Potenza RE-71R - Anyone test them yet

So those are now in inventory at Tire Rack. Did anyone test them yet? Mostly, I'd like to know how they compare to the D2 and RS3? They are cheaper then the old RE-11 on closeout and they apparently perform better, so my curiousity is peaked.

Huh never heard of this tire before, and it has a symmetrical tread and is available in some interesting sizes...I'd like to know as well.

On another board, they're touted as the second coming, and that they're Hoosier fast with R1R wear characteristics.

Maybe an exaggeration, but people are bitching about them being "too fast." And by that i mean people are complaining about getting "screwed" by the limited size selection.

They're fast. I would run them if they were available in my size.

Swank Force One wrote: On another board, they're touted as the second coming, and that they're Hoosier fast with R1R wear characteristics. Maybe an exaggeration, but people are bitching about them being "too fast." And by that i mean people are complaining about getting "screwed" by the limited size selection. They're fast. I would run them if they were available in my size.

Link?

they're like R-comps with grooves cut in them (in my case 205-50-15's on 7 1/2" rims in a 2100# car)

back to back a-x's at the same site (Michelin Proving Grounds … AKA "Black Lake) same relative weather conditions …

a driver from the host region beat me (a Miata v. my CRX in STS) by a tick over 2 seconds in the first event (I was on last yrs R1R's) … two weeks later I beat him by 1/2 sec on my new Re-71R's … mounted the day before, and driven to the site (~ 100 mi), so that was all the "conditioning" I did to the tires … the following week at a different site, I gaped the class by 2+ sec. (these are the same folk that I've battled with for 5 yrs) only one of them were on this yrs tires

the Rival S are also starting to become available … some whispers out there are that they will be even quicker …

pic to show wear (this after 9 runs and ~ 600 street miles)

I have a set in my garage. They're 3/4 of an inch wider than the equivalent 275 RS3 V1. I'm not doing any driving on them for a bit, so my actual input is minimal. It sounds like the RE71R and new Rival are likely to be the super tires of the year as long as you can find them to fit your car. All four of the current new tires are supposed to be exceptional and it's only the guys at the super pointy end of the field that will gain/lose that last 1/4 second with tire choice.

fanfoy wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: On another board, they're touted as the second coming, and that they're Hoosier fast with R1R wear characteristics. Maybe an exaggeration, but people are bitching about them being "too fast." And by that i mean people are complaining about getting "screwed" by the limited size selection. They're fast. I would run them if they were available in my size.

Link?

It's in the huge "ST Tire Discussion Thread" on the other site. You'll be sorting through a good 500+ posts in the last couple weeks.

speaking of width … the 205's tread width are 7.0"

the 195 Toyo's tread width is 7.2"

Too bad they're not available in 225/45/15 or they'd be more likely to be my next tire. My planned wheel setup could run 205/50/15 (or even a 195 width tire) as well, but giving up those 2cm of width would suck worse than giving up 2cm of length

not with the pace they're showing … if the only 225/15's you can get are ZII's or RS3v2's then the extra width might not help you

Hmm...if they're really that sticky then I'd go with them.

You totally didn't hear it from me, but we're testing tires in the next couple of days....

I heard that GRM was testing tires in a few days. No idea where i heard it from.

Swank Force One wrote: I heard that GRM was testing tires in a few days. No idea where i heard it from.

Probably J.G.

JG wrote: You totally heard it from me, we're testing tires in the next couple of days....

But are you going you tell us the results or make us wait for the magazine delay? I'll read the article no matter what, but having the info 6 weeks earlier would be helpful for those of us holding out on ordering.

mazdeuce wrote: But are you going you tell us the results or make us wait for the magazine delay? I'll read the article no matter what, but having the info 6 weeks earlier would be helpful for those of us holding out on ordering.

Funny you should ask. You totally didn't hear this from me, but we're working on something that would deliver tire test results before the magazine lands.

You should really tell JG to stop spilling the beans.

mazdeuce wrote: But are you going you tell us the results or make us wait for the magazine delay? I'll read the article no matter what, but having the info 6 weeks earlier would be helpful for those of us holding out on ordering.

Let me ask my mortgage company.

JG Pasterjak wrote:

mazdeuce wrote: But are you going you tell us the results or make us wait for the magazine delay? I'll read the article no matter what, but having the info 6 weeks earlier would be helpful for those of us holding out on ordering.

Let me ask my mortgage company.

JG made a funny. Seriously, we realize that some people would like those results asap, so we're kicking around some plans to deliver them. And, of course, you didn't hear any of this from me. Must have been JG again.

The level of secrecy around here is impressive.

mazdeuce wrote: The level of secrecy around here is impressive.

Cone of Silence.

I heard Scott Lear was the actual leak and blamed it on JG as part of his plans for GRM World Domination.

I can't say where I heard that from, but it wasn't from me....

Interesting fact: if you tell Discount Tire you are putting the tires under a CTS-V wagon they won't mount them. The load rating isn't high enough.

mazdeuce wrote: Interesting fact: if you tell Discount Tire you are putting the tires under a CTS-V wagon they won't mount them. The load rating isn't high enough.

"Sorry, did i say CTS-V? I meant Catera."