Toyo R888


gtikurt said:
Semi-slicks are being outlawed for road use by next year in the UK iirc, I have a spare set of wheels with R888's on for track use. And parada spec 2's on my road wheels, which are more than adequate in all conditions.
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And why wouldnt they? So many reasons;

1. lots of Noobs reckon its cool on the road for only 1 reason... 'street credibility'
2. f***ing dangerous in the hands of a Noob on a wet road
3. UK is a wet country unlike many other places (They should up market Eagle F1 tyre there)
4. etc etc

My Bridgestone RE001(australiasia only) road tyre will pawn any slick or semi slick on a wet track or road.
 
If someone is ignorant or noob as you say, then ek9s should also be banned from youngsters or ricers as it's average fast and you can get killed...This is a totally wrong argument.
As for paradas do you think they are safer than 888 when the former have become old (after a year let's say?)..They are way too dangerous, as even though they have plenty of rubber left they don't hold as when new due to their becoming scorched. They become hard and then bye bye traction..I would say that the most dangerous is someone with less traction available than the one with more.
From the little time i have been driving 888 i am amazed by the fact that they are very predictable and interactive! You can be sure when they are heated, when they perform the max or the opposite.
Even when cold they still have good traction.
Moreover, don't compare the weather in England with the Mediterranean countries. Here the climate is just the opposite.

About the treadware. Do you seriously think that there is a huge difference among 888 and r1rs? The stress put on tyres depends on numerous factors (driving style, geometry, curb weight air pressure etc.). So light d-series won't treat tyres like b-k-f series. And you can understand the reason i hope. So i prefer actually using all the rubber left than having to change tyres as their rubber has lost its properties due to the years i have them on.
As for me, i have the 8s on some spare wheels which i am going to be using occasionally and especially for track days. For road use i have my leightweight koseis with 185-55-14 S-drive and i am happy as they are above average. But i you ask me, i would prefer being sticky all the time, having a big smile on my face and being cautious when i should, than the opposite. Still having 2 options is better than having one.
So pal no wrong application at all in my case. Just an informed decision.

p.s. For the price you get them in my country they are almost like an ordinary tyre. So no money wasted even if they last less.
 
jugbugz said:
Seriously I wouldnt be using full semis on the road as daily. Wrong application dude. They dont last long compared to road tyres. And are more slippery in wet compared to road tyres. You should research more on the heat cycle on slick compounds etc, you'll discover things you never knew.

Many experienced racers would either be scratching their heads or 'wtf' or think you just have too much money to burn if you use them as daily.

Thats why manufacturers develop a high performance road tyre with slick compound for daily use. Below are some of the tyres that are road type semi slicks and these will suit your daily drive needs much more than full semi slicks;

Toyo Proxes R1R
Bridgestone RE-01R
Bridgestone RE-11
Bridgestone RE070
Hankook RS2
Yokohama AD07
Yokohama AD08

These tyres above are the road versions of their full semi slick line of their respective manufacturers. The road versions are much quieter, last longer and road friendly. You can simply drive on them daily, take your car to the track and the compound will activate once you get heat into them, and finally drive home with them like a road tyre. With full semis on the daily, the performance fluctuates and finally grip levels will drop even though you have half thread left.

On the public roads, they will handle better, and if you think not... it means your driving too fast on the roads and need to slow the f*** down.
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Thanks for this mate Im ending my R888 idear now for road use & going back to my orginal plan of RS2s Just wish these bloody budget tyres would wear out:nono:
 
saxophonias said:
If someone is ignorant or noob as you say, then ek9s should also be banned from youngsters or ricers as it's average fast and you can get killed...This is a totally wrong argument.
As for paradas do you think they are safer than 888 when the former have become old (after a year let's say?)..They are way too dangerous, as even though they have plenty of rubber left they don't hold as when new due to their becoming scorched. They become hard and then bye bye traction..I would say that the most dangerous is someone with less traction available than the one with more.
From the little time i have been driving 888 i am amazed by the fact that they are very predictable and interactive! You can be sure when they are heated, when they perform the max or the opposite.
Even when cold they still have good traction.
Moreover, don't compare the weather in England with the Mediterranean countries. Here the climate is just the opposite.

About the treadware. Do you seriously think that there is a huge difference among 888 and r1rs? The stress put on tyres depends on numerous factors (driving style, geometry, curb weight air pressure etc.). So light d-series won't treat tyres like b-k-f series. And you can understand the reason i hope. So i prefer actually using all the rubber left than having to change tyres as their rubber has lost its properties due to the years i have them on.
As for me, i have the 8s on some spare wheels which i am going to be using occasionally and especially for track days. For road use i have my leightweight koseis with 185-55-14 S-drive and i am happy as they are above average. But i you ask me, i would prefer being sticky all the time, having a big smile on my face and being cautious when i should, than the opposite. Still having 2 options is better than having one.
So pal no wrong application at all in my case. Just an informed decision.

p.s. For the price you get them in my country they are almost like an ordinary tyre. So no money wasted even if they last less.
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Trust me, theres lots of youngsters driving hondas... when I say noob, it means 'not much driving experience'. Young ppl prang their cars everyday, a lot of them overlook their tyres being the culprit.

I dont think you quite understand the compound in slicks and how they react and heat cycle etc.

Thats the reason manufacturers create road type tyres with slick compound in them for the road. If you think Full semis are stil grippy when cold and in the wet, then you seriously need to go back to proper high performance road tyres. Your mind will change. And seriously, you drive too fast on the road.

Slicks DO wear out faster than road tyres, its for competition unlike the road tyres that ARE made to be driven on everyday. If its that simple, then why do manufacturers have so many different types of tyres?

The longest lasting slick would be the HARD type, this will last you 6-8 track days(depending on car weight) but less grippy then the MED type which some people burn them up in 1-4 track days.

Even with Full semis, theres lots of different types of R888, like SOFT, MED, HARD1, HARD2, RACE, DRAG, etc etc. If you get one of those high performance road tyres I listed above, you wont have to worry about it since it will do the job very well since its made to be used ALL YEAR ROUND... The most you will get with a full semi vs a road type semi is like 0.5sec per lap or less or worse.
 
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Ive even heard from many 911 turbo/911 club owners who track their car and said the RE-11 road type slashed their lap times by 1 sec compared to the full semi R888. So just imagine the RE11S full semi which is only available in japan.

Dont underestimate road type semis...
 
i can't understand where our disagreement lies.
I agree with your sayings but for the fact that you consider 888 as slick tyre WHICH IT ISN'T. It's a semi slick performance radial tyre DOT approved for road use. It's not an ordinary tyre we all get that, it's track oriented but still for road use, while not extreme competent in wet.
YouTube - Toyo Tyres - Proxes R888 - Product Review
This gives pretty much of an answer.
If someone wants more street character, more confidence in wet, more quiet and soft ride, but less traction, less braking, less track performance then he gets the R1R.


There are many other semis dot approved other than 888 so yes they might be better performers for sure, but they cost way too more than the price we get them in Greece :D Wouldn't you give 280GBP for 4 195-50-15 888 GG tyres? Don't say no :D

I can see that the intermediate choice between semi approved road and others like r1r let's say, is very tempting but still, do they have the treadware of regular high performance tyres? No. Are they so competent in wet? No, Do they last more or even the same? I guess not. So if someone can go bothways (normal high performance and semis) this is the way i would choose.
 
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Can i ask

How many people have actually used R888's on both road and track?

How many people have had negative experiences?

I feel many people are making judgements on opinion rather than experiences?
 
even a experienced race driver would really struggle to get enough heat into something like r888 on road to make it actually work near its potential, i perosnally would never run as road tyre (had set which i refused to use on daily basis)

id be surprised get 2k miles out of r888 as daily tyre, ad07 and rs2 would just about last me 6k

as someone mentioned above tyres require their own geo setup to work how they were intended, in u.k 95% of geo/alignment places do no such thing, just random toe/camber/caster setup
 
I have used them only on the odd return trip from a track, when I couldnt be bothered to change them over. I wouldnt run them on the road due to the wear rate versus cost, overall time they would be on the car and the fact that mine can sit for 2-3 weeks at a time. If I did I would only use the 888 as they seem to get the heat quicker than the rest.

I think its ok to use them on the road with responsible driving, dont think 'Im running semi slick hero thoughts eh', some manufacturers supply their cars with this type - 888, Pilot Sport Cup etc, Lotus, BMW CSL, Megane R26, Caterham etc.

The basics of heat cycling, ideally would be to scrub the film off a new set and take them for a run to get some good heat into them. When home jack up the car so all four are off the ground or remove them - then they are ready for the track - never had the time to do this, and if you are running them on the road maybe pointless - but I have not studied heat cycling properly.

At the track they are much quicker than a road tyre imo (maybe not compared to these new magical road tyres that us UK owners can only dream about, AD08, RE11 etc), grip better and most important - dont go off after two laps. Only tried the 888 & A048, the 48 is better still imo, next I will try the V70A, which cost wise is inbetween.
 
saxophonias said:
i can't understand where our disagreement lies.
I agree with your sayings but for the fact that you consider 888 as slick tyre WHICH IT ISN'T. It's a semi slick performance radial tyre DOT approved for road use. It's not an ordinary tyre we all get that, it's track oriented but still for road use, while not extreme competent in wet.
YouTube - Toyo Tyres - Proxes R888 - Product Review
This gives pretty much of an answer.
If someone wants more street character, more confidence in wet, more quiet and soft ride, but less traction, less braking, less track performance then he gets the R1R.


There are many other semis dot approved other than 888 so yes they might be better performers for sure, but they cost way too more than the price we get them in Greece :D Wouldn't you give 280GBP for 4 195-50-15 888 GG tyres? Don't say no :D

I can see that the intermediate choice between semi approved road and others like r1r let's say, is very tempting but still, do they have the treadware of regular high performance tyres? No. Are they so competent in wet? No, Do they last more or even the same? I guess not. So if someone can go bothways (normal high performance and semis) this is the way i would choose.
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Dude... I never said FULL slick.

I said Full Semi Slick.

The best method is to have a set of both road tyre and race tyres if your tracking your car. Thats why you can see few users here have a spare set of wheels for full semis slicks. Theres nothing to argue about. Save your slicks for the track, thats what its made for.

The point is, dont use R888 on the road. Coz road tyres are more of the correct application. It is considered dangerous because semi slicks and slicks braking distance is very bad in wet compared to road tyres. The issue here is safety on the road. Compare a full slick vs a performance road tyre on wet braking distance and you'll find a massive 30meter stopping distance. This result came from a magazine test. Semis work better but still not like a road tyre.
 
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any noob can be driving hard on a nice sunny day with semis on the road, then suddenly a puddle appears, or starts raining, or road damp after rain, and the dude without knowing could spin himself off a cliff or kill somebody. Who knows... theres crazy accidents everyday.
 
haitch said:
I have used them only on the odd return trip from a track, when I couldnt be bothered to change them over. I wouldnt run them on the road due to the wear rate versus cost, overall time they would be on the car and the fact that mine can sit for 2-3 weeks at a time. If I did I would only use the 888 as they seem to get the heat quicker than the rest.

I think its ok to use them on the road with responsible driving, dont think 'Im running semi slick hero thoughts eh', some manufacturers supply their cars with this type - 888, Pilot Sport Cup etc, Lotus, BMW CSL, Megane R26, Caterham etc.

The basics of heat cycling, ideally would be to scrub the film off a new set and take them for a run to get some good heat into them. When home jack up the car so all four are off the ground or remove them - then they are ready for the track - never had the time to do this, and if you are running them on the road maybe pointless - but I have not studied heat cycling properly.

At the track they are much quicker than a road tyre imo (maybe not compared to these new magical road tyres that us UK owners can only dream about, AD08, RE11 etc), grip better and most important - dont go off after two laps. Only tried the 888 & A048, the 48 is better still imo, next I will try the V70A, which cost wise is inbetween.
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Yes, the main reason the R888 is so popular is that it heats up very quick. This and A048 is the choice of many beginers.

There are other tyres that perform better much are much harder to handle. For eg. RE55S. This tyre takes minimum 2 laps to get them to start sticking. And on our light cars, it would be a nightmare.

I also heard the V700 heats up pretty much straight off.
 
Wow touchy subject these tyres have brought up!

Just to let you know im talking from road experience here, I bought a full set of the medium compound tyres for my old EK9 and found them naturally excellent.

The handling was excellent from the word go and when they got hot, my god even stickier! I avoided driving in the wet but on the days that I did get caught out I found them fine, driving sensibly!

Road noise was extremely high, but it didnt help having only a standard exhaust and intake [the noise was more direct].

Like Steven said another issue is the pebbles and debris these tyres seem to find on the road! And as my car wasnt undersealed the stones sounded like they were doing some real damage to the arches!:nerv:

As for life, when I crashed the front ones had about 2.3mm left and the rear's looked almost new and that was after 4k miles of mixed driving [motorway and aggresive back roads - evo triangle mainly]. The car was completely standard.

Hope this helps,
Josh..
 
R888s are Awsome...!!! my mate did A trackday at knockHill in his ek9 2 weeks ago and it was pissing of rain all day!!! didnt have a bad word to say against Them!!!!

:drive:
 
I have them on for the road at the moment..im running the sg compound as that is all teh toyo dealer had at the time..those any one know what the different logos stand for ,sg,gg and one other i cant remember..i think my sg ones are the super soft ones and will probly wear out much much quicker.
 
SG is soft
GG is medium

From my experiance on track, I found them pretty bad from cold and had quite a few spins last year on the first corner, but once warmed up they were great and one set lasted me a full season so value for money was excellent.
This year i'm running Silverstones and they are on another level and are excellent from stone cold, have let me run more aggressive settings due to the stiffer sidewalls (which is a problem with the R888) and again have lasted me nearly a full season.....love them!

The above is only MY opinion though :nice:
 
Kris! said:
SG is soft
GG is medium

From my experiance on track, I found them pretty bad from cold and had quite a few spins last year on the first corner, but once warmed up they were great and one set lasted me a full season so value for money was excellent.
This year i'm running Silverstones and they are on another level and are excellent from stone cold, have let me run more aggressive settings due to the stiffer sidewalls (which is a problem with the R888) and again have lasted me nearly a full season.....love them!

The above is only MY opinion though :nice:
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Which compound were you running to last a full season Kris????

I ask because i ran the SG compound at snett (7 20min sessions) & my to front ones were nearly gone!:shocked: only about 1-2mm left MAX!
But i found them great & i will be using these agen next year once i get the car back out!:nice:
 
It was the medium compound mate so that probably explains the lack of grip into the 1st corner and the reason they lasted so long :D

I found they got to a point where they just didnt wear anymore and I kept on using them (I even used them for the test day at the start of the 2nd season) :nice:
 
GG is what i run as well. With a temperature of 30+degrees in Greece, they don't give any snap reactions from the very first moments used. I have noticed though that to give the max out of them on street hairpins, they need to be warmed enough.
I have measured 5.5-6mm tread. Is this accurate?
 
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