I replaced my Bridgestone RE-71R track racing tyres for something else

I love my Bridgestone RE-71R track racing tyres. I got them some two and a half years ago when we could dine out with more than five people, not have to wear a mask when we head out and the only other vaccination that people talked about was your annual influenza vaccine. Names like Moderna and Pfizer meant nothing to us then.

Of course, times are quite different today. These two aforementioned vaccines are as well-known as Instagram and TikTok. And in my very own narrow-minded dictionary, it's probably as common as terms like cars and tyres.

From changing car to changing tyres instead

Which is why these are basically the two things I think about most of the time. About my car... and about what I can do to it. I've been thinking about changing my car just for the sake of it, but I've been treating my car really well, which is to say I've been servicing her regularly, giving her high-quality engine and transmission oil as well as polishing her body to keep her shine. Hence, wanting to just let her go for something else I don't quite enjoy wasn't really a sound idea.

So I thought of the next best thing - swapping out my tyres that I was already happy and satisfied with. That sounds rather stupid and insensible (more so now that I'm actually typing this out), but in my defence, at least I was doing a 'modification' to my car that was really harmless and straightforward.

See, I was previously on Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R. It was the sort of tyres that was developed to fit performance cars for better handling, thanks to a newly developed tread compound that increases contact with the road surface, which could give drivers more grip when cornering and braking.

So there was really nothing to complain about the tyres. They were a tad noisy, but they served me really well. By the looks of it, it would have lasted me another year, since I don't drive my car that much.

But my butt was itchy and my head wasn't thinking straight, which led to me making a decision of replacing my tyres.

Bridgestone's new flagship model

What did I replace them with? The new Bridgestone Potenza Sport.

Created to replace the Potenza S007A, the new Potenza Sport is Bridgestone's new flagship model. And according to the tyre maker, this tyre promises superior traction and precision control regardless of the weather in Singapore. That's to say it'll have ample grip whether it rains or shines, it's designed to provide high levels of stability with super quick response to the steering, and is capable of shorter braking distance on dry surfaces.

Question is - do all these, like most claims from manufacturers, need to be taken with a pinch of salt? Yes and no, depending on how you interpret the purpose of the tyres.

For me, I was glad I made the change. The RE-71R was fabulous, but it felt too much for everyday driving. There was ample grip and robust on-road stability from those tyres, but loud road noise was the trade-off. I often blasted the music just to drown them out and it could, at times, be a problem when the kids were sleeping behind. With the Potenza Sport, that problem that I've been facing is essentially gone.

However, I do feel the RE-71R gave me better grip but these two different models are impressive when it came to stability and handling. Would I compromise road noise for better grip? No, I won't. With the Potenza Sport, I still get solid grip, solid stability and short braking distance - all for a quieter ride.

Best decision ever made

In all, I genuinely thought it was a mistake on my part to swap out my tyres for Bridgestone's new performance model. But now that I've been driving with them for a couple of weeks, it was the best decision I ever made all year - even better than my previous best decision of taking my Moderna vaccination.

So for the time being, I guess I won't be thinking so much about what else I can do with my car. At least not until my butt starts to itch again.