HIX8

Just replaced the stock rubber today (after 27k, worn down through the threads) with a set of Kumho Supra712s priced at $84ea. With shipping and installation, the total cost set me back all of:

$430.

Gotta love our TireRack sponsors!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....e1=yes&place=2

[I'm reposting from another thread to help get the word around.]
[https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/new-tires-needed-question-72552/]

I'll follow up with some pix.

HIX8

Tires fresh off the UPS truck, heading for the Firestone shop...

HIX8

Tire Balancing is a critical step of the process...

HIX8

Inside the Operating Room...(An Outpatient job while we ate at the tasty Chinese buffet across the street.)

HIX8

Voila!

Good to go for at least another 20k.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

you will get way more than 20k out of them. they just get noisey at 20.

beers

HIX8

That "20k" crack was made in jest. I'm still trying to get over those stock tires having worn down through the cords after only 27k. I'm sure I'd do better if I wasn't so throttle happy, but I don't see myself backing down on that anytime soon. This car is just too much fun at pulling g's.

(By the way, swoope, I think you'll like my summer vacation photos when I get around to posting them. A lot were taken in your neck of the woods.)

Brice-RX8

You put a set of tires in the back seat of a RX-8, that just amazes me, I very seldem left anyone sit back there, much less put something like tires back there. I guess we are all different.

Congrats on the purchase though.

therm8

You saving it for something?? :D

It's a car!!!!! :p

KYLiquid

i understand the comment on putting tires in the back seat....although when i get tires from UPS they are pretty clean, even though they are shipped unwraped....just have the tracking stuff taped onto them.

I just wrap them in a towel and stick them where i can. Or take the wheels off the car and put the wheels and new tires in the truck and drive them down there, but that can be a pain.

You should have seen it when I had to drive the miata to an autox and the tire trailer was broken...so I had 4 tires/wheels (15") in the car along with a jack, 2 jack stands, a tool box and a cooler. It was cramped, even with the top down.

Brice-RX8

I guess I am, just a clean freak when it comes to my car.

HIX8

You want to really freak? There's an adult-sized person in the back seat with those tires!

(The fourth tire was in the trunk.)

BlueEyes

Bah, I got 2 new sets of ultramegasuperHIperformance tires for free. Of course I took them from teams over ALMS weekend at mosport when they were done racing. Freshly scrubbed. :D

ahha, I just wanted to say ultramegasuperHIperformance.

Enjoy the new rubber!!

TheColonel

Brice just wants his backseat clean for when he... umm... yeah, you know... nevermind... lol

Back on topic, how do you like them? I went for TOYO Proxes4's. Expensive, but I didn't want to sacrafice grip...

Brice-RX8

TheColonel, is that even possible back there? You might be on to something........

HIX8

All the more reason to have rubber in your back seat. Heh!

As far as the Kumho Supra performance, I haven't pushed them too hard yet, although the minor dry cornering I've done has been joyful. I'll be hitting the "skidpad" (read: cloverleaf) after work today so I should be able to give a more thorough report before long.

HIX8

Ok, here's the word after a hot night out on the town...

This is the hardest I've ever pushed my 8. I cranked them to the limit on several occasions and they always talked to me while being pushed to the climax. They'd squeal with delight very predictably before breaking away into an uncontrolled spasm. Hitting the g-spot where they just can't take any more was easy to find. Just listen to them and they'll tell you exactly where it is. They've left me thoroughly satisfied, yet I'm already eager for another go at it.

I'm lovin these tires, and they're lovin me back. In short, I now know why they are called...

KumHo's.

TheColonel

Ooooohh it's possible... :D

That's awesome, but what about the tires?

P.S. Don't you hate when they talk like that?

HIX8

I don't know how much of this is psychological vs how much is actual tire performance, but I'm continuing to push this car harder than it's ever been pushed before.

More fun than what's allowed by law.

Hybrid-RX8

Kumho 712 are mediocre at the VERY best....I've had a set and was thorougly dissatisfied with them..they are also TERRIBLE in the rain as well. THey are cost effective nonetheless.. Not a tire that I would compare against anything else really though in regards to performance

Fuzion ZRi's are the best for the money as far as I've tried.. I'm testing out a set of Nitto555's now.

HIX8

With the performance I've been getting from these Kumho712s, it's hard for me to imagine what I would be able to do in this car with better than "mediocre" tires. I've been doing max-g turns to the DSC limit, max braking from extreme speed, and max green light accelerations (although not exactly the most demanding tire test with an 8). I am more than satisfied with them so far.

I have not slalomed them. And I have yet to experience their wet traction. (I'm only on day4.) These are the only tires I have tried on an 8 outside of stock. It would be no surprise for me to learn that there are better performing tires out there. But if anyone knows about a better performing tire that costs less than $84 bucks, then I'd like to hear about it.

Yes, cost effective was exactly what I was going for. And ironically, cost effective is exactly how the RX-8 and I got together in the first place.

SDB

I can't say that I agree with you on that. I switched to the 712s when they first came out a few years ago and have been very impressed. I have used them to do track events at Sebring and found that they were better than the more expensive tires I had been using.

As far as rain is concerned, these tires are great in my experience. The first time I had rain at the track I couldn't believe that these tires were so controllable. I actually look forward to rainy track sessions now.

Are you sure that you aren't confusing the 712s with the 711s, which were supposedly a lower performer, although I never tried them myself.

The choice that I am facing now is whether to go with 712s in 245/40 or try the new Kumho SPTs in the stock size, 225/45. I just turned over 20000 miles and will need new tires soon.

grapes

As much as i love Kumho tires, there are a lot better tires to be had than the 712's ,Fuzions or Nitto's. I've driven Kumho's for years, but think i would replace the stock Potenza's with a P Zero Nero or even a less expensive Toyo Proxes 4 both equally good tires. Not to mention the tons of other great tires out there like Michelen ,Falken Yokohama. The list could go on and on, BUT For 84 bucks maybe i should rethink the above. Hope everyone enjoy's their new tires.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

had the 712s on my supra. the spt is a much more advaced tire. in handling an the rain is amazing. i am running the stock size and just hit 4k miles on them. they just get better and better. and for 105 a pop it is a hp bargain.

beers

HIX8

I'm sharing a reply I sent to another member in case it has info that anyone else can use:


I'm still loving the tires. No complaints at all. The weather around your town is not significantly different, tire wise, from what we have in Houston. We've recently had a little bit of rain, but I haven't pushed the tires too hard on wet roads yet so I haven't found those limits. But there's been nothing at all to cause concern. They're doing everything I ask of them and then some.

Regarding size, that link in the first post takes you straight to the size I bought. That $84 special price is a same-size replacement for the stock rubber on my sport model. I would have liked to gone wider, but I couldn't justify $120 for one extra centimeter in width (and it jumps to $340 extra to get 255s). One way to justify the extra cash is that the wider tires will help protect your rims from curb rash.