Should I switch to 16 inch BBS wheels?

[The Stickman]

Ok third thread on a possible trade I have an opprotunity to get in on. I am looking to sell an engine I have and an intersted party has items to trade. One of them being a set of BBS wheels. Now at present I am running a set of 18X9 Boss wheels with 275/40-18's all around. The wheels I have a chance to get are a pair of 16X10 and a pair of 16X12 BBS wheels in the 5X5 bolt pattern I have. It would give me better looking wider wheels. BUT they are 16's which greatly decreases my tire choices. In the sizes that fit these wheels about all that I can find are drag radials. Now I have no idea what the differences between the construction of a drag radial and a more cornering inspired tire like my BFG G-Force sports are. Would I notice the difference? Keep in mind this would be for spirited driving as well as possible AutoX and road course track events. I have always loved the look of a BBS mesh wheel so these would be a dream. But I am not so sure I want to give up handling if the construction of the tire isn't what I need even if I can get a larger foot print. Open for any help I can get here.

[slowcamaro]

Do it, but try to find asphalt oriented race tires rather than drag radials, since in that size you're definitely going to be forced to compromise

[MonzaRacer]

Id pass as a lot of the good 16 tires are getting hard to find and a lot of the stickier, performance oriented tires are going away in 16. And besides with a$$ed up sizes liek that for wheels your gonna have to simply build a car around a 16x12 .
also looking at a tire book to get really wide tires with lower profile tires dont look like their in the book as lowest profile I could find was 55 series and most of those are over 30 inches tall.
Getting cheap parts that complicate things are simply not a great deal.
Your al over the sight, I think these "race" parts are bad idea unless you can unload them to a local dirt/asphalt racer.
Like I said ,any tire with at least 12 in tread section width is over 32 in tall. Think about it, 3 ft tall wheels, big heavy and I have yet find anything under 55 series in 300+width.
This is taking parts someone cant use and pawning them on to you.
Take a warning you might regret swapping them.

[The Stickman]

Actually the tires I am looking at are 315/45-16 and 295/50-16 both of which are just a bit over 27 inches tall which is less then an inch taller than what I have now. so in that respect it's not bad. I am more worried about how they will handle because of their construction. But I do realize that good larger 16 inch tires are harder to find. Too bad these aren't street legal.
http://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/pdf/sportscar_rain.pdf

[Ash]

I say do it, and use them if you can. The BBS Mesh design is one of my favorites. super wide and small diameter classic wheels with crazy stretched tires is huge in the import crowd now. If you were wanting to flip them, the VW crowd (depending on offset) might drop some coin to have 12".

http://yhst-1408381693991.stores.yahoo.net/jdmhatofius.html

Depending on how much you have in the engine, sounds like a profitable trade. (I vote you use them though :))