Byproduct of Ultra Low Profile Tires?

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Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted by eljefino
Hot weather is good for busting weak tires!

I thought Wednesday and Thursday were quite pleasant in the mountains even though I knew it was scorching back home....went out at about 10:30 this morning to hoof it over to town and I immediately thought, "It is HOT out here today!!!"


I just got back from the White Mountains as well and experienced the same temperature wise. Had a tire start leaking, on my last day up there (find out what punctured it today), but man it sure is beautiful. Can't wait to get back.
 
Originally Posted by michaelluscher
......the bombed out streets of NYC.....
I got on some of the bad roads of NYC in early 1990. So, now they look like abandoned high mountain logging roads? ugh!
 
My next car will definitely wear 18" or 19" wheels. The X1 and 2er came with 18" wheels and the ride/handling compromise is spot on. That said, most everything I'm considering as a replacement for the 2er is fitted with 19" wheels. No biggie as far as I'm concerned.
 
I think part of the problem is not just large wheels and the requisite low profile tires, it's large HEAVY wheels and low profile tires. The difference in ride quality (not to mention performance) between, for example, OE 26lb 19x9.5 wheels with 27lb 255/35R19 tires and aftermarket forged 19x10.5 wheels weighing 19.5lbs with 275/35R19 Michelins weighing ~22lbs is profound.
Dropping over 10lb of unsprung, rotating weight from each corner of the car made for not only a substantial improvement in responsiveness, braking, acceleration, and overall handling, but the ride quality is significantly improved. In fact, the aftermarket coilovers with lighter wheels is MORE comfortable than the OE setup! (Now with another ten pounds lost per corner via AP Racing brakes, and it's like a completely different car; very rarely do you find something that so greatly improves both lap times AND comfort level!)
Sadly, it's going to be a long wait before you see manufacturers providing such equipment as standard, at least at the level the average consumer can afford, so I'm not expecting to see a Kia rocking carbon fiber wheels a la GT350R anytime soon. Cast wheels are cheaper than forged, and heavy cast wheels are typically less likely to deform under typical road use.
 
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