got some Kumho Solus HK16's

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well...took the Tbird for the state inspection, and my Yoko Decibel S2's were pretty much smooth on the rear...
now the scary part was the front: they were actually SPLITTING in two halves down the middle...it looked horrible...idk what made them do THAT !!!

Anyawy, I had to get tires right there and then, because I won't have a lot of time to do that in the future, AND i wanted to pass the inspection...
SO, just from memory, i remember from previous research that the Kumho Solus KH16 was pretty good at trirerack ratings AND REAL TESTS that they do, I went with those...(I also remembered that wifey replaced her old MXV4s with Kumhos and that they were an improvement over the MVX4)...

so: I went with a bigger size of the KH16s over the recommended 225/60/16, and got the 235/60/16. the bigger/fatter size looks great on the Tbird, that is something i had planned to do when I get rid of the Yoko's anyway...
so far the KH16s seem pretty good: quiet, great cornering, but feels "slower" somehow...for $95 each (incl.balancing/mounting etc), I'm happy...this is a "grand touring all season" tire, and the Yokos were "ultra high performance all season", so i guess they don't look that great, or has little rolling resistance, but we'll see...I'm actually liking them so far, although the sidewall design doesn't look as fancy as the Yokos...but I'm pretty sure I'll get more miles out of these...Yokos lasted like 25k miles..
 
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I put the same tire (different size) on our 99 Honda Civic EX coupe. I've only put about 6,000 miles on them, but so far they're great. Much quieter than the Dunlop Sport A2 that we replaced, and as good if not better in the rain. So far I'm quieter pleased, especially given the price!
 
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
so far the KH16s seem pretty good: quiet, great cornering, but feels "slower" somehow...

Part of it has to do with the fact that you're comparing pretty worn out tires with brand new ones with full tread. Full tread will always result in more squirm, making the tire feel slower, even if you had replaced it with the exact same tire model.

And the other part is what you mentioned - the new tires are in a different, less performance-oriented category.

Congrats on your new tires! I always love getting new tires. It amazes me how much technology goes into something that looks like a chunk of rubber for the most part. :)
 
I just put KH16's on our Saturn LW300; the tire is as good as any Michelin and it's half the price. So far the tires are completely quiet.
 
thanks guys...I feel good about my choice now..

JustinH: yeah..forgot to mention it's a Tbird sport, but i guess you recognized that from the original size of 225/60/16...
I remember reading on tccoa.com that the 235/60/16 is a great size, and that's why I went with them...
 
How is the Solus for tracking? I have a set of Touring A/S (395s or something like that) which are excellent tires in every aspect (ride, quietness, handling, treadwear, traction, etc). My only complaint is they tend to like to follow seams and uneven spots in the lanes. For example, if the tire tracks in a lane are a little lower than the center of the lane (which they typically are) and I decide to change lanes, the tires tend to want to stay in the tire tracks until I really give it some decent amount of steering input, then it lets loose all of a sudden. I wonder if the Solus is any better in this aspect?
 
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Haven't noticed any tracking problems like that, although I wasn't looking for it...on the very first day I "MIGHT" have noticed some "unruliness", but it could've been my imagination...after about a week of driving, I never noticed that again...
will see if any weird "tracking" behavior pops up.

side "?":
How much will the accuracy of the speedometer be affected by going from the recommended 225/60/16 to 235/60/16?
 
I may try these on my wifes RX-300. They show favorable results on the tirerack.com reviews for our vehicle as well as many others. They also seem to be designed to be a little more beefy(wider) than other tires in the 225-70-16 thats on our vehicle. I want to have a look first look at them at a local tire store in my area(in our size) before making my final decision.
 
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
side "?":
How much will the accuracy of the speedometer be affected by going from the recommended 225/60/16 to 235/60/16?


1.8%

But considering that most speedos read high by design, this will probably just bring you closer to the true speed.
 
Thx Pete. I should be ok then...

UPDATE: Today I had the chance to test the SH16s in pretty hard rain. They never hydroplaned, and I know so well the exact spots on the road water always collects en route to work...i drove over them intentionally at about 65 mph, and: ...smooth sailing, and steady. very nice, safe, steady feeling in rain.
The Yokos, even when they were new, hydroplaned a LOT, and felt uneasy. I know, they were performance oriented, but still "all season"...

overall, very happy. recommended.

about that "tracking": they do track rough areas on the road during the very 1st drive of the day, for about 5-10 minutes, but after they are fine...this "might" improve after "break in" , I think...I'll keep an eye on it and update.
 
Had Solus KH16 on my dad's Taurus and he likes them, way better than the OEM junk that it came with. I'd say it is middle of the road good handling quiet tire, for outstanding price.

You can get gripper tire or quieter tire for more $$, but not both at this price.
 
2-month UPDATE: they're near perfect now: "tracking" has disappeared, and have become a lot quieter; like them a LOT!
great in rain, and dry weather:) for the price I paid, I think I got a LOT of bang for the buck.
 
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