RE11 vs PSS

Are they going to make them in non-Japanese/BMW car sizes for once? Haha. Seems like every time I do a tire search Hankook is far away...

RE11's aren't a particularly good track tire compared to many other choices others have listed. They are better than the PSS for sure, but not a good choice for a dedicated track tire unless wear rate is a priority.

I like the RE11s as a track tire because of wear and Im not looking to squeeze every second out of every lap. For a recreational HPDE guy like me that just wants to go out and have fun I would say they are the best bang for the buck.

I don't have any baseline besides the stock P-zeros but I've been running 275/40/18 RE11s on my 18x10 Apex wheels and have been very satisfied.

I have 8 track days on them and still have 5-6 32nds tread. I run them ~ 30f/29r cold and target 35-36 psi HOT. Very predictable tire that communicates as its approaching the limits. I'm still a relative beginner so I didn't want to step up to an R compound just yet but will look into the NT01s shortly. For the beginner/intermediate driver the RE11s are a great tire.

I'd really like to try out the 295/40/18 Hankook RS4s next....then onto 305/35/18 NT01s...then trailer/hitch and so on...its a downward spiral.

I can't find the article now but there was a video re71r vs nt01 an R compound and the 71r's beat them... I don't do track days but have done a bunch of autox events on tracks and I have never seen a fast car on Nittos. Re71r's wear fast but I don't think anything but a full slick will beat them. The grip is amazing.

GuardDog said:

I can't find the article now but there was a video re71r vs nt05r and the 71r's beat them... I don't do track days but have done a bunch of autox events on tracks and I have never seen a fast car on Nittos. Re71r's wear fast but I don't think anything but a full slick will beat them. The grip is amazing.

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NT05R is a drag radial...so no surprise that the RE71R won.

Correction it was the NT-01 which is an R compound... Either way Nitto is pretty far behind when it comes to track day tires from what I have seen. http://www.prima-racing.com/bridgestones-new-re-71r-the-new-street-tire-track-day-king-part-two/

"Pretty far behind..." and yet...

From the article:
"Last weekend, we brought the same BMW E46 M3 with the same set of RE-71R, and put it up against the popular R-compound, the Nitto NT01. To everyone’s surprise, both produced very similar lap times! Surprisingly, the RE-71R produced the fastest lap time by the slightest of margins, with a time of 1:39.340 and the NT01 at 1:39.351. Also of surprise to some, the RE-71R’s fastest lap time was achieved on the final lap of the session. It should be noted however, that the weather was cooler than normal for Laguna Seca."

NT01 seems like it's a great option, even after reading that entire article. Moving right along...

If Nitto was truly on their game here, that comparison would have been between the NT05 and the RE-71R, and the NT01's would be running at least down in the 1:38's.


Norm

And yet time and time again the 200TW rating of the RE-71 is shown to be a cheater rating. Another reason it's such a great tire, haha.

OKC S550 said:

Anyone have experience with both the RE11 and PSS on track? I have done a good amount of track time of the PSS but now I have a dedicated set of track wheels and need track dedicated tires. I am just trying to see if the grip level of the RE11 is that much better than the PSS on track.

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Are wet track days a consideration?


Norm

Norm Peterson said:

Are wet track days a consideration?


Norm

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For my dedicated set, no. If I did need to run on a wet track I would just stick with the PSS.

I guess I should mention, I am only doing DE's currently but feel that I have gotten all I can out of the super sports and want to move to something with more grip and heat tolerance.

Sounds like a plan - PSS for DD and wet track days, something grippier as 'dry' track tires.

I'm approaching a similar decision point, DE's only as well.


Norm

Norm Peterson said:

Sounds like a plan - PSS for DD and wet track days, something grippier as 'dry' track tires.

I'm approaching a similar decision point, DE's only as well.


Norm

Click to expand...

Another less expensive option for a dual purpose track tire is the new Conti Extreme Contact Sport. The new Grassroots has a nice comparison with the PSS and even some RE71-R content.

Peter

Thanks - something to keep in mind at least for when the current street set needs replacement.

My current 'street-duty' tires are MPSS in 265/40-18 on 18x9.5 wheels, which will for sure outlast the current track set (MPSS 285/35 on 18x11, ten track days and over 4000 street miles to date). It's the track set that I'll be pushing upward toward 'dry only', and drop back to the street set on track days that are too wet for whatever extreme-level track day tire I move to.


Norm