First autocross on the new 225/50R15 Pilot Sport Cups on Flik Blast wheels (+40 offset)... surface is very rough asphalt, which can be somewhat dirty (dust and gravel). Ambient temp for morning runs was ~65 degrees, afternoon runs was ~78. Pressures were a mere 30 in front and 28 out back, cold, at the suggestion of a driver of an M3 equipped with PSC's.

I was worried about them rolling over at those pressures, but I was told by more than one person that those were the correct pressures. During runs, there was NO rollover and INSANE grip after they got warm...

This was my first time on R-comps, just making the switch from Azenis.

My Cooper's setup:

- H&R springs, Bilstein SP's
- 19mm rear H&R swaybar (set full stiff)
- Ireland Street/Race Camber plates (-2.25 up front)
- K-Mac adjustable rear camber bushings (-1.2 out back)
- near 0 toe in front and back

Morning (65 degrees) - First run revealed that they need some heat in them before they get really sticky. Second run and they got sticky... I didn't know how hard to push them, so I kept on pushing them harder and harder - and they got better and better. Ran a fastest time of 113.070 in the morning (course times ranging from 108 (tricked out e36 M3's, EVO's) to 125+ for stock BMW's and non-BMW's). Morning times were 115.880, 115.077, 113.070, 113.275

Afternoon (78 degrees) - First run again showed the need for some warm-up. Continued experiment to see just how hard they could be pushed, and they just kept sticking and sticking. Ran a 112.2 in the afternoon, breaking into the top 10 overall in a 50+ car field. Afternoon times were 116.727, 112.588, 112.271, 112.706

Obviously, I got more consistent in the afternoon, after learning the tires and new camber setup. First run included a passenger (an extra 250 pounds of ballast), but that helped warm up the tires!

Impressions - Extremely crisp turn-in, sick response, ability to hold almost any line you want to put them on. They give you a little audible warning when you get close to the limit, unlike some other R-comps, and time to make an adjustment. They appear to wear like iron, too - many of the M3 guys get a full season out of a set (9 events, 8 runs per event, courses are usually 1.2-1.5 miles in length).

Post-heat temps were even across the tire and pressures went to 36 front/31 rear. I will not be adjusting tire pressures!

On Falken Azenis (both 215's and 615's), I was normally in the 20's for raw times in 50+ car fields.

I have to say that I am wholly impressed... I will continue to try and provide updates. We have one more auto-x event for the season, and then we're off until March '06.

 

Sports Cup??? It's really called that? That's what a scrotal brace, or athletic supporter is called!

Here you go!

 

http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/t...etype=3&tire=0

BTW, these are the tires that come standard on the BMW e46 CSL. Very nice tires

 

There isn't a 6/32" nds slick that will give more usable tread life! Optomized for shape at speed - why they last.

Alex

 

They are just plain killer on our rough asphalt surface... all of the M3 guys get a full season out of them with regular rotation! 9 events, 8 runs per event! I should mention that we run them at full depth, no heat cycling, and yet they will still last the season on our surface.

Several people have tried them shaved, and the grip level on our surface was little better than at full depth - they only got half a season out of them. I'm certain it depends on the surface you run on, though!