Re: where can I get R1s?

[John Karasaki <johkar@teleport.com>]

Again for your information.  Please reply to the author, NOT ME, if you
have any comments.

BTW, I have never heard of/seen Kumho tires.  Anyone know who sells them,
the cost and what sizes they come in?


>X-From_: 924/944-admin@porschelist.org  Tue Jun 23 10:45:15 1998
>Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 11:09:35 -0400
>From: Paul Foster <paul.foster@micromuse.com>
>To: "924/944/944S2/951/968" <924/944@porschelist.org>
>Subject: Re: where can I get R1s?
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><<<<Sorry, I think you have no hope, except calling every performance
>tire dealer you've ever heard of that actually carries some stock.>>>>
>
>Everybody knows the R1 is dead. It hasn't been competitive with the
>Hoosiers and the Kumhos for nearly 2 years. The only 'loss' is with cars
>that have no camber adjustment - like the BMW M3. So I'm really at a
>loss why people are scrambling for a tire that is slow and exhibits
>weird wear behavior unless they aren't allowed to run negative camber as
>you apparently are in that weird class you mentioned.
>
><<<- BFG ain't making any more R1's, no matter what they say (theory)>>>
>
>Fact. They admit as much. But why should they make tires at a loss when
>they aren't winning with them?
>
><<<- R1's are outclassed by Hoosiers and Kumhos (blatant opinion)>>>
>
>Fact. The stopwatch doesn't lie.
>
><<<- BFG has stated that they will only release g-forces when enough
>tires/sizes are available to ensure complete coverage in class. They say
>they don't want to cause competitive inequities. (fact).>>>
>
>They are forbidden by SCCA Solo II rules to make tires in only certain
>sizes. They would sell them to Solo II competitors if they could but
>they can't. The rule was written in '88 when BFG showed up at Nationals
>with super-sticky tires for select competitors. It caused a huge stink.
>
><<<- think about that for a second. Think about the range of tire sizes
>in
>about any class in SCCA Solo. To meet their statement they're going to
>have
>to release almost all the tires at once! (theory)>>>
>
>Fact. See above.
>
><<<As for the last point, all the tire manufacturers would love to
>figure out how Goodyear can charge so much for the GS-CS and still sell
>tires. >>>
>
>They don't subsidize the prices as the other vendors do. I don't see the
>big deal. Hoosiers are faster anyway. Goodyears used to be the hot rain
>tire at full tread depth but the Hoosier Dirt Stocker is the hot rain
>tire now...
>
><<<An extreme anecdotal point: a friend of mine has a 911, put full
>tread depth Toyo's on, went thru 8 driver's ed events at tire-eating
>Mont-Tremblant, put two full seasons of always-closed-wheel-ftd autox on
>them, and he *still* hasn't corded them. Mind you, he's extremely smooth
>(and fast).>>>
>
>I have _never_ used shaved tires. I am too cheap!
>
><<<If I had only one set of tires (as in, used R-compounds on the
>street), I would go for the A032R simply because they are just amazing
>in the rain.>>>
>
>No thanks. The A032Rs howl like a banshee at any speed over 50 mph.
>
><<<Hoosiers cost significantly more to run because they just don't last.
>Initial cost is also higher, at least here. They are very light and
>demand a better driver. (Light = less rotational inertia = easy to flat
>spot under threshold braking).>>>
>
>They are the best. But they are too expensive for me...
>
><<<The Kumho isn't officially available in Canada. I inherited a set
>(shaved). Rumour has it the tire itself is a Yoke underneath but with
>new rubber technology. *Something* is special about the rubber because
>stick is very close to the BFG, and wear is more a question of "what
>wear?" They are heavy.>>>
>
>Huh? I don't think so. Kumho has been _competing_ against Yokohama.
>Kumho is also the largest tire manufacturer in the world. Yokohama is a
>2-bit player nobody ever heard of until they built the A001R and
>revolutionized stock autocrossing.
>
>You have my curiosity going on Kumho's being heavy. I just had my first
>set mounted yesterday so it's too late to call the mechanic and ask him
>to weight them but do you have some empirical data?
>
>Regards,
>
>Paul Foster
>
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