BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE-71RS for Weekend Warrior Usage?

[ArmenLS1]

I'm thinking about replacing the stock PSS tires with something else. I drive my Supra on weekends only and that's between May to Oct due to Canadian climate. It's lowered and running a BM3 stage 2 93 octane map with DP. That's all for power mods. I don't really track this car other than the occasional drag strip once or twice a year, and the RE-71RS tires actually come up cheaper than PS4's or replacement PSS tires.

What's your experience with these tires for street use and weekend hooning around?

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[Vertex]

They will grip great when you want them to in good weather but that tread will not last long at all. Those tires are a 200tw tire and most of the performance summer tires are 300tw and will last a bit longer. I wouldn't expect to get 10,000 miles out of them.

PS4S also start with about 9.5/32 of tread and the RE71's start at 7/32

Also, not that it probably makes a HUGE difference, but there are actually a few different types of PS4S tires as well. The BMW spec ones I've been told are the best ones you can get if they're available in the size you're looking for.

 

[Eyelise]

Great tires near the top for super 200s, where did you get that quote?

 

[ArmenLS1]

Great tires near the top for super 200s, where did you get that quote?

Price is CAD. At stock sizing, they are cheaper than PS4's - I think they are also slightly wider than a regular 255 and 275 tire. It's not a huge difference in price, but for someone that puts 2500 kms a year on the car - I won't be changing them out in 1 season, lol

What I like about them is that they are non-directional so they won't grab the grooves of the road and tram-line all over the place. I hardly get caught in the rain but I feel like they won't be so bad if you just take it easy.

 

[sup.dc2]

A friend of mine ran these on his sti and they were quite loud imo. handled great though according to him. I'm on the 280tw Yoko Advan Apex v601 on stock power. great tire for summer weekend fun. 2 tracks days on them and they weren't bad either. waiting for the ad09 to become available in 19"

 

[razorlab]

Great tires if you track in Spring or Fall. They will give you PB's in that weather. In the summer they are basically useless and turn to goo after one hard lap. Basically time attack tires.

Would not recommend them for HPDE use in the summer.

If you don't track much or at all, I would recommend the Conti Force tires. Good in rain and grippy enough for street use. Wear like iron.

 

[tomfree]

Just ran a set of them in One Lap of America. Started with brand new tires in April '24, did 2 track days, approximately 4000 street miles, 6 One Lap time trial days, 100% used up. After I finished the skidpad on the last day of OLOA, I drove right into the TireRack customer center and had a new set of tires mounted - they were a little bit sketchy for the 9hr drive back home to MD.

Sidewalls are stiff, so they make the car a little more harsh on the street. They are loud new, but as they wear they transition to LOUD. Full tread, good in the rain. Near the wear bars - treacherous in the rain. *Edit* All tires are bad in the rain at low tread...but these are awful...like can't maintain the speed limit on the interstate during rain kinda awful.

I'll agree with Bryan's comment on their tolerance for heat - they are fantastic for a few laps in most all weather. If it's hot, they go away quickly.

If you are not doing a lot of Track/autocross, they are an unnecessary compromise. Look at Continental ECF and Continental ECS02. The ECS02 is fairly similar to the Michelin, the ECF is more aggressive.

 

[mkvB58KING]

I'm running these up front paired with NT555R2 in the rear. As far as a front tire goes, no problems. The NT's are the real star of the show.

 

[vegasZ06]

I'm running these up front paired with NT555R2 in the rear. As far as a front tire goes, no problems. The NT's are the real star of the show.

How power are you making? I am prob going to tune my car on e50 and stock prob won't hook , do you like the 555r2 and do they hook ?

 

[mkvB58KING]

How power are you making? I am prob going to tune my car on e50 and stock prob won't hook , do you like the 555r2 and do they hook ?

I'm still doing revisions on E50 right now, but it's a lot. The car feels like a missile. The 555r2s aren't bad at all. I'm running a 305/35/18 and when I do a hard roll there's no traction for the first 3 seconds but it grabs pretty good after that. When I need to hook I bring out the Mickeys, those things are a cheat code.

 

[vegasZ06]

I'm still doing revisions on E50 right now, but it's a lot. The car feels like a missile. The 555r2s aren't bad at all. I'm running a 305/35/18 and when I do a hard roll there's no traction for the first 3 seconds but it grabs pretty good after that. When I need to hook I bring out the Mickeys, those things are a cheat code.

Yeah looking to be around 530whp hopefully the Nitto's hook

I had good luck with my z06 supercharged on Nitto 555R ( the original ones ) car was making 678whp and 600trq .. but the tires were also 345s

 

[kern417]

They're amazing for daily use. It's basically an autox/time attack tire so it warms up fast and is about as sticky as a summer tire gets.

The only downside is the new tread pattern isn't as good in the rain as the original RE71R. They aren't that bad when new but as they wear down it can get sketchy in the wet.

But for a good weather fun car, imo they're perfect. Anything grippier will require doing a burnout or driving like an idiot to get enough heat in the tire.

 

[Illest1Five]

I run RE71RS on my STI and Supra. They're excellent track tires and overkill on the street. Here are my takeaways:

• Lateral grip is well beyond PSS, very high ceiling before break away, responsive sidewalls, and very communicative to driver
• Heat tolerance during lapping is good, not great. Will get greasy and fall away after a few hot laps, ymmv - nothing you'll need to worry about on street
• Significantly louder than OEM. Kicks up a ton of road debris into your fender wells and/or side skirts if you run aggressive wheel width/offsets.
• Stiff sidewalls, you will feel a lot more of road imperfections
• Excellent in wet but are mediocre when driving through standing water - will only get worse as tread depth is reduced
• Treadwear is significantly greater than PSS. I am finding that I am losing some longitudinal grip tread depth has reached ~40% and below

I live in an arid climate and both cars are rarely driven in wet conditions and can get away with running Super 200s on the street. I don't recommend these in areas that see much rain and/or near freezing temps. I had RE71RS on coming home from a track day while driving through mtns during an unexpected flash snowstorm at freezing temps...had more butthole-clenching moments during the drive than on track. ?

 

[ArmenLS1]

I run RE71RS on my STI and Supra. They're excellent track tires and overkill on the street. Here are my takeaways:

• Lateral grip is well beyond PSS, very high ceiling before break away, responsive sidewalls, and very communicative to driver
• Heat tolerance during lapping is good, not great. Will get greasy and fall away after a few hot laps, ymmv - nothing you'll need to worry about on street
• Significantly louder than OEM. Kicks up a ton of road debris into your fender wells and/or side skirts if you run aggressive wheel width/offsets.
• Stiff sidewalls, you will feel a lot more of road imperfections
• Excellent in wet but are mediocre when driving through standing water - will only get worse as tread depth is reduced
• Treadwear is significantly greater than PSS. I am finding that I am losing some longitudinal grip tread depth has reached ~40% and below

I live in an arid climate and both cars are rarely driven in wet conditions and can get away with running Super 200s on the street. I don't recommend these in areas that see much rain and/or near freezing temps. I had RE71RS on coming home from a track day while driving through mtns during an unexpected flash snowstorm at freezing temps...had more butthole-clenching moments during the drive than on track. ?

How is off the line traction?

 

[SavagePassenger]

Yeah looking to be around 530whp hopefully the Nitto's hook

I had good luck with my z06 supercharged on Nitto 555R ( the original ones ) car was making 678whp and 600trq .. but the tires were also 345s

Oh yes they definitely will. With a good alignment the 555rii hooks nicely, and I'm just running the 285/35/19 size on stock rear wheels. They are probably overkill for what OP is making power wise, but for e50 tune or more i'd recommend.

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