Yokohama a.drive R1??

SpeedRacer · Postby **SpeedRacer** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:36 am

Ok, I've run the stock tyres down to their last legs and somehow managed to stay on the road to make it up to qld.

I really wanted to try the c.drives everyone seems to have, and my brother can get good prices on tyres from someone he knows.

Anyway turns out the Yokohama factories here dont have any c.drive tyres in stock and I asked at a some tyre places and while there's a few around the country, seems there's none in brisbane.

However for $5 per tyre less I can get these new a.drives?? Does anyone know anything about them?? Seems like they're a pretty new tyre.

a:\\ was always a lot slower than c:\\, hopefully its not still true /geek

Caffeine · Postby **Caffeine** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 6:52 am

SpeedRacer wrote:Ok, I've run the stock tyres down to their last legs and somehow managed to stay on the road to make it up to qld.

I really wanted to try the c.drives everyone seems to have, and my brother can get good prices on tyres from someone he knows.

Anyway turns out the Yokohama factories here dont have any c.drive tyres in stock and I asked at a some tyre places and while there's a few around the country, seems there's none in brisbane.

However for $5 per tyre less I can get these new a.drives?? Does anyone know anything about them?? Seems like they're a pretty new tyre.

a:\\ was always a lot slower than c:\\, hopefully its not still true /geek

Hrmmm, they're V rated rather than W rated like the CDrive...

Not sure, I've never heard of them or seen them before

Richee · Postby **Richee** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:24 am

Did you try Bob Jane at Taringa 3371 7900 ?

Richard

SpeedRacer · Postby **SpeedRacer** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:52 am

is there much difference between v and w tyre ratings other than max speed??? I wouldnt have thought the mx5 is capable of getting anywhere near their maximum.

I tried bob jane at springwood and he checked the database to see what stores have some. There's none left in any brisbane stores, some up in cairns and some in adelaide but that's a bit far.

I think I might just go with these and find out what they're like. I'm just hoping since they're about the same price they should be about the same performance. Bob Jane guy said its a new version of the c.drive.

Fra66L · Postby **Fra66L** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:00 am

Speed,
You could always try the Yoki AVS ES100. These are a step up from the A539s I had previously and even hold their own on the track (for the first 3 or 4 laps anyway). On inspection after getting back from a Morgan Pk track day I had a little feathering on the outside edges but none of the treadblocks had chunked up so I would think they'll wear well. Wet braking and cornering are also very good...

Cheers,
T

Philip Lee · Postby **Philip Lee** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:44 am

SpeedRacer wrote:Bob Jane guy said its a new version of the c.drive.

i doubt it very much since the C drive has only been released within 12 mths.

SpeedRacer · Postby **SpeedRacer** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:15 am

Well he didnt really say it was 'replacing' the c.drive, but implied they were pretty much a never version of that tyre (I'm not sure if newer meant better at all though?)

I'm asked my brother to get me some prices on the ES100's too, although I'm a little concerned looking around on some forums it seems their life expectancy isnt that great (compared to cheaper but obviously lower performance tyres), which has me a little concerned particularly if they're more expensive.

Charlie Brown · Postby **Charlie Brown** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:47 am

Hey Speed, don't muck around, go for the best and get Michelin Precedas.
It's your life your playing with that little contact patch of rubber on the ground.
Michelin will cost you about $230 fitted a corner.

Craig · Postby **Craig** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:01 pm

Got this from a Yoko rep on email

You have 3 options from most expensive to least:

1 ES100 an aggressive directional tread pattern that will give you maximum dry grip, it also has a stiff sidewall and give very precise steering response. This tyre can take a lot of punishment. However it can get noisy depending on how it wears.

2. C.drive is a good sporty tyre with an asymmetrical pattern (Cornering blocks on the outside edges and water/braking on the inside. Can be rotated in both directions) with some comfort built into it. Itâ€™s good in the dry, outstanding in the wet and it has some genuinely good quiet technology thatâ€™s filtered down from the AVS decibel.

3. A.drive R1. Iâ€™ve got 215/45R17s on my Astra and I find there are reserves of grip. Mind you theyâ€™re big boots for an Astra. These have only been released recently and are a provide great bang for your bucks. These are the cheapest of the 3 yet still a good sports tyre. Itâ€™s directional and has smaller blocks so noise isnâ€™t a problem. The dry grip is really good but the wet grip doesnâ€™t match it proportionally.

SpeedRacer · Postby **SpeedRacer** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:35 pm

Well, I got the a.drives fitted today (seems the Yoko factory is out of the ES100's) and they do feel great, but I am comparing them to the worn out bridgestones it came with.

I was told they also have the same mould release compound in them that makes them a bit squirmy for the first few hundred k's, like people have complained about the c.drive. They felt fine to me, but once again, anything would be an improvement with the condition tyres that were on it.

According to the yokohama brochure i picked up they have a 4 point diagram, with the A.drive closer to sport and economy category than c.drive, which goes towards 'premium' - whatever that means - and comfort. The ES100 and V102/V103 are right up the top corner for 'premium' sport.

Well here's hoping these ones work well

kitkat · Postby **kitkat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:20 pm

hey sorry i didnt see this thread earlier... i have c-drives on my e30 (BMW). I feel the c drives hold up great... i did have a539 on before and didnt notice any difference expect for in the wet. I pay $160 roughly each for 195/65/R15... i get em from action wheel and tires (i think that the name) on price street in southport.
A little too late now i guess but for next time anyway.
Ill also be trying them on the 5 in the next couple weeks so ill update on how they go on the 14" wheels.

ampz · Postby **ampz** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:17 am

just a question... are the c drives better than the a539s? I had the latter fitted to the golf and they were great. Now with the rodeo I don't get close to reaching corner speeds of the past so I wouldnt know anything about sport tyres, that will change when I find a 5 tho.

Li7hium · Postby **Li7hium** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:14 pm

About to get two new tyres, just had Bob Janes check them out. Said that they couldn't touch that tyre as it was illegal (ie, Wakefield Park has a good amount of the tread that they are supposed to).

So getting a pair of C-Drives for Lara. Seems that people seem to hold them in reasonable esteem here. Apparently the tyres on the front end of the car are A-OK.

Just want to make sure that when I make MY debut (in an MX5, already done it in a HQ) at Wakefield that these tyres will be up to the task.

Thoughts?

Matt

Caffeine · Postby **Caffeine** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:42 pm

CDrives are a lot better than the A539's.

Haven't had them on the track to comment though.

kitkat · Postby **kitkat** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:23 am

well got the c-drives fitted to the 5 a couple days ago.... so far they feel good, much better than what came with the car, but seeing as we've only had the 5 for a bit over a month i dont really know its capabilities and find myself coming into coners much slower than what i really could.