Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
street performance tires
these are the best tires i have ever had on a car. very high grip levels, exelent in the rain but with a wear rating of 180 and my hard driving iv only got about 5k on the fronts and they need to be replaced. in a light car like my crx its hard to even lock the tires under full braking, and the cornering is exceptional. i will never switch back to all seasons.
i would recomend these tires for anyone who wants very high gip levels and doesen't mind very fast wear.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Yokohama A520 high performance tires, size 215/40/16 on SSR Integral 16" wheels.
I replaced my A509's with these when I upgraded to 16" wheels (to make room for DA's big brake kit.) Grip: Very good lateral grip in the dry, good in the wet. Very predictable breakaway at the limit. I used to have a 90 degree left hand turn onto an on-ramp on my old route to work, and could consistently induce power oversteer and tuck the tail back in twice in a row before straightening out at the end of the turn. I also have a JR supercharger kit installed, and a stock Torsen LSD. The tire's increase in grip balances the increase in power, giving about the same feel as the stock motor with OEM tires with regard to power oversteer. I haven't been able to test lateral grip limits on a skidpad, however. Braking: 60-0 braking performance (with a big brake kit and 2500 lb. curb weight) is 134 ft. Not phenomenal, but mine's a heavy Miata, and stock distance is 150 ft.
Wear: Although the wear rating is only 180, I've put 30,000 miles on my first set, and am only now shopping for a new set to replace them. And that's after eliciting comments from mechanics along the lines of "boy, you sure must push these things hard, with the scuff marks on the shoulders." And I do. After reading other reviews I've got to wonder what guys are doing to wear these out so fast. Mine are tough as nails. Eibach springs and Koni shocks (lowering the car ~ 1 inch) haven't affected tread wear. I've rotated the tires normally, and run 26 psi on all four. Noise: I only put the top up to wash the car, so I can't fairly judge tire noise. Other: Repeated heat cycling has noticeably lowered the tire's grip at the end of its tread life. Don't even think about driving this tire in the snow. I recommend this tire for its good grip, predictable nature, and long tread life.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Summer performance tire
Great tire, would purchase again.
I got these about 1.5 years ago and have 18K on them. The rears are ready for replacing, gonna get another set. Road noise is fine, ride is acceptable, grip in wet or dry is great. Highly recommended.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 +
"Ultra high performance" tire used in size 215/40-16 on 16x7" Kosei wheels.
I have found this tire to have excellent dry grip and seems to be progressive enough that tire break away is easily predicted and controlled. Wet performance also seems to be decent. Hydroplaning has not been a problem, but it's easy to spin the tires from a stop, and get the rear to kick out at speed. The tire does have a very stiff sidewall so the turn in is very direct and the road feedback is great. It does ride stiffly because of this, and the road noise is quite noticeable. My set lasted about 28K miles with almost all of those with a turbo system installed running up to 14 PSI. Never had problems with traction on dry starts, and even autoxed the tires a few times.
I would say this is a great tire for the money (paid about $103 a piece from Tire Rack IIRC) if you don't mind the stiffer ride and higher level or road noise than other tires in the class.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Yokahama A520 Tires, 195 x 50 x 15.
Put a set of these boot on my peugeot 306 Dturbo which is the current model (1997 - ) and have been delighted since. To get the best wear and grip i have been switching back to front and visa versa as the thread has worn down.
Todate I have 30,000 miles out of the original set of tires (i kid you not) with wear now being confined to the outside 1 inch which could have been minimised if i took corners easier. In the next week a new set will be stuck on.
On the performance side, these tires are the business. Great in wet or dry conditions, and it seems impossible to get the car sliding round bends (not that this should be done). The only problem i have had is that i live in the country and the profile is too low, I put new momo racer alloys on, at quite a price and they have been damaged, indeed not one wheel is round.
Final message - go out and get some, but watch the bumps.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '99 + 1.6 liter
Yokohama A520 185 65R14
I replaced the original equipment tyres on my 1999 Honda Civic Coupe with the A520. (I didn't want to replace the wheels as well) And I have to say that its the best thing I have ever done for the car. The handling is transformed. The level of dry grip belies the width of the tyre (185). It is truely amazing. Until now, I have still not found the new limit of grip through medium to high speed corners (slow in fast out style), where as the OEM Goodyear Eagle GA tyres would screech, squirm and slide accross the tarmac with ease.The only bad thing is that, I havent' been able to induce those hairy lift-off oversteer moments.I just feel so much safer and in control. Having said all that, I don't encourage the notion that the limit is unatainable.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Yokahamas new high performance tire
bought a set of 205/40/17
I must say, these are quite good tires if you don't mind putting down $600 a year to replace them. The wear on these tires is terrible, I bought them with my first set of rims and was amazed just how quickly they wore out. These tires a set of 205/40/17 lasted less than 10K and I was very upset with this to say the least. The tires ride surprisingly well in both wet and dry conditions, but as a student with a lack of funds I will never go near these tires again.
Amazing improvement in handling. Compared to the original 185/60R14 tires, the Yokohama A520 (successor of the A509 and A510) in a 205/50 R15 improved drastically dry handling in good roads.
Braking and wet handling also improved, but not nearly as much as dry handling. I don't really know to what extent the difference is attributable to the larger size, but the combination of the larger size with the Yokohama tires made a world of difference.
Haven't tested them in snow, but based in my experience in mud, don't even think about it. Additionally, these tires are very progressive, and even if taken over the limit, don’t lose control, just skid incrementally. So the extra confidence these tires give you won’t turn against you at the first mistake.
On rough roads, the harder rubber and shorter sidewalls can make the ride a bit rough. In fact, on very bad roads adherence can be worse than with the original tires, due to bouncing. Adjusting suspension a little bit might help. Also, the new wheels (Speedline, in 15x7 size) are a little bit heavier than the originals, which contributes to the problem.
The larger size hasn't provoked any trouble. The wheels don't foul the body (as some people warned) and there is no big difference in gearing. And, the tires look great. Not only the oversize wheels and tires make the car look a lot more aggressive, but also the new Yokohama tire pattern is an eye-catcher.
In all, if a bit expensive, a very recommendable product if you plan to drive mostly on relatively good roads.
These tires should be considered a mandatory safety measure. :-)
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17 February, 2003 |