Proxes T1-R on S2 Exige

[james S]

My S2 Exige came with these on, but I don't often hear them being discussed on these cars. Ay views anyone?

[C43]

I have them on my Europa and think they are bloody good. I have tracked the car several times and can live with an Exige on A048. I use my car every day in the wet / snow / ice and they have been great in the wet and mud. They are certainly a better bet if you are going to use your car all year round compared with the cut slicks. If you just want something for a hot dry circuit then they are not the best.

cheers

C43

[R.P.M]

Use these as my winter tyre, and find them a good compromise, they grip well in the wet too. Seem to last a long time too.

Rpm

[LD1Racing]

I used them as a winter tyre on my Exige S, steering felt a lot lighter, and offered considerably more grip than 048's in the wet, but I wouldn't want to use them in the summer.

[R.P.M]

Also agree about the steering. First time I used them I nearly turned into a hedge!

[nsm3]

I have looked at them as an alternative to a set of 888's (which I am having trouble getting delivered) - but internet research indicated that the sidewalls do not seem to be strong enough and give a lot of flex, upsetting the handling?

So I am still waiting on the 888's.

[C43]

the sidewalls are softer but this does seem to help with ride if you are driving over bumpy country roads. the only time I have had a problem with the sidewall stiffness on the circuit is Craner curves at Donnington where I struggled to be flat through the quick left as the rear was moving a bit. this may have been sidewall stiffness but could equally have been the standard springs and dampers I was running.

C43

[james S]

Thanks chaps

I'm slightly concerned by the post earlier that suggests I might become a hedge, but otherwise fine. I'll decide in summer whether to get some trick rubber for ultimate grip

[Thorburn]

I have these on my S1 Elise and while the handling feels okay I don't like how they seem to take a lot of steering feel away from the car.

[S Works]

I have had them on an S1 Sport 160 and on an NA Honda'd S2 with OZ/Team Dynamics rims. On both for the first few hundred miles they feel very light, and at times even dangerous. This is largely because of the soft, deep treadblocks, and softer sidewalls vs. more Elise specific tyres.

Once you scrub them in well though, they work excellently (as RPM says). I never had a problem with them in summer on road, but on track they do go off very quickly. Having said that, at somewhere like Abbeville which is a hooning circuit, they are a right laugh as you can get the car sideways and hold slides really, really easily.

[Tango7]

S Works said:

I have had them on an S1 Sport 160 and on an NA Honda'd S2 with OZ/Team Dynamics rims. On both for the first few hundred miles they feel very light, and at times even dangerous. This is largely because of the soft, deep treadblocks, and softer sidewalls vs. more Elise specific tyres.

I have them on both my S1 Elise and S2 Exige and I think they are a great all round road tyre esp. in poor weather conditions. When fitting a new set to the Elise, the tyre centre said to make sure I took it very easy for the first couple of hundred miles whilst they bedded in properly and wore off the release agent. I followed his instruction with a single 200 mile trip that night (might as well get it over and done with!) and they have been excellent ever since.

[S Works]

Tango7 said:

S Works said:

I have had them on an S1 Sport 160 and on an NA Honda'd S2 with OZ/Team Dynamics rims. On both for the first few hundred miles they feel very light, and at times even dangerous. This is largely because of the soft, deep treadblocks, and softer sidewalls vs. more Elise specific tyres.

I have them on both my S1 Elise and S2 Exige and I think they are a great all round road tyre esp. in poor weather conditions. When fitting a new set to the Elise, the tyre centre said to make sure I took it very easy for the first couple of hundred miles whilst they bedded in properly and wore off the release agent. I followed his instruction with a single 200 mile trip that night (might as well get it over and done with!) and they have been excellent ever since.

I took mine to a Walshy day and ragged the st out of them for a day. Perfect thereafter

[Tango7]

now that sounds far better than a run down the motorway!!

[nsm3]

Well, I have given up waiting on R888's and AO48's (seems to be a big delivery problem of both at present?) and have ordered a set of T1-R's for my Exige S, as I need to get the car on the road with some legal rubber on it.

I am a bit concerned about some of the reports of them being a bit on the "squishy" side - but heh, at £300 a full set, all in - if I don't like them, they can get binned in the summer !

BTW, just been offered some A039's - over £800 - I don't think so !!

[nsm3]

Got the T1-R's on and set them to the manual stated, Exige pressures of 29f/29r (ran the AO48's at 24f/26r).

OK, they aren't scrubbed in properly etc, but the initial reactions are;

1: The steering has lost some of its directness (quite a bit) but I am hoping that will improve. I am going to drop the pressure in the fronts to the Elise stated 26.
2: The comfort factor has improved significantly and the "my rear wheel bearing is shot" noise, that the car has had for the last 6k miles has gone, so was definately the AO48's.
3: Pushing hard round large roundabouts, the front drops into understeer earlier and the back gets a little unsettled, feeling a bit wallowy by comparison to the AO48's.

I'd say these seem a perfectly good road tyre (especially at £305 a full set - I paid that for 2 rear AO48's, 3k miles ago!), but if the OP does upgrade to the AO48's/R888's, they will definately sense the improvement?