First known review of the new nankang ar1 track tyre
Discussion
Not sure if there has been any reviews on these but since i havent seen any yet though i do a quick review on how i got on.
Track llandow race track south wales
Car mev exocet 1.8 turbo
Tyre comparision federal rsr 195/50/15 and the Nankang ar1 also in 195/50/15
Keep it brief with laps but will mark 5 laps each in the quickest block of times before getting involved in traffic etc. Both sets were given 2-3 laps to get up to working temp.
Federal rsr
lap 1 47.8
Lap 2 47.5
lap 3 47.0
lap 4 47.4
lap 5 47.7
Tyres give optimina/best time on lap 3 out of the 5 laps then started to overheat and cause the tyre too fold up on itself.
Nankang ar1
lap 1 46,1
lap 2 45.7
lap 3 45.5
lap 4 45.3
lap 5 45.4
Thats with starting tyre pressure at 24psi on each set with temps 18c and sunny
As for the review after the inital few laps just to wear of the top layour of surface the amount of grip over the rsr is instantly noticeable doesnt understeer at all just grips and turns with accuracy. I did notice if pushed to hard they start to slide but one lap to cool down and back to instant grip. Tyre wear cant comment as its only been the first time out but they dont melt and fold up like the rsr and dont blister neither and llandow is a harsh track on tyres.
Well worth the purchase will keep on updating at different events next weekend is a sprint event will find out how they perform from cold against the rsr at blyton park eastern layout with times from the circuit. But for now well impressed with the new tyre.
Track llandow race track south wales
Car mev exocet 1.8 turbo
Tyre comparision federal rsr 195/50/15 and the Nankang ar1 also in 195/50/15
Keep it brief with laps but will mark 5 laps each in the quickest block of times before getting involved in traffic etc. Both sets were given 2-3 laps to get up to working temp.
Federal rsr
lap 1 47.8
Lap 2 47.5
lap 3 47.0
lap 4 47.4
lap 5 47.7
Tyres give optimina/best time on lap 3 out of the 5 laps then started to overheat and cause the tyre too fold up on itself.
Nankang ar1
lap 1 46,1
lap 2 45.7
lap 3 45.5
lap 4 45.3
lap 5 45.4
Thats with starting tyre pressure at 24psi on each set with temps 18c and sunny
As for the review after the inital few laps just to wear of the top layour of surface the amount of grip over the rsr is instantly noticeable doesnt understeer at all just grips and turns with accuracy. I did notice if pushed to hard they start to slide but one lap to cool down and back to instant grip. Tyre wear cant comment as its only been the first time out but they dont melt and fold up like the rsr and dont blister neither and llandow is a harsh track on tyres.
Well worth the purchase will keep on updating at different events next weekend is a sprint event will find out how they perform from cold against the rsr at blyton park eastern layout with times from the circuit. But for now well impressed with the new tyre.
Considering these for my E30 M3 and just wondered if anyone else has experience of them, now they've been around a little longer? The fact they do a 225/40r17 is an added bonus for me, as my Kumho v70a only seem to come in a 45 profile, which is just a little too tall.
Any cheaper suppliers than the £130 each via eBay?
Any cheaper suppliers than the £130 each via eBay?
ikarl said:
Chris, quick question.... How much have you played with your pressures on track?
I've played about a bit with the pressures on my r888's (225/50/15) and I've settled at 18psi all round, but I've never ventured as high as 24psi
With mine depends with sprinting I set mine at 20psi front and 21 rears found that's about the best for 1 lap sprinting.I've played about a bit with the pressures on my r888's (225/50/15) and I've settled at 18psi all round, but I've never ventured as high as 24psi
For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
MG CHRIS said:
With mine depends with sprinting I set mine at 20psi front and 21 rears found that's about the best for 1 lap sprinting.
For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
That's a strange way round as the concept of lower starting pressure is to allow for heat to build pressure to the point you would want it hot. So low pressure on a Sprint is never going to get there. Also higher pressure stiffens the sidewall reducing flex and puts more work into the tread accelerating the heating of that. For sprints I would expect a higher starting pressure than one where you would expect to do several laps.For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
MG CHRIS said:
With mine depends with sprinting I set mine at 20psi front and 21 rears found that's about the best for 1 lap sprinting.
For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
That's a strange way round as the concept of lower starting pressure is to allow for heat to build pressure to the point you would want it hot. So low pressure on a Sprint is never going to get there. Also higher pressure stiffens the sidewall reducing flex and puts more work into the tread accelerating the heating of that. For sprints I would expect a higher starting pressure than one where you would expect to do several laps.For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
Nickjd said:
MG CHRIS said:
With mine depends with sprinting I set mine at 20psi front and 21 rears found that's about the best for 1 lap sprinting.
For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
That's a strange way round as the concept of lower starting pressure is to allow for heat to build pressure to the point you would want it hot. So low pressure on a Sprint is never going to get there. Also higher pressure stiffens the sidewall reducing flex and puts more work into the tread accelerating the heating of that. For sprints I would expect a higher starting pressure than one where you would expect to do several laps.For track driving only used them once at llandow and set them from the morning at 22 all round and left them like that was a cold day so when warm where up to 28ish.
I got 2 sets rsr and the ar1 try and keep the ar1 for sprinting and use the rsr for track days but there is easy 2s per lap difference between the tyres.
Vocal Minority said:
Jumping on this a bit late - how long do these take to warm up?
Using R888s for hillclimbing - so obviously I am interested in cold performance!
I find them good from cold and from what ive seen with the sprint series with people who run r888 then swapped to ar1 all stated better cold performance over the r888. Using R888s for hillclimbing - so obviously I am interested in cold performance!
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