Best Evo VI Trackday tyre ?

[Gadgetman]

What in the assembled opinion of you webbies is the best tyre for trackday use on an Evo VI running on 17 inch wheels? I am considering a separate set of wheels so can discount the road use. If they are not standard road tyres where do you purchase them? :D

[Rosco]

For track day use mainly, a lot of people use Dunlop Formula R tyres. These are road legal cut slicks.

I've got a set at the moment and have only used them once. They are very good and seem just as good as any full slicks I've used in the past. Thing I like about them most is that you don't have to change them if you need to get fuel from down the road :D

Steve

[Steve C]

If you are sticking to 17" wheels there are not a lot of choices if you want to stay road legal. Slicks are fairly easy to get but as Rosco says, a bit of a pain when the inevitable fuel run happens.

The only ones I know are avaialble that fit are:
- Dunlop Formula R (aka D98J's). Come in 235/45/17, ie slightly larger than nomal but fit OK on Super T's or F1 Cup wheels. Have not yet used mine so can't comment on performance

- Kumho V700's. Come in std 225/45/17 size but seem to be somewhere between road & cut slick performance, despite having high wear rate and shallow tread pattern. Not too impressed but makes a decent high performance road tyre.

I have tried to find Yoko AO32R's in the right size but cannot find them in the UK so far (A couple of the boys based in France can get them there apparently).

HTH,
Steve.

[Dave Henshall]

Ears Motorsport in Macclesfield supplied mine. 225/45/zr17 yoko a032r, they only lasted 2.5K miles though - without any track use

[Gadgetman]

Thanks for the advice guys. If I were to pick up Rosco's comment and think other than 17 inch wheels, what do you go for in wheel make and style to maintain the offset, and what is then the best trackday tyre to suit?

[RS Sprint]

Lotsa good road-legal slicks abound,

Falken Azenis available in 225/45 (not the Azenis ST115 which is a high-performance street tire)

Bridgestone RE540S damn good too!

Dunlop R seems to be the softest among the lot.

Advan AO38R also good, though I haven't seem them in anything other than 15 and 16 inch applications yet. Ever popular AO32R and AO32RS good for track days though getting dated compared with newer ones from other brands.

[DrBob]

If these are purely for track use on a spare set of wheels, go for some of the ex Touring Car BFGoodrich used slicks. Various suppliers, I got mine from Andy Ewings who has posted in the Trackdays section in the past so a search should find him. £40 each.

I used mine all day in Rockingham (142 miles) and all day in Donington yesterday (176 miles) and although the fronts are getting close to the wear limit the rears still have plenty of meat.

These tyres work really well, take a lap or two to get warmed up but then are very grippy and really progressive.

[Rosco]

Yeh I've had a set of them as well from Andy. They are good and very cheap. Only problem is when you need fuel, Donington being no problem, but Goodwood and Combe are! ;)

Steve

[N.Ring]

who sells the Falken Azenis? Should be much cheaper than other comparable tires.

[N.Ring]

I mean the Azenis Sport RS-

[gaz@cpp]

Im with ROSCO & DR BOB spare set of rims with the bf goodrich used slicks. Took mark shead round rockingham on them he coudn't get over the grip. Stand up to the abuse very well 3 sessions at combe and then 130 miles at rockingham. The 2 fronts have still got a few more laps in them. As for leaving the circuit for fuel ;)

[DrBob]

Originally posted by Rosco
Yeh I've had a set of them as well from Andy. They are good and very cheap. Only problem is when you need fuel, Donington being no problem, but Goodwood and Combe are! ;) Ah ... jerry cans are your friend :)

I nipped up to the next village before Rockingham and filled the tank + 2 jerry cans with Optimax. Did 142 miles on track then just made it to filling station on way home. Also always a chance of persuading someone using road tyres to take a can out to get fuel for you.

As for Donington being no problem, 99.9p per litre is really taking the p**s!! Also £2 surcharge for credit card.