RT-615 vs RE070

SCRAPPYDO · 09-13-2007, 07:00 AM

I recently switched my stock 17” BBS with 225/45/17 RE070 with a set of 18” 235/40/18 RT-615’s. I have been holding off my review until I had enough miles on the RT’s to ensure I had the new tire release compound adequately scrubbed off.

We all know the RE070 are freaks of nature. They are wider than almost any 225 width tire on the market today. They are primarily known for one key feature that as far as I can tell is unmatched anywhere. That is the sidewall stiffness. These tires offer little to no sidewall flex. This manifested itself in two obvious forms. They have incredibly sharp turn in and immediate response to steering inputs. They are grippy tires, but are not the stickiest. When autocrossing my RE070’s I was able to push them hard, up to and beyond their optimum slip angle. The STI is a very trackable car by itself. Not having to worry about sidewall flex made it that much easier to push. Sidewall flex was one variable that was removed from the equation. That is very helpful during long fast sweepers and quick transitions where the feel of a tire is crucial to knowing how much faster you can go. Stiff sidewalls also helped the car take ‘a set’ quicker, and when it does let go, its less likely that tire flex will exasperate the situation. It will just slip predictably and recover with very little drama. The RE070’s don’t fall off much due to repeated laps on an average 60 second autocross, as they handle heat fairly well. All of these attributes make the RE070 such a wonderful tire and also such a difficult tire to replace without some kind of compromise.

Enter the RT-615’s. These tires on the surface look to be very comparable. They both have very wide outside should blocks for stable cornering and quick steering response. They both run wider than average, with the RE070 in 225 still being as wide as the RT is in a 235. They are noticeably lighter than the RE070’s..

225/45/17 RE070 are 27 lbs
235/40/18 RT615 are 25.5 lbs

This loss in weight comes from somewhere. And here is where the compromise begins. Since the RT’s don’t have unobtainium in the sidewalls, they give up some of the razor sharp steering response the RE070’s have. What this means to you as a driver. Well the car is going to feel less instant during initial turn in and wont react as fast to mid corner inputs. Lets try to quantify this in a purely unscientific and subjective way. If the turn in for the RE070’s was a 10 out of 10, then the turn in for the RT-615’s is a 9 out of 10. The tire is not wobbly, or intrusive, but its lost that snap that the RE070’s had. Counterpoint to this is that with softer sidewalls, you gain some compliance and ride comfort. So rather than riding around on four concrete tires like the RE070’s your STI will gain some composure and will be more amiable to drive longer distances.

Is the news all bad. Not at all. Without a doubt, the RT-615 has more grip than the RE070’s. They hold the road with the tenacity of a kitten on carpet. They will benefit the driver who is smooth and does not throw the car around unnecessarily with rough inputs and constant corrections. This tires will hold on for its life if you let it. It will not be able to respond to small corrections the same way as the RE070’s. With the Bridgestones, every input was rewarded with a change in vehicle dynamics that was noticeable that exact instant. I feel the RT-615’s will do the same job as the RE070’s but the driver is not going to get the same feedback and will have to just trust the tires to do their job knowing this. With smooth driving I think the RT-615’s can be faster than the RE070’s.

Conclusion
The RT-615’s are good tires, and are just one of many that can be considered a good replacement for the RE070’s, but with any tire you pick you are looking at a compromise as the stock tires are just that good. Opinions will vary no doubt depending on your driving style, experience, car setup, what have you. These are my thoughts. If I had to sum it up, I would say this. If I could get RE070’s in any size I wanted, I would never buy any other tire, because to me predictability and feed back are more important to me than ultimate grip. But since I can’t get them in the sizes I want, then chose the RT’s for there grip levels and I think I am a smooth driver and can exploit these tires to suit their strengths.

Hope this helps…I will post more when I get a few autocrosses under my belt in the RT’s.

STI_Mike · 09-13-2007, 07:02 AM

the RT-615 are very good tires but i still rather have the stock RE070 over any tire!

SCRAPPYDO · 09-13-2007, 07:04 AM

I agree STI_Mike, I completely agree.

STIFun · 09-13-2007, 07:46 AM

Patience my fellow Sti owners. There are more sizes of RE-070 coming to the States. Wait and see 19 inch sizes coming when the new Skyline comes out and 255-40-17 coming out with the new Club Racer S2000 plus more than likely 235-40-18 also coming when the 2008 Sti comes out so wait and see we will be happy in the end.

Muffnbluff · 09-13-2007, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STIFun

Patience my fellow Sti owners. There are more sizes of RE-070 coming to the States. Wait and see 19 inch sizes coming when the new Skyline comes out and 255-40-17 coming out with the new Club Racer S2000 plus more than likely 235-40-18 also coming when the 2008 Sti comes out so wait and see we will be happy in the end.

I don't even want to know how much 255/40/17 RE070s cost.

SCRAPPYDO · 09-13-2007, 08:36 AM

Probably less than the Neovas...

**boondocksaint** · 09-13-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muffnbluff

I don't even want to know how much 255/40/17 RE070s cost.

I do.

***snorky*** · 09-13-2007, 08:48 AM

Good review scrappydo. How wide are your 18" wheels?

i can't see spending twice as much for re070s considering how viable an alternative the rt615s are and how fast I go through tires.

edit: those re070 look like they have very low mileage on them

SCRAPPYDO · 09-13-2007, 09:39 AM

They have about 8000 miles on them

but they dont all look that good..

the stockers are on 17x8
the RT's are on 18x8.5

holycow · 09-13-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCRAPPYDO

They hold the road with the tenacity of a kitten on carpet.

LMFAO!!!

senfinger · 09-13-2007, 12:37 PM

Actually, I have talked with Bridgstone; the weight loss is in the sidewall material; which is I why I just purchase another new set of RE070's...

SCRAPPYDO · 09-13-2007, 12:41 PM

Agreed, thats what I thought. That weight had to come from somewhere, and I always proposed it was in the sidewalls.

STIFun · 09-13-2007, 01:48 PM

Well as for me can't wait for more size selection of the RE-070 and I will probably buy some of an 08 Sti owner when they get tired of the truck like ride then I will be a happy camper my new 18in wheels with RE-070's but that is just me.

SubieNewbie · 09-13-2007, 03:28 PM

Great review! Good way to dumb it down for some of us folks. Hope you enjoy those tires because their sticky as hell!

Rookie84 · 09-13-2007, 03:59 PM

I'd love to buy some take-offs if the 08 STi does come with 235/40/18

09-13-2007, 07:00 AM	#1
SCRAPPYDO STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Bolo Yeung Key Chain Location: Webster Texas Posts: 235 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	RT-615 vs RE070 I recently switched my stock 17” BBS with 225/45/17 RE070 with a set of 18” 235/40/18 RT-615’s. I have been holding off my review until I had enough miles on the RT’s to ensure I had the new tire release compound adequately scrubbed off. We all know the RE070 are freaks of nature. They are wider than almost any 225 width tire on the market today. They are primarily known for one key feature that as far as I can tell is unmatched anywhere. That is the sidewall stiffness. These tires offer little to no sidewall flex. This manifested itself in two obvious forms. They have incredibly sharp turn in and immediate response to steering inputs. They are grippy tires, but are not the stickiest. When autocrossing my RE070’s I was able to push them hard, up to and beyond their optimum slip angle. The STI is a very trackable car by itself. Not having to worry about sidewall flex made it that much easier to push. Sidewall flex was one variable that was removed from the equation. That is very helpful during long fast sweepers and quick transitions where the feel of a tire is crucial to knowing how much faster you can go. Stiff sidewalls also helped the car take ‘a set’ quicker, and when it does let go, its less likely that tire flex will exasperate the situation. It will just slip predictably and recover with very little drama. The RE070’s don’t fall off much due to repeated laps on an average 60 second autocross, as they handle heat fairly well. All of these attributes make the RE070 such a wonderful tire and also such a difficult tire to replace without some kind of compromise. Enter the RT-615’s. These tires on the surface look to be very comparable. They both have very wide outside should blocks for stable cornering and quick steering response. They both run wider than average, with the RE070 in 225 still being as wide as the RT is in a 235. They are noticeably lighter than the RE070’s.. 225/45/17 RE070 are 27 lbs 235/40/18 RT615 are 25.5 lbs This loss in weight comes from somewhere. And here is where the compromise begins. Since the RT’s don’t have unobtainium in the sidewalls, they give up some of the razor sharp steering response the RE070’s have. What this means to you as a driver. Well the car is going to feel less instant during initial turn in and wont react as fast to mid corner inputs. Lets try to quantify this in a purely unscientific and subjective way. If the turn in for the RE070’s was a 10 out of 10, then the turn in for the RT-615’s is a 9 out of 10. The tire is not wobbly, or intrusive, but its lost that snap that the RE070’s had. Counterpoint to this is that with softer sidewalls, you gain some compliance and ride comfort. So rather than riding around on four concrete tires like the RE070’s your STI will gain some composure and will be more amiable to drive longer distances. Is the news all bad. Not at all. Without a doubt, the RT-615 has more grip than the RE070’s. They hold the road with the tenacity of a kitten on carpet. They will benefit the driver who is smooth and does not throw the car around unnecessarily with rough inputs and constant corrections. This tires will hold on for its life if you let it. It will not be able to respond to small corrections the same way as the RE070’s. With the Bridgestones, every input was rewarded with a change in vehicle dynamics that was noticeable that exact instant. I feel the RT-615’s will do the same job as the RE070’s but the driver is not going to get the same feedback and will have to just trust the tires to do their job knowing this. With smooth driving I think the RT-615’s can be faster than the RE070’s. Conclusion The RT-615’s are good tires, and are just one of many that can be considered a good replacement for the RE070’s, but with any tire you pick you are looking at a compromise as the stock tires are just that good. Opinions will vary no doubt depending on your driving style, experience, car setup, what have you. These are my thoughts. If I had to sum it up, I would say this. If I could get RE070’s in any size I wanted, I would never buy any other tire, because to me predictability and feed back are more important to me than ultimate grip. But since I can’t get them in the sizes I want, then chose the RT’s for there grip levels and I think I am a smooth driver and can exploit these tires to suit their strengths. Hope this helps…I will post more when I get a few autocrosses under my belt in the RT’s. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

09-13-2007, 07:02 AM	#2
STI_Mike S204 Racer Car: 05 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Defi Gauges Location: Laguna Niguel,Ca Posts: 2,920 Join Date: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (4)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 the RT-615 are very good tires but i still rather have the stock RE070 over any tire!

09-13-2007, 07:04 AM	#3
SCRAPPYDO STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Bolo Yeung Key Chain Location: Webster Texas Posts: 235 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 I agree STI_Mike, I completely agree.

09-13-2007, 07:46 AM	#4
STIFun Professional STI Racer Car: 05 Subaru Sti Fav Mod: Defi triple pod guages Location: Texas Posts: 753 Join Date: Nov 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Patience my fellow Sti owners. There are more sizes of RE-070 coming to the States. Wait and see 19 inch sizes coming when the new Skyline comes out and 255-40-17 coming out with the new Club Racer S2000 plus more than likely 235-40-18 also coming when the 2008 Sti comes out so wait and see we will be happy in the end.

09-13-2007, 08:36 AM	#6
SCRAPPYDO STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Bolo Yeung Key Chain Location: Webster Texas Posts: 235 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Probably less than the Neovas...

09-13-2007, 08:48 AM	#8
*snorky* If in doubt, flat out Car: 32J GDFDYEH Fav Mod: Fullerton's Qrack on my car Location: Chicagoland Posts: 3,773 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (23)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Good review scrappydo. How wide are your 18" wheels? i can't see spending twice as much for re070s considering how viable an alternative the rt615s are and how fast I go through tires. edit: those re070 look like they have very low mileage on them

09-13-2007, 09:39 AM	#9
SCRAPPYDO STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Bolo Yeung Key Chain Location: Webster Texas Posts: 235 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 They have about 8000 miles on them but they dont all look that good.. the stockers are on 17x8 the RT's are on 18x8.5 Last edited by SCRAPPYDO : 09-13-2007 at 11:05 AM.

09-13-2007, 12:37 PM	#11
senfinger Amateur STI Driver Car: 05' Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Invidia V3 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 14 Join Date: Nov 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Actually, I have talked with Bridgstone; the weight loss is in the sidewall material; which is I why I just purchase another new set of RE070's...

09-13-2007, 12:41 PM	#12
SCRAPPYDO STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Bolo Yeung Key Chain Location: Webster Texas Posts: 235 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Agreed, thats what I thought. That weight had to come from somewhere, and I always proposed it was in the sidewalls.

09-13-2007, 01:48 PM	#13
STIFun Professional STI Racer Car: 05 Subaru Sti Fav Mod: Defi triple pod guages Location: Texas Posts: 753 Join Date: Nov 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Well as for me can't wait for more size selection of the RE-070 and I will probably buy some of an 08 Sti owner when they get tired of the truck like ride then I will be a happy camper my new 18in wheels with RE-070's but that is just me.

09-13-2007, 03:28 PM	#14
SubieNewbie Grassroots STI Racer Location: Dub Posts: 497 Join Date: Sep 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 Great review! Good way to dumb it down for some of us folks. Hope you enjoy those tires because their sticky as hell!

09-13-2007, 03:59 PM	#15
Rookie84 Spec C Club Car: '93 RX-7 Fav Mod: LS6 and T-56 swap :D Location: Columbus, OH/Northern VA Posts: 1,462 Join Date: Aug 2004 Trader Rating: (3)	Re: RT-615 vs RE070 I'd love to buy some take-offs if the 08 STi does come with 235/40/18 This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.