I MIGHT be able to make it to the Mitty and have been thinking about the skid pad challenge. If I come, I will probably run my basically stock (might be turbo by then) Honda Insight. I would like to run a 195 15 tire (probably the Federal 595 RSR cause I'm cheap) but the stock rim is a 14 and if I don't have the snail yet, stock class would be better. As has been discussed many times, 14 inch tire selection sucks. The cheap option is the SS595. Any experience here?
btp76
Reader
1/16/15 9:14 a.m.
We run them on our LeMons cars. The sidewalls are soft and I can feel them squirming, but we run the same lap times on them as we did on star specs.
Cool, on a 1900 lbs car (with me in it) I imagine that they would work pretty good.
Wait you're asking about the SS or the RSR? I'd expect the RSR to run similar to Star Specs, but the SS to be a bit slower.
They aren't hateful, though. More like a Yokohama S-Drive-ish tire.
The SS as the RSR isn't available in 14". I may end up with the RSR (smallest size is a 195 50 15) though, as I have a set of 15" steels already and they are about the same cost (within $10) of the SS in 14". I like that they are both stupid cheap though.
Make sure they are actually in stock. I tried to order them from 3 different places and the orders never fulfilled. I finally said screw it and put my larger wheels back on.
I run them on my pro touring cars. Love them. Not as great as higher end tires like an r comp, but hold up and drive well. Get a little greasy on the heavy ass duster though, but tire temps on that get stupid when im beating on it.
I've been eyeing SS595 (14") for the Roach for $201x. Most of the reviews I've read mirror what btp76 said.
However, I have to move up to 15" due some . . . changes I made and the RSR has better options in that size.
Guy I know ran the RSR's on his MR2 in ES at SCCA Solo Natls, he did OK. He doesn't like them as much as the other tires he's had, but they do grip almost as well. They provide lousy feel and have to be sprayed after every run.