Hey guys, I've recently starting road racing and will probably be looking to replace the stock tires next summer. Not sure if I want to go with a 2nd set of wheels with R-compounds (toyo r888 275-35R18 305-30R19) or if I should just get a stickier set of street tires. I've read that active handling can be disrupted if the front tires are not at least .5inches shorter than the rears. If I go with stickier street tires, here are the only sizes that I have found available with a 19inch rear wheel:

Front 18x9.5 Rear 19x11
265-35= 25.3 inches tall 305-30= 26.2 inches tall
265-40= 26.35 inches tall 315-25= 25.2 inches tall
275-35= 25.58 inches tall
275-40= 26.66 inches tall
285-30= 24.7 inches tall

My options with which tire to go with will ultimately depend on performance, cost, and which tire company offers the rear sizes I am looking for. I have not found a tire in the size 315-30R19. Does anyone know of any? Also, if I go with the widest option available, to keep from disrupting the Active Handling, I would have to choose a 285-30R18 tire for the front. Has anyone done this? And if so, any clearance issues? I was looking at the following street tires as my options:

Toyo T1R Proxes 285-30R18 and 315-25R19
Yokohama Advan same sizes
Michelin PS2's 275-35R18 and 305-30R19

Sorry for long post but here's my questions summed up:
1. Opinions of having 2nd set of R-coumpounds?
2. Anyone do size combo of 285-30R18 on front and 315-25R19 rear?
3. I've heard PS2's are the best street tire, anyone try Toyo T1R Proxes or Yokohama Advan?
4. Anyone do these size combos on Repro wheels size 18x9.5 and 19x11?

hard to choose the tires when they cost this much.

Thanks for any input.

 

I've had TOYO's and YOKAHAMA's and like them both.On the street, anyway.

 

Have you looked into Nito Invo? They are pretty sticky and great street tires. They are also at a good price.

 

Those are good prices! I had not researched them because they were not on the tirerack website or the other website that I was looking at... Will definitely consider these! Thanks.

 

I have the toyo r888, best tire i've ever driven for street AND track combo use. Love them.

 

R-Compound would be very nice, but winter's in Chicagoland get cold and Toyo recommends storing R-compounds in nothing below freezing... Narrowing it down to Toyo R888's on 2nd set of wheels or getting bigger width reproduction wheels with the Nitto Invo's. Thanks
Scott

 

Here's an option I've thought about. Take a set of front C6 wheels and widen them to 10.5" wide and use them for rear wheels. Run Falken Azenis RT615 tires. They are a good sticky tire that a lot of Solo 2 people run in the street tire class (must have a DOT wear rating of 140 or greater for the Street tire class).

Run the stock size in the front: 245/40-18 ($152 each) and the 295/40-18 ($229 each) in the back. (prices at Vulcantires.com)

It costs $200 per wheel to widen the fronts by 2" at Weldcraft Wheels.