Rounded Sidewall Tyres

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Rounded Sidewall Tyres; Anything out there other than Kuhmo's?
Topic Started: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:00 pm (180 Views)
chrismatheou	Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:00 pm Post #1
Enthusiast Posts: 1,478 Group: Members Member #789 Joined: January 4, 2007	Just been looking on a few websites to find a good price on the Kuhmos everyone convinced me to get for the Evo II wheels. But just wondering if there’s any other makes of tyres out there other than the Kuhmo KU31's that have rounded sidewalls in 215 x 40 x 17's so that they don’t rub on the 190. Perhaps any of the Michelin, Dunlop, Goodyear, Avo, Toyo ranges? I’m asking this question as I noticed these tyres are rather cheap in comparison to other brands and I only worry that they are maybe slightly inferior in quality. I understand they last very long which is good and are 'predictable in the wet' as some members have said.....but to be honest I want a really good tyre in the rain, one that will grip and not just be predictable. I am more than willing to sacrifice lots of tyre life when buying a set for my safety... ...and YES I have been involved in an accident where the rear end swung out PREDICTABLY in the rain lol but unfortunately not EXPECTIDLY to me at the time This is why I’m quite fussy and obsessed with perfection when it comes to tyres and wheels as you can tell in my other threads.



dave_irl	Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:55 pm Post #2
I love offset. Posts: 8,729 Group: Admin Member #6 Joined: November 2, 2005	I would now actually say that the KU31's are fairly grippy in the wet after experiencing Martins 190 going around wet roundabouts quite fast last weekend! But they can step out if provoked For me I only say "predictable" as my suspension is still old stock spongeness so I can't accurately push the tyres to the limits, not with out about 30 degrees of bodyroll anyway! And I like sideways driving anyway But they are a summer tyre after all.. Maybe try the new Yokohama 'C.drive' or top of the line 'S.drive' range, I got the full run through on them at their stand at the Autosport International show, [I was interested in the old Yoko A539's as they seemed to be a nice choice for a 215/40 on my 9J's but they are now being phased out.] The '.drive' thing is a whole new range, including rain tyres, and from the ones on stand the profile seemed quite rounded, depending on tyre & wheel size obviously. Good luck.



shrekky	Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:18 pm Post #3
Member Posts: 3,918 Group: Members Member #223 Joined: March 23, 2006	chrismatheou Jan 18 2007, 04:00 PM I’m asking this question as I noticed these tyres are rather cheap in comparison to other brands and I only worry that they are maybe slightly inferior in quality. only true way to judge tyres is to try them,because every car is different,what might work on one car might not work on another car,as differences like suspension set up,driving styles ............and never be so quick to judge tyres on price alone..........because and heres a little thing a few people know about but NOT ALOT ! lol................is that the big tyre companies also make "budget" tyres..for example........GOODYEAR make a brand called "LEE CONQUEST"........same rubber compound ,same tread pattern,same speed rating as the branded "goodyear" tyre but only at a 1/3 of the price(in fact if you were to cover the names you couldnt tellt he difference ),i cant remember all the names but know firestone,michelin and dunlop do this. now i'm running a tyre called STAR PERFORMER,cheap unbranded tyre but i'll tell you what ,it gives as good a grip in the dry as the michelins i had on previously and for the difference in the wet(hardly any) the fact they are 1/2 the price of a branded tyre is worth it,and wear rate is pretty decent too ,in fact only thing i can fault is in the wet i get a little understeer if i take round-a-bouts to fast 60mph+ ,but that might just be my driving :lol: :lol:



Martrider	Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:35 pm Post #4
Longest build time in history? Posts: 1,533 Group: Members Member #2 Joined: November 2, 2005	Now this is where i beg to differ. My last set were a fully matched set of ChampiroGTs, the Budget brand as described above by the very well known and respected Pirelli. Again, VERY rounded shoulder so i thought they would be ok to solve rubbing issues, but never again would i buy a non branded Tyre. They were truly awful. Greasy, slippy, predictable, but bloody useless grip in the wet and dry. I spent more time understeering and correcting oversteer than driving in a straight line. I won't buy Pirelli again either. And they were only £1.50 less a corner when i wanted a new set of Kumhos last time. Only reason i had them was to pass MOT and couldn't wait because i had to drive a 400mile trip the next day. It is true that some companies use the same moulds and just re-brand the tyres, but they are certainly not made of the same quality compound. That i can assure you. Sorry Shrekky, but whoever told you that was lying. Again, for me, the Kumhos have worked out as by far the best. It's just an added bonus about the price. I would buy these again even if they were the same price as say Toyo or Goodyear because i have had a very good experience. By the way, the day i got my latest set two weeks ago, i new i wouldn't be able to beat the price. (But i know the guy quite well too). But, i went to another place, a chain called Just Tyres and asked them what tyres they had in the correct size. Exactly the same Kumhos were selling for £79.50 a corner, Toyos were £82.20 because they were on offer, and Goodyears were about £95-98. Can't remember. It is up to you completly, i'm not trying to guide you in any particular direction, but all of the other brands my dad has had on his E-Class and hated them. (Different kind of driving though i guess). I can however assure you of the quality of Kumho, and the racing heritage. I won't have anything else. Mart



Matt	Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:53 pm Post #5
Administrator - Hawk Eye Posts: 14,126 Group: Admin Member #20 Joined: November 8, 2005	Nankang NS-II's Good price and a great tyre Aswell as rounded tyre walls.



chrismatheou	Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:00 pm Post #6
Enthusiast Posts: 1,478 Group: Members Member #789 Joined: January 4, 2007	Shrekky, how the HELL do you take roundabouts at 60 in the wet in a normal diesel 190! If i take them at anything above 40 my car wants to roll over!!



MICHAEL	Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:56 pm Post #7
Member Posts: 5,632 Group: Members Member #555 Joined: September 28, 2006	I'm a Pirelli or Yokohama man. I'm afraid of the cheaper tyres,



shrekky	Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:23 pm Post #8
Member Posts: 3,918 Group: Members Member #223 Joined: March 23, 2006	Martrider Jan 18 2007, 05:35 PM It is true that some companies use the same moulds and just re-brand the tyres, but they are certainly not made of the same quality compound. That i can assure you. Sorry Shrekky, but whoever told you that was lying. martin m8 i saw it for myself in the dunlop factory,the line manager was giving us a running commentry on what was happening and says most major tyre companies do it,as he had worked for goodyear and avon. Quote: Shrekky, how the HELL do you take roundabouts at 60 in the wet in a normal diesel 190! If i take them at anything above 40 my car wants to roll over what do you mean in a normal diesel ? aint that slow plus i got bilstien shocks all round and the 205/40/17's help



Martrider	Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:02 am Post #9
Longest build time in history? Posts: 1,533 Group: Members Member #2 Joined: November 2, 2005	Then i'm shocked, how can that be finacially viable? I had a mate who worked at Goodyear in Wolverhampton and thats what he told me. Maybe it's cheaper to just produce one compund? Or does anybody know if the quality is changed in the moulding process? what with heat an all? Bloody hell. Why were those ones i had sooooooo bad then?



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