Barum Bravuris Tyres - Get Rid or actually OK?

[cdickinson]

When I bought my car from a highly regarded speaiclaist, within the deal I negotiated new rear tyres as those on my D90's were quite low. I requested that they ensure a 'decent' set were put on but stupidly didn't actually specify anything. When I collected the car I was dissapointed to find that they had fitted 'Barum Bravuris 225 50 16' tyres and was so excited to just get the car home that I didn't overly argue. (I had 100 mile journey ahead of me).
I now have converns that I have never heard of them before and therefore don't know how good, bad or indifferent they may be. Google has only highlighted that they are an economy tyre linked to Continental. They are W rated and don't appear to be remoulds so there are no initial major alarms! - they don't appear to give loads of grip but as you all know the roads are slippy anyway at this time of year. I have never has a Porsche before and only bought the car in October so I can't compare the drive style and grip levels with anything else.
I have only done 500 miles on the Barum's but am about to put a pair of new Toyo T1-R's or Humho KU31's on the front (having done the usual search for tyre recommendations through the forum) and am wondering whether I should bite the bullet and put something decent on the rears also???

Has anyone out there had experience of these Barum tyres? - if so are they ok or should I change asap?

Cheers,
Chris.

 

[Guest]

Hi Chris,

welcome to 944 ownership!

I'm no tyre expert but i had a quick look at them and they look OK, but i guess it depends on how you intend to drive your S2!! I would be a little concerned by your saying they don't have loads of grip, as the 944 is naturally a very 'grippy' car.

I don't know Barums at all, and they are clearly a buget tyre, but that doesn't mean that they are necessarily significantly worse than more well known brands.

As far as putting T1R's on the front, which are a very good tyre, my inclination would be to either change all four or put Barums on the front as well.

my 2p's worth..

Matt

 

[chrisdenton]

I've not heard of Barum tyres either but I wouldn't necessarily let that put you off. (Five years or so ago I'd not heard of Khumo, Falken or even To-yo for that matter but they're all OK). Personally I don't have any great concerns about keeping all four the same either. As long as you got the same on each axle I'd be pretty happy.

 

[944cabby]

Yes, part of the continental group according to this http://www.tyres-online.co.uk/marketing/conti.asp

 

[mik_ok]

I'd echo Matt & Chris ~ they're probably not "what you'd choose to fit" (and I've certainly never seen any tests on them) but no point throwing them away for that reason alone.

I'd fit some new fronts and see how you get on. If the car oversteers everwhere....... then keep them []

 

[John Sims]

Last time I put rears on Beaky I was hoodwinked into having Maxis. Never heard of them, nor could I find anything about them on the information super caldisac.

I have tried to wear them out, so I can put some proper tyres on, but they just seem to keep going.

As with the others suggestions, 944 ownership is more the expensive enough without throwing away an adequate set of tyres. If, in due course, you have some disposable £ left (which I doubt) then change the tyres, otherwise I have every confidence you will find more than enough to spend your money on in the early days of 944 ownership.

 

[Siggy]

Barums used to be the standard tyres on the rea rengine Skoda's

Dave

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: Siggy

Barums used to be the standard tyres on the rea rengine Skoda's

Dave

Well you can't get a better recommendation than that [].

 

[Fred Hindle]

It all depends on how you drive the car. I wouldn't be very surprised if their performance is much lower than the nuch more expensive brands. IMHO I would keep them on until such time as you need to replace them.
Cheers,

 

[Justin85]

I ran a Volvo 850T5 (which eat their tyres at an outlandish rate) on 205/50/16W Barum Bravuris and found them pretty good in the dry, nicely progressive, and okay in the wet. Not stunning tyres but better than the P6000's which were on the car as standard. I've Pirelli P-Zero Neros on my S2 and they're okay but wouldn't be my choice..

Justin.

 

[Alan Woods]

I have no experience with their car tyres, but I think they are checkoslovakian, CZ motorcycles came with Barums as standard and they were a decent 'budget' tyre. I'd echo the above suggestion, wear then out them replace with something more mainstream. Everything I tried on my 924S sucked in the wet till I got Vredesteins []

 

[cdickinson]

Well thanks for the advice folks. I'll hunt down some Barum's for the front then see how they feel as a full set - I'll change to something better known when I need to refresh all 4 (or am feeling flush!).
I hopefully won't be seen in a ditch too soon....!
Cheers,
Chris.

 

[944turboS]

Take a look at this thread, plenty of good supplier advice.

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=185141

 

[Fen]

I wouldn't put them on the front too - ultimately wasting more money. The rears should last half the time of the fronts if you drive the car at all hard so get decent fronts and then match them with rears at a later date. You'll either be fine with the mix or you'll know the Barums are rubbish pretty quickly in which case you'll have escaped hobbling the car with 4 bad tyres.

 

[tim court]

Around 1970 Bryan 'Badger' Goss started importing the legendary Maico Motorcross bikes and a few of my friends were his first customers, and started the spread in the Southwest, of its phenomenal success. As sort of 'works' riders they were supplied with the Czech Barum motorcross tyres which were starting to come onto the market in the UK. I cannot remember if Badger had some sort of deal going on but they were extremely cheap and performed as good as the 'better' brands. With the top riders on Barums they were very popular and had a lot of respect amongst the motorcross fraternity.

In the 90's they had a joint venture going with Continental and then soon merged.

History lesson over folks, you can wake up now.....

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: Fen

I wouldn't put them on the front too - ultimately wasting more money. The rears should last half the time of the fronts if you drive the car at all hard so get decent fronts and then match them with rears at a later date. You'll either be fine with the mix or you'll know the Barums are rubbish pretty quickly in which case you'll have escaped hobbling the car with 4 bad tyres.

I agree 100%

 

[cdickinson]

Wear rate is a very good point which I had overlooked - especially as you can't swap front with back!
I think the decision has been made for me as having spent 2 hours on 'tinternet last night, none of the usual decent suppliers (mytyres / camskill / blackcircles) stock the Barum's. I've found some on ebay but once you add shipping they are only 2 quid cheaper than Kumho KU31's from Mytyres or 10 quid cheaper than Toyo T1-R's from blackcirles - many of you have used these tyres and give only positive feedback about them, so it's a no brainer really...........thanks again for all the good advice.
Chris.

 

[mik_ok]

Sensible decision IMHO.

As a quick cautionary - I've seen plenty of +ve feedback on the Toyo T1-R (including my own) and also seen a fair amount of +ve feedback for the Kumho 712 (again - including my own, although I've only run them on the Leon and don't think their wet performance is particularly outstanding).

I *think* the 712 is becoming obsolete, and being replaced by the KU31, but that's based on a couple of Kumho ads I've seen in car mags (where the former has dissapeared from the product line up, and the latter sits in it's place). Whilst it isn't a reason to avoid them, I don't think I've read any direct experiences from users of the KU31 (?)

 

[Hilux]

I *think* the 712 is becoming obsolete,

In some sizes yes thats why I didnt fit them BUT the KU31 wasnt available in the correct sizes either I found at the time (4 weeks ago)

FWIW I fitted inexpensive Falken FK451`s from Camskill and I`m v pleased with them