2009: Kumho vs. Hankook vs. Hoosier vs. BFG... fight!

[vtluu]

Hi folks, old topic, new year. I'm pondering tire choices for my ITS Miata:
- Kumho V710 205/50-15
- Hankook Z214 C51 225/45-15
- Hoosier R6 225/45-15
- BFG R1 205/50-15

I can get a couple sets of Kumhos cheap from a team that has leftovers from the 25-Hour. They'll also work well for the occasional autocross if I so choose. At 18 lbs they're the lightest tire.

The Hoosiers are the stickiest and that ~9" tread width is unmatched, so I'd expect phenomenal grip, but as the shortest-lived tires costing about $200 more a set than any other, I'm willing to go without until my talent catches up.

AIM touts the Hankook as a miracle tire (sticky as Hoosiers, durable as Toyos). I've heard some people say the same about the BFG R1. I've seen very little actual data or even anecdotal evidence on either.

Hankook: 225-wide means more tread means more grip, but at 22 lbs apiece that's 4 lbs more unsprung weight per corner than the Kumhos, and the little bit of time I might drop with the extra grip I might sacrifice on the straights. My searches also found much grumbling about availability; is it still an issue?

BFG R1: the new kid on the block, and mostly an unknown quantity. Nothing to choose price-wise vs. the Kumhos or Hankooks.