33 replies to this topic

[RossKnight]

I suspect it's more down to the fact a 10" tyre has a much taller profile than a 12", so that would help in snow. 

 

I have to admit, I don't use mine all year round. They go on in March and are illegal by November, at which time, I put my winter wheels with A008s on (at the moment they have Falkens on, which was a mistake). But when I tried them in the snow they were surprisingly good 

 

The 032/048R tyres are definitely better than the 008s in the wet though, as the latter don't have any water clearing jets on the outside, whereas the former do.

 

But back to the OP, 539s are an excellent all round tyre that will be good in dry and wet. You won't be disappointed with them.

 

When do you get to do all this testing? you're 16?

[HarrysMini]

I have access to tracks and my grandfather owns quite a lot of private land.

[Tamworthbay]

Very very different to driving on the road.

[HarrysMini]

Very very different to driving on the road.

Probably correct. But my Dad agrees with every statement I have said above.

 

I can only give my experience.

[Down&Out]

Very very different to driving on the road.

I can vouch for this

[Tamworthbay]

Very very different to driving on the road.

Probably correct. But my Dad agrees with every statement I have said above.
 
I can only give my experience.

Very true, but it is worth mentioning that the experience is not road experience, especially when advising summer tyres as being good in the snow as it is safety critical information and could potentially have disastrous results.

[racingbob]

those new falkens 165 12 seem fine not the old ones

[Mini Cheddars]

I have 10" wheels so can only go by them, but:

 

Falken FK-07s are crap. Complete crap. They're a budget tyre for a reason. 'Meh' in the dry and slipperier than a greased eel on ice in the wet. Had too many close calls in them.

Yoko A008s are decent enough. Pretty good in dry, wet and snow if you don't push them too much.

Yoko A032s are absolutely superb in both dry and wet. I have a smile on my face every time I'm on a roundabout. Not tried them in the snow yet. Still waiting for that to fall down here!

 

Just a bit of hopefully helpful info for you. I know you're on 12" wheels but I can't imagine the differences would be that great.

[md7708]

ive got the A539 on 12" wheels and would defiantly recommend them, i've had them in the dry, wet, very wet and snow. 

havent let me down yet

[Alex_B]

I used to run Falken Ze912's on mine and they were pretty  appaling in the wet, I cant compare them with the A539s as I switched to tens and A008s and these have been great, a hell of a lot more grippy in all conditions, the falkens were down right dangerous and I ended up taking the front of the mini off in the wet in 2012 after aquaplaning and running out of room, now I dont hold that accident entirely down to tyres but inexperience and rubbish tyres is a bad bad mix 

[IainStallard]

I have the older style falkens on my car, all I can say it that they are dangerous, very little grip. I will be changing them for Yoko's as soon as I can afford to

[mab01uk]

145R10 Dunlop SP44 Weathermaster tyres are very good for snow and are once again available for Mokes and Rally Mini's.

http://www.vintagety...-tyre--road--tl

 

Edited by mab01uk, 15 February 2014 - 07:08 PM.

[HarrysMini]

You can tell those tyres are good snow tyres not because of the chunky tread, but because it has the clearing 'spoons' along the sides, where snow can travel out and the tyre can self clean. This is what makes the 032Rs relatively good in snow, because they share that property, unlike the 008s.

 

The same thing applies for rain. 

[Tamworthbay]

You can tell those tyres are good snow tyres not because of the chunky tread, but because it has the clearing 'spoons' along the sides, where snow can travel out and the tyre can self clean. This is what makes the 032Rs relatively good in snow, because they share that property, unlike the 008s.
 
The same thing applies for rain.

Are we talking the same a032rs?

http://europe.yokoha...Hash=7bbf4c2e80

These don't have any snow clearing tread. They are a road legal slick, a summer track day tyre. The compound is listed as soft. They are not a winter tyre. It is irrelevant anyway as they are for 10s. But as said above by myself and others, for an all year round tyre the a539 is the tyre to go for. The 12" a032r equivalent is the a048r which is so bad in the snow as to be dangerous in my on road experience.

[Mini Cheddars]

And I thought A032s were on the high price side!