Is there any serious threat to bending the rims if you run over a serious pothole? Also how is the ride?

I have been running that size in non-runflats for years on my '02 MCS. Never bent a rim hitting a pot hole. Bent the inside rim on a stock S-Heavy wheel a LONGGGGG time ago with stock 205-45-17 tires.

Ride is good, a litlle less cushy than 215-45-17. Go for it!!

I had 40's but when up to 45's after two bent wheels in 15k miles.
No bent wheels with 45k on 45's.
Could be difference in luck but I am staying at 45's.

Never had any problem with 215/40-17 on my first Mini or 215/40-18 on my second Mini.

You shouldn't have a problem - but if you actually hit a pothole dead on you can bend a wheel with a 65 profile. My wife (with me in the car) ran over a pothole in my 330i without bending the rim (35s in the rear).

Thanks for the responses...I am running stock Flame Sport wheels...so I think they'll be pretty tough compared to some other, lighter, after market wheels...or am I wrong there too?

I'm on runflats now (aka roller skate wheels) so less cushy on 40's should be no problem.

I always ran 215/40-17 with S-Lites on previous MINI and also ran 215/40-17 with R98s as a winter wheel on the GP in Philly. Felt better than 205/40-18 run flats and No Probs.

Howsoon ran those 17s to protect is fancy GP wheels in pothole-rich Philly. That is a good wheel/tire size choice, but realize that if you hit a nice late-winter pothole hard enough, you'll bend anything that's on the car.

my team dynamic rims are holding up and i drive around san fran, oakland, and alameda.... but the team dynamic rims are known to be strong and the roads here suck...

been running 215/40R17 for 3 years now. no bent wheels ride was noticeably better though with the Nitto NeoGen compared to the Eagle F1 GS-D3

+1 on the Nitto Neo Gen tires. Inexpensive, good traction, decent in the rain, not a track tire but a really good everyday tire for MINI's.

Those are the tires I ran on the R98 in 215/40-17 as well.

Well...i'm waiting for my Yokohama S Drives to show up...215 40 17.

I've had 40 series tires before so I am well aquainted with the ride, and I didn't bend any rims.

Thanks all!