RSR sports-i vs AST?
 

Has anyone been able to test both of these? Of course I have seen people do their reviews on the RSR Moto Spec, but I also know and have heard that AST makes amazing suspension for what you pay for.

I could be mistaken but I don't believe the AST option is out yet...

Out of curiosity why don't you include the tarmac II, kw v3, Ground control or any others in your search for coilovers?

I am in the market and can sympathize with you as there are a lot of offerings...

Don't forget JRZ or Ohlins.

Sorry for the shameless plug but i'm selling my eibach multi pro R1s :)

I'm in SD every couple of weeks.

the AST's are on a different level than the sports-i, but I don't think AST has finalized the design yet. How much is your budget?

I'm particularly only interested in the two, but would love to have the Ohlins if I had the money. They're both in the budget that I'm willing to spend at $2k~. The AST 4150 from what I read on their blog has already been sent out to Holland mid April (unsure of testing or for actual sales), so they may possibly be released soon. My friend had someone credit that AST had felt the best out of any other suspension that he had tried within the same price range. That's the reason why I'm leaning towards AST, but obviously there has been great reviews for the Sports-i that's still on presale at 1700 on FRS86 last I checked.

Unfortunately I think this is one of the things that you have to decide for yourself by riding/driving in cars equipped with them.. I understand that's hard to do lol... I rode in TSI from El Paso FRS with fortune auto coil overs, loved it, then in robispecs KWv3.. Loved it, then in counterspace garage TIEN top of the line cool overs, which I'm not sure of the name.. Loved it... And finally with moto and in the RSR car with the sport-I.. And to be honest.. Loved it.. Lol.. Drove a car with stance.. It was better then stock, but not on par with those guys.. True that was around town and not on a track..

All said and done.. When I purchase my coils.. I'm going with.... Sport-I's.. I almost was swayed back to the FA's.. But the ride around that track at streets of willow, and how good it felt, and how hard he could turn and everything, with no harshness at all.. That's my coils.. Being as I'm a daily driver with a couple trackdays.. That's the route I'm taking.. The sports, just was on top out of all I've been in...

Now if I was a trackday monster, I'd go with different coils, a hard flip up between the TIEN and the KW

@Gixxersixxerman pretty much nailed it.

I have the RSRs on my car and I love them for street and occasional track driving.

They're not in the same league as ASTs or KWV3s though, let alone RCE Tarmac 2s, JRZs and Ohlins though. All those shocks have more adjustability (double adjustable) and are more track focused (stiffer springs, although damping characteristics play a part).


Long story short, I don't think you'd be disappointed with the RSRs for street & light track work. I chose them based on price/performance as well as the rubber upper mounts and single adjustability for simolicity's sake.

If you're thinking of competition and/or running super sticky tires such as R comps then the higher end shocks are worth a look IMO.

You can check out Robispec and Sam Strano for all things KW. I think Matt Andrews has or had ASTs on his car. I've seen great reviews of the Tein SRCs by one vendor. Don't think there's much real world info out on the Ohlins or JRZs yet.

Personally, if I were looking at stepping up from the RSRs for competition purposes at this point in time I'd look at KW V3s from a vendor who can guide you through setting them up properly plus the fact that there's already plenty of real world info on them out there.

YMMV :)

We just got the first set of production AST 4150s in the country in today to test on our car. We will be running them at Global Time Attack at Road Atlanta this weekend. No word on when full production sets will be available yet.