Got a track related question? I'll try to answer.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Apex_BRZ

Awesome, thanks guys! The car will see rain, but I think they'll be good enough. I have a lot of experience with my other car in heavy downpours and very wide R888's. Seemed to do "good enough". Still something to consider though. Any word on the newer R888R's yet?

The Maxxis RC-1 really sound great, but I can't see going with those. They really look like slicks with a couple grooves cut in them. I mean, there is no design at all for water evacuation where the other tires at least have a chance. While I hold a line really well and am a very smooth driver, I'm still learning and can make mistakes. They might be more than I'm looking for right now.

Maxxis RC-1

The RC1 won't do any worse than the other tires in the wet. The pattern on the other tires are really cosmetic, and they're "slicks" at competition tread levels anyways :p

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Prmspen

Somewhat off topic, but do you have a recommendation for a good home racing simulator setup? Looking to spend in the hundreds (low hundreds if possible), not the thousands.

Do you already have a rig, screens, seats, etc?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by ysu

Highly debatable. Lots of people say (me included) that AC is actually a better representation of realism than "iceRacing". I've played both, extensively (years and years) along many others. Got up to 'A' licence in iR, nearly pro (my last race was a disaster when I went for it) Both are approximations of reality; nobody has worked out a full, 100% simulation for tyre physics as of yet.

But in iR I had to learn to predict; you cannot really react. By the time you'd react it's too late. AC is more forgiving; you can react & correct. iR is inherently more oversteery - every car wants to spin - whereas AC seems more neutral, even understeery ( but most tin-tops should be that way out of the box ).

iR is also a _lot_ more expensive (read: about 10 times or more), and what you get for your money is not much IMO, unless you want to seriously compete online with random people. Organised leagues exist for AC as well.

Also check out Rfactor 2, and of course, GT.

[Apex_BRZ]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

The RC1 won't do any worse than the other tires in the wet. The pattern on the other tires are really cosmetic, and they're "slicks" at competition tread levels anyways :p

I'll try a different approach. How would they compare to the RE-71R in wet grip? The RE-71R's for example have great wet weather grip on the street, IMO. So do the R888's even in huge sizes like 275 and 315. Now, I'm not talking while running hot laps around the track.

I've just been looking for something I could use and not be a big deal if I'm driving down the road and get caught in rain. That's probably the difference in opinion here. 90% of my track time is in the dry...I just don't want to go through too much effort if I get caught in the rain during commute, that's all. Sounds like all the tires will be just fine.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Apex_BRZ

I'll try a different approach. How would they compare to the RE-71R in wet grip? The RE-71R's for example have great wet weather grip on the street, IMO. So do the R888's even in huge sizes like 275 and 315. Now, I'm not talking while running hot laps around the track.

I've just been looking for something I could use and not be a big deal if I'm driving down the road and get caught in rain. That's probably the difference in opinion here. 90% of my track time is in the dry...I just don't want to go through too much effort if I get caught in the rain during commute, that's all. Sounds like all the tires will be just fine.

About the same; none of these tread patterns can evacuate any significant amount of water. If you go over a puddle with ANY of these tires, I hope you're going straight, at maintenance throttle.

I street drive on RC1's year round, and we DO get rain in California, contrary to popular belief. Because we don't get much of it, drainage sucks, and we get lots of standing water.

Just going at a safe speed is far more significant than water evacuation.

But, that's why I have a WRX...

Side note: The RE11 and AD08R are excellent in the rain.

[Apex_BRZ]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

About the same; none of these tread patterns can evacuate any significant amount of water. If you go over a puddle with ANY of these tires, I hope you're going straight, at maintenance throttle.

I street drive on RC1's year round, and we DO get rain in California, contrary to popular belief. Because we don't get much of it, drainage sucks, and we get lots of standing water.

Just going at a safe speed is far more significant than water evacuation.

But, that's why I have a WRX...

Side note: The RE11 and AD08R are excellent in the rain.

Then I guess wet weather is a moot point, because the RE-71R and R888 even in heavy rain are fantastic. Starting to repeat myself, so I'll let it rest. I'll just look at dry grip and go from there. Thanks Mike!

[CSG Mike]

Well that's the thing. All of these tires are fantastic on a *wet* surface. They're all terrible when going over standing water.

The differentiating factor is standing water vs wet. It's a very, very slim margin between a slick type tread pattern, and a 71R/NT01/R888 pattern, and one that most would consider insignificant. RA1 is excellent in the rain, as are V700

[Takumi788]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I street drive on RC1's year round.

Really!? I drive my car less than 75 miles a week on the street, then to and from track days (anywhere from 1-5 hour drive. At least 1 track day a month). The RC1's will handle this sort of driving? Will they still be soft and sticky on track days? I always assumed they were track tires only.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

RA1 is excellent in the rain, as are V700

Everyone I've talked to loves the RA1 in the rain. They also seem to be a decent dry tire from what I've seen.

[Apex_BRZ]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Well that's the thing. All of these tires are fantastic on a *wet* surface. They're all terrible when going over standing water.

The differentiating factor is standing water vs wet. It's a very, very slim margin between a slick type tread pattern, and a 71R/NT01/R888 pattern, and one that most would consider insignificant. RA1 is excellent in the rain, as are V700

Yes, I've experienced it many times. I was using "wet" conditions as a general term, including downpours and standing water. It's not a big deal for me, but it's great information and a good point to clarify. You said it earlier, drive responsibly for those conditions and even standing water isn't an emergency. in the Vette, 70mph in downpours with R888's was a bit much. Had to step it back down to 55mph and it was fine. I've never had an issue at highway speeds at all in the BRZ hitting standing water with RE-71R's.

[zdr93523]

Originally Posted by Apex_BRZ

Awesome, thanks guys! The car will see rain, but I think they'll be good enough. I have a lot of experience with my other car in heavy downpours and very wide R888's. Seemed to do "good enough". Still something to consider though. Any word on the newer R888R's yet?

The Maxxis RC-1 really sound great, but I can't see going with those. They really look like slicks with a couple grooves cut in them. I mean, there is no design at all for water evacuation where the other tires at least have a chance. While I hold a line really well and am a very smooth driver, I'm still learning and can make mistakes. They might be more than I'm looking for right now.

Maxxis RC-1

I think you're missing what we all (dp1, CSG_Mike, and I) said... The NT01 and RC-1 are not rain tires by any stretch of the imagination. There is no tire that offers that performance in both the wet and dry. You really need a dry set and a daily / wet set, or you need to settle for a street tire which will have nowhere near the wear or grip profiles of the tires we recommended.

[zdr93523]

@Apex_BRZ what you said here is why I highly recommend the Maxxis, "While I hold a line really well and am a very smooth driver, I'm still learning and can make mistakes."

These are the only R comp tire that I'm aware of that SCREAMS at you like a street tire while providing way more grip than a street compound. They are an excellent training tire not only in the way that they "tell" you when you're not being smooth or exceeding a particular limit, but they are a great stepping stone to something like an R1 or Hoosier, or even a real slick.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by zdr93523

@Apex_BRZ what you said here is why I highly recommend the Maxxis, "While I hold a line really well and am a very smooth driver, I'm still learning and can make mistakes."

These are the only R comp tire that I'm aware of that SCREAMS at you like a street tire while providing way more grip than a street compound. They are an excellent training tire not only in the way that they "tell" you when you're not being smooth or exceeding a particular limit, but they are a great stepping stone to something like an R1 or Hoosier, or even a real slick.

After having raced on Maxxis RC1 and Nittos NT01 less than a week apart from each other. I can say the following:

- The performance difference is very small for my driving style, 0.4s in a minute lap.

- The maxxis do indeed give an audible screech when they are about to let go while the nittos are silent.

- After they let go, the maxxis are a bit dramatic, the nittos are a bit more progressive.

- The nittos seem to wear faster than the maxxis.

- They are both better than my PSS for rain but without standing water except for tracks that are very very smooth with lots of rubber.

I would say the maxxis are better for learning since they forgive you less and errors usually cost you more time. My $0.02

[Apex_BRZ]

Originally Posted by zdr93523

I think you're missing what we all (dp1, CSG_Mike, and I) said... The NT01 and RC-1 are not rain tires by any stretch of the imagination. There is no tire that offers that performance in both the wet and dry.

Didn't miss it. I've tried numerous different ways to state that I'm not looking for wet performance, only to get from A to B if I need to commute on the street in the rain...and was trying to get a reference of how they were compared to R888 and RE-71R. Bearing a dead horse at this point, and not trying to be a pain. I think I have the info I was looking for. Thanks guys!