Daily Slideshow: How to Choose the Right Tire for Your S2000
Tires: the single most important thing you can do to a car. Sifting through the hundreds that are on the market can be daunting. Here’s what to look for.
RE71R
If you’re into cornering like your car is melting into the pavement, these are among the best street tires on the market. Popular in SCCA autocross and track driving where treadwear is limited, these sneaky little tires from Bridgestone crept in and dominated the 2017 season. When it comes to street rubber this is about as good as it gets.
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Rival-S
Another great street tire that ticks the rare “cheap and fast” box; yes, these tires are affordable by comparison to tires that offer similar levels of grip for much more money. And, who wants to spend money to go fast if they don’t have to? These tires have great wear characteristics for endurance racing and racetrack longevity. Not as quick as the RE71R, but it will take a good driver to notice!
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Toyo R888R
This one’s been on the market for quite some time now and has seen improvement over the years. Toyo went plaid and introduced this hardcore version of the standard R888 to welcomed receptions by track day enthusiast and hardcore street drivers alike. They have the looks of a competition tire and a treadwear rating of 100 so don’t count on these being class legal for everything. On the street? Fair game!
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R1-S and Z214
Enter the semi-slick. DOT legal tires with 2 grooves that barely pass as road legal. Think of these tires more as weaponized rubber than a tire upgrade. These things stick and are driven by serious track day enthusiasts and guys who think they’re Takumi Fujiwara on the weekends. Prices aren’t too different than good street rubber, however, don’t expect these to last anywhere near as long!
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Hoosier A7
Hoosier’s A7 earns the nickname “purple crack” among racers because that’s exactly what they are. These tires will ruin your marriage and become all you think about once you barrel through a corner 8mph faster than you should and come out the other side just fine. Expect to pay top dollar for these and to dispose of them after what amounts to a few hundred miles of hard driving. There are no words for how hard these tires stick and you should try them at your own risk. Addiction is common with the only cure being more horsepower!
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Final Thoughts?
Those are my top 5 tires for an S2000 and should help point you in the right direction. You can’t go wrong with any of them and they are definitely among the top in their respective classes. What you need will depend on your budget and how you drive your car. Tires are the single most important component on any car, so choose wisely. Oh, and remember to run a square setup (same tire size front and rear)!!! Cheers.
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