Tyre (Replacement) Time

At anything over half throttle on second gear the Shark will wheelspin at will. The ECU is tightly reigning in boost in first else first the Shark will just be limited to 4 usable gears (2nd to 5th). The problem here are my aging Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT tyres. Remember this sat unused for more than 9 months during the build. The rubber in your tyres degrade, hardened and loses grip with age due to a process know as vulcanisation. Also please don't forget the Shark makes 3+ times more power than the Slowtra.

With this in mind I decided on Extreme Performance tyres which offer the ultimate dry road grip and holding ability but at the expense of more wear due to the softer grippier rubber compound, increased road noise and less wet weather performance. Such tyres typically combine big-block tread designs with aggressive tread compounds and reinforced internal constructions to emphasise dry road response, traction, handling and high speed capabilities for serious driving enthusiasts and are the limit to what a sane driver would use on a road for daily driving. Extreme Performance tyres are one rung up on the Max Performance tyre category which the Sport Maxx TT and other similar class tyres (e.g. Michelin Pilot Sport 3 and Goodyear Asymmetric 2) belongs. I guess so long as you don't do a touge or max speed run during Penang/Bolehland's typical torrential downpours you should be ok. I say that with experience having used the AD07 on the SP. The accelerated wear however would be a problem in regards to the $ in your pocket so can't afford a tyre that is too expensive. Most Extreme Performance tyres have a UTQG thread-wear rating between 140-180. This is much less than the 220-280 tread-wear rating of Max Performance tyres. Such tyres typically last between 15K to 25K km max. Also with me being in Penang, the options available would be a big big problem. My options would be very limited and consists of:

Bridgestone Potenza RE-11. The cost of the tyre is astronomical @ Malaysian Ringgit 1200 per piece for a 215-45 17". Yes, per piece. This means a set of 4 will cost RM 4800 for tyres lasting less than 25K km. Sorry but I don't print money. UTQG is 180 AA. The RE-11 has also been replaced by the recently launched RE-11A. I don't even want to know how much these cost.

Hankook Ventus R-S3 Z222. Not brought in by MY Hankook distributor so one would have to source from local speedshops like Pentagon Racing. Also not available in the size I want with closest being 225-45 17". To fit such a tyre would require a 10mm spacer as I am already hitting the inner wheel arch at max lock with a 215mm wide tyre. A 10mm spacer also means I would need to buy an extended lug. Since I am on a tight budget (need to la with the Shark's build exceeding my original budget two fold) these are probably my last option if nothing else is avail. Oh, and my dash will also need to be re-calibrated for 225-45 17" due to the larger rolling diameter. UTQG is 140 AA. Cost should be in the RM 600++ range assuming I can find the size I want. Flames on the thread are capable of reducing your track/drag times and increasing your top speed :)

Federal 595RS-R. I talked about this previously. Heard these are about to be replaced soon. Am apprehensive on this tyre due to the much talked thread surface crack/split problem. Google the problem if you want to find out more.

Toyo Proxes R1R. Price ranging from RM 520 to RM580+ so shop around. These tyres have been in the market for around quite some time. Thread-wear is your typical 140 AA. Interestingly the R1R tires are engineered to elevate performance in dry and wet conditions. Some people use these as track wet weather tyres. Compound is apparently super soft but these are the cheapest extreme performance tyres I can find locally.

Advan Neova AD08. This was initially my number one choice but the price has increased massively compared to the previous gen AD07. I was quoted RM800 per tyre after discount by YHI SA. Also very difficult to find locally and will need to wait 1-2 months. UTQG thread-wear is 180 AA which like the Bridgestone is what most Japs usually state for their Extreme Performance tyres. Recently found out that these are supposed to be replaced by the just launched (in early March) AD08R which is why there is no stock for the AD08.

Kumho Ecsta XS KU36. Gave up trying to find this in Penang. UTQG is competitive with its competitors at 180 AA.

Grassroots Motorsport mag did an excellent comparison review of these tyres. You can read it up more here:

• http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/texas-toasted-tires-part-1/
• http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/texas-toasted-tires-part-2/

I've made my decision and ordered the Toyo Proxes R1R. It's comparatively "reasonably priced" for me to be able to test and see. Stay tuned.