Help me pick new street tires for my stock Cobra rims!

[jpk]

My Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires are at the end of their natural life. I have quite a bit of tread left, but they are from 2007 and the rubber is going bad. Time for new meat. It looks like the GS-D3 is discontinued and while there is still some stock left out there, the prices have doubled and are double or more many other tires available now. So I'm looking for recommendations for a street tire, under $900 for four, to go on stock rims on a weekend cruiser.

I do low miles, so longevity doesn't matter. I care about a good quality ride (noise/vibration), solid handling (minimal wheel hop and good grip in turns), and dry summer driving ability (no snow, very little rain).

I am interested in the Mickey Thompson Street Comp because it is priced very low. I also see the Continental Extreme Contact DW appears to be a similar tire. Some folks had said the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta was a good street tire and I've seen it before on a Corvette Z06 and a Lamborghini Gallardo. But the hot tire people been talking about here looks like the Nitto NT05. I'm not sure if the Nitto has good road manners or will be too harsh for the street, I've seen that tire on a track only Dodge Viper.

I created a poll for the tires on my list, but if you have another suggestion, I'm all ears. Thanks!

 

[Drive XR7]

Toyo R888. When my Yokohamas are done, R888s are my next set.

 

[Bingo13]

Best all around in the stock sizes if there is any chance of rain would be the Continental DW or a lower cost alternative is the Cooper Zeon RS3-S/MT Street Comp (both made by Cooper, basically the same tire but the MT has a newer Silica compound). I have driven both and the DW was the better overall tire but the Cooper Twins are fine. The NT05 is decent, offers a little more dry traction than the DW but will wear quicker, have a harsher ride and they tend to be a bit squirrely in the wet or cold.

 

[jpk]

Thanks for the opinion on the Continental versus Mickey Thompson. They look very similar on paper, good to know from someone that has tried both which one is preferred.

 

[03' White Snake]

BFG's.

 

[jpk]

Which BFGs? The Comp2? KDW?

 

[jjk23]

I went from the Nitto 555Rs to the Toyo 888s. 888s cost more, but are worth it. Just my .02

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

I was looking at the R888s but was warned by more than one person that all the heat cycling of using them as a street tire would degrade their awesome initial traction.

I had GSD-3s on my mach1 and went to the Vredesteins and was perfectly happy with them. Very quiet, they dont track the grooves in a road or anything, great in the wet and overall very predictable. I was going to order another set but with the price point of the Street Comps I am going to try them instead (hope I dont regret it). American Muscle and Summit are only like $2 apart on the 315/35/17 but Summit has the the 245/45/17 for $25 less each (AM will price match though)

I voted Street Comp but Vredestein would be my #2

as for the NT05 it was the worst tire by a long shot in the 200treadware shoot out in the hotrod magazine test

http://www.hotrod.com/feature_stori...eadwear_tires_test/michelin_falken_nitto.html

 

[Bigggy]

BFGs KDW is a great tire but it has a big drawback...it's loud...very loud!

 

[03' White Snake]

I used to run the KDW2 for years. Awesome tires. They stopped making them. I now run the BFG Rivals and they hook awesome on the street. The comp 2 is a good performance tire but not a race tire by any means.

 

[jpk]

I didn't put the Rivals on the survey because unfortunately they do not come in stock 274/40R17 size. The Nitto NT05 does. I looked at the Comp2 but had heard that the other street tires I'm considering are all better choices. I did find some BFG KDW2s available for sale at a good price. But I am leery of all the reviews saying this tire is noisy, since one of my criteria is ride quality and noise. Let me know if you think the Comp2 or KDW2 is better than the MT, Conti, or Vred for a street tire. Thanks!

 

[03' White Snake]

Hmmm, I never thought my KDW2'S were loud at all. My car was whisper quiet when I push in the clutch and was just rolling.

 

[03dsgcobranc]

KDW 2 are quiet up until a certain mileage, then all the sudden they get NOISY!

 

[04SolidSnake]

I was looking at the R888s but was warned by more than one person that all the heat cycling of using them as a street tire would degrade their awesome initial traction.

I had GSD-3s on my mach1 and went to the Vredesteins and was perfectly happy with them. Very quiet, they dont track the grooves in a road or anything, great in the wet and overall very predictable. I was going to order another set but with the price point of the Street Comps I am going to try them instead (hope I dont regret it). American Muscle and Summit are only like $2 apart on the 315/35/17 but Summit has the the 245/45/17 for $25 less each (AM will price match though)

I voted Street Comp but Vredestein would be my #2

as for the NT05 it was the worst tire by a long shot in the 200treadware shoot out in the hotrod magazine test

http://www.hotrod.com/feature_stori...eadwear_tires_test/michelin_falken_nitto.html

R888s are freaking awesome. The heat cycling thing is not particularly true. I have R888s out back and drive on them daily during the summer, and they still have great traction from a completely streetable tire.

I went from ET Streets to these tires, and in a straight line they are not far off the ET Streets, and if I get caught in the rain I don't feeling like I am on the edge of death with every tiny puddle. Even now in the fall, they still grip surprisingly well. I'd do R888s again in a heartbeat!

 

[jpk]

Hmmm, maybe I should have put the BFG KDW2 and Toyo R1R on the survey instead of the Nitto NT05. I see most votes for NT05 but I cannot find it in the 275/40/17 size available anywhere.

 

[gaspasr]

I don't need drag radials on my black car. So next set will be 888s. Currently on INVOs. I do like how the BFG look.

 

[jpk]

Well, I have to go with the Continental Extreme Contact DW, mostly due to logistics. I am getting one of my wheels rechromed at the same time I am putting new tires on and the shop can get Continental tires but doesn't have the others. Sounds like they are a tire that should meet my needs. Thanks for the suggestions and opinions on the tires!

 

[jpk]

Edit: Scratch that, the Contis had to ship from the east coast so the Mickey Thompson SC is what I can get on the west coast. No Nittos in stock anywhere.