AZENIS RT660 | Falken Tires

Simply put, the RT660 is Falken’s fastest tire. It was developed with maximum traction in mind, something that was demonstrated in a recent test by our friends at Grassroots Motorsports. However, like anything in life, there’s always a tradeoff. While the RT660 will likely deliver improved lap times, it’s unlikely to match the tread life of the RT615K+. If you’re looking for a fun tire that’ll last a bit longer, then the RT615K+ might be your best bet. But if you’re chasing the ultimate lap time, the RT660 is for you.

Honestly, we’re not sure. We didn’t analyze how the RT660 performs when installed backwards, and we won’t speak to anything we haven’t seen for ourselves. What we can tell you is that the RT660 was developed for the absolute maximum performance; and running them backwards won’t help you achieve that. Falken engineers specifically designed this tire with a directional tread pattern knowing it would help you get every last bit of performance out of your vehicle. With a directional tread design, dismounting your tires and rotating them to the other side provides a clean outer shoulder, leaving you with more grip and better lap times than you’d get from a non-directional asymmetric pattern. We know that dismounting your tires and swapping them to the other side isn’t the most convenient activity, but we ultimately felt that the additional performance was worth compromising a little convenience.

It depends. The guys at Grassroots Motorsports ran a set of 225/45R17s at 28 psi on a 2019 Mazda Miata, but this will definitely vary depending on vehicle, tire size, and weather conditions. Please refer to the PSI noted on your vehicle placard as a baseline before trying to dial in a pressure that’s comfortable for you. Check out the article to learn how they established optimal tire pressures.

Sorry to do this again, but it really depends. As with any competition-minded tire, it’s extremely difficult to predict how long a tire will last given the wide variety of vehicle applications, driving styles, and track conditions. Competitive driving will always decrease tread life, and the RT660’s special race-blend compound was designed to provide you with maximum traction, not to resist wear. However, if you’re serious about extending the life of your RT660s, taking advantage of the directional tread pattern should make a big difference.