sms

Tires, HELP?

I have 6,000K on my '03 S2K. I can see the wear on my rears. I don't need new ones yet, but I've been reading the threads.
I have S-02s clearly, but what are "Pole Position(s)"? Are the S-02s really being discontinued and is there really no good alternative? Should I buy a couple now and put them in the garage? are the S-02s made ONLY for Honda? Are there really other S-02s out there that have different tread patterns (wider water channels)? Do I have to buy these from Honda ($524 Canadian each!) What does OE mean? Are there non- OE S-02s?

Thanks

JL9000

There are better tires for our cars than the S-02s.

boiler

OE(M) = Original Equipment Manufacturer

Bridgestone makes a number of tires per the manufacturer's specs. The tires on our S2000's are built to Honda's specs. These tires are still being manufactured. The Pole Position SO2's have been replaced with Pole Position SO3's. Since these OEM tires have been spec'ed by Honda, the sizes marked on the sidewalls are not completely accurate. The front tires are closer in measurements to a 195/55/16 and the rear tires are as wide as a 245/45/16. This is why it is recommended to buy the 245/45/16 size (rear) if you do not purchase the OEM Bridgestone's.

I like to buy my tires from the Tire Rack. I would never buy tires from the dealer. This may vary in Canada.

The OEM SO2's usually last about 12,000 miles or so on the rear. They are generally replaced with tread still on them because they will hydroplane in the rain when they are close to the wear bars. The fronts will last about twice as long as the rears. These tires have a wear rating of 140, which means they have a lot of grip, but wear quickly. Tire design is always a compromise and the OEM tires are the best for sporty driving. To get the grip, you give up long wearing tread.

There are other tires available. My car is a daily driver and I didn't want to replace the tires twice a year, so I am using a set of Kumho 712's. They have about 80% of the grip of the OEM tires and I have no problem staying up with everyone on our local drives. I have over 8,000 miles on them so far and I can't see any wear yet. Their tread design is very open and I will not have any problems with hydroplaning with these tires.

I also have a set of Dunlop Winter Sport M2's for the snow, mounted on a spare set of OEM wheels. This car is a lot of fun in the snow as long as you have snow tires. DO NOT try to drive in the snow on the OEM tires.

Hope that this helps,
Bob

Wildncrazy

Ok, JL9000 I'll bite. What are some better tires for the S than the S02s?

JL9000

There are several.

The ones I'm running are Advan Neova AD-07s. They're very light. Bridgestones S-02s and S-03s are heavy because they're designed more for European cars that car heavier, thus requiring stiffer sidewalls. The AD07 sidewalls are more than stiff enough during corners for most Japanese sports cars yet provide a relatively comfortable ride. The dry grip is as good as the S-02s, if not more so, and the wet grip is superior to even the S-03s. Plus, the AD-07s do not need much warm-up, and tread life seems good so far.

I do not think they are DOT-approved though.

I know they sound too good to be true, but I'm sure you would agree if you've tried them.

Wildncrazy

Too good to be true? I've never heard of them!!

Not DOT approved?

How about let's try some real world alternatives. I know plenty of R rubber tires that are better than any street tire.

I know from personal experience the BFG KDs aren't as good, mostly because you can't get the proper widths with a decent diameter. Their rated sizes are smaller than many other tires.

I have seen many on Kumhos and they all feel they are a step down from the S02s, but "great for the price"

JL9000

[QUOTE]Originally posted by David b
Too good to be true?