DeadSkunk (Warren) said:
My first NB Miata came with the stock 185/60/14 tires. My recently purchased ND-RF came from the previous owner with 225/45/17 Continentals on 17x8 rims. Does it stick? Why, yes it does. Can I drive it on local roads and utilize that much stick....Nope!....the trees are much too close to the road if something goes wrong. I'm actually thinking of buying a set of 17x7 wheels that will fit the ND (big brake calipers) and my MINI so that I can have a set of travel tires for road trips. I already have two sets of 205/45/17 tires to put on them, but the wheels won't fit both cars.
For reasons I will never understand, the wide tire set likes to replace the Club BBS wheels with 8's and 9's. The BBS's can be found cheap sometimes and they're awesome. 205/45-17 tires fit perfectly. I paid $700 for a set with a little curb rash... took a paint marker to them and they look like new. Then I found a set of takeoff Brembo calipers for like $400.
Only in the Miata universe can you get a set of forged BBS wheels and four piston Brembo calipers for -$1100.
We use 255's on our civic endurance car,not really for grip but more surface area to keep cooler.
Our sister team with the same chassis runs 225's and while we run similiar times we do get better tire life.
When I was a teenager, the cool kids had N-50 tires and air shocks on the rear of their rusty Chevelles. Fashion before function. 
In reply to ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) :
My ND is the Grand Touring trim and the seller had all the stock wheels, tires and brakes with it, so I have a pristine set of stock wheels. To use them I have to put a 3mm spacer on, which also came with the car. The wheels and tires would look great on my MINI, except they're 54mm hub diameter and the MINI is 56mm. I've thought about getting the diameter enlarged, but I'm not keen on modifying them , and I just missed a set on FB Marketplace for $300 which I would have made fit. A set of Enkei RPF1 rims would look good on the MINI and fit over the brake calipers on the Miata.......first world problems.....
In regards to a Fox Chassis Mustang, 16" wheels don't offer many options for tires. I went with +1 on width and diameter, ran a 265 or 275. It rode, handled and looked great.
NLA but the Koni blue shock and spring kit I put on it had about 1"-1.5" drop and was perfect for a street car wasn't even bad on the track.
I personally also like to see any kind of fun car (track or street fun) with the widest tires that can be fit under the car, but don't see it as a necessity, especially just for street use. I usually just get the widest tire that will (reasonably) fit on whatever width of wheel it's going on and call it a day.
The only time I think it should be 'required' to go with the widest wheel/tire combo is on an open wheel car. I had 315's on all 4 corners of my crown vic kart and it looked awesome.
I will admit that I love the tall, chunky fat sidewalls of the 70s.
