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[aaronjb]

What you gain in the lack of tramlining, however, you lose in turn-in 'feel' as the Toyos are definitely considerably more 'wooly' at the front end.  Once you're turned in and really leaning on them then they feel great as long as the slip angle remains constant, but once you start needing to make course corrections they're not as good as a harder walled tyre.

Funnily enough, those are exactly my feelings about the KU31 having driven on them for a while. Once you've told yourself it's going to grip and turned in with a bit of confidence, they are quite communicative, but they feel very understeery and light as you start to turn in in comparison to some tyres I've tried, and you really have to trust them in the wet, although, as you say, once you're in the turn they have more feel than I'm used to in the Omega.

Fronts are getting reasonably well worn now and while there's a little bit of wandering it hasn't prompted me to swap them to the rear yet, which is a good sign, especially as I think I've got a knackered wishbone bush.

Yep that sounds just like the Toyo's - great on track where you can really lean on them with a nice big safety margin but you have to be really committed (possibly overly so) on the road to get the best out of them and/or really get used to them on the car.

Actually quite like the no-name things on the Omega at the moment (empty roads on the way home so I got to have a .. quick .. drive up the Bagshot road) - although the no-names have absolutely sod all grip at the rear in anything but decent conditions.

Really need to put some new boots on the Omega (ones that don't go flat every couple of weeks would be good!) .. and on the MR2, and given Neovas are nearly £600 .. it's going to be an expensive month!

(Incidentally I've picked up a knock from the front recently too suppose I need to get those wishbones bushed sooner rather than later, then!)

[Kevin Wood]

Actually quite like the no-name things on the Omega at the moment (empty roads on the way home so I got to have a .. quick .. drive up the Bagshot road) - although the no-names have absolutely sod all grip at the rear in anything but decent conditions.

Interesting. I normally swap the worn fronts to the rear on my car, so the rears are normally the worse for wear, and I have never had an issue with grip at the rear. It just holds on no matter what (unless deliberately provoked).

Really need to put some new boots on the Omega (ones that don't go flat every couple of weeks would be good!) .. and on the MR2, and given Neovas are nearly £600 .. it's going to be an expensive month!

Reminds me I need to get some new boots on the Westfield (and change the clutch as it happens) before the silly season starts.

(Incidentally I've picked up a knock from the front recently too suppose I need to get those wishbones bushed sooner rather than later, then!)

If it's a knock it's more likely to be the ARB drop links.

Kevin

[Kevin Wood]

.. and out of interest... How would you rate the Neovas in the terms we've been talking about relative to the Proxes (cornering feel and feedback)? I appreciate they're on a different car.

Just pondering what to put on the Westfield next. :-/

Kevin

[aaronjb]

.. and out of interest... How would you rate the Neovas in the terms we've been talking about relative to the Proxes (cornering feel and feedback)? I appreciate they're on a different car.

Just pondering what to put on the Westfield next. :-/

The Neovas (that's the LTS - Elise specific fitment) are the best thing I've ever driven on, really.. I'm guessing they will be bettered by something purely track oriented (R1-R, R888s or AO48s) but they are simply an astounding tyre.

Absolutely as communicative as the Proxes but with stiff sidewalls that give really precise feedback on turn-in and confidence so you can instantly load them up and find the limit. Really progressive on the limit but with a much, much higher limit than the Proxes.

Great grip in the dry and superb grip in the wet - heck, I ran them almost bald (er..) through a winter and didn't even have a moment (well, ok, one moment).

The only trouble is they're only available in one pair of sizes - 195/50R15 front and 225/45R16 rear. Personally, though, I think they're so good I'd buy a set of wheels just for them..

R1-Rs are available in more sizes, though, and have a similar looking tread pattern so they might be worth a punt?

I know people who talk very highly about the R888s (soft or med. soft) for track work, and rate them pretty highly on the road too as long as you're willing to work them and get them up to temperature, but for me I think they'd be a step too far into 'hello puddle, hello wall' territory..

(And yeah, I did wonder if it was the droplink - need to get that corner up in the air in a weekend or two and wobble everything while I'm standing in my friends pit  )

[edit] If I get the Neovas on the MR2 soon you're welcome to come out for a spin, by the way!

[Kevin Wood]

Ahh, yes, I remember you saying before that it was the LTS you use.

I was thinking about changing to 195/50/15 this time anyway, as there's more choice and cheaper prices than the 205/50s I'm currently on (they're a bit pimpy for a Westfield anyway!).

I think my rims are 7x15 so should take a 195 OK.

They are a bit steep though. Or is that for a pair? 

Is there a big difference between the LTS and the Neova AD08?

I would go for the R888 or A048 if the car didn't get so much commuting and pootling around on the road. I know a few people who run them and reckon they're not too bad in the wet even, but the fact remains that they are compromised for most of my usage and they'll also suffer a pretty serious wear rate which isn't worth it unless most of your driving is going to be "making use of the available grip".

The R1-R does look worth a try.. Price looks good too.

<rubs chin>

Kevin

[aaronjb]

They are a bit steep though. Or is that for a pair? 

That's a pair Which, actually, means they've dropped in price a bit since the last time I looked - it was over £500 a set, then.

Perhaps people don't tend to buy summer sports-car tyres mid-winter 

Is there a big difference between the LTS and the Neova AD08?

Unfortunately I don't know anyone whose run the two on anything comparable so it's hard to say

I would go for the R888 or A048 if the car didn't get so much commuting and pootling around on the road. I know a few people who run them and reckon they're not too bad in the wet even, but the fact remains that they are compromised for most of my usage and they'll also suffer a pretty serious wear rate which isn't worth it unless most of your driving is going to be "making use of the available grip".

That was the same sort of conclusion I came to with for the MR2 - although I do know someone who runs the R888s on his MR2 as a primarily road car (granted it's not his commuter as he's got a diseasel for that). I hear the same things, though - really not as bad as you'd think in the wet until you hit a puddle..

At which point you do a 720 and go backward into the Armco on the A1 (as my friend with the ~270bhp VXR220 found out) .. and that doesn't sound like my idea of fun!

The R1-R does look worth a try.. Price looks good too.

Doesn't it? Little more than the LTS but available in more sizes.. actually quite tempting now prices have dropped a little.

Choices, choices!

BTW what fitment is the westfield for wheels? I have a spare set of wheels with .. very .. worn LTS on if you wanted to try them (I'd recommend a dry day!) - 4x100, 54.1mm bore.

[cem_devecioglu]

Ahh, yes, I remember you saying before that it was the LTS you use.

I was thinking about changing to 195/50/15 this time anyway, as there's more choice and cheaper prices than the 205/50s I'm currently on (they're a bit pimpy for a Westfield anyway!).

I think my rims are 7x15 so should take a 195 OK.

They are a bit steep though. Or is that for a pair? 

Is there a big difference between the LTS and the Neova AD08?

I would go for the R888 or A048 if the car didn't get so much commuting and pootling around on the road. I know a few people who run them and reckon they're not too bad in the wet even, but the fact remains that they are compromised for most of my usage and they'll also suffer a pretty serious wear rate which isn't worth it unless most of your driving is going to be "making use of the available grip".

The R1-R does look worth a try.. Price looks good too.

<rubs chin>

Kevin

Kevin , potenza s001 have sizes for both 195/50-15 and 205/50-15 .. and not that expensive ..

[Kevin Wood]

BTW what fitment is the westfield for wheels? I have a spare set of wheels with .. very .. worn LTS on if you wanted to try them (I'd recommend a dry day!) - 4x100, 54.1mm bore.

PCD is 109, I believe. Thanks for the offer, though.

Kevin

[Simon72]

What you gain in the lack of tramlining, however, you lose in turn-in 'feel' as the Toyos are definitely considerably more 'wooly' at the front end.  Once you're turned in and really leaning on them then they feel great as long as the slip angle remains constant, but once you start needing to make course corrections they're not as good as a harder walled tyre.

Funnily enough, those are exactly my feelings about the KU31 having driven on them for a while. Once you've told yourself it's going to grip and turned in with a bit of confidence, they are quite communicative, but they feel very understeery and light as you start to turn in in comparison to some tyres I've tried, and you really have to trust them in the wet, although, as you say, once you're in the turn they have more feel than I'm used to in the Omega.

Fronts are getting reasonably well worn now and while there's a little bit of wandering it hasn't prompted me to swap them to the rear yet, which is a good sign, especially as I think I've got a knackered wishbone bush.

Kevin

Were / Are your KU31's the SPT or XL version??

Mine are the XL (Extra Load) version which are harder side walls.
The Kumhos do grip very well in the wet and dry and not had as to yet any breakaway from the front or rear.