Having been disappointed by the Hankook V12 Evo's that were on my car when I bought it last summer, I am considering a tire change before they're worn out. The car is my daily driver and I try to make a few auto-x events a year. With only a 2 mile commute, I'd be surprised if I cross 10k miles in a year (I've been on a 7.5k mile/yr pace over the past few months), so wear isn't too big of a concern. I live in Georgia, so I am able to run summer tires all year without too much of an issue. I'm happy if I get 2 years out of a set.

Why am I disappointed with the Hankooks?
After going to a couple auto-x events last summer and doing a lot of spirited driving, I just don't have confidence with this set. I've driven an S2000 on the OEM tires, and it felt much more connected to the road. While more than capable enough for daily driving and the occasional fun run, the Hankooks make me nervous when I decide to push the car a bit. In addition to a "floating" feeling, I feel like the back breaks too easily under moderate acceleration. Sure, I can modulate the throttle, but I feel like I shouldn't have to be so careful at such low speeds. My times in auto-x would be improved drastically if I could get on the throttle sooner and didn't have to be as cautious when coming out of every corner. It's also bitten me on the road when I had to make an evasive maneuver when someone cut in front of me. A quick cut-back to get out of the way resulted in me having to fight the rear end to keep from spinning out. Since then I just haven't felt safe riding on the set. I just don't have confidence in them.

So what's with the tire size?
While looking for new tires, I've been focused on achieving the original stagger to achieve proper balance on the car. Here's a breakdown of the OEM set, the Hankooks, and the set I'm currently considering (Direzza ZII).

Treadwidths for 215/45/17 (fronts):

RE050: 6.7 inches
V12: 7.4 inches
ZII: 8.0 inches

Treadwidths for 245/40/17 (rears):
RE050: 9 inches
V12: 8.4 inches
ZII: 9.1 inches (245/40/17 was unlisted. This number is taken from the 245/45/17 size)
ZII 255/40/17: 10 inches

The resulting front/back ratios:
RE050: 0.74
V12: 0.88
ZII 245: 0.88
ZII 255: 0.80

Given the drastic change in stagger, it's no surprise that the rear end it trying to swing more with the V12's when compared to the OEM tires. The front was increased by 0.7 inches, and the rear was DECREASED by 0.6 inches. In addition to the change in stagger, the car also has less rubber on the rear than Honda thought was needed on the car. This seems like a potentially dangerous downgrade in tire size.

I find it interesting that even with a 215/255 setup on the ZII's, ratio-wise there is still less rubber on the rear in relation to the rubber on the front when compared to the OEM setup.

I don't know where this leaves me in my tire search, but I thought that it was an interesting find and worthy of sharing.

 

Don't be so hung up on the ratio of front to rear. Tread pattern is much more important. If you're looking for a tire for auto-x events than the Direzza should serve you well. Try checking out the Hankook RS3 as well, it seems to be popular with the auto-x crowd as well as the Dunlops.

 

Step up to the extreme summer category. A good tire will be confidence inspiring and makes a world of difference on this car.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm definitely stepping up to the extreme summer category. The reason I was concerned about the ratio is the potential impact on the car's balance. By nature I am an aggressive driver. I'm more prone to "attack" a corner than glide through it. I can quickly get myself into trouble with a car that is tail-happy. I know that the Direzza's will make a world of difference in confidence. I just want to make sure that keeping the 215/245 setup won't make the car too prone to oversteer for my driving style.

 

If you want to limit the over steer go with the 255/40R17 in the rear. Plus when going to an aftermarket tire the wider rear is closer to the same contact patch as the original tire.
If I can help let me know.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm definitely leaning toward this. It will be 1 month or more before I can put tires on the car, but if I run into any questions I'll definitely let you know. Thanks Jim!