Nokian Hakka R2 winter tires

[Nebroch]

Winter might just be starting at the northernmost region, but it will take atleast two months before it hits to the most of the country. TM tries to pump up the tyre sales well beforehand

WS80 isn't sold in Sweden and Finland just yet, maybe they have plenty of old inventory. Too bad GY isn't sold in US, the results look good. It is on the same level with Xi3 and R2 what comes to ice/snow grip, but works better on wet pavement (11-13 % decrease in stopping distance compared to Xi3/R2). Rolling resistance is ok too (just 0,4 % decrease in mpg compared to R2).

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Nebroch
Recent test results (Tekniikan Maailma): new Goodyear, R2 and Xi3 on the podium.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/1977234-post10.html

I'll post some details when I get the magazine.

Just curious, would these results hold true for R2 SUV as well? Or is that a different tire from the regular R2?

 

[nixon]

I'm about 99% sure that I'm going with hakka r2 suvs for my wife's Pilot
I've got the rims and tpms sensors , just waiting on winter tires to become available . One question I have is how different do these tires handle in dry ,or wet conditions as compared to a all season type tire ?

 

[Rand]

made in russia?

 

[Nebroch]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Just curious, would these results hold true for R2 SUV as well? Or is that a different tire from the regular R2?


Yes, stronger casing, different thread pattern and different tread compound according the manufacturer.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Rand
made in russia?

Yeah, this is a valid concern for me. First, I'm a little uneasy about buying anything coming out of Putin's area of control. Second, I'm wondering what impact the western imposed sanctions are having on the quality of Russian workmanship.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Nebroch
………...Too bad GY isn't sold in US, the results look good. It is on the same level with Xi3 and R2 what comes to ice/snow grip, but works better on wet pavement (11-13 % decrease in stopping distance compared to Xi3/R2). Rolling resistance is ok too (just 0,4 % decrease in mpg compared to R2).


I do see the older Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice on Goodyear's USA website, but when I look at TireRack's website, they only have one size available.

Discount Tire Direct has no sizes available. It seems that Goodyear is not serious about selling the UG Ice in the USA. The new UG Ice2 has a substantially different tread design than the older UG Ice.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Rand
made in russia?

Yeah, this is a valid concern for me. First, I'm a little uneasy about buying anything coming out of Putin's area of control. Second, I'm wondering what impact the western imposed sanctions are having on the quality of Russian workmanship.


What impact does vodka have on the quality of Russian workmanship?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Depends on whether they've now started drinking more or less than before.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Nebroch
……..WS80 isn't sold in Sweden and Finland just yet, maybe they have plenty of old inventory. Too bad GY isn't sold in US, the results look good. It is on the same level with Xi3 and R2 what comes to ice/snow grip, but works better on wet pavement (11-13 % decrease in stopping distance compared to Xi3/R2). Rolling resistance is ok too (just 0,4 % decrease in mpg compared to R2).


Also interesting in this test is that a Chinese winter tire, the Maxxis Arctic Trekker, had a higher overall score than the Blizzak WS70. That is something we never saw in the past from a Chinese winter tire.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT

Also interesting in this test is that a Chinese winter tire, the Maxxis Arctic Trekker, had a higher overall score than the Blizzak WS70. That is something we never saw in the past from a Chinese winter tire.


Why do you call it a chinese winter tire?

There are several kinds of chinese tires.. maxxis is actually a well known name brand.

and it was org. founded in taiwan.. hardly Ling-dong-fen tire!

that would be like calling michelin's made in china
"chinese tire"

 

[SubLGT]

OK, I stand corrected. I thought Maxxis was a Chinese company. This is the first time I have seen a Taiwanese winter tire score that high on a test.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
OK, I stand corrected. I thought Maxxis was a Chinese company. This is the first time I have seen a Taiwanese winter tire score that high on a test.


sorry if that came off abit rough I should have thrown in a few smilies

I'm surprised as well. But all I would take from it is how good winter tires are getting. Not that the ws-70 is somehow bad.

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: nixon
One question I have is how different do these tires handle in dry ,or wet conditions as compared to a all season type tire ?


Poorly, though not horribly so. We have Hakka R tires (the previous generation from the R2) on our Civic and Buick in the winter, and I definitely notice the difference in noise, ride and cornering when they're on the cars. But so long as you allow more room to brake and don't take corners so fast, they're OK in the Spring when we get days above zero and wet roads.

At the other end of the scale, we test-drove the Civic at forty below zero with the OEM all-seasons and it was spinning the wheels when accelerating, and sliding along with the ABS chattering while braking. The winters handle the same temperatures with far less fuss. The only thing they don't do well is accelerate or brake on ice, which is why we decided to try Hakka 8s on the new car instead of the R2s.

 

[krzyss]

Hakkapeliitta 8 with studs I presume.

Krzys

 

[Nebroch]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Also interesting in this test is that a Chinese winter tire, the Maxxis Arctic Trekker, had a higher overall score than the Blizzak WS70. That is something we never saw in the past from a Chinese winter tire.


I haven't seen prices anywhere, but Maxxis could give a lot bang for buck. I didn't notice it first, but it seems very balanced for Asian manufacturer. It's quite hard to get good ice grip and similar wet asphalt grip to same tyre, but they have succeeded in it.

Test results for the people:

http://www.btcf.fi/forum/showpost.php?p=3407901&postcount=32

Translations:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3139085/Re:_Nokian_Hakka_R2_winter_tir#Post3139085

There are also results from Tuulilasi's studless winter tyre test at the end of that btcf-topic.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted By: emg


At the other end of the scale, we test-drove the Civic at forty below zero with the OEM all-seasons and it was spinning the wheels when accelerating, and sliding along with the ABS chattering while braking. The winters handle the same temperatures with far less fuss. The only thing they don't do well is accelerate or brake on ice...


Ice is tough... rubber doesn't "cut..." into it for grip, and pressure creates water, which is even slicker...

I use Toyo GSI-5's now, and have run Hakka R2's recently, and both are excellent winter tires... and both use an abrasive additive in the rubber compound to give the rubber more grit... Toyo uses crushed walnut shells, not sure what Nokian uses...

Both have ok grip on ice, but it is by no means GOOD grip on ice... Blizzaks are the same, maybe slightly better, but still not what I would call GOOD on ice... many people have this expectation that a studless winter will have excellent grip on ice, similar to a tire on bare pavement. They don't... !

Studded Nokians, and others, are GOOD on ice... studs cut into and grip ice. But my roads aren't covered in ice very often, and studded tires are a headache on dry pavement... loud, and dry grip is compromised.

Tough choice...

I know people who will NEVER drive without studs again, and others who will never BUY studded tires again...

 

[emg]

Originally Posted By: krzyss
Hakkapeliitta 8 with studs I presume.


Yeah. As geeman mentioned above, the R2s are supposed to have something in the rubber that helps them grip better on ice, but the reviews I've seen rated the studded 8s as good or better on everything other than wet asphalt braking.

Hopefully I won't hate them for being too noisy after one winter

.

 

[UG_Passat]

I had Green Diamond tires before... with the silicon carbide chunk distributed throughout the entire tread.

...well before others started to add bite particles to their tread.

 

[krzyss]

Originally Posted By: geeman789
Originally Posted By: emg


At the other end of the scale, we test-drove the Civic at forty below zero with the OEM all-seasons and it was spinning the wheels when accelerating, and sliding along with the ABS chattering while braking. The winters handle the same temperatures with far less fuss. The only thing they don't do well is accelerate or brake on ice...


Ice is tough... rubber doesn't "cut..." into it for grip, and pressure creates water, which is even slicker...

I use Toyo GSI-5's now, and have run Hakka R2's recently, and both are excellent winter tires... and both use an abrasive additive in the rubber compound to give the rubber more grit... Toyo uses crushed walnut shells, not sure what Nokian uses...

Both have ok grip on ice, but it is by no means GOOD grip on ice... Blizzaks are the same, maybe slightly better, but still not what I would call GOOD on ice... many people have this expectation that a studless winter will have excellent grip on ice, similar to a tire on bare pavement. They don't... !

Studded Nokians, and others, are GOOD on ice... studs cut into and grip ice. But my roads aren't covered in ice very often, and studded tires are a headache on dry pavement... loud, and dry grip is compromised.

Tough choice...

I know people who will NEVER drive without studs again, and others who will never BUY studded tires again...



Per Russian tests studded tires work the best on warm ice (close to 0C - 32F), the colder the ice the better studless work as studs cannot bit into really cold ice and chemical magic still works at low temperatures.

Krzys