What are the pro's and con's to 16s vs 17s as it relates to performance and ride.

Can you get a 16 wheel with a good tire to perfrom close to a 17?

 

Due to the 17's sidewall height, the steering response will be better with 17's than 16's. With 16's, the ride will be less bumpier than 17's. If you prefer steering response on the Mini, stay with 17's and add an ultra performance tire or better.

Leo Barrios
leo@edgeracing.com
800-489-5353 x211
http://ww.edgeracing.com

 

that's along the lines of what i thought. i am trying to get a better ride without sacraficing handling performance.

what 17" tire would you recommend? BridgestoneRE01R, or Goodyear Eagle FI or Michelin Pilot exacto PE2.

Cost is not the concern, handling and ride is...

 

16" w/ good tires is a very good way to go. a lot of the 16" rims are also lighter and that's also a bonus

 

leo when you guys going to drop the prices on the enkei rpf1 s so i can order and pick them up buddy.

 

Guys and gals who run 15s on the track go mighty quickly. Sure doesn't seem to be a lack of performance there.

I run 205/50/16 on the street and have driven MCSs with 17s, and I honestly think this increased "steering response" of 17s is mythical.

With shorter 16s you can have better acceleration and braking, and if you're interested in comfort, you can have that, too. But in the end this always seems to come down to what people are comfortable looking at on their cars.

So, yes, there are plenty of 16in tires that will perform plenty well. Do a search and you'll find some posts by "minihune" - he's a tire encyclopedia.

mb

 

i got 16" tires with short sidewalls (thus also effectively lowering the gearing) so i get the best of both worlds

 

I bought a set of 16" Rota's last year but for running Around town I run on 18's. I but bought the 16's for Auto X and canyon runs and the performance is outstanding ! The ride ain't bad ether .

At the end of the day, Run what makes you happy !

 

My old Bridgestone PP SS-03's in 205/50/16 had pretty crisp steering response,
but they are robust tires with a stiff sidewall for a non-runflat, almost as
stiff as a runflat.

 

I think 16 x 7 are a great way to go, unless you are going to go stock class autocrossing. Better gearing, lighter weight, less rotational inertia. Plus, both the wheels and tires will be less expensive.

For performance, the Bridgestones can't be beat. I have a set, and they have outstanding grip and good ride comfort (for a high performance tire). They do generate some road noise, but nothing terrible.

 

They normally don't let us know when sales happen in advance. We are having a sale on the Enkei NT03+M. This is still a very light wheel. Check the link out: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=125822.

Leo Barrios
leo@edgeracing.com
800-489-5353 x211
http://www.edgeracing.com

 

All the tires mentioned are very good choices. I would also recommend Falken FK452 or Toyo T1-R. They are priced a bit better than the ones you mentioned, but you may want to check out some reviews on-line to get a better idea.

Leo Barrios
leo@edgeracing.com
800-489-5353 x211
http://www.edgeracing.com
NT03+M Sale: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=125822

 

+1
It may take a day to convince myself but those are what I want.

 

16 is better. U know its true.