Tire search: NT01 vs R1R in 225/45-15

Price point is very similar. I know it's a little bit of an apples/oranges comparison - but I need input.

Scenario: They will be on a second set of wheels only used for autox track events. They will, however, be driven to/from all of the events. So that needs to be considered.

I have a feeling the NT01's are a bit of a better bargain for me because they'll likely last longer. However, the R1R's should be noticably more sticky and probably equivalent to more like a 245 width tire in dimensions, according to what I've read.

Discuss...

I really like our R1Rs. You might consider shaving them since they are for events. If you do not shave them, you risk possible chunking, and like most tires (it seems), the tire's competition performance (heat cycles) will wear out before the tread does. The R1Rs also have a little slower response time than others, so the shaving helps there, too. They have great stick, though, and you can make up for the response times.

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Originally Posted by mk2tmr2

I have a feeling the NT01's are a bit of a better bargain for me because they'll likely last longer.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

...(heat cycles)...

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So the Toyo will heat cycle out before the tread's gone? (UTQG is 140 for R1R and 100 for NT01.)

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Originally Posted by redmenace

So the Toyo will heat cycle out before the tread's gone? (UTQG is 140 for R1R and 100 for NT01.)

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The first set, which came to us unshaved and 40% used (::Naughty:) wore out before the tread did. There was still life in the tread, but the tires were very loose and unpredictable. I have not yet worn out the tread or heat cycles on my second (shaved) set, so I am only going by the first set. I plan to use the current set for two events at the TMS Bus Lot and one two-day event at the Texas A&M Riverside Annex, so we'll see if they last (tread and heat cycles). We are then switching to Kumhos for the mid-season. We will decide on our Nationals tire later in the season. It might be Toyo, Kumho, Bridgestone...

Definitely apples to oranges. I'm also confused by the "autox track" statement in your first post. Do you want these for autox? Track days? Both?

The R1R is a true street tire, while the NT01 is an R-compound tire aimed at the track day crowd. The NT01 is going to be faster at the track and probably at autocrossing as well. The R1R will not stand up well to track day temperatures at full tread, while the NT01s will handle the abuse just fine. In fact, about the only place where the R1Rs would be a better choice would be for driving in a downpour.

The only reason I'd opt for the R1R would be if I were constrained by a particular ruleset, but your car isn't eligible for SCCA Street Touring anyway with boost, so why bother? Buy the NT01s.

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Originally Posted by altiain

Definitely apples to oranges. I'm also confused by the "autox track" statement in your first post. Do you want these for autox? Track days? Both?

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Sorry...I missed an "and". It'll be for both. I'm not trying to be competitive at anything. Just looking to get the most out of the car that I can - and my daily tires just don't cut it on the autox or road course.

Thanks for the input. I'm 99% decided on the NT01's (and still learning heaps about tires.)

Just ordered my 15x9 bronze 6UL's and 225/45-15 NT01's. woot!

I've never seen anyone in a miata shred or "chunk" unshaven r-comps. Everyone says it will happen, but I've never seen it and lived at the track for a year in OK. All the locals who ran RA-1's never shaved them and never had a problem.

On a side note, if your just auto-xing, you want R1Rs. You'll never get the NT-01 up to a temp where it will work.

Too late. Got NT01's on the way.

They'll be my general "track use" tires. So they'll see some HPDE track days as well as autox.

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Originally Posted by mk2tmr2

Too late. Got NT01's on the way.

They'll be my general "track use" tires. So they'll see some HPDE track days as well as autox.

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The NT01s will probably hold up better at AX events at Mineral Wells. If you get into more autocrossing, you can always get another set of wheels with AX-specific tires.