2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

[Sabre]

Hey all,
After a couple of seasons on my winter tires, it's time to get some new ones! I figured I'd start a new thread since there are new tires every year seemingly! (all prices for 225/45R17 unless otherwise noted)

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 - Currently the top rated tire on Tire Rack. ~$152 ebay ~175 TR
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 - Another highly rated Ice/Snow tire. ~$149 TR
Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 - Elzorro's favorite ~137 TR
Hankook Optimo H727 - Consumer Reports Best Buy 225/50/R17 ~$105
Michelin Primacy MXV4 - Consumer Reports Best Buy ~$156 Tires2Go ~$176 TR
Michelin HydroEdge - Consumer Reports Best Buy 225/55/R17 ~$143 TR
Dunlop Wintersport M3 - $187 TR
Dunlop Wintersport 3D - ~$146 TR
General AltiMAX Arctic. - ~$107.00 TR

What's everyone's thoughts? Here are the ones that I have owned and some quick thoughts:

Conti Extreme Contact: Moderate in price, handled try/wet/snow/ice very well.
WS-50: Moderate in price, handled well in most conditions.
Revo 1: Cheap, but didn't handle very well in dry. Wet traction was not good at all. Snow traction was average.

[chicken n waffles]

i was more than happy with my blizzaks. can't speak for the others.

[sirwilliam]

My old WS-50s were great in snow and ice but lacked in handling due to soft sidewalls.

My new Michelin Primacy Alpin P3s work good in snow and ice but are better suited for higher speeds and have a stiffer sidewall.

It is really up to you what you prefer and it is kind of hard to really judge winter tires if you can't just go through the whole lot of them in the same day.

I know a bunch of foz owners really like the Hankook iPike but I personally haven't tried them out.

[complacent]

I've also had great results with the Blizzaks.

[Cereb Daithi]

You forgot the Dunlop Wintersport M3 and 3D. Both VERY good winter tires. I used the 3Ds last year and will be using the M3s this year.

Both work well in the ice and snow and offer some of the best dry traction of any winter tire I've come across.

[Sabre]

Added

[Cereb Daithi]

I just purchased M3 run-on-flats. I'll post a review once I get a chance to actually put them on and use them.

[darwin]

I have Bridgestone Blizzaks on the '04 Evo and they work pretty well. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas I used on Eagle Talon during the Alcan Winter Rally were fantastic and the non-studded version was also excellent.

[zaxrex]

Studded in VA/DC/MD?
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...

[thermobox]

I'm a huge fan of the conti's but they have dropped the name/tread pattern this year. I'm debating which one to use also.

[Sabre]

I have Bridgestone Blizzaks on the '04 Evo and they work pretty well. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas I used on Eagle Talon during the Alcan Winter Rally were fantastic and the non-studded version was also excellent.

Studded in VA/DC/MD?
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...

lol, the Alcan is on the West coast of Canada and in Alaska... I'd be wearing studded tires too!

[darwin]

The studded tires were for Canada and Alaska. The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.

[complacent]

The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.

semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle.

[ElZorro]

The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.

semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle.

They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch.

[sirwilliam]

They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch.

I think this was a planned quote, eh?

[WRXWagon2112]

The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.

semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle.

They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch.

My parents used to do that in Cornwall, Ontario with their '67 Mustang. Pre-children, of course.

--Alan

[complacent]

They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch.

My parents used to do that in Cornwall, Ontario with their '67 Mustang. Pre-children, of course.

--Alan

I remember your moms talking about that at your wedding reception! w00t!

[scheherazade]

Studded in VA/DC/MD?
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...

I had no idea... so I looked up what I could find...
This is what came up.

http://www.tire-information-world.com/t ... tions.html
Maryland Not permitted except in western counties Nov.1-March 31.
Virginia Permitted Oct. 15-April 15.
Dist. of Columbia Permitted Oct. 15-April 15.



Oh,and :

http://www.dieseljo.com/images_ice_pict ... e_bike.jpg



-scheherazade

[Sabre]

Have an appointment on Monday to get WS-60's put on

[sirwilliam]

Have an appointment on Monday to get WS-60's put on

A very logical and wise choice, indeed.

[Sabre]

Especially for $650 installed

[drwrx]

There is one tire that nobody has mentioned and since it rated very highly in a TireRack test I felt I needed to pass it along:
General AltiMAX Arctic. Yes they are Studdable but got very high ratings w/o studs. 8.39 w/o studs 9.28 with
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/tes ... p?ttid=123
The price is also very appealing: 225/45R17 $107.00 (each)

[schvin]

http://www.dieseljo.com/images_ice_pict ... e_bike.jpg



-scheherazade

!!!!!!

[complacent]

Oh,and :

http://www.dieseljo.com/images_ice_pict ... e_bike.jpg



-scheherazade

That's exactly what I'm talking about! The "burn outs" are quite funny too.

[Sabre]

Updated the first post with Darrin's suggested tire as well