Hey i noticed there is a new semi slick tire out from Hankook, the Ventus TD they look pretty nuts and have a good records on the track from time attack.

I just wanted to know if anyone has ever driven semi slicks daily. I was thinking about putting them on my FC to just drive around on weekends since i want something with a nice bite and i want to drive to the track, but i was wondering if anyone has dailyed semi slicks?

info on the tire, www.ventustd.com

 

Yes, I daily-ed for years on DOT slicks. Toyo RA1 and Nitto NT01 and spent quite a bit of time on Kuhmo V710 on street which is totally different.

It takes a while to adjust to it and you will have some near death incidents while you learn how the tires work.

My rule of thumb would be as long the tire in question has some kind of tread pattern (not just slicks with a couple vertical grooves) they warm up fairly quickly and are somewhat predictable on breakaway once up to temp.

Once you wear the tread off they act even more unpredictable like real slicks.

They are scary until warmed up and if the pavement is cold (below about 40F in the dry) they will not warm up with regular driving.

Even if its dry warm road and you come around a turn into a shaded cold patch of pavement they will try to kill you.

I really noticed it is much less scary on the coast with its smaller temperature swings than when I go inland and some of that shaded pavement is still cold from the freezing night even though it is a nice sunny warm day.

I am on street tires again now for the first time in about 7 years (Hankook R-S3 140 treadwear) and even though these particular street tires ARE like slicks when cold they are still much more predictable than DOT Rs.

I feel I can actually drive faster on back roads with the R-S3 even with their slightly less grip because you can actually flirt with the edge of traction without flirting with the knife edge death experiences like DOT Rs.

Dunlop DZ101 Star Spec or Toyo R1R are much better grip in the cold but do give out at a lower temperature on the track. I would recommend these as the ultimate street tire.

 

the other thing to consider is that the heat cycling in daily driving will really shorten the sticky part of the life of the tire

 

Some DOT R compounds exist that are very tolerant to heat cycling out, I do not know if the new Hankook is one.

Toyo RA1, R888, Nitto NT01, 555R and 555RII do not heat cycle out (I believe they are all the same compound Nitto being a subsidiary company of Toyo).

Advan DOT Rs AO32R, AO48 etc etc) do have a tread pattern but are famous for heat cycling out very quickly in the soft compounds and even in the harder compounds that are oem stock tires on some cars.

I don't know about the old Michelin pilot cup sports, V700, Victoracers, or the new Federals and Hankooks.

 

On the weekends, no problem. I put a lot of street miles on my RA1's and they surprisingly weren't terrible even in the rain as long as there was no standing water. You don't find yourself needing the brakes much when it's dry. If you're going to be driving it to work and stuff, then I'd recommend a set of cheap wheels with street tires. Best thing to do is buy someone's stock wheels that still have tires on them.