SkYwAlKeR: January 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Achilles ATR Sport

it has been sometime since i swapped my old Falken Zeix912 with some new rubbers... Falken Zeix912 are considered top of the range for ZE version but the grip and traction is rather disappointing... after reading a few reviews from friends, i've decided to get these Indonesia tyres as they are within my budget... Yes, Indon tyres... don't be alarmed as past reviews and old timers would ask u to stay away from Indon tyres... no idea why and what is the myth behind it, but i guess it would have something to do with reliability...

anyhow, fast forward current technologies had reduced tyre blowout till zero if not minimal... proper maintenance of the tyres is the key towards longevity... properly inflated tyre with correct tyre pressure ensure even wear of the tyres... this also reduces chances of sidewall cracks due to under inflated tyres...

Achilles had been in the local scene for quite some time already... only now it had grown more popular due to involvement in local motorsports, especially the drift scene... Achilles has a wide range of tyres available in the market... but one of the best selling, best bang-for-buck, would be the ATR Sports... this is a directional tyre with wide steel belt to improve traction and cornering capabilities...

i bought 4 units 195/50/R15 size for Rm155 each... Traded in my old Falken for Rm50 each... first impression, feels slightly better grip compare to the old falken... less aquaplanning... after further running in, i found it has far better grip compare to my old Rm180 Falken... can conclude that these tyres can perform what Rm200 tyres do at a cheaper price... what i liked most is its grip under hard braking... it also possesses progressive traction characteristics... it does not lose traction all of a sudden... this allows u to react whenever it starts to slide...

i brought these rubbers to Dato Sagor track day... though they did not perform as much as i expected, it did not failed me either... the track is known to be punishing to any tyres and 1 month into using it, it has left me with this...

it is certainly one of the tyres one should consider if u are within tight budget... but if u are more of an enthusiastic driver who relies greatly on grip and traction (fear of sliding), u would want to go for more expensive UHP tyres...

Saturday, January 14, 2012

momo corse

for most car enthusiast, the first thing they will change would be the steering wheel... a smaller steering wheel does affect how you handle the car... less radius means less steering play needed... minor steering corrections can be done very quickly... on some cars it also does improve ergonomics of the car... for example your leg is too long and the steering wheel restricts the leg movement to heel-n-toe... a smaller steering gives more room for your leg to move around...

besides the diameter of the steering wheel, thickness of the handle also matters... in general, a thicker steering wheel gives better grip compare to smaller thin steering wheel...

for many years i did not realize why the need of aftermarket steering wheel... i've done countless touge and daily drive, i've already accustomed myself to the OEM steering wheel... only recently when i've got the mood to beautify the interior of my car only i realize how differently it feels...

there are a few choices i short-listed... momo corse or nardi torino... due to some unknown reason, price for momo corse steering dropped a little... most of them cost approximately Rm350 each... i got this for only Rm200...

original MOMO??...

of course, in order for an aftermarket steering wheel to fit u will need a boss kit... it is basically an adapter which connects the steering shaft with your steering wheel... does an expensive boss kit makes any difference compare with a cheap one??... with the price difference almost thrice as much, i settled for the latter one... here u go, a Rm30 boss kit from any local car accessory shop...