Boo hoo. No more Bridgestone Potenza RE 050s for my NSX.

[Kyras]

So, I've been running Bridgestone Potenza RE 050s on my 2005 S2000 and on my 2005 NSX. I've been very happy with them. Both cars need new rear tires. I can still get them for the S2000 but they aren't available in 255/40R17 94Y (stock size) for the NSX, any longer. I still have plenty of tread on the front tires and hate to change to a different tread pattern or tire on the back. :frown:

What to do? Should I go with the Potenza RE 070s? http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE070&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=54WR7RE070&tab=Sizes

I don't want the car to feel squirrely with different treads on the front and back.

 

[8400RPM]

RE11 are awesome! Seriously,

 

[Hapa88]

Can you run the RE 050A RunFlats?
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...eSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&wtpackage=true

 

[funkynsx]

Run a 265

 

[Kyras]

Can you run the RE 050A RunFlats?
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...eSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&wtpackage=true

I looked at Tire Rack and this is what I read:

Install Bridgestone Potenza RE050A I RFT tires in sets of four only.

Due to the traction and handling capabilities of the Potenza RE050A I RFT, Bridgestone recommends Potenza RE050A I RFT tires only be used in sets of four to provide the best handling characteristics and tire performance. Potenza RE050A I RFT tires may NOT be mixed with other tire models, such as the Potenza RE050A RFT or Potenza RE050A II RFT.

Maybe next time I need all four tires but with lots of front tread left, not yet. But thank you for the idea. :smile:

 

[Kyras]

RE11 are awesome! Seriously,

I looked at the reviews on Tire Rack and they do sound like great tires. I wonder if my NSX will feel squirrely with different tread patterns on the front and back, though. I don't have any choice but to try.

Once, when I went in to get four tires put on my S2000, only three had come in so they put the new tires on the back and kept the old ones on the front, while I waited for the fourth tire to come in. It was positely scary driving the S2000 with that set-up. It felt like the front end and back end had two different personalities and they were fighting.

Thank you for the recommendation, 8400RPM. :smile:

 

[shawn110975]

I will never switch back to any other brand of tires since I have tried the BF-Goodrich KDW they have grip like no other tire.

the way I drive redline to redline I was going thru tires every 3 months,
since I switched to BF it takes me 6-7 months to burn thru them.

the tread is amazing and makes the car look mean from the rear.

I can take corners like carving into a stick of butter.

try them out. some people stick to the OLD trendy sheep tires
but technology does get better every year.

got new tires for the hell of it for my trip to NSXPO and even after our spirited runs thru the mountains they still have the little nipples on them
and that was well over 3800 miles round trip to tampa

 

[Kyras]

I will never switch back to any other brand of tires since I have tried the BF-Goodrich KDW they have grip like no other tire...

I had those on my S2000 at one time. I went back to Potenzas. I love the Potenzas. I go on NSX drives here in So Cal and have always felt perfectly at ease with the grip.

My NSX rears currently have 8,335 miles on them.

My S2000 rears have 12,534 miles on them. They really need to be changed before the NSX tires.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Kyras,

I would advise you to stay away from the RFT tires, they are all pretty terrible. If they make a 265 in the tire you want, I would just get that as you will probably not notice a difference. Or, get the RE070 if the tread pattern is similar and they are similar compound tires.

 

[Hapa88]

I will never switch back to any other brand of tires since I have tried the BF-Goodrich KDW they have grip like no other tire.

Keep in mind the BF-Goodrich KDW and KDW2 tires are "Ultra High Performance" tires, meaning they one step down in performance category verses the "Max performance" OEM tires and the Bridgestone RE050.

The one thing that the KDW2 has for it is extended treadwear, but that comes at the expense of maximum overall grip.

Shawn, I would highly suggest you reconsider other brands and higher performance tires as you are most definitely missing out...

 

[Nero Tenebre]

I love the kdw2 for street use but on the track it became the limiting factor. Haven't run extreme tires in the street yet though either so I may change my tune once I give them a go.

 

[Kyras]

Kyras,

I would advise you to stay away from the RFT tires, they are all pretty terrible. If they make a 265 in the tire you want, I would just get that as you will probably not notice a difference. Or, get the RE070 if the tread pattern is similar and they are similar compound tires.

Yeah, I didn't think RFT tires were something I wanted to go to, even if I could. The RE050 doesn't come in 265 either. I could get the RE 070s, though.

So, RE 11s ($257)or RE 070s ($278) are available in stock rear size 255/40R17s.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Kyras unless you're on a track or its in the wet with some serious rain, I doubt you will be able to tell much of a difference with any of them. Ask long as they arent vastly different in performance I think you'll be ok. Its temporary anyway. If you run on the track hard then just change all 4 but otherwise... I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Just for future reference, run flats load up on the steel making the tire heavy at its worst point, they are incessantly loud with road noise and vibration transmission, and they are only good enough to get punctured once and let you limp home. Plus they cost more, though so does a tow! Seems like you have got other good choices though so I will leave you to it. Good luck-

 

[robbiedawg]

i have also had good luck with the potenza re-11.the grip is incredible,i've only come close to breaking them loose once,and turn-in is good.they are also quiet and smooth riding for such a high performance tire.they will sometimes flat spot and vibrate a bit when cold,but it goes away within a couple miles.

 

[White92]

Are you sure that they don't make that size anymore or Tire Rack is just out of stock? I bought tires for my Pilot last week. I did alot of research and found the one I wanted. Tire Rack was the site I used for my research and when I was ready to buy, they didn't list them anymore. It turns out there was a national back order for them. It wasn't that they weren't being made anymore, you just couldn't get them at that time. The same thing happened when I bought tires for my TSX this past summer. Luckily I was able to find them from other local tire distributors.

 

[angus]

Keep in mind the BF-Goodrich KDW and KDW2 tires are "Ultra High Performance" tires, meaning they one step down in performance category verses the "Max performance" OEM tires and the Bridgestone RE050.

The one thing that the KDW2 has for it is extended treadwear, but that comes at the expense of maximum overall grip.

Shawn, I would highly suggest you reconsider other brands and higher performance tires as you are most definitely missing out...

+2 on this, the KDW2 is a long lasting tire, although it is a decent choice in 18/19 sizes (due to lack of alternatives) - it is nowhere near the level of performance provided by the newer tires in the max performance category -

The RE-11 is phenomenal.

I will note that there is no 215/40/17, you may want to choose 205/45/17 and 255/40/17

The RE070 has no front size that is compatible.

 

[Sportsmind4me]

FWIW, I've got the Bridgestone S-04's which are the replacement to the RE50A and they are saweet!:biggrin:

 

[Kyras]

FWIW, I've got the Bridgestone S-04's which are the replacement to the RE50A and they are saweet!:biggrin:

Oh, yeah? I sure hope they're not like the S-02s. They came on my 2001 S2000 and they were horrible in the rain.

 

[Kyras]

Are you sure that they don't make that size anymore or Tire Rack is just out of stock? I bought tires for my Pilot last week. I did alot of research and found the one I wanted. Tire Rack was the site I used for my research and when I was ready to buy, they didn't list them anymore. It turns out there was a national back order for them. It wasn't that they weren't being made anymore, you just couldn't get them at that time. The same thing happened when I bought tires for my TSX this past summer. Luckily I was able to find them from other local tire distributors.

^Excellent point! I did go to Costco to get a price a couple of weeks ago and they said they could get them. Duh. I forgot about that. I'll have to try Tucker Tire locally and see what they say. Thank you, White92!

 

[Kyras]

Just for future reference, run flats load up on the steel making the tire heavy at its worst point, they are incessantly loud with road noise and vibration transmission, and they are only good enough to get punctured once and let you limp home. Plus they cost more, though so does a tow! Seems like you have got other good choices though so I will leave you to it. Good luck-

Yeah, I think the run flats were invented so car manufacturers could sell new cars without a spare. I haven't ever read anything good about them. Thank you, Nero Tenbre.

 

[8400RPM]

i have also had good luck with the potenza re-11.the grip is incredible,i've only come close to breaking them loose once,and turn-in is good.they are also quiet and smooth riding for such a high performance tire.they will sometimes flat spot and vibrate a bit when cold,but it goes away within a couple miles.

What's amazing is how fast they grab when the tail steps out.

 

[warrenw]

What's amazing is how fast they grab when the tail steps out.

We have RE-11s on our 2002 S2000. No Traction Control on that car. When the tail steps out, you just put your right foot into it and the car straightens right out. No back and forth action at all. The tire seems to last through this abuse as well. Yes, they do flat spot when sitting for some time. If you are parking the car for a while, just set the pressure to max rating. It helps. I would buy them again.

 

[Kyras]

We have RE-11s on our 2002 S2000. No Traction Control on that car. When the tail steps out, you just put your right foot into it and the car straightens right out. No back and forth action at all. The tire seems to last through this abuse as well. Yes, they do flat spot when sitting for some time. If you are parking the car for a while, just set the pressure to max rating. It helps. I would buy them again.

^Thank you, warrenw. My 2005 S2000 doesn't have traction control either.

 

[nsxtasy]

+2 on this, the KDW2 is a long lasting tire, although it is a decent choice in 18/19 sizes (due to lack of alternatives) - it is nowhere near the level of performance provided by the newer tires in the max performance category -

The RE-11 is phenomenal.

The RE-11, like pretty much all the tires in the "extreme performance" category (including the Dunlop Star Spec, the Yokohama AD08, and others), is indeed a very sticky tire. However, it's worth noting that the extreme performance category is a step up in traction/performance from the "maximum performance" category, which is a step up from the ultra high performance category that includes the KDW2.

I know you already know this, angus, but just in case others aren't aware of it... (your post made it sound like the RE-11 is a max performance tire).

You can read more about these performance categories here.