TYRES CHOICE 2021

[milesofsmiles]

What is the tyre choice for an Elise owner in 2021?

 

I'm asking for your tyre feedback - as much of the information I can find on the net is a few years old and irrelevant.

I'd love your 'actually user experience'.

I have an Elise tuned to 300bhp.  It has mismatched tyres and I've just completed my first year of ownership... so I'm sure any new tyres will feel hugely better, as I have no Lotus experience of other tyres.

It a fast road car... Not a track car.

Choices I've short listed are:

Yokohama V105 - an older tyre but one which still is loved by users, but not so much in comparison tests. It OE on the Elise right now along with Porsche, BMW, etc... and is their 'best' fast road tyre.

Yokohama 08r - a loved tyre but now discontinued and poor in the wet, but maybe a little too track bias for my fast road car.

Yokohama 08rs - the new 08r, but initial feedback is not great

Yokohama Ao52 - great, but costly and a short life.  OE on the 250 CUP Elise, but do owners put a 2nd set on?

Nanking N-2R - a Track/road tyre which has some great reviews and medium life.

So, in a car bought to be used and played with all year, what would be a great tyre to play on Sunday mornings, drive to the alps to do a few mountain passes and so on...

Thanks for your feedback...

 

[CocoPops]

I run A052 and I'm on my third set of rears, they are superb and I will continue to run them but they are expensive.

I have run them from "new" 6mm until 4mm, as I've changed them before long roadtrips each time, not wanting to risk driving home on bald tyres (less than 2mm for example). So I have 4x rears at home with 4mm each

[milesofsmiles]

What tyre do you put on when do a road trip?  ..another set of new 52's?

I can't see me getting involved with tyres like you've described. So I maybe need to sacrifice a little ultimate grip to have a better 'all round' summer sports tyre. 

Thanks for your feedback

 

[CocoPops]

Yeh, perhaps look at the AD08RS, gets good feedback also.

 

[milesofsmiles]

Re the AD008'rs'  - I haven't found praise for the tyre. I've found a mixed bag of reports on this new compound.  None of them shouting about it, many saying its OK but not as good as it was... and many saying its crap.  So, I've not convinced on the current iteration of it.  Which then leaves the v105 or AO52... with the gap the AD08r filled.  I could buy two sets of tyres, but I don't want to.  I'll end up doing eeny meeny miny moe!☺️

[Bandit]

Just to bring this thread up to date, has anyone tried Michelin PS3/4s on an S2/3 Elise or S2 Exige?

Im currently running AD08RSs that came with the car and find them awful compared to the previous Rs. Want to get them off asap.

Choice seems to be 

205/55/R16 PS4 front

225/45/R17 PS4 rear 

OR

205/45/R16 PS3 fronts

I’m aware of the possible rubbing issues on a 55 profile front (got Nitrons and lowered ride height)

Avon ZZS is another option.

Help!

[chrisrace]

I never tried to use Yokohama tires on my Elise. Right now, I have Toyo tires Proxes on. It was recommended by a friend and I am pleased with it. 

[hornetiquette]

Did a bit of reading around (this thread included) and ordered Toyo r888r's for my S3

Happy to share my average Joe thoughts on them later in the year.

[macca993]

Hi Gents.

I see many times on the forums it said that Yokohama no longer makes the AD07 in LTS OEM fitment.

Just wanted to let you know that this is not true. I have ordered two sets for my 2009 Elise SC over the last 5 years from Yoko and received most recently a pair or rear tyres last month and have just placed an order for fronts 175. T

You need to place the order direct and they will go into production on the next run. Typically I wait 6 months for a pair to arrive. My latest order is my fourth pair since 2016. I like to keep a full set of new tyres on the shelf for this car.

Yokohama continue to make this tyre because in Germany and a few other countries where the Elise was sold new it is not legal to run the car with a tyre with a different width/fitment. 

I have found the AD07 a better tyre than the V105 and for an original car the 175 front makes the car handle much more responsively and restore the handling characteristics it was designed to have. For the road the 175/225 AD07 combo is just perfect IMO.

 

Hope this is of use.