Topic: Tire Review: Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R

[Autos_Editor]

Bridgestone revives familiar name in sports tire.
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[Gurgie]

I've got the RE-11's on my Porsche and they're great, stick like glue, smooth and quiet.  I don't expect them to last all that long and figure I'll be most likely replacing the rears towards the end of this summer (since they're offset & I can't rotate them), but I feel they're well worth the money.  A buddy of mine with the same car as mine (except an 88) couldn't believe the difference in my tires vs his, night & day difference compared to the Yokohama's he had on. 

An interesting comparison would've been the RE-11's vs the RE-71R.

Also, why do the pics show Toyota Camry's?  Where are the Toyobaru's that the author spoke of driving?   

[wing]

Most of those pictures are of the Ecopia tire they also had at the same time.  I'll let the editors know.

[JacobBlack]

Blame Andy! 
Sorry all, layout issues so we're fixing that up now. I didn't get a chance to look it over after lay out this time around.

[auto_enthusiast]

I too had a set of shaved RE-11's on the Neon back in the day and they were excellent tires - approaching the grip of some of the older R compound tires like the Yoko A032R and maybe even the Kumho Victoracers.  The new crop of Extreme performance tires have really cranked it up a notch without many of the sacrifices of the older R-comps (those Yokos were the loudest tire I've ever driven on).

It would be interesting to compare the new RE71R's with some competitor tires like the Dunlop Star Spec II, the BFG Rival, the new Kumho 720, and the Hankook RS3 ver 2.  Having the Michelin Pilot Super Sport (which seems to be the top kahuna in the category below these tires) would also be a great way to benchmark those tires as well.

[wing]

It would be interesting.  We are trying to setup a high performance track tire shootout.

[Lesley]

I really liked these tires. But a set is worth almost what I paid for my track car :-)

[wing]

Buying the car is the cheapest part of racing.

[Lesley]

Sigh. How right you are.

[mixmanmash]

It would be interesting.  We are trying to setup a high performance track tire shootout.

Very cool.  Would be interesting to see the results.  I currently am running Michelin Pilot Super Sports on the street and they are decent.  Would like a little more traction for acceleration.

For the track, it's Nitto NT01s.

[wing]

PSS vs RE71 is the plan.   The PSS is a very good all around tire.

[mixmanmash]

So I just went from the PSS to the RE71R.  So far on straight line performance, the RE71Rs are awesome.  Where the PSS couldn't hold 1st and 2nd in my 300ZX, the RE71Rs just grip.  I had turned down the boost in 1st and 2nd gear, but I think I'll be modifying my gear based boost map to go back to full boost and see if they hold.

So far, very impressed.

[KD]

I just went from Potenza RE-050s to PSSs on the rear and so far so good!  I've only had them less than 2 weeks though.  The potenzas only lasted 18k on the rear, but lots of tread still left on the fronts.

[wing]

I find the re71r are noisier than PSS on my ISF

[mixmanmash]

I find the re71r are noisier than PSS on my ISF

I can't hear anything over my exhaust.  But I would probably say they would be noisier.

I just wanted a tire that could hold the power.

[normancw]

I too had a set of shaved RE-11's on the Neon back in the day and they were excellent tires - approaching the grip of some of the older R compound tires like the Yoko A032R and maybe even the Kumho Victoracers.  The new crop of Extreme performance tires have really cranked it up a notch without many of the sacrifices of the older R-comps (those Yokos were the loudest tire I've ever driven on).

It would be interesting to compare the new RE71R's with some competitor tires like the Dunlop Star Spec II, the BFG Rival, the new Kumho 720, and the Hankook RS3 ver 2.  Having the Michelin Pilot Super Sport (which seems to be the top kahuna in the category below these tires) would also be a great way to benchmark those tires as well.

I've tried a friend's FR-S on the track with both RE-71Rs and RS3s.  I also tracked my FR-S with PSS and Dunlop Dirreza ZII Star Specs.  The RE-71Rs are the fastest, but wear quickly.  The RS3s are slower, but last a long time, are very forgiving, with a very gradual breakaway, and  are pretty good in the rain.  The ZIIs were less forgiving with very fast steering response, but terrible in the rain. The PSSs were amazing in the rain, but on hot dry tracks, would start chunking.

My favorite is the RS3s for the street and track - I'm going to get another set of rims with PSSs for the street and wet track days.

[mixmanmash]

I too had a set of shaved RE-11's on the Neon back in the day and they were excellent tires - approaching the grip of some of the older R compound tires like the Yoko A032R and maybe even the Kumho Victoracers.  The new crop of Extreme performance tires have really cranked it up a notch without many of the sacrifices of the older R-comps (those Yokos were the loudest tire I've ever driven on).

It would be interesting to compare the new RE71R's with some competitor tires like the Dunlop Star Spec II, the BFG Rival, the new Kumho 720, and the Hankook RS3 ver 2.  Having the Michelin Pilot Super Sport (which seems to be the top kahuna in the category below these tires) would also be a great way to benchmark those tires as well.

I've tried a friend's FR-S on the track with both RE-71Rs and RS3s.  I also tracked my FR-S with PSS and Dunlop Dirreza ZII Star Specs.  The RE-71Rs are the fastest, but wear quickly.  The RS3s are slower, but last a long time, are very forgiving, with a very gradual breakaway, and  are pretty good in the rain.  The ZIIs were less forgiving with very fast steering response, but terrible in the rain. The PSSs were amazing in the rain, but on hot dry tracks, would start chunking.

My favorite is the RS3s for the street and track - I'm going to get another set of rims with PSSs for the street and wet track days.

I run a full on R compound for track days (Toyo R888s or Nitto NT-01s).

[normancw]

I too had a set of shaved RE-11's on the Neon back in the day and they were excellent tires - approaching the grip of some of the older R compound tires like the Yoko A032R and maybe even the Kumho Victoracers.  The new crop of Extreme performance tires have really cranked it up a notch without many of the sacrifices of the older R-comps (those Yokos were the loudest tire I've ever driven on).

It would be interesting to compare the new RE71R's with some competitor tires like the Dunlop Star Spec II, the BFG Rival, the new Kumho 720, and the Hankook RS3 ver 2.  Having the Michelin Pilot Super Sport (which seems to be the top kahuna in the category below these tires) would also be a great way to benchmark those tires as well.

I've tried a friend's FR-S on the track with both RE-71Rs and RS3s.  I also tracked my FR-S with PSS and Dunlop Dirreza ZII Star Specs.  The RE-71Rs are the fastest, but wear quickly.  The RS3s are slower, but last a long time, are very forgiving, with a very gradual breakaway, and  are pretty good in the rain.  The ZIIs were less forgiving with very fast steering response, but terrible in the rain. The PSSs were amazing in the rain, but on hot dry tracks, would start chunking.

My favorite is the RS3s for the street and track - I'm going to get another set of rims with PSSs for the street and wet track days.

I run a full on R compound for track days (Toyo R888s or Nitto NT-01s).

Which do you like better?  I've never tried R compounds due to concerns about how many heat cycles they would last, but I've read that NT01s can last quite a few.

I found this comparison of the RE-71R and NT01 on the track.
http://www.prima-racing.com/bridgestones-new-re-71r-the-new-street-tire-track-day-king-part-two/

[mixmanmash]

I too had a set of shaved RE-11's on the Neon back in the day and they were excellent tires - approaching the grip of some of the older R compound tires like the Yoko A032R and maybe even the Kumho Victoracers.  The new crop of Extreme performance tires have really cranked it up a notch without many of the sacrifices of the older R-comps (those Yokos were the loudest tire I've ever driven on).

It would be interesting to compare the new RE71R's with some competitor tires like the Dunlop Star Spec II, the BFG Rival, the new Kumho 720, and the Hankook RS3 ver 2.  Having the Michelin Pilot Super Sport (which seems to be the top kahuna in the category below these tires) would also be a great way to benchmark those tires as well.

I've tried a friend's FR-S on the track with both RE-71Rs and RS3s.  I also tracked my FR-S with PSS and Dunlop Dirreza ZII Star Specs.  The RE-71Rs are the fastest, but wear quickly.  The RS3s are slower, but last a long time, are very forgiving, with a very gradual breakaway, and  are pretty good in the rain.  The ZIIs were less forgiving with very fast steering response, but terrible in the rain. The PSSs were amazing in the rain, but on hot dry tracks, would start chunking.

My favorite is the RS3s for the street and track - I'm going to get another set of rims with PSSs for the street and wet track days.

I run a full on R compound for track days (Toyo R888s or Nitto NT-01s).

Which do you like better?  I've never tried R compounds due to concerns about how many heat cycles they would last, but I've read that NT01s can last quite a few.

I found this comparison of the RE-71R and NT01 on the track.
http://www.prima-racing.com/bridgestones-new-re-71r-the-new-street-tire-track-day-king-part-two/

Well, I used to run the Toyo RA1s, but seem to prefer the Nitto NT01s to them.  I have a friend who had R888s (Canadian compound - US compound is different) and he too prefers NT01s.

That article is very interesting.  On my so far limited street driving, I found the RE71Rs to be a lot like R compounds in picking up every little pebble and getting stuck to the tire.  Even in some spirited driving in cornering, it was pretty tight.

For me, having to seperate sets of tires for street and track, was more for tire life on the street.  I seem to get about 2-3 seasons out of R compounds doing 5-6 track days a year. Depending on the car, track, etc YMMV.

[safristi]

Buying the car is the cheapest part of racing.

 Not if ya drive the CALABOOGIE man under 90KM with an occasional BURST above 100...............save the TIRES