RA1 versus Pilot Sport Cup

[lancer360]

I've been doing a lot of research on tires as my A048's are nearing the end. I have ordered a new set of 15x7/16x8 wheels to use at autocross/track events and keep my stock wheels with some max summer tires as my cruising/autocross rain tires. As much as I would love to get some A6's, my ability isn't there yet. I also have no way to get them to events. I have narrowed down my race tires to Toyo RA1's or Michelin Pilot Sport Cups. Anybody have some recommendations? I have heard that the Pilot Sport Cups take longer to heat up so that might be an issue as light as the Elise is and the increased size (205 instead of 195 front and 245 instead of 225 rear).

[bogner47]

If you want to see mine, I've got a set of RA1s that were race takeoffs, so pre-heat cycled and and pre-shaved, etc. I use them exactly as you describe, on a second set of rims, that get put on for auto-x, Deal's Gap, and the track if I ever make it there, and I drive to/from events on them. I've done maybe 5 or 6 events so far on them and while I have a feeling they're probably pretty well heat-cycled hard, there's been almost no wear.

I have a gut feeling that the Toyo's are significantly cheaper........so for the bang for buck equation I find it hard to justify any Michelin's to myself since so many of them are twice as expensive, I just don't find them twice as good at anything.....

[lancer360]

Thanks! After reading a lot more on Elise Talk I think I will go with the Toyo's. There just isn't much info on the Michelin's and they are pricey.