BFGoodrich g-Force Rival tire launch review and podcast

[Larry Callahan]

https://www.pro-touring.com/podcast/rival-logox250.jpg


Event:BFGoodrich g-Force Rival tire launch
When: January 22 2013
Where: NOLA Motorsports Park, New Orleans, Louisiana (http://www.nolamotor.com/)

BFGoodrich has released a real winner of tire for our hobby called the g-Force Rival

For more info please click on the link below to listen the to podcast we recorded covering the event.
It has more info and some local music I recorded while I was there.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/protouring/Pro_Touring_Episode35_01292013.mp3

A few quick facts on the new g-Force Rival tire

200 Treadwear rating

Extreme Tread Edge design brings tread compound farther down the shoulder for increased grip in hard cornering and predictable feedback.

Consistent grip Silica-infused competition compound delivers better grip from start to finish.

Rival will initially launch in 15 sizes with rim dimensions from 15-20 inches and 205-335 section width. The product will be available through TireRack.com with pre-orders beginning on Feb. 1

Road course - Mustang Mustang FR500S
BFGoodrich Rival
Falken RT-615K

Unfortunately I was unable to cram myself into the Mustang due to a serious roll cage and a knee that won’t bend far enough. I did hear the other divers talking about their experience and they were all hands down in agreement that the Rival had better grip and felt more stable in the corners. I also did hear that with only a couple of laps on each tire most people were trying to push it hard but also didn’t want to wreck.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

There was a nice variety of people attending the event. Some of them you might know
Larry Callahan
Robert Kibbe
Bill Howell
Brian Finch
Mark Stielow
Bill Goldberg
Jimi Day

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

You might also know few of the instructors. Talks about some serious talent helping us out.
Kyle Tucker
Terry Earwood
Andrew Comrie-Picard or better known as ACP
Jason Childress
Dan McKeever

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Autocross - BMW M3
BFGoodrich Rival
Hankook Ventus R-S3

What a fun event! This is where I most noticed the differences in the tire during the day. We had enough time to run both tires twice and the difference was amazing.The BFGoodrich g-Force Rival was a clear no contest winner. It turned in much faster, the rear end was much more stable and when I did get into trouble it was much more forgiving to my lack of experience. Unlike the Hankook tire the Rival had a very forgiving slip. The Hankook tire was slower on the turn in and was real wishy washy during the slalom near the end. In fact I once overcooked it on I think the second leg of the slalom and the Hankook snapped. I wound up backwards and once on another lap I wound up blowing right through the last leg to avoid killing a bunch of cones.

Something funny I head Bill Goldberg say was that from a drifting standpoint the Hankook tire may have been more fun due to it sliding around but lap times are what it's all about and that goes to the BFG Rival.

A piece of advice I heard several times during the launch that will stick with me was this


A squealing tire is a happy tire. Screaming, not so much.


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Lunch time at the launch

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Skidpad - Mazda MX-5 Cup
BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2
BFGoodrich G-Force Rival
BFGoodrich G-Force R1 S

This was our first event after lunch and I wish I hadn’t ate so much. We ran circles trying to maintain a line and the highest sideways G load. This was interesting in that all three cars had BFG’s on them to help you understand where the BFGoodrich Rival fell in the lineup. We started on the Sport Comp-2 and when I switched the the Rival there was a notable difference. The Comp-2 did well but the Rival stuck better, I was able to generate a higher average G load and upset my full stomach even more. The final tire was the R1 S and I noticed less of a difference between in and the first two tires. While I was able to pull a tiny bit more G’s it was really close. Perhaps someone with more experience could see a bigger difference than I did but considering the R1 S has a 40 tread wear rating and the Rival has a 200 the Rival is for me.

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Autocross - Subaru Impreza WRX STi
BFGoodrich G-Force Rival ← Looked like you ran just a few laps on it at the end of the day
Hankook Ventus R-S3 ← Showed a fair amount of wear at the end of the day
Toyo Proxes R1R ← Toast at the end of the day

This was another fun ride. I went out for a couple of laps with the BFGoodrich Rival and it did really well. I didn’t get into any trouble and the instructor in the passenger seat said that for having only run two laps I did well. Now it was time to jump into the next of 4 total cars.

As I ran each tire my lap times became worse and worse. The others didn't turn in as quick, were less stable in the corner and I just felt much more comfortable with the Rival tires. The greatest thing was at the end being able to get back into a car with the Rival's on it and really being able to run a good lap. Jumping right from the Toyo to the BFG Rival was very noticeable.
One think I heard Brian Finch say was they he was hitting the rev limiter only on the BFGoodrich Rival on that autocross. Apparently he was unable to carry the speed out of the corners with the competitors tires.

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We were the last group of the day to run the Subaru autocross. After running the tires all day they took them off and put them on display in the main building for the wrapup. This is the BFGoodrich g-Force Rival after a day of abuse on the autocross. It held up really well considering the number of people that abused it and the laps it ran all day.

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The competition didn't hold up well and was no competition in my opinion.
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Conclusion

I have to hand it to BFGoodrich for hosting this event. It took a lot of confidence in their new tire to bring us all out there to compare them with the competition. In the end the Rival is the clear choice for me. With the 2013 season about to get underway I was kicking around the idea of picking up an extra set of wheels and using my KDW’s for bulk of the driving and something else for the track days. With the Rival’s ability to deal with what rain I see here in California I will just order me up a set of 18” Rivals for MotiV8r when I’m ready.

For more info please click on the link below to listen the to podcast we recorded covering the event.
It has more info and some local music I recorded while I was there.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/protouring/Pro_Touring_Episode35_01292013.mp3

[tommycomfort]

Can't wait to run a set myself!

[Larry Callahan]

You will LOVE them!

[Larry Callahan]

If anyone is interested in all the pictures I took in New Orleans you can find them at the link below

http://s385.beta.photobucket.com/user/protouringdotcom/library/BFGoodrich%20Rival%20Launch

[454bug]

Hey Larry,

What did you all think of the facility?? Could it be a good location for a future "Run to" event? It's really nice having a dedicated autocross area as well as the full-size road course.

In addition, I believe they rent go-carts there as well. I seem to remember the group having a lot of fun running go karts at another facility a few years ago...

[GeoffP]

Maybe I should sell my Nitto NT-05's before these start shipping...

[protouring70]

Wow.......Those BFG's looked to be in great shape!!!! Considering that got abused all day!! I will have to check out their sizes!

[protouring70]

Lots of good sizes

225/45ZR15 87 W
205/50ZR15 86 W
225/50ZR16 92 W
245/40ZR17 91 W
255/40ZR17 94 W
215/45ZR17/XL 91 W
225/45ZR17 91 W
315/30ZR18 98 W
335/30ZR18 102 W
275/35ZR18 95 W
295/35ZR18 99 W
245/40ZR18 93 W
265/35ZR20/XL 99 W
285/35ZR20 100 W
315/35ZR20/XL 110 W

[rentedmule]

I'm surprised/disappointed that they're not offering them in 275/40-17

[Stielow]

I was at the BFG Rival event with Larry and I think this is going to be a great tire for Pro-Touring cars. It is easy to drive and has a lot of grip. I can't wait to test a set on my car. Now we have to wait until they go on sale.

Mark

[Muscle Express Ryan]

I think they are on the TireRack website.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival&partnum=54WR7GFR&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

[Jim Nilsen]

I'm surprised/disappointed that they're not offering them in 275/40-17

Or 285's either. I hope there are more sizes than listed or they are losers again until I go 18" wheels.
I was really excited when I saw this and then I jumped off the cliff.I still don't know who the idiot is that doesn't understand the 17" tire dilema and then to even forget 275's. I would have gone down a size to get them. I just don't get it?
Maybe they will stick good enough with 255's on a 10" wheel?

[aray327]

BFG if you're reading this... more sizes, specifically 275/35 19!
Oh, and I'm due for tires now.

[Tomswheels]

They have 285 and 295 35 19s coming out in the next wave of sizes... Probably a few months after the ones on Tirerack.

[Brads70]

BFG if you're reading this... more sizes, specifically 275/35 19!
Oh, and I'm due for tires now.

I agree.....Kinda disapointed in sizing.... Any idea if more sizes will be available in the future? looking for a taller tire in 18" like 295/40/18

[carguy502]

They have 285 and 295 35 19s coming out in the next wave of sizes... Probably a few months after the ones on Tirerack.

Since you appear to be in the know, any word on 275 40 17s?

Best,
Don

[Tomswheels]

Sorry Don, I only saw some of the 19 inch sizes...

[chetly]

I wonder why BFG didnt have any of the Dunlop's on site to test against or why times werent givin out? And running the Toyo R1R on anything bigger than a first gen Miata or a Honda Civic is just plain stupid. Those tires have been proven in the SCCA Auto-X community to not work anything as heavy as a Mustang or Camaro let alone an AWD pig like the Subaru...

[dontlifttoshift]

Technically, the ZII, that I assume your are refering to weren't available at that point in time. Rumor has it that there was an unofficial back to back with the ZII and the Rival and it clearly favored the Rival. Terry touches on it in here http://www.vorshlag.com/blog/?p=583

[Brads70]

Any word on producing optional sizing?

[72BBSwinger]

Would like to see how they compete against the NT05 and Re-615k's.

[BANKO]

I'm interested in the 295/35/19 tires, any idea if they will be out before the end of 2013?

[383builder07]

Im building a protouring '67 chevy II, and i really want to run these tires. The largest tire i can fit before mini tubing is a 255. Any one know a 255 wide rival would get enough traction with 420 whp? im thinking that i would need a 275.

[Jim Nilsen]

Im building a protouring '67 chevy II, and i really want to run these tires. The largest tire i can fit before mini tubing is a 255. Any one know a 255 wide rival would get enough traction with 420 whp? im thinking that i would need a 275.

We will find out. I bit the hard bullet and went with the 255's available for now and am hoping a lot.

[pharmd]

Unfortunately it seems like availability is a REAL problem with these tires.

[XLexusTech]

Tire rack say 3-4 weeks availability Is that incorrect ?

[Van B]

Tire rack say 3-4 weeks availability Is that incorrect ?

That is correct. Shame, all of the events in the Midwest will be history before they are available.

[XLexusTech]

That is correct. Shame, all of the events in the Midwest will be history before they are available.

Not for me ... I plan ahead... Not to be a D@#$ BUT over the last few months i have noticed lots of "I want it now" ... i agree that a wait sucks but ... Geese this isn't fast food...

[Van B]

Not for me ... I plan ahead... Not to be a D@#$ BUT over the last few months i have noticed lots of "I want it now" ... i agree that a wait sucks but ... Geese this isn't fast food...

It's not that I didn't plan ahead. It is just a fact that there were basically two events in my area, Heidt's Performance Car Challenge and Faceoff at Road America. I would have liked to try Rivals, but will have to run on my KDWs since the Rivals won't be available til July in the size I need.

[hag6888]

How good are these on truck ?

[TLWiltman]

I wonder why BFG didnt have any of the Dunlop's on site to test against or why times werent givin out? And running the Toyo R1R on anything bigger than a first gen Miata or a Honda Civic is just plain stupid. Those tires have been proven in the SCCA Auto-X community to not work anything as heavy as a Mustang or Camaro let alone an AWD pig like the Subaru...

I was thinking that too. I used them on my Cobalt SS (DS street tire). They worked really well for the most part. Absolutely awesome on cooler days. They did start to show some rippling on later runs of warmer days and definitely picked up a greasy feel to them. I would rate them as too soft for anything much heavier, but competitive in a lighter car like that.

Those in the pic were completely toast... That much is very clear. Got about 12k DD miles and a season out of mine. Not much tread left after that.

[RBEAST]

I dont know who said good sizes but personally all those sizes are too small in the 17 inch size and what about 19's anything anytime soon?

[andrewb70]

I dont know who said good sizes but personally all those sizes are too small in the 17 inch size and what about 19's anything anytime soon?

I am sure that BFG will be rolling out a lot of other sizes in the Rival tire. I just got a set and I am excited to get them installed and run them through their paces at the Holley LS Fest.

Andrew

[Jim Nilsen]

I heard that there will be P275 x 17 40's coming sometime late this year to early next year. Not necessarily soon but coming. A lot of other sizes are coming out as they go.
I can tell you that I was hanging with a lot of bigger rubber cars at the Motorstate and I was within a second of them and did 16th, a whole lot better than ever expected. They are very predictable and have a lot of traction at the limit.
Drive them just to the edge of starting to squeal and you are good to go with the gas out of the corner.
I look forward to wearing the P255's out and getting the P275's but they are wearing really well. I have 2 events on them and you really can't tell it.
So I think you will be happy.

[rentedmule]

Great to hear the 275's are on the way. A guy with an S2000 in our auto-x club is running them this season and he's liking them as well.

[UMI Tech]

I drove on a set of Rivals this weekend in a customer car at the Ohio Musclecar Challenge. I can see what all the fuss is about. I was waiting for the slide and it didn't...

[SShep71]

I hope they put some 19s out in the next few months 275/35/19s to be exact

[gjestico]

Hope they have 275/40-17 by January or I will be looking for another brand. Dissapointed by BFG ; To abandon this very common GM size.

[Vortech404]

Anybody get the new HOT ROD Magazine? They tested the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11,BFGoodrich G-Force Rival,Dunlop Direzza ZII,Hankook Ventus R-S3 Z222,Michelin Pilot Super Sport,Falken RT-615K and the Nitto NT05. They got the best times with the Dunlop Direzza Z11's

John

[SLO_Z28]

Anybody get the new HOT ROD Magazine? They tested the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11,BFGoodrich G-Force Rival,Dunlop Direzza ZII,Hankook Ventus R-S3 Z222,Michelin Pilot Super Sport,Falken RT-615K and the Nitto NT05. They got the best times with the Dunlop Direzza Z11's

John

Thats pretty much the consensus right now. The Z2 is on top, and the RE11A is the default rain tire. There are a few more hats getting thrown into the ring soon though.

[mc84_zz4]

Hot Rod magazine also posted a nice video clip of the mayhem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfVC2qOJ_lU
Results are posted @ 9:25 on the clip

Tire...............................Lap Time.....Price

Dunlop Direzza ZII................56.43....$278
Hankook Ventus RS3 z2222....56.90....$282
BFGoodrich G-Force Rival.......57.10....$279
Falken Azenis RTt615k...........57.36....$273
Michelin Pilot Super Sport.......57.79....$252
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11.....57.98....$228
Nitto NT05............................59.37....$219

[Jim Nilsen]

I don't know if they will have it by January but I do know they are coming. I am running the P255's and am keeping up with everyone but 275's will be better.
The tire rack was responsible for not giving us the choice but they are going to get them whether or not they like it. It was a big oversight for them to not look and see that many performance cars have 275' in the rear and to buy different wheels is not an option.

They are coming, we will see when they show up. Keep us posted when you see them.

[Cobra 498]

When are the new Autox spec Rivals coming out, they are supposed to be equal to or better than Falken 615's and they come in 335x18.

[71RS/SS396]

When are the new Autox spec Rivals coming out, they are supposed to be equal to or better than Falken 615's and they come in 335x18.

Last I heard was the end of this month.

[LS7 Z/28]

When are the new Autox spec Rivals coming out, they are supposed to be equal to or better than Falken 615's and they come in 335x18.


Last I heard was the end of this month.

Could you guys please elaborate? Is this like a Rival version 2.0?

[Nothingface5384]

nice to know about another variation of the rivals comming out!

here's current size offering, still zilch for 17s..

Serv. Desc.
205/50ZR15 86W
225/45ZR15 87W
225/50ZR16 92W
215/45ZR17 91W
225/45ZR17 91W
245/40ZR17 91W
SizeServ. Desc.
255/40ZR17 94W
225/40ZR18 92W
245/40ZR18 93W
275/35ZR18 95W
295/35ZR18 99W
SizeServ. Desc.
315/30ZR18 98W
335/30ZR18 102W
265/35ZR20 99W
285/35ZR20 100W
315/35ZR20 110W

[UMI Performance]

We will be trying the Rivals this year as well. One set of 295's on our '99 Camaro and 275's on our '79 Monte.

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[BMR Sales]

https://www.pro-touring.com/podcast/rival-logox250.jpg


Event:BFGoodrich g-Force Rival tire launch
When: January 22 2013
Where: NOLA Motorsports Park, New Orleans, Louisiana (http://www.nolamotor.com/)

BFGoodrich has released a real winner of tire for our hobby called the g-Force Rival

For more info please click on the link below to listen the to podcast we recorded covering the event.
It has more info and some local music I recorded while I was there.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/protouring/Pro_Touring_Episode35_01292013.mp3

A few quick facts on the new g-Force Rival tire

200 Treadwear rating

Extreme Tread Edge design brings tread compound farther down the shoulder for increased grip in hard cornering and predictable feedback.

Consistent grip Silica-infused competition compound delivers better grip from start to finish.

Rival will initially launch in 15 sizes with rim dimensions from 15-20 inches and 205-335 section width. The product will be available through TireRack.com with pre-orders beginning on Feb. 1

Road course - Mustang Mustang FR500S
BFGoodrich Rival
Falken RT-615K

Unfortunately I was unable to cram myself into the Mustang due to a serious roll cage and a knee that won’t bend far enough. I did hear the other divers talking about their experience and they were all hands down in agreement that the Rival had better grip and felt more stable in the corners. I also did hear that with only a couple of laps on each tire most people were trying to push it hard but also didn’t want to wreck.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

There was a nice variety of people attending the event. Some of them you might know
Larry Callahan
Robert Kibbe
Bill Howell
Brian Finch
Mark Stielow
Bill Goldberg
Jimi Day

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

You might also know few of the instructors. Talks about some serious talent helping us out.
Kyle Tucker
Terry Earwood
Andrew Comrie-Picard or better known as ACP
Jason Childress
Dan McKeever

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Autocross - BMW M3
BFGoodrich Rival
Hankook Ventus R-S3

What a fun event! This is where I most noticed the differences in the tire during the day. We had enough time to run both tires twice and the difference was amazing.The BFGoodrich g-Force Rival was a clear no contest winner. It turned in much faster, the rear end was much more stable and when I did get into trouble it was much more forgiving to my lack of experience. Unlike the Hankook tire the Rival had a very forgiving slip. The Hankook tire was slower on the turn in and was real wishy washy during the slalom near the end. In fact I once overcooked it on I think the second leg of the slalom and the Hankook snapped. I wound up backwards and once on another lap I wound up blowing right through the last leg to avoid killing a bunch of cones.

Something funny I head Bill Goldberg say was that from a drifting standpoint the Hankook tire may have been more fun due to it sliding around but lap times are what it's all about and that goes to the BFG Rival.

A piece of advice I heard several times during the launch that will stick with me was this


A squealing tire is a happy tire. Screaming, not so much.


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Lunch time at the launch

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Skidpad - Mazda MX-5 Cup
BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2
BFGoodrich G-Force Rival
BFGoodrich G-Force R1 S

This was our first event after lunch and I wish I hadn’t ate so much. We ran circles trying to maintain a line and the highest sideways G load. This was interesting in that all three cars had BFG’s on them to help you understand where the BFGoodrich Rival fell in the lineup. We started on the Sport Comp-2 and when I switched the the Rival there was a notable difference. The Comp-2 did well but the Rival stuck better, I was able to generate a higher average G load and upset my full stomach even more. The final tire was the R1 S and I noticed less of a difference between in and the first two tires. While I was able to pull a tiny bit more G’s it was really close. Perhaps someone with more experience could see a bigger difference than I did but considering the R1 S has a 40 tread wear rating and the Rival has a 200 the Rival is for me.

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Autocross - Subaru Impreza WRX STi
BFGoodrich G-Force Rival ← Looked like you ran just a few laps on it at the end of the day
Hankook Ventus R-S3 ← Showed a fair amount of wear at the end of the day
Toyo Proxes R1R ← Toast at the end of the day

This was another fun ride. I went out for a couple of laps with the BFGoodrich Rival and it did really well. I didn’t get into any trouble and the instructor in the passenger seat said that for having only run two laps I did well. Now it was time to jump into the next of 4 total cars.

As I ran each tire my lap times became worse and worse. The others didn't turn in as quick, were less stable in the corner and I just felt much more comfortable with the Rival tires. The greatest thing was at the end being able to get back into a car with the Rival's on it and really being able to run a good lap. Jumping right from the Toyo to the BFG Rival was very noticeable.
One think I heard Brian Finch say was they he was hitting the rev limiter only on the BFGoodrich Rival on that autocross. Apparently he was unable to carry the speed out of the corners with the competitors tires.

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We were the last group of the day to run the Subaru autocross. After running the tires all day they took them off and put them on display in the main building for the wrapup. This is the BFGoodrich g-Force Rival after a day of abuse on the autocross. It held up really well considering the number of people that abused it and the laps it ran all day.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

The competition didn't hold up well and was no competition in my opinion.
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Conclusion

I have to hand it to BFGoodrich for hosting this event. It took a lot of confidence in their new tire to bring us all out there to compare them with the competition. In the end the Rival is the clear choice for me. With the 2013 season about to get underway I was kicking around the idea of picking up an extra set of wheels and using my KDW’s for bulk of the driving and something else for the track days. With the Rival’s ability to deal with what rain I see here in California I will just order me up a set of 18” Rivals for MotiV8r when I’m ready.

For more info please click on the link below to listen the to podcast we recorded covering the event.
It has more info and some local music I recorded while I was there.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/protouring/Pro_Touring_Episode35_01292013.mp3

If Terry Earwood was in charge, you guys had some extra fun! I've worked with Terry for more years than I want to admit at Skip Barber. He is truly one of the Best & Funniest Guys I have ever met!

T.C.

btw, The New BFG's are Nice!

[parsonsj]

I'm running Rivals for the USCA event at Daytona later this month, but the 335/30-18s seem to be unavailable until July.

[Matt@BOS]

I'm running Rivals for the USCA event at Daytona later this month, but the 335/30-18s seem to be unavailable until July.

John, what are you going to run in place of the 335 rear Rival tire?

Have you ever used the Rivals before? If you haven't, I strongly suggest getting them broken in with Tirerack, otherwise they will feel just about useless the first weekend you use them. There have been plenty of people who have had success running Falkens and tried Rivals only to take them off because they weren't patient conditioning them, heat cycling and breaking them in. I've always felt the Rivals offer good balance, are predictable and easy to control after breaking loose. To be completely honest though, they lack the forward bite of the 615Ks. On big, relatively heavy, high horsepower cars, which favor power over momentum, the lack of forward bite in first and second gear can be annoying. The Rival has its upsides too, and what I like about the tire, is that it seems more forgiving, which makes it easier to control even if it gets a bit greasy and wears well (at least for me). I've found them to be good around a track that uses 3rd and 4th gear.

Hmm, I suppose I've just inadvertently written a mini review. Hope it is useful to some.

Matt

P.S. I want info on this updated tire Bruce and Tim are speaking of. I'm curious if we will get a stated revision, or if BFG will simply start molding the tires with a different compound after a certain date.

[parsonsj]

Matt, I've found some used Rivals. They aren't quite to the wear indicators and hold air. That's about all I can say. Up front, I've got brand new Rivals. It's the best I could come up with in the sizes I need. I'll drive them on the street for the next week or so, then head to Daytona.

[howehot]

The 335 have been out since December and availability has been moved at least 3 times. I settled for a set of 315's. The 275's I have were out for months also. I found a new set from someone local who was stepping up to a larger size. My son want Comp 2's for his 2010 Camaro last summer, out of stock.

I think BFG should be highly embarrassed that they advertise this tire being so good and then not make them available when you need them. In July the season will be half over and the consumer will find a different tire to substitute. I will probably go with Falkens on the El Camino due to this. No, they don't have 335's either but their 315's are always available when needed.

[parsonsj]

I've got 13 inch wheels, so a 315 just won't work. Even the 335 is a bit stretched. I really need a 345/35 for the rear. Or run smaller wheels. :(

As soon as I finish up the USCA runs (Daytona and Sebring), I'll be switching back to Toyo R888s.

[ks71z28]

I just did the USCA event at Fontana with the Rival tire. Performance was on par with other 200 tread wear tires, but we had one of the 275/35/18 fronts come apart on the shoulder. Only one of the tires is coming apart. We were running appropriate tire pressures, we have a thread of our involvement at the event, which was AWESOME, BTW! there are some pics of the event as well as the tire that is coming apart. I have contacted BFG as well as Tire Rack, so far nothing has been done. If I don't get any info back, i will need to change to Falken for the Portland event next month.

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/108006-Fontana-Optima-Event-Custom-Works-Camaro

[howehot]

I don't think you will be contacted by BFG or Tire Rack. Seems to be a problem and apparently customer service is not high on BFG list of things to do. 8 months without 335's now. I am setting the El Camino up for Falkens and my have them on the Monte for OUSCI as my front 275's are showing the seam across the tread of the tire pretty bad after two events and less than 500 miles. When might the failure come, hope it's not at Gateway.

[k7king]

335's are shipping now.

[parsonsj]

Yep. Mine will be here Thursday.

[Brads70]

Too late for me I went with Falkens.... maybe next time?

[72BBSwinger]

Just let us run Toyo R888's, problem solved.

[Cobra 498]

I don't think you will be contacted by BFG or Tire Rack. Seems to be a problem and apparently customer service is not high on BFG list of things to do. 8 months without 335's now. I am setting the El Camino up for Falkens and my have them on the Monte for OUSCI as my front 275's are showing the seam across the tread of the tire pretty bad after two events and less than 500 miles. When might the failure come, hope it's not at Gateway.

You are so right about customer no service, I have new Falkens coming tomorrow. They put my order off on 5 separate occasions got tired of waiting new Falkens arriving tomorrow

[tommycomfort]

I stepped down to a 315/30-18 for the last two sets of rears with no noticeable ill effects. My 335's did just show up, so they will be ready for the next install. The first set of Rivals I used up, we had run low pressures similar to what we had been using with KDW's and had the issues others have talked about. This last set we ran mid to upper 30's PSI and they held up fantastic. It's tough for me to throw stones at a tire that will hold up to a half dozen track days and many more autocrosses.

Does Falken offer a 335 now? How about sponsoring Pro-Touring events? Or better yet, send an engineer or marketing representative to anything we do? It's true that BFG has some production issues but I'm a brand loyal guy who will be sticking with my American made BFG street tires.

[parsonsj]

Just let us run Toyo R888's, problem solved.I second that! More sizes, easy to get, outstanding performance.

[72BBSwinger]

Not to mention they last longer and are cheaper.

[NWEBER540]

Are there any plans for these to come out in other sizes? could use them in a 335 25 20 or 345 25 20

[Red67Mustang]

Are there any plans for these to come out in other sizes?

Ditto on that question. Sounds like a great tire, but massively hamstrung by just a handful of sizes being available. I'd love to see some 275/40-17s. That's a popular "Pro-Touring" size so I'm a bit surprised to see this pro-touring targeted tire not available in that size.

[lzdick]

Tire Rack shows 'backorder' on all Rival sizes I use. Has anyone heard of an 'estimated date' on when the new compound Rivals will be released?

[71RS/SS396]

Tire Rack shows 'backorder' on all Rival sizes I use. Has anyone heard of an 'estimated date' on when the new compound Rivals will be released?

March is the last I heard but the new version will only be available in 295, 315, and 335 in 18's.

[dontlifttoshift]

Tim, is that initially or always? There are a lot of small tire autocross types eagerly awaiting the new compound that works at Lincoln, they will be severely disappointed.

[71RS/SS396]

Tim, is that initially or always? There are a lot of small tire autocross types eagerly awaiting the new compound that works at Lincoln, they will be severely disappointed.

I'm not sure Donny, I'm in the same conundrum with Deb's car since she uses a 275 on the front.

[lzdick]

Tim, In your opinion, is it bad to mix the old compound 335 on rear with new compound 315 up front? Or would it be best to be same compound on all 4?

[dontlifttoshift]

I'm not Tim but I don't think anyone can really answer that yet.......It won't be a problem, though.

[lzdick]

Thanx, 'not Tim'.

[ADiCarlo]

I ordered a 335 and they told me 30 to 60 days. I assume these will be the new compound which is now an issue because I have 1 335 rival that I assume is old compound that I was gonna run. Anyone need a 335 old compound lol

[Removed user as requested]

I read these tires also come for 15" wheels...

Mickey Thompson and Hoosier offer 15" wide tires for 15" rims. Does the G-force Rival come in those sizes for a 15" wheel?

[dontlifttoshift]

You want a tire for a 15" x 15" wheel? BFG does not have tires in that size.

[NWFreerider]

Maybe this has been answered elsewhere but not in this thread. Why are the Rivals only available at Tire Rack? I just had a set mounted for my 3rd gen Z-28 and had to have Discount Tire mount them. They didn't mind as I have bought a lot of tires from them for my trucks but I would rather buy tires from a local dealer. If there is a problem, it is a lot easier to get resolved when you have someone to talk to in person.

[dontlifttoshift]

The tire rack exclusive was supposed to expire this year but that is something I heard from a guy who heard from a guy.

[lzdick]

The tire rack exclusive was supposed to expire this year but that is something I heard from a guy who heard from a guy.

Great...another "rumor monger".

[Removed user as requested]

You want a tire for a 15" x 15" wheel? BFG does not have tires in that size.

What about 295/15s or 315/15s?

[dontlifttoshift]

Let me google that for you.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival

[Removed user as requested]

Let me google that for you.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival


According to that, 205/50ZR15 (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=05WR5GFR&tab=Sizes) 86W (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival#)is the largest one available for 15" wheels. That sucks.

I guess its either Hoosier or M/T in anything wider than 295.

[alcino]

Actually there is a slightly wider size (225/45/15), but it doesn't seem to be available at the moment from tirerack. I'm sure it will show up soon. This is the size I currently use. Extremely budget friendly(<$130 a tire) and seems to get the job done well enough for 8" wide wheels. If it wasn't for the popularity of the miata and hondas I doubt there would be any 200TW tires in 15". M/T or hoosier will have more 15" options, but will make you illegal for nearly all pro-touring style events if you care about that.

Stepping up to 17" gets you a lot of 255 options, and a few wider(275, 315). For much wider tires you need to go to 18s or 19s and tires get really pricey. Just the way it is.

BFG seems to be trying to support the pro-touring movement and its events so I too am confused why they are not making wider options in the 15-17" wheels. 245/45/15, 275/40/17, 315/35/17, etc ...please!

[rdchandler]

Rivals are not even listed under BFG on Tire Racks website anymore. I called about 275-35/18's and was told there out of stock with no production date. guess I am buying Falken 615's

[GrabberGT]

Rivals are not even listed under BFG on Tire Racks website anymore. I called about 275-35/18's and was told there out of stock with no production date. guess I am buying Falken 615's

I didnt believe you so I went to check for myself. (My wife hates that) I did find Rival listed under BFG brand but then selected the sizes and and see that there are now only 4 sizes listed. Seems to be fewer and fewer every day.

SizeServ. Desc.
215/45ZR16 86W
225/45ZR17 91W

SizeServ. Desc.
255/40ZR19 100W

SizeServ. Desc.
285/35ZR19 99W

[howehot]

Seems to be the same position BFG was in last year at this time. Everyone needed tires for the up coming season and the most popular sizes were on back order. As the estimated instock dates approached they would move the date. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!

[72BBSwinger]

Sucks a 200TW tire is mandated to play in the first place. Wish Hankook made a 335 RS-3, or Dunlop ZII.

[GrabberGT]

Sucks a 200TW tire is mandated to play in the first place. Wish Hankook made a 335 RS-3, or Dunlop ZII.

What other option are there for a street tire in Pro touring sizes? I just dont think there are many companies making 200tw in > 285/18. The best are obviously Falken and BFG. Falkens are expensive and BFG's are elusive.

Other tires??? (315 or 335)
Pirrelli P0 220tw
Michelin PS2 220tw

[72BBSwinger]

Toyo R888 and RA1.

[Tomswheels]

I believe the best 285/18 are Hankook R-S3 then Dunlop Z2 Star Spec. Tire Rack still has the Dunlops available...

[dontlifttoshift]

BFG has a bunch of new sizes listed on their website for the Rival.....no idea on ETA for any of them. 275/40-17 and 315/35-17 for you guys stuck in the 90s and a slew of 19" sizes as well.

[eric1967]

What's up with the 275s & 315/18s not being listed on tire rack?

[dontlifttoshift]

They are out of stock without an ETA.

[Cobra 498]

They better make cutoff date or everybody will be on Falkens

[72BBSwinger]

BS, pretty sad they sponsor an event they cant even supply tires for.

[dontlifttoshift]

I agree, however Hankook is behind right now also and if Bridgestone is actually going to show up with something they better get on it as well.

That said, I don't recall anyone else other than BFG paying out contingency money for tires at any pro-touring events.

[72BBSwinger]

If I get entered in an event this year I will use Rivals for sure in the rear, if they get caught up.

[alphaenvirmgt]

My son and I are in the same boat. He just gave up on Rivals and went to another brand that he could actually buy! I'm looking for 275-35-18 and 315-30-18...Guess I will have to go somewhere else as well. This really stinks!!!!!
Conrad
ps...I'll bet the BIG guys WILL have their Rivals!!

[Cobra 498]

Tire Rack just informed me that the Rival S in 335x18 and 315x18 will not be available for another 4-5 weeks and that they had very little confidence in that estimate.

[ks71z28]

Tire Rack just informed me that the Rival S in 335x18 and 315x18 will not be available for another 4-5 weeks and that they had very little confidence in that estimate.

BFG seems to keep disappointing their customers even more. Last year same crap, when I did get tires they fell apart under hard use. They acted like it was something I did and didn't stand behind their tires, tire rack replaced the fronts, now I have a 1/2 worn set I replaced with Falken Azenis because there were no tires at BFG to start the season and the rears were coming apart too. Funny how they decided to re-design a tire they told me last year was suitable for track events and now they pulled them and changed their composition. So far I am pleased with the Falken tires. I have run all the 200 treadwear tires at one point and the Falkens are stable and seem to wear pretty well. Falken also now sponsors the USCA events, which is why I went with BFG last year. Tires are a big part of your racing expense, choose wisely!

[626Chevelle]

Im hearing the Bridgestone RE-11s are excellent and also the Kumho Ecstas. The BFG Rival were ok, but the worst thing about them is the tire tread. They really dont last that long. Hotrod magazine did a test on multiple tires a couple of years ago (2013) on a muscle car. Nittos being the worst. But since then, Bridgestone has changed their tire compound. I beleive Dunlop has aswell. Im sure they were upgrades to the tire.

Im going to buy the Bridgestone RE-11. I have a 19x10 rear wheel so my options are limited. I would by the Falkens, Dunlops then the Bridgestons in that order. Bridgestone is the only tire with my size (285 35 19). But I never heard anything negative about them. Its hard to trust track test results when its not from a nuetral party.

This site is sponsored by BFG and im sure the people running this site get their free stuff. But everyone from Hotrod, Car and Driver, grass roots etc have done test and the BFGs were always out performed. A lot of companies on this site or Popular Hotrodding (not around anymore) would always get the praise and advertisement for their product because of $$ and the editors were getting free stuff. There are other companies that have awesome suspension products that never had an add or a story with cars that had their product on magazines. But since they dont pay or give anything, they dont get the stories or adds.

[dontlifttoshift]

RE-11s were awesome 4 years ago. Run RE-71r http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE-71R if you want bridgestones.

You're the first person to say that Rivals wear too fast. There is a 285/35-19 Rival as well.

[parsonsj]

This site is sponsored by BFG and im sure the people running this site get their free stuff. Damn. I gotta call my credit card company and get my money back.

[626Chevelle]

The rivals have the most shallow tread out of the ones I looked at (7.2/32). Most are 9 to 8/32. Im not that hard core like some of the others here. I drive my car 3-2 days a week, and autocross 2 times a month. I still beleive the Falkens and Dunlops would be better. I live in los angeles and attend some autocross events(foreign and domestic vehicles), and most of the cars i see are not running the BFGs. A lot of these people have a ton in their budget and have tested out several tires including the bfgs. Most go back to the Falkens, Dunlops etc. At the sametime not all cars are built the same, have the same geometry, weight, and tracks are different too.

When you click on this site, theres a huge BFG icon on top and another BFG Rival tab on top. That didnt just happen. I want to hear track results from a neutral party and with comparable 200 tread tires.

[Tomswheels]

Well the Bridgestone Re-11 hasn't won anything from a neutral party, so buy at your risk.... Your two top choices, RE-11 and Falkens, are both 4-5 year old designs.

[626Chevelle]

Well my options are limited because i have a 19x10 inch in the rear. I would rather get the Falkens or Dunlops over the Bridgestone and BFG but they dont make the size i need 285 35 19.

My options are Bridgestone, Kumho and BFG. Those are the brands im looking at right now.

Another question that i have is why didnt BFG test their tire against other brands sucha as Falken, Kumho, Dunlop, Bridgestone etc(Page 1). They pick and chose what tires to test against in different events. How is that a good test? They tested them against Hankook, Toyo and other BFG models. Where are the other tire brands? And right away people start responding based of those results on page 1 "Im putting my order in" etc. The test or comparison was weak. I had a set of multiple BFG TA on rallys and love them. I have nothing against BFG. Im just asking questions. Especially right now because im on the market for tires.

[eric1967]

tirerack shows 315/30 r18 in the Rival & Rival S. Are they going to produce both tires? Is the compound the only thing different? Both tires are still out of stock.

[Tomswheels]

I run Hankook 305/30/19 RS3 V2 on 19x10.5 wheels. Works pretty good, they seem to like heat, usually perfect for So-Cal Autocross. You have 3 solid choices in a 275/35/19, can't really go wrong with a Hankook RS3, Dunlop Z2 StarSpec, or Bridgestone RE71R.

[dontlifttoshift]

I thought we were keeping the 'Stones a secret?

[Tomswheels]

Oh yea Donny.... my bad!

[626Chevelle]

Well you guys convinced me. But I'm screwed either way because im running a 255 18 or 265 18 in the front and bfg is out of stock. Tire rack says they might not come back in till after August. :( I really don't want to wait that long.

For the rear I run a 285 35 19. Dunlop ZII has a 275 19. Is the 275 going to look to small compared to a 285 on a 10" wide wheel? I'm sure it minimal but sometimes little things like that bother me.

How are the Dunlop ZII compared to the r11? Is the rE11 my only option for a 285 19 tire? Damn ;( should have went 18s all the way around!

[badazz81z28]

Does anyone know if it's problematc to run the older Rival with the S?

[dontlifttoshift]

Not a problem. I'm assuming plain Rival rear and S up front. We did that last year using up tires we had. I have plain 315s that I will be using up with 275 S in the front. Your setup will change when you get RivalS all around.

[badazz81z28]

Not a problem. I'm assuming plain Rival rear and S up front. We did that last year using up tires we had. I have plain 315s that I will be using up with 275 S in the front. Your setup will change when you get RivalS all around.

Actually it would be Rival S in the rear and the old rivals on the front. Not sure if that makes a difference.

[badazz81z28]

Not a problem. I'm assuming plain Rival rear and S up front. We did that last year using up tires we had. I have plain 315s that I will be using up with 275 S in the front. Your setup will change when you get RivalS all around.

Actually it would be Rival S in the rear and the old rivals on the front. Not sure if that makes a difference.

[gator68428]

No estimate from Tire Rack on delivery of 315/30-18s. Just ordered two and will just have to wait and see.

Anybody got any used ones they want to sell?

[Canon_Mutant]

And still no more sizes available on the Rival S . . . I am interested in this tire but don't want to run the few sizes they happen to have.