Tyre's 888's or 048's

[adithorp]

Need some advice from those who've used both...

I've always run Toyo 888's but given they've been going up in price every year, I'm wondering whether to swap to Yoko' 048's. I've been happy with the 888's but wonder what difference the softer side-walled 048 would make. It's still going to set me back almost £70 more for a set of the 048's but I'm wondering whether to try them anyway.
These would have to be in the medium compound as they have to survive a 3000mile euro trip. The new engine might have something to say about that though. Last week I was wondering whether the current 1/2worn tyres had enough tread to survive France; After last Sundays track day the rears are now bald!

So should I try the Yoko 048's?

[dopdog]

Good question.

[deecee]

I used medium 048s on an R1 engined Fury for a few years. Great on circuits after warming them up for a few laps. It was probably the way I had my suspension set up but they were a bit tiresome (as opposed to tyresome ) on the road. Very darty and followed white lines etc assiduously. I then used soft 888 on the same car for sprinting and they felt much the same as the 048s on the road and fine on circuits. I am now using the soft 888s on my J15 and it is not darty etc at all so guess it was the set up on the Fury which was very much track orientated.

For road use and track days I would go for the best value as I'm not sure there is not much in it. The sprint boys generally use soft 888s or Kumhos but now ZZRs seem to be the flavour of the month for that discipline. Very soft though so not for road use.

[jeffw]

There are medium compound ZZRs as well....I have several sets in the garage. R888 GG or Medium V700 Kumho would be my choice Adi.

[adithorp]

Yeah, I think the 888 in GG is probably the way I'll go (again) but just wondered how people who'd used both, found the comparison. The zzr's and V700 aren't availablt in the sizes I want anyway.

[DavidM]

I've used both GG compound R888s and medium compound A048s on my Striker. A048s were a fraction wider (195 v 185) so I'm not sure how much that affects things.

From what I've found on track days, A048s in the dry possibly had fractionally more grip... I also found them less progressive than the R888s I've got now but they certainly lasted longer before starting to go off during a session.

In the wet I found the R888s superior, more grip from cold and easier to get heat into which gives them more grip again.

On balance I'd go with the R888s again for road and track days, but there's really not a huge amount between them.