so i currently have the RT-615....like them, great DD...not to great in rain...and pretty decent on the track....tend to get a little greasy though. So what i dont like about them is there life time....my EVO is DD...id say pretty aggressive(look at mods in sig) but the life of the RT-615 is soooo short.....lasted less than 1 year (about 8 months or so) with about 2 hrs on the track as well...guess i cant complain to much about them, but i was lookin at an alternative to them.

The Yokohama S. Drive stands out at me. Now i know you cant compare UTQG rating between brands but the RT-615 are 200 and the S. Drive are 300....that about the only difference. and im looking for a tire that will last a bit longer but still give me want I want as far as aggressive driving goes.

Price:
the S. Drive in 255/40 R17 are $127/tire
the RT-615 255/40 R17 are $132 tire and the smaller size (that i run now) 245/45 are $117/tire

so my question to you, has anyone had personal experience with the Yokohama S.Drive (formally the ES100) tire and how did you feel about them? is it worth the less "UTQG" to go for a wider tire that might provide just as much traction (cause of surface area)? or any other inputs that people might have regarding tires for the EVO in this price range?

 

Z1's > 615s. I have run both as DD/AX/HPDE tire. S-Drives might have more life, but less grip to the Z1's.

 

Dunlop Star Specs are great in the rain, but I can't comment on how they last since my driving is atypical. They have lasted longer than the stock tires though.

 

i never said anything about AX/HPDE so that kind of grip im not tooooo concerned with... like i might do 2 hrs or track time in a year....and the Z1 have 200 tread rating witch means less than a year of tires...the 245/45 are $139/tire though not tooo bad....but i wana hear about the S.Drives

 

I got the S.DRIVES.. for my TE's. hmmm. they live up to the price i guess.. But if you compare these to the stock Yoko's... ull be disappointed. Dosent feel as sticky. Gets a lil tail happy when going hard. Its the compound. For DD purposes and treadwear. they r good. I wouldnt rock em on the track.

 

Honestly I wouldn't shop based on UTQG. Not a reliable number to base how the tire's going to truly perform.

I spent a week with Yokohama in CA on the S-Drive when it first came out. We used them on BMW's and drove up Pacific Coast Hwy 1. The tire was outstanding. Rode great, wasn't noisy, very responsive and good in the corners. It continues to be a top performer in our line-up and tested well on our track and city streets. I'd say average on wet, very good dry.

If you want a practical sport summer tire that can be tolerated every day, but handle some abuse, I'd put those in your shopping cart.