Tire of Choice

[22BMWPiloti]

What is the latest tire of choice? I'm driving a BMW 2002 ITB car and haven't driven much lately therefore have not purchased tires since 2005. At the time the 13 inch Hoosiers were working well, pretty close to the Goodyears. Would appreciate some feed back prior to purchasing a new set for this year.

[joeg]

Hoosier is akways the tire of choice.

Cheers

[chuck baader]

This will be my third year on 710s, and I could not be happier. I bought (won) two sets last year, and still have 1/2 rubber on all 8 after 6-7 race weekends. I have not found the point at which the tires fall off. Please note, you must run more camber on these tires than others. Chuck

[JLawton]

If you want to win in a competative field, you need Hoosiers.......

[Andy Bettencourt]

Or just get lucky on Goodyear RS's.

IMHO the best tire on the market that nobody could use. 205/50/15's only for the last 2 years and now - nothing.

Best AVAILABLE tire this year? Hoosier.

[dominojd]

If you want to win in a competative field, you need Hoosiers.......

I guess the Hankook isn't competitive.

[JLawton]

I guess the Hankook isn't competitive.

Nope, you're just lucky!

[dickita15]

I guess the Hankook isn't competitive.

Cars on jackstands rarely win.
I would love to give the kooks a shot but all these stories of two month waits for a set a tires makes me think it is not worth it.

[jjjanos]

Cars on jackstands rarely win.
I would love to give the kooks a shot but all these stories of two month waits for a set a tires makes me think it is not worth it.

Well, for those of us in the slower classes, availability doesn't seem to be a problem. Every time I have called for 225/45/R13's, they've arrived 2 days later.

[trhoppe]

I guess the Hankook isn't competitive.

I think the Hankook is "competitive", but I still chose the Hoosier.

I tested back to back to back Hoosiers and Hankooks on my ITA Integra. I was a little bit slower on the Hankooks, and all the time was lost under braking. I felt the Hoosiers I used had more longitudonal grip, and I felt I could brake deeper and harder w/o lockup.

I ended up with the same identical lateral G's on both tire according to the DL-1.

If I had more time on the Kook's I feel I could get the car as fast, because I'm not 100% sure that the braking issue wasn't "in my head" and "driver error".

Having said all that, I contacted Appalachian Tire, Phils Tire Service, and Hankook to ask about the availability of the 225/45/15 C51 for both purchase, and contingency. Basically, you can't get them. I could use the takeoffs I have right now, win on them, get GREAT contingency "hankook $$", but I can't get a new set, whether I pay for them, or I win them. They are getting a few tires later in May, but after that small shipment is gone (and good luck getting contingency tires from that shipment), the next one doesn't come in till way later in the year.

Hoosier it is for me.

-Tom

[trhoppe]

This will be my third year on 710s, and I could not be happier. I bought (won) two sets last year, and still have 1/2 rubber on all 8 after 6-7 race weekends. I have not found the point at which the tires fall off. Please note, you must run more camber on these tires than others. Chuck

I think your car is particularly easy on tires, but in a FWD, they certainly go away towards the end of a sprint race. Case and point is Paul Ronie at Roebling at the last SIC. I watched in 3, and 5/6 and you could visually see him getting the tires greasy during the last 1/4 of the race.

That was also my experience on them in the SSC Civic.

-Tom

[22BMWPiloti]

Thank you everyone for the input.