Best street tire & size?, What everybody running? Options

[Rog914]

Looking to get tires soon and was wondering what's best performance street and is the best size tire(don't want to roll fender lips) Thanks

Ralph Gosnell
74 2.0

Well, not knowing what wheel combo you got now, I am just gonna throw a suggestion out. Falken Azenis. They are just the stickiest street tire on the market now. dunno if they have any sizes for porsches and stuff like that. Mainly catered to the "import" guys.

[mskala]

Ralph,
I wouldn't know the hot street tires at the moment, but for sizes
I think on a stock -4 you are probably going to be able to fit 205,
if not, then 195. For keeping a similar diameter for speedo, you
would pick 205/60 or 195/65. For better performance and lower
diameter, which will up your highway RPM and change your
speedo reading, you can do 205/55 or 205/50.
Mark S.
'70 914-6

[mightyohm]

What is the actual increase in RPM (and error in speedo?) for a given speed due to going from a 205/60 to a 205/55 tire?

If I am at 3000 RPM at 65MPH with 205/60's, what will I be at with 205/55's, and what will my speedo read (assuming it was correct in the first place)?

[Bleyseng]

I have really liked the Dunlop SP8000's for street and some autoxing. I run the 205x50's which have lasted me about 2 years or under 10k.
The speedo for me is at 3000 rpms the speedo say 70, which is about 60 mph. Somewhere there is a error chart to tell what the percentage of speedo error is for the tire you are running.
Geoff

[Jeffs9146]

I run the Falkon 205/55R16 ZIEN ZE502 and the speedo is very close to acurate! Here is a pic of the tred design. I like the agressive look!

Jeff

[mskala]

If I am at 3000 RPM at 65MPH with 205/60's, what will I be at with 205/55's, and what will my speedo read (assuming it was correct in the first place)?

It will be 3.4% higher. (15 inch rims) Of course all tires marked the same size
are not exactly the same, but this is what you have to start with.
Mark S.
'70 914-6

[Dave_Darling]

Sadly, some of my favorite tires are now out of production. Dunlop SP-8000, Yoko AVS-intermediate... But the Azenis is generally available in small sizes (like the 15s that most 914s run) and is a good sticky hard-compound street tire.

BFG Comp T/A KD tires are also good; not sure if they come in 914-friendly sizes.

For the ultimate in street dry grip, consider Yoko A032Rs. They are actually a soft-compound tire, but are the least-soft (and least sticky) of the lot. They'll only last a little while on the street, but that's a good deal longer than the more-sticky soft-compound tires.

Note that all of these tires don't last very long, and for the most part they compromise on things like road noise, ride comfort, and so on. Most are mediocre or worse in the wet.

There are lots of good tires around. They all fill different needs; you have to decide on what you want from your tires and what you are willing to live with.

--DD

[bernbomb914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) I have a set of Riverias and a stock body. what tire size will fit my car.

[tod914]

I just went with yoko avs es 100 in 195 60 15 - very nice tire. I avoided the 205 50 15 series due to the fact that some cars get tire rub. I think a 195 50 might be alittle rough of a ride.

[Brad Roberts]

Bern,

You can run the 195/60/15's on the Riv's.

The 50 series tires will work on the Riv's also.

B

[bernbomb914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

Bernie

[kdfoust]

....BFG Comp T/A KD tires are also good; not sure if they come in 914-friendly sizes....

I've got a set on the car: 205/55-15

[Andyrew]

Bernie bomb.. before you go and buy yourself some tires... does your wheels look like this on the edge? kinda lika a 90 degree angle lip? or more like a 45 degree angle lip? if its the 90 degree lip then the widest you can run is the 165's. that is what i have on my car and before i pulled the fenders, i had very little room. the pic is the wheel that will only fit the 165's(IMG:http://ebay2.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_b3f82b554f18cef85db207e9e6790a50/i-1.JPG)

[Hawk]

Anyone try Kumho 732 Touring Plus tires.
I inherited a set up with 215/60 14 from the previous owner on the 14" Fuchs that came with the car. No fitment or rubbing problems and they are fairly inexpensive.

[ChrisReale]

Not too different from everyone else, I am running Yokohama Avid H-4's. 195-60-15 $45 each at Tirerack.com, closeout special. They are sticky enough for higher speed corners, but not noisy...and they have worn well over the past few months. Cant complain

[mightyohm]

Does anyone know if Kumho Ecsta 712 205/55R15's will fit a 914 with 6J-15 5-lug Fuchs?

I have Dunlop D60 A2's right now and I think the 712 is wider. I'm worried about rubbing in the back. I'm having some trouble finding complete specs on the D60 as it is an old tire.

[Brad Roberts]

They will go right onto a 15X6 with no issues. We have to run a small spacer behind our 7's, but the 6's clear with no issues. The 6 will cause the tire to pucker a little and not lay out as flat as a 7 would.

B

[mightyohm]

I finally did find some specs for my old Dunlops online. I found out that surprisingly the Kumo 712 195/55/R15 is just about as wide as the Dunlop 205/60/R15 in tread width and also max cross section. I'm trying to decide if I should push my luck with the 205's or settle for the 195 and have more room to spare. I lose about an inch diameter with the 195's though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Dave_Darling]

I say what the heck on trying the Kumhos. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) You can always pull the fender if they rub, right? Or dial in a little more negative camber...

On the Rivs, some really are built for Bugs. They just barely fit the 165s under stock fenders. Check what size tire you have on them now and see if there is any room. If so, you should be able to fit 195s nicely. (Some people have run 205s on Rivs, even.) If there's no room, then you have Bug-offset Rivs and have to stick with 165s.

--DD