Are Racing Tires Worth The Money?

3 minute read

If you love the idea of upgrading your vehicle, you’ve no doubt considered buying racing tires. These look great, offer enhanced performance, and can even add to safety.

But are they worth buying? That’s the question answered in this guide. We look at the pros and cons of putting these on your wheels and the benefits/costs you might notice if you do.

Pro: Better Performance

Naturally, racing tires make most road production cars perform better. You can accelerate faster from the lights, stop more quickly, and feel more confident in the turns, even if the weather isn’t ideal. That doesn’t mean you should be taking risks, but it does mean that even if you find yourself in a challenging situation on the road, you are more likely to get out of it.

Con: Short Lifespan

The downside of racing tires, of course, is their short shelf life. They don’t last long.

The reason for this comes back to their design. Manufacturers make them for the race track, not for everyday use. As such, you may need to replace them as often as once every six months or so.

Race tires have a soft compound. While it is supremely grippy, it also sheds its material onto the road, meaning that the tread disappears faster.

Pro: Specialised Design

If you look for racing tires on sites like Tires Easy, you can find specialized designs. These offer additional benefits, like slick for dry tracks and grooved options for public roads and wet conditions.

The nice thing about racing tires is that you can optimize them for performance. You don’t simply have to make do with whatever tires the manufacturer puts on your vehicle.

Con: Cost

The high cost of racing tires is another con. Manufacturers have to recoup their losses from researching what goes into making the optimal compound.

These costs are often part and parcel of the purchase, unfortunately. While it is possible to get discounts on some tires, it’s not always possible.

Pro: Durability Under Stress

While the longevity of racing tires might not be particularly good, one of their most significant benefits is their extreme durability under stress. These tires know how to take a beating, meaning it is less likely that they will fail on the road.

Racing tires often have sidewall reinforcements that help them deal with the higher G-forces they are likely to face. Again, these features make them more robust, regardless of how you drive them.

Con: Harsher Ride

The final downside is racing tires’ harsher ride. Because of their racing compounds, they are less forgiving, focusing more on performance than comfort.

The reason for this effect comes from their deformability. Conventional road tires are made of hard, long-lasting compounds, but they also crumple and bend with the surroundings, shielding drivers and passengers. That’s not true of racing tires. While they are made of high-quality, soft rubber, they don’t have the same kind of pliability because of the need to reduce friction on the race track.