Tyres...

[AlexisExige]

I'm about due a fresh set of sticky boots for my Exige S2 but the question is Yokohama A048s or Toyo R888s?

Suggested (well priced) stockists in the south east area would also be helpful.

Thanks

AE

[Thorburn]

If you're planning on running it through the winter you might be better off going with something a bit more road biassed? Both those will struggle in low temperature conditions and standing water.

[Exige77]

I use my 48's Sun rain snow and ice.

You just drive to the conditions.

The stickies are part of the experience of driving an Exige.

Don't give in to the Winter tyre brigade.

Ex77

[doggydave]

Can't see the point of getting 48s if you use your car mostly on the road. They are wasted. If you are a track enthusiast the its a different story.

[Exige77]

Can't see the point of getting an Exige if you put Elise tyres on.

Ex77

[Scuffers]

Exige77 said:

I use my 48's Sun rain snow and ice.

You just drive to the conditions.

The stickies are part of the experience of driving an Exige.

Don't give in to the Winter tyre brigade.

Ex77

then, with respect, your an idiot.

A048's in the cold/snow are totally useless, your just asking for an accident.

(there a crap road tyre at the best of times)

[Thorburn]

Exige77 said:

Can't see the point of getting an Exige if you put Elise tyres on.

Ex77

Personally I always felt that (with the S2 at least) it was more of a choice of looks, for the N/A car at least.

The soft compound of the R888/A048 means they're a very expensive way to drive around on the road surely?

[TIPPER]

Scuffers said:

then, with respect, your an idiot.

A048's in the cold/snow are totally useless, your just asking for an accident.

(there a crap road tyre at the best of times)

Totally agreed. I spent a most of a day trying to coax my car around track on similiar Toyo 888s. Air temp was 0, track a lake and snow falling: I was embarrassingly slow until I had a rush of blood and (expensively) fell off the track. The drive home (including a steep hill covered in (fortunately) rutted ice was no fun either.
Chatting in the Paddock post smack (I did go out on track again for a couple of laps simply because you have to get back on the bike!) one chap said I was his 'hero' of the day for even attempting to drive the car. Hero? More like a complete and utter idiot.

Scuffers: what's with the 'with respect'. Getting Old

[Speckle]

I've been running the A048's all year round for the last 2 and a half years. They're great in the dry and I have had no issues at all in the wet. If you drive like an idiot in the wet then, you are probably asking for trouble but if you're sensible, I doubt you'll have any problems.

Snow and Ice is a completely different matter though and I wouldn't even attempt to take the car out in those conditions.

Not sure I'd agree that they're a crap road tyre as I've been very happy with them but then I have nothing to compare them with.

[Exige77]

Scuffers said:

then, with respect, your an idiot.

A048's in the cold/snow are totally useless, your just asking for an accident.

(there a crap road tyre at the best of times)

You pays your money and you makes your choice.

Don't think that makes me an idiot.

If you want a nice safe car don't buy an Exige.

Most "sports" tyres are pretty useless in the snow.

One wouldn't say "Look it's icy and snowing, I'm off to take the Exige out for a drive"

I have arrived at tracks where it has been snowing and is icy and have had no problems. You drive to the grip available.

My car is set up for 48's. They are great in the summer but not at their best in the winter but usable.

As I don't want to be changing my tyres every 5 minutes and want to use one type of tyre for the whole year for both Track anf road 48's work for me.

There is a lot of scaremongoring about 48's being lethal in the winter.

They are not at their best but perfectly usable. IMHO of course.

Ex77

Edited by Exige77 on Saturday 15th October 17:37

[jfk01]

I also have arrived at track (oulton) in snow and ice on 48,s...
No problems at all .
The Exige is a car that commands respect and sensitivity ,and, if treated with such there is no problem keeping 48,s or 888,s on all year round in my view .
I tried kuhmo road tyres for a short time and promptly removed them as the car squirmed around a lot more and the experience kinda defeated the object of having such a well handling car in the first place ..
+1 for keeping on 48,s or 888,s

[21TonyK]

Up until the beginning of this year I was definitely in the "888/48 all year camp" but recently my view has changed. For 3 years I used my Exige purely for fun driving and track days, rarely even left the garage if wet so 48's the latterly 888's were the preferred option to the point of having 2 new and 3 part worn sets of 888's in the garage!

I did a few really wet trackdays on 888's and found I had no steering at all on the straights above 60mph, then I started using the car every day on the road , in the wet, the cold, the mud, the diesel etc etc.

I soon changed to Kumho road tyres (not aquaplaned once since). If you run 888s or 48s in proper wet or winter conditions you are seriously increasing your risk of a self inflicted accident.

Having said that running an Exige on track tyres with decent brakes in the summer seriously increases your chances of being rear-ended by a Barry Boy in his Ricer.

Can't win really.

[drac]

I thought I would provide a little feedback, I recently put a set of Falken Xien ZE912 in exige sizes on my 111R to replace the AD07's (Previously I've had the bridgestones). I have another set of rims with 888's on for track use.

I wanted a set that I could just use and enjoy without worrying what the weather forecast was, the AD07's are ok but don't cope too well with extreme rain or cold. The new tyres needed to be comfortable to drive a few hundred miles and be up for some back road blasting.

I was not expecting 888 levels of grip, but as I've said before if your at the limit on stickies on the road your being a cock.

I've done about a 1000 miles on them and I'm very happy. Had to fiddle with the pressures a little to improve the balance and I've ended up close to book 26F/29R. I have been caught in a couple of tropical downpours like we get in NZ at this time of year and I haven't needed a diaper. Steering feel is ok and they seem to have fairly stiff side walls as initial turn in is not robbed. They ride well and seem quieter than worn Ad07's.

I just had a look on blackcircles and it looks like a set will cost about £350 in the UK. I think this represents reasonable value, I'll have to see how they wear. They should be better than AD07's and definitely much better than 48's or 888's

Now to all the "I only use stickies all year crowd", I suggest you spend your cash on a cheap set of rims (ebay or Geary) and fit some proper road tyres. You will get your money back in no time on saved track rubber and you might save yourself a trip to ICU.

[jfk01]

I'll stick with 888,s Ta ..
I can drive with care ..
.......
Each to his own , and not trying to be confrontational , but I think the hype that track tyres are too hot to handle for the road is a tad too much really ..
If in a deluge I can just slow down ...
If it snows I can also slow down ..
I see it no other way really?

Cotton wool society ?

[Exige77]

jfk01 said:

I'll stick with 888,s Ta ..
I can drive with care ..
.......
Each to his own , and not trying to be confrontational , but I think the hype that track tyres are too hot to handle for the road is a tad too much really ..
If in a deluge I can just slow down ...
If it snows I can also slow down ..
I see it no other way really?

Cotton wool society ?

^^^^^^^ what he said.

Ex77

[drac]

jfk01 said:

Each to his own , and not trying to be confrontational , but I think the hype that track tyres are too hot to handle for the road is a tad too much really ..
If in a deluge I can just slow down ...
If it snows I can also slow down ..
I see it no other way really?

I don't think your being confrontational at all. I just thought I would try to save the original poster a bit of cash and guys in the northern hemisphere are just about to go into winter. R888's are great tyres but on road you would rarely get the temp into them to get them working properly. I've driven 888's in many types of weather but I've also a few big moments on them, a couple of which I've been luck to get away with. I also personally find it annoying when the rears insist on spinning up on as little as a few wet leaves. I reminds me of British Rail and the wrong type of snow.

The exige/elise is a great cross country all weather car but it is severely effected by the boots its wearing....... I Think its probably something like this but may be its just hype,

Summer, nice weather - performance advantage of Stickies over road tyres < 10%. (Should you really be using that last 10% on the road. This isn't nanny state its just common sense. I really wouldn't want to crash one of these cars, especially into a tree or similar whilst not wearing a helmet.)

Winter/raining - performance advantage of road tyres over stickies upto and may be over 50%.

Edited by drac on Sunday 16th October 00:24

[robcollingridge]

doggydave said:

Can't see the point of getting 48s if you use your car mostly on the road. They are wasted. If you are a track enthusiast the its a different story.

Eh? Love the A048's on my Fisher Fury R1. Can't imagine anything else for road use. They might only last 2000-2500 miles a set of four but the grip is just awesome when they are up to temperature and they are just so progressive.

[robcollingridge]

Scuffers said:

then, with respect, your an idiot.

A048's in the cold/snow are totally useless, your just asking for an accident.

(there a crap road tyre at the best of times)

Got to agree about the cold and snow. I drive my car Fury R1 over winter occasionally on A048's and it is always an event. You are walking a tightrope and I only do it because sometimes I like tightrope walking :-) It's a bit like playing on a skidpan and best done with empty roads. It is quite easy to spin up the rear tyres in all six gears. If you are driving to actually go somewhere and not for fun, then don't use A048's in cold weather! I know some people don't get it but, I love my winter drives. It's one test of driving skill.

When they are up to temperature, I find they are amazing for road use in the summer. Would love to know what tyres people think are better on track?

Edited by robcollingridge on Sunday 16th October 20:14

[Scuffers]

robcollingridge said:

When they are up to temperature, I find they are amazing for road use in the summer. Would love to know what tyres people think are better on track?

since when is road use anything to do with track use?

A048's are a track tyres that's 'just' road legal.

it's a case of pick the right tyre for the right job, not one size fit's all

[THHLEEDS]

robcollingridge said:

Eh? Love the A048's on my Fisher Fury R1. Can't imagine anything else for road use. They might only last 2000-2500 miles a set of four but the grip is just awesome when they are up to temperature and they are just so progressive.

If you're getting through a set of tyres in 2000-2500 miles on the road (unless you like leaving sets of smoking 11's each time you set off) then you're not only a liability to yourself but also an uacceptable risk to all the road users around you.