Dark Side
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 798
Likes: 116
From: OAKLEY CA
Dark Side
Well I went over to the "Dark Side" two days ago, and I wanted to cleanse my soul. I put non run flats on my 2005 coupe
They are Toyo T1R Proxes (Z rated) in stock sizes. I just couldn't stand the noise the Z51 tires make on the roads in the SF Bay Area.
My wife and I use the Corvette for pleasure driving only, and that high pitched 100 db (a guess) rumble on the grooved concrete freeways was deafening. A trip to Berkeley and back last Saturday was the final straw. I had a headache from the noise. My wife to her credit did not say a thing since she knows I love the Corvette so much, but later told me it really bothered her also. Our C4 with 275/40/17 Kumhos all around
(A lotta rubber) made almost no tire noise by comparison.
So the verdict, much,much,much more quiet. Normal car quiet. Muted noise on the worse surfaces, none on new asphalt.
The Dark Side reference is from my Suzuki 1500 Intruder motorcycle forum. Some cross country cruisers have gone to regular car tire radials for the rear tire since they last 4 times as long and cost 1/4 as much. They refer to themselves as Dark Siders since the purists tell them they will die and go to hell (or worse)for defying the conventional wisdom that you can't put a car tire on a motorcycle. The guy at Big O tires told me as much about non EMTs on a Corvette. The manager at Les Schwab had no problem with it. I put a compressor and plug kit in back just in case. Yes I know my car is dirty, I drove through dirt on the way home due to construction. I'll clean it in the am.
They are Toyo T1R Proxes (Z rated) in stock sizes. I just couldn't stand the noise the Z51 tires make on the roads in the SF Bay Area.
My wife and I use the Corvette for pleasure driving only, and that high pitched 100 db (a guess) rumble on the grooved concrete freeways was deafening. A trip to Berkeley and back last Saturday was the final straw. I had a headache from the noise. My wife to her credit did not say a thing since she knows I love the Corvette so much, but later told me it really bothered her also. Our C4 with 275/40/17 Kumhos all around
(A lotta rubber) made almost no tire noise by comparison.
So the verdict, much,much,much more quiet. Normal car quiet. Muted noise on the worse surfaces, none on new asphalt.
The Dark Side reference is from my Suzuki 1500 Intruder motorcycle forum. Some cross country cruisers have gone to regular car tire radials for the rear tire since they last 4 times as long and cost 1/4 as much. They refer to themselves as Dark Siders since the purists tell them they will die and go to hell (or worse)for defying the conventional wisdom that you can't put a car tire on a motorcycle. The guy at Big O tires told me as much about non EMTs on a Corvette. The manager at Les Schwab had no problem with it. I put a compressor and plug kit in back just in case. Yes I know my car is dirty, I drove through dirt on the way home due to construction. I'll clean it in the am.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,380
Likes: 103
From: Visalia CA
Originally Posted by Audioi
Wouldnt it have been better to Dynamat the whole car?
I have dynamat and crazycowboys insulation kit, and on certain roads like he is describing, there is no getting away from the noise. I'll be going to non-runflats when these wear out as well. In the last 16 years I've had one flat, and haven't had a car with a spare for the last 10. I'll take my chances for a bit more peace and quiet, so the tunes sound better and the exhuast rumbles nicer
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 798
Likes: 116
From: OAKLEY CA
Originally Posted by Audioi
Wouldnt it have been better to Dynamat the whole car?
I have them for sale, but not one reply!Seems that no one is interested in almost new tires for $600.
Anybody who thinks these tires are the hot ticket, please, make me an offer.
