T1-S vs. ES100 in 14" size

Hi all-

How does the T1-S (195/55-14) compare with the Yoko ES100 (195/60-14) for Miata? Particularly are the Yoko's stiffer in the sidewall? Treadwear differences? I'm confident either tire will perform well both wet and dry pavement.

I know everyone loves the T1-S... and I'm leaning strongly towards it... but the reports of soft sidewall have me wondering if I'm going to regret it.

Reply to
josh
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I have the es100's in a 16. I wouldn't trade them for anything. I came close to the T1-S, it would have been my second choice.

Tom

Reply to
altar

I've had 16" ES 100s for about 6 weeks. With all the rain we've had here in SOCal, I've found they are better in the wet than the factory Bridgestones and at least as good a wet tire as the Dunlops I had on my previous Miata. Also, they run a little quieter. I have not had a chance to push them to their limits on dry pavement, so I can't help you there, but all in all, I am pleased.

Reply to
Randy Maheux

The Toyo is in a different class when it comes to grip, both wet and dry. It does have a softer turn in, but also a significantly softer ride. The turn-in issue goes away after about 30 minutes--most folks simply adjust to it and move on. The Yoko will last a bit longer.

I think Leon has used both, but perhaps not in 14". I found very little difference between 14" and 15" Toyos.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

I have had both sets of tires on the same car and I felt like the Yoko ES-100's had slightly superior wet traction and slightly inferior dry traction compared to the Toyo T1-S. The differences were minimal. This is just my perception as a driver, since we have no verified comparison data to back any claims up.

The Yoko's have a stiffer sidewall than the Toyos, but not so bad that the ride is uncomfortable, though obviously less comfortable than the Toyos. I feel like the ES-100 is an excellent compromise between comfort and turn-in, but I would be happy with either tire on a miata as long as they are not used in the snow. I would expect to get similar life from each tire, perhaps a bit more out of the ES-100's.

Pat

Reply to
pws

I do not know about that. For one, I believe that the ES 100 is more reliable in the wet. Cannot say that I have noticed much difference in dry grip either. Maybe if I was a better driver?

I have not had ES 100 in 14".

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

I had felt just the opposite. I went through a set of ES100s and switched to the T1-S and have found that I'm more confident cornering in the wet with them than the Yoko's.

Of course since the tire switch I also had a four-wheel alignment done using the specs on Miata.net, so that might contribute to the increased confidence as well.

Reply to
Craig Wagner

What size ES-100 did you have? What size T1-S?

Just curious...

The T1-S 195/55-14 is 1/2" wider overall than the 185/60-14 ES-100, .2" smaller in diameter, and is probably lighter. This is one reason I was asking about the 14" tires, because the Toyo is unique in the 195/55-14 size.

So I guess I'm really considering:

  1. T1-S in 195/55-14 ... so far probably my top choice but I'm afraid I'll be disappointed with the turn-in (soft sidewall is precisely what I hate about my current tires; ultra-stiff sidewall is what I loved about my last set)

  1. AVS ES100, and in this case, either 185/60-14 or 195/60-14.

I guess I kind of suspect that the 15" tires that are more identical in size may perform more similarly. But I'm concerned with the 14" sizes only. It seems that the additional sidewall height in 14" tires may allow the sidewall flex to contribute more to the feel compared with a lower-profile tire like a 15" or 16" for Miata.

Reply to
josh

195/50/15 with both sets of tires. I haven't had experience with the different tires sizes on the 14 inch wheels, but there should be a lot of people here who have.

The Toyos aren't that bad as far as turn-in, but if you are more concerned with turn-in speed than comfort, I would go with another tire. If you want ultra-stiff sidewalls, you might look into the Falken Azenis.

Pat

Reply to
pws

Don't make too much of this. The T1-S feels like it's taking up slack before it grips...then it grips hard. The overall feel is *not* mushy or vague, and it does not roll under at 29 psi. You will automatically begin to turn in a little earlier, that's all. By the second day, you probably won't even notice the difference. It will encourage you to become a smoother, more-foresighted driver. It may change your preference for stiff, heavy tires.

Not mentioned yet: the Toyo is amazingly unfazed by broken or loose surfaces. It's saved my butt when I've hit unexpected patches of gravel.

When I went from 14" to 15" T1-S, I did not feel any significant differences in ride, grip, or turn in. I can't comment on 16" sizes.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

OK...

T1-S it is then.

It will be such a relief to get rid of these godawful Ziex 512's.

Reply to
josh

It is not so much cornering, it is that sometimes the T1-S tires just lose it completely. My guess is that the rubber additive they use has trouble with either coolant or oil on a wet road. At least, it seems to happen where those seem likely to be present.

For the rest, I am just as confident with the T1-S tires as with the ES-100. And despite talks of Needles in haystacks, we do have a lot of rain where I live in Florida. :)

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

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