Hi everyone. My REO 1Rs have just about had it. I'm considering Bridgestone RE 11As and the now discontinued Dunlop Direzza ZII. I have read all the reivews on Tire Rack's web site. The ZIIs get higher marks for road holding and performance while the RE 11As get higher marks for road noise and comfort. It seems the handling gap is a lot smaller than the noise/comfort gap. I'm leaning towards the RE 11As. I thought I'd start a thread on the subject to see if any of you are running either of these tires and if so, what you think of them.

If you want to throw our another option, please keep in mind I'm looking for extreme performance tires with a UTQG 200 rating.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Bill

 

I prefer the ZII's, simply because I can swap them from side to side with wear. Otherwise, I believe the RE-11 is a better all-around tire for street use. It depends on your budget, and what your driving will be like.

 

Bill,
I'm on ZI Star Spec;getting 2 ZII Star Spec installed on the rear,at the Fall Harvest meet.(front ones are still like new.)
Like the performance, and as far as road noise and comfort,I think it does not apply for a S2000.

 

Hey ricky, thanks for the response. Derizza is a bit cheaper now,but only by 50 bucks for a set of four. Not too big a difference.

Emil, I don't think they have the Star Spec out yet. I heard it would be a few more months. Just the ZII is what I ws told.

 

I have had the ZII and loved them. Just got a set of RE-11A and looking forward to see how they compare to the ZII. Headed to the Dragon in 2 weeks. Should be interesting

 

I just got a set of ZIIs on mine, but rear only. I have the older Star Specs on the front, and they have plenty of tread. The DIIs seemed close enough that it shouldn't matter, and in fact, I noticed no imbalance between them on the Tomcatt drive.

I absolutely loved the Star Specs - I bought them right before my drive to Homecoming in 2010 (they were the preferred S2000 track rain tire at the time). The only thing was to add a few pounds to the pressure I ran, otherwise the sidewalls were a little squirrelly.

No opinion on the RE11s. Never tried them.

 

I'm on my second set of RE11's and have no complaints. The performance shop where I have my work done is of the opinion that the RE11's are the best handling street tire out there.

 

Bill,

Before I left for S2K Days I replaced my RE-11's which would not have made the trip, being at end of life with a set of RE-11A's which according to Jim at Tire Rack are the tire of choice for the S. Followed by the Dunlops. I loved the RE-11's which I switched to after the first few sets of S-02's, from day one I loved them. Denny (Looter) is on his third set of the RE-11 family, and his second set of A's and loves them as well. The RE-11A's are suppose to be a bit better in the rain than RE-11's and last a bit longer. I cannot say anything bad about them. I put 7100 miles on them during my road trip and hit an absolute downpour of "fat rain" (just short of being hail) in Wyoming and even though I slowed down because of visibility they seemed solid as a rock in standing water, and put out quite a rooster tail at speed displacing that water.

BTW, they can be rotated from side to side. As they are not directional but are marked "out side" on the side wall.

On spirited drives they stick great and I have never reached their limit, unlike on S-02's.

FWIIW: If you are a Costco member they have a $70 rebate on Bridgestones until the end of August. They can special order RE-11A's. In Virgina I paid $545.64 out the door (including tax, tire disposal fee, mounting, balancing and they come with a road hazard plan)

 

My last two sets of tires, have been the RE-11's... then they stopped making them ... Now I am running the RE-11A's....

Love them just as much as the RE-11's... No difference except supposedly, better in the rain... Great tires ... My next set will be, without a doubt... RE-11A's....

 

I have the Dunlap's and they are great tires if you can get pass the noise. Every line, tar strip, etc makes a zipping noise that in the beginning drove me nuts. This was my first and last ZII's.