Tyres for a S2k
03-04-2002, 03:13 PM
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Tyres for a S2k
Hello,
I am needing some new rear tyres desperately and just wanting to know what everyone is running at the moment. Currently I am running the Bridgestone S02's 225/50/R16 92W rated tyres. I know these ones grip and do the business but just wondering if other people are running a better tyre on the S2000.
Honda recommend this tyre and definately no other rating than a W. Bridgestone recommends the same as well.
The Type R's a lot of people recommend the Azina's but they are only v rated so I am a little unsure.
I have someone recommending Pirelli's P7's or P7000's, but I will be leaving my Bridgestones on the front at this stage.
Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations.
Thanks in advance!!!!
I am needing some new rear tyres desperately and just wanting to know what everyone is running at the moment. Currently I am running the Bridgestone S02's 225/50/R16 92W rated tyres. I know these ones grip and do the business but just wondering if other people are running a better tyre on the S2000.
Honda recommend this tyre and definately no other rating than a W. Bridgestone recommends the same as well.
The Type R's a lot of people recommend the Azina's but they are only v rated so I am a little unsure.
I have someone recommending Pirelli's P7's or P7000's, but I will be leaving my Bridgestones on the front at this stage.
Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations.
Thanks in advance!!!!
03-04-2002, 03:45 PM
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Ask DavidM how his new Azenis are. He seemed happy with them initially.
I wouldn't get anything other than top of the line performance tyres for the S2000. You have to be careful because a lot of good names make high priced tyres that are good performers but still designed more for comfort than our S02s. A case in point is some of the Pirelli P-Zero range. Before you buy the tyre have a close look at it off the rim. It needs to have a very sturdy sidewall that is difficult to flex with your hand. To maintain the same balance as the OEM tyres you also need to see a lot of rubber on the road at the rear, so the tyre should have a square sidewall and relatively few or narrow drainage channels.
Other than the S02 the only tyres I know of that I would look at are the maximum performance Michelin (can't remember the name) and the Falken Azenis. There may be other suitable ones that I just haven't heard of. Michelins tend to be overpriced so I think the choice would come down to Azenis (best value) or S02 (unbeatable performance and yet still good comfort). The Azenis is cheaper and longer lasting (harder rubber) than the S02 but will be noisier and harder riding. It may have comparable grip and response by virtue of its extremely stiff sidewall. Bear in mind that these particular S02s are designed exclusively for this car (you must ask for the S2000 tyres) and so are going to be very hard to match in terms of suitability for the car. You can get discounts from Bridgestone for being in the HSCC.
I wouldn't get anything other than top of the line performance tyres for the S2000. You have to be careful because a lot of good names make high priced tyres that are good performers but still designed more for comfort than our S02s. A case in point is some of the Pirelli P-Zero range. Before you buy the tyre have a close look at it off the rim. It needs to have a very sturdy sidewall that is difficult to flex with your hand. To maintain the same balance as the OEM tyres you also need to see a lot of rubber on the road at the rear, so the tyre should have a square sidewall and relatively few or narrow drainage channels.
Other than the S02 the only tyres I know of that I would look at are the maximum performance Michelin (can't remember the name) and the Falken Azenis. There may be other suitable ones that I just haven't heard of. Michelins tend to be overpriced so I think the choice would come down to Azenis (best value) or S02 (unbeatable performance and yet still good comfort). The Azenis is cheaper and longer lasting (harder rubber) than the S02 but will be noisier and harder riding. It may have comparable grip and response by virtue of its extremely stiff sidewall. Bear in mind that these particular S02s are designed exclusively for this car (you must ask for the S2000 tyres) and so are going to be very hard to match in terms of suitability for the car. You can get discounts from Bridgestone for being in the HSCC.
03-04-2002, 03:48 PM
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From what I have heard (I know, I know, not first hand experience 
), people with S2000s have been strongly recommending against mixing tyres, even if they are on different axles...
When it comes time to replace my OEM tyres (only done 7,000kms on them), I will either go with the OEMs again or Falken Azenis (the more race-oriented ones (Real Sports??)).
), people with S2000s have been strongly recommending against mixing tyres, even if they are on different axles...When it comes time to replace my OEM tyres (only done 7,000kms on them), I will either go with the OEMs again or Falken Azenis (the more race-oriented ones (Real Sports??)).
03-04-2002, 04:18 PM
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I have been doing a bit more homework and I have also been recommended the Pirelli P zero's (Jiallo's ??) by a person who is ex Bridgestone. Claims they are just as good if not slightly better in the latest tyre comparison but it is only a $5 saving in tyres and I would have a mix instead of the same type of tyre!!
Bit confused or should I say a lot confused. Just wondering if there was anyone else running anything different with as good or better performance than the S02.
I have a whole heap to chose from when I buy my Motorbike performance tyres but it seems Bridgestone has a bit of a Monopoly on the S2000 market at the moment.
Bit confused or should I say a lot confused. Just wondering if there was anyone else running anything different with as good or better performance than the S02.
I have a whole heap to chose from when I buy my Motorbike performance tyres but it seems Bridgestone has a bit of a Monopoly on the S2000 market at the moment.
03-04-2002, 05:34 PM
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Originally posted by 1blackS2k
Pirelli P zero's (Jiallo's ??) by a person who is ex Bridgestone. Claims they are just as good if not slightly better in the latest tyre comparison
Pirelli P zero's (Jiallo's ??) by a person who is ex Bridgestone. Claims they are just as good if not slightly better in the latest tyre comparison
03-04-2002, 05:54 PM
#6
When I got 17" wheels I was in a hurry to buy tyres. I got Falken GRB's. They are cheaper than S02's even in the bigger size and lower profile.
When I went to Wakefield the plan was to put the stock wheels and tyres back on for track use. But it looked like it was going to rain so I left the 17's and GRB's on. I wasn't the quickest car on the track, but it wasn't the tyres holding me back.
In my opinion they are as good as the S02 at the limits I drive and possibly better in the wet.
When I went to Wakefield the plan was to put the stock wheels and tyres back on for track use. But it looked like it was going to rain so I left the 17's and GRB's on. I wasn't the quickest car on the track, but it wasn't the tyres holding me back.
In my opinion they are as good as the S02 at the limits I drive and possibly better in the wet.
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03-05-2002, 03:08 AM
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Perhaps he's referring to the latest Motor tyre comparison in which case it's the S02 Pole Position that was tested. That's nothing like the Honda OEM S02. The dimensions, construction, tread pattern and rubber compound are all different. Seems to me your decision is simple, get OEM S02s and just look for the best price
I got that test here. The tyres that beat the lot were "Continental ContiSport2" - they fit them on a lot of new Porsches as OEM equipment as well as RUF and Hamman fit them on their cars. The ContiSport2 could be better then the S02s as a fair few cars went from S02s to the ContiSport2. Though, ContiSport2 are more expensive then the S02s last time I checked ... so it's a bit of a risk, but if I was going to a different 'road tyre' then ContiSport2 is what I would try.
As far as the P-Zeros go, I'm sure they're very good as well as Farrari and Lamborgini swear by them. Also 911 Turbo wears them but I have a feeling that Brock had them and he was not too impressed with them on the S2000 ... maybe he can confirm. Also, it the fore-mentioned tyre-test - they were not as good as the S02s when you looked at the laptimes/numbers. They won because they had a better 'feel' and were quicker in the wet. S02s were quicker in the dry but the differences we're talking about were minute. The top 5 tyres were separated barelly by a 'point'.
The Michelin Sport (I think that's what the tyres fitted to the M3 are called) are very good as well but from what I see/gather - they ar emore suited to 'taller' and heavier cars as that's the cars that usually fit them as OEM ... like the M3 for instance.
Another tyre worthwhile looking at is the "BF-Gooddrich Profiler" - it does very well in all the tests. Also a friend of mine has it on the 200SX (17") and he likes the tyres very much. They are noisy but they certainly have plenty of grip ... they're relatively cheap as well.
Ask DavidM how his new Azenis are. He seemed happy with them initially.
Important thing to note - I have the Falken Azenis RS, not just the 'plain' Azenis (which might have an ST115 code). From what I gather the two tyres are nothing alike - according to Falken they are aimed at two different markets and while the ST115 could be a nice road tyre, the RS is a 'semi race' tyre. These are the Azenis RS that I have:
http://www.falkentire.com/html/products/az...s/azenis-rs.htm
I've had them for only a week so it's hard to give you a good 'low down' on the tyre. They are ment to be softer and grippier then the OEM S02s but the S02s are hard to beat ... possibly the best tyre that I've come across. The Azenis RS have more or less the same contact-patch as the OEM S02s and that was important to me as I don't want to 'sacrifice' any rear-end rubber ... if anythng, I want more grip from the back. Make sure that whatever tyres you get that the 'contact patch' of the rear tyres is not significanly thinner then the OME S02s. The OME S02 contact patch is 222mm while the Azenis RS 220mm (I measured them mystelf).
Anyway, it was only yesterday that I put them though some kind of (decent) paces. I couldn't complain about the ultimate grip - which was at least as good as the OEM S02s, if not better. When they let go then they do it progressively and they seem to come back in line very nicely. A lot less tyre-roll as well (and I was running 40/37psi pressures in my S02s) as well as they don;t seem noisy at all .... which I found surprising.
So far the impression is that the Azenis RS have a stiffer sidewall then the
S02s (which means I can run lower pressures - 37/35psi at the moment) and I think they do have a little bit more outright grip then the S02s ... my
hope is that I'll notice it at the back in particular ... though, only time
will tell. So far it seems so but one week is not enough to form a conclusion.
I've had them in the wet (no big puddles) and had no problems with grip but I wasn't pushing ... then again, I had no problems with the grip in the wet when I had fully worn S02s.
Last of all, the Azenis RS are about $50/per tyre cheaper then the S02s.
They're ment to not last as long but I can't comment on that just yet ... I
got 21,000km out of my S02s and they were very worn (ie. practically no
thread at all in places). From what I hear, I should expect about 16,000km from the Azenis RS but again, only time will tell.
I got that test here. The tyres that beat the lot were "Continental ContiSport2" - they fit them on a lot of new Porsches as OEM equipment as well as RUF and Hamman fit them on their cars. The ContiSport2 could be better then the S02s as a fair few cars went from S02s to the ContiSport2. Though, ContiSport2 are more expensive then the S02s last time I checked ... so it's a bit of a risk, but if I was going to a different 'road tyre' then ContiSport2 is what I would try.
As far as the P-Zeros go, I'm sure they're very good as well as Farrari and Lamborgini swear by them. Also 911 Turbo wears them but I have a feeling that Brock had them and he was not too impressed with them on the S2000 ... maybe he can confirm. Also, it the fore-mentioned tyre-test - they were not as good as the S02s when you looked at the laptimes/numbers. They won because they had a better 'feel' and were quicker in the wet. S02s were quicker in the dry but the differences we're talking about were minute. The top 5 tyres were separated barelly by a 'point'.
The Michelin Sport (I think that's what the tyres fitted to the M3 are called) are very good as well but from what I see/gather - they ar emore suited to 'taller' and heavier cars as that's the cars that usually fit them as OEM ... like the M3 for instance.
Another tyre worthwhile looking at is the "BF-Gooddrich Profiler" - it does very well in all the tests. Also a friend of mine has it on the 200SX (17") and he likes the tyres very much. They are noisy but they certainly have plenty of grip ... they're relatively cheap as well.
Ask DavidM how his new Azenis are. He seemed happy with them initially.
Important thing to note - I have the Falken Azenis RS, not just the 'plain' Azenis (which might have an ST115 code). From what I gather the two tyres are nothing alike - according to Falken they are aimed at two different markets and while the ST115 could be a nice road tyre, the RS is a 'semi race' tyre. These are the Azenis RS that I have:
http://www.falkentire.com/html/products/az...s/azenis-rs.htm
I've had them for only a week so it's hard to give you a good 'low down' on the tyre. They are ment to be softer and grippier then the OEM S02s but the S02s are hard to beat ... possibly the best tyre that I've come across. The Azenis RS have more or less the same contact-patch as the OEM S02s and that was important to me as I don't want to 'sacrifice' any rear-end rubber ... if anythng, I want more grip from the back. Make sure that whatever tyres you get that the 'contact patch' of the rear tyres is not significanly thinner then the OME S02s. The OME S02 contact patch is 222mm while the Azenis RS 220mm (I measured them mystelf).
Anyway, it was only yesterday that I put them though some kind of (decent) paces. I couldn't complain about the ultimate grip - which was at least as good as the OEM S02s, if not better. When they let go then they do it progressively and they seem to come back in line very nicely. A lot less tyre-roll as well (and I was running 40/37psi pressures in my S02s) as well as they don;t seem noisy at all .... which I found surprising.
So far the impression is that the Azenis RS have a stiffer sidewall then the
S02s (which means I can run lower pressures - 37/35psi at the moment) and I think they do have a little bit more outright grip then the S02s ... my
hope is that I'll notice it at the back in particular ... though, only time
will tell. So far it seems so but one week is not enough to form a conclusion.
I've had them in the wet (no big puddles) and had no problems with grip but I wasn't pushing ... then again, I had no problems with the grip in the wet when I had fully worn S02s.
Last of all, the Azenis RS are about $50/per tyre cheaper then the S02s.
They're ment to not last as long but I can't comment on that just yet ... I
got 21,000km out of my S02s and they were very worn (ie. practically no
thread at all in places). From what I hear, I should expect about 16,000km from the Azenis RS but again, only time will tell.
03-05-2002, 11:53 AM
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Just one thing, Azenis RS are NOT softer than the OEM S02. In fact they are about twice as hard with treadwear rating of 280 as opposed to 140 for the S02. This doesn't necessarily mean they have less grip but it's a fair indicator. Also remember the Motor tyre tests say nothing at all about the Honda OEM S02 which is a completely different tyre from the S02 Pole Position and one that is tuned to the S2000.