dewsbury.
They are appointed Toyo agents and won't have your pants down on price.

['95 993]

Harry W, great articles really helpful, basically they are saying go Kumho. so am I right in thinking that the accepted wisdom is that actually the Kumho's or yoko's are actually better than the 888's not tried the kumho's or yoko's and they don't seem very prevalent on porsche's (or spoken much about by the porsche track day community) but maybe thats a fashion thing or is it because porkers are just that porkie, my 993 rs wighs in about 1270kg and maybe will oveheat the kumho's / yoko's quicker? would welcome any practical experiences as can def get the Kumho's and yoko's and for a good price,

Thanks for the advice guys, is swaying me towards a set of kumho's (but just had thought, maybe they are not N rated? - Porsche approved - not sure where my insurance sits if using non porsche approved tyres??)

[tertius]

'95 993 said:

Thanks for the advice guys, is swaying me towards a set of kumho's (but just had thought, maybe they are not N rated? - Porsche approved - not sure where my insurance sits if using non porsche approved tyres??)

R888s aren't N rated either so you had/have that 'problem' anyway.

When I had a 993 and ran R888s I simply checked with my insurer - they didn't care about N rating.

There is a long and thrilling thread in the Porsche forum about it at the moment ...

[jon-]

'95 993 said:

Harry W, great articles really helpful, basically they are saying go Kumho. so am I right in thinking that the accepted wisdom is that actually the Kumho's or yoko's are actually better than the 888's not tried the kumho's or yoko's and they don't seem very prevalent on porsche's (or spoken much about by the porsche track day community) but maybe thats a fashion thing or is it because porkers are just that porkie, my 993 rs wighs in about 1270kg and maybe will oveheat the kumho's / yoko's quicker? would welcome any practical experiences as can def get the Kumho's and yoko's and for a good price,

Thanks for the advice guys, is swaying me towards a set of kumho's (but just had thought, maybe they are not N rated? - Porsche approved - not sure where my insurance sits if using non porsche approved tyres??)

Just make sure you get the hard compound Kumho V70a and there's no way you'll overheat them quickly. They should out wear the R888's too. Whatever you get instead of the R888s, be sure to feedback to this thread

[flemke]

'95 993 said:

Harry W, great articles really helpful, basically they are saying go Kumho. so am I right in thinking that the accepted wisdom is that actually the Kumho's or yoko's are actually better than the 888's not tried the kumho's or yoko's and they don't seem very prevalent on porsche's (or spoken much about by the porsche track day community) but maybe thats a fashion thing or is it because porkers are just that porkie, my 993 rs wighs in about 1270kg and maybe will oveheat the kumho's / yoko's quicker? would welcome any practical experiences as can def get the Kumho's and yoko's and for a good price,

Thanks for the advice guys, is swaying me towards a set of kumho's (but just had thought, maybe they are not N rated? - Porsche approved - not sure where my insurance sits if using non porsche approved tyres??)

Considered Pirelli Corsas? They're dear, but work well on the RS. Not quite as much ultimate grip as MPSCs, especially when track is hot, but they're better in cool or damp than Cups, which is a reasonable trade-off.

[GC8]

N-rated tyres arent required, or rather, your insurance will not be affected by the fitting of tyres not approved by Porsche.

With regards to 'budget': what segment of the market do you believe the Toyos to be occupying?

['95 993]

so I can't get 888's anywhere, also cups seem to be unavailable in the UK as well (protyre are the sole importer and they don't have any and no idea when they will) apologies for any "budget" comment on the yoko's or Kumho's I thought they were, but I am a complete (ignorant) novice who has only ever run cups (the best IMHO recommended by loads of guys who run 993's) or recently 888's (also recommended by the 993 and GT3 crowd but I need the tyres at my next track day so will be a bit late to ask at the track given I need the tyres there!) I need to find another track tyre getting as close to cup performance, what would you guys who have experience of other brands recommend? Car is a 1270kg 993 RS on 18" wheels, 285 30 18's rear and 225 40 18 fronts. Will def post my experience when fitted! conflicting recommendations from the reports I have read and I am leaning towards Yoko's at the moment as the Kumho's seem (from reports on the web) to have very limited wear before illegal and really bad in the wet (not the biggest consideration for me, but having driven home 2 hours from goodwood in the past in torrential rain don't want something really bad in the wet!!) Thanks

[jon-]

I would agree with your above assessment. I can't comment on the Yoko's but the Kumho V70a is a handful in the wet, and hates standing water.

That said, some of the Ultima boys run them year round with big power.

[tertius]

Well to be honest it sounds as though you have to go with whatever you can get doesn't it?

As a slightly left field suggestion what about Hankook RS2s? Not up to R888 levels of grip but surprisingly good in the dry and an amazing bargain so you wouldn't exactly be risking much. Also a bit crap in the wet frankly but no worse than R888s I wouldn't have said.

(Don't actually know if they are available in the right sizes mind, but Camskill are the people to try.)

[GC8]

Are you sizes used in any championships as a control tyre? If so a competitior may be able to secure a set from reserved stock. Whether this is acceptable can only be known at the end of the season; when we find out if there we enough to go around...

[anonymous-user]

good luck even the time attack guys are having nightmares getting hold of 888's a couple of chums race in it and you cant get most of the 17+ sizes for love nor money atm

[GC8]

Thats that then. I dont have the money to run a GT3-type car any longer, but if I did the cost of tyres wouldnt be a worry to me. Considering that Id buy a set of Yokos first and see how they went.

Id be interested in hearing your experiences with different brands.

['95 993]

So still no tyres - spoke to Protyre motorsport who support the porsche racing series, and are supporting the track day i am on next thursday - their recommendations (for a 993RS and GT3's etc) is as follows (all for experienced track day driver / hard driver):

Michelin Cup sports best in dry by far, stand up to serious use well, not so great in the wet
888's beat the cups straight out as softer and grip faster from the start but go off after a few laps, don't have the legs of the cups, better than cups in the wet
Pirelli next best after cups
Yoko's good in hot conditions but harder compound so need to get v hot to get anywhere near 888's and cups but have long legs on sessions, but very noisy
Kumho unknown quantity pretty much on the porsche, very few porkie customers, but good on other cars i.e. BMW's.

Great advice and has given me my shopping list, hope its helpful to others, however, as at this morning though - No cups, no 888's, no pirelli's, no yoko's and may be able to get Kumho's (all in my size 285 rear and 225 front, basically 993RS and earlier GT3). They are seeing what they can get for me for fitment at the track next thursday - this is from the guys who have the largest trackday and race slick stock in the country - Fook me, must be panic buying :-0