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Bridgestone

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RReviews

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  • SimpleScore™

    Our proprietary rating system
    for the modern tire buyer.

    7.9

    Good

    Score breakdown:

    6.4

    Long lasting

    N/A

    9.3

    Handling

    Excellent

    9.0

    Traction

    Excellent

  • 26 reviews

    8 on SimpleTire18 from Google Shopping

    4.2

    overall rating

    88%

    Would you buy again?

    Review breakdown

    • 0 out of 100
    • 6 out of 100
    • 2 out of 100
    • 0 out of 100
    • 0 out of 100

    If you know much about Bridgestone, you know that they are a tire manufacturer with an extensive amount of experience in motorsports. That racing heritage informs Bridgestone’s designs for street tires as well, and the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R is a great example. The Potenza RE-71R is designed with much of the same technology and materials, for a tire that’s ready to take it to the absolute limit. If you’ve got a sports car that’s designed for pushing the envelope, you need a set of tires that’s up to the task, and that’s exactly what the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R is designed for. To put a point on it, the Potenza RE-71R delivers race-car handling and cornering in a street-legal tire.

    This tire must have a bunch of features that make it such an outstanding performer, right? Let’s dive in for a closer look with this Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R review.

    Features and Benefits

    Check out some of the race-inspired features and design details of the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R:

    • Extra-sticky tread compound adheres to pavement for outstanding braking and cornering traction
    • V (149 mph) or W (186 mph) speed ratings for excellent high-speed performance
    • Stiff, rigid shoulder and sidewall construction adds to cornering ability
    • Solid center rib enhances road manners, straight-line stability, and steering response
    • Directional tread pattern with angled grooves that channel water away from the contact patch for resistance to hydroplaning
    • Sipe network boosts wet-weather traction
    • Bridgestone’s UNI-T construction is designed for optimum tension in the casing and belt layers, for high-speed stability and premium handling properties

    Pros and Cons

    So, is this the right ultra-high-performance tire for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at it’s strengths:

    PROS:

    • Cornering, braking, and road manners are all outstanding
    • Confidence performance, even in the most extreme driving
    • Race-inspired technology and design in a street tire

    Unfortunately, no tire is perfect and that’s the case for the Potenza RE-71R too:

    CONS:

    • Cannot be used when temperatures are consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Is not backed by a limited manufacturer tread life warranty

    SimpleTire’s view on Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires

    If you’ve ever tossed a sports car or sports sedan around on a winding mountain road, a track, or a skidpad, you know how fun that can be and you know that you need tires that are a match for that kind of driving. In our opinion, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R is that kind of tire. Even for vehicles with an immense amount of power, you can barely make the Potenza RE-71R understeer or make the rear end kick out and oversteer, regardless of how hard you push it. It’s a tire that just sticks to the road for handling and traction like that of a slot car. It’s a tire that’s just as at home on the street as it is on the track for autocross day, and it delivers braking and cornering performance in wet weather that’s almost as good as its dry-weather traction.

    It’s not surprising that the two Cons would be listed above. UHP tires use a softer, stickier rubber formulation (sometimes almost as soft as a pencil eraser) and will stiffen up and lose traction on cold days. That’s why tire manufacturers recommend against using these tires if temperatures are below 45 degrees. Also, many UHP tires are not covered by a treadwear warranty, although Bridgestone does offer a 90-day try-or-buy warranty phase and covers this tire against defects in workmanship and manufacturing down to the last 3/32” of tread depth.

    Vehicles the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R is a good replacement tire for

    Designed to be driven at higher speeds, the Potenza RE-71R is a common choice for sports and performance cars such as the:

    • Acura NSX
    • Audi A8
    • BMW M3
    • Chevrolet Camaro
    • Dodge Challenger
    • Ford Mustang
    • Honda Civic Type R
    • Kia Stinger
    • Lexus RC350
    • Mazda MX-5 Miata
    • Mercedes-Benz S350
    • Nissan 370Z
    • Porsche Boxster
    • Subaru BRZ
    • Toyota Supra

    Scorecard

    Dry

    4.9

    Wet

    3.9

    Winter

    3.4

    Comfort

    4.5

    Noise

    3.9

    Treadwear

    3

    8 SimpleTire reviews

    Derek
    4.5
    Chevrolet Camaro 2016 SS Rear
    Verified Customer
    Oct 2, 2020

    I mounted these on my 900hp Camaro SS for daily use. These tires have amazing traction and have never let me down on the street or drag strip!! 100% will buy again!!!

    Ronald Q Baiza
    3
    Verified Customer
    Jul 15, 2020

    Philip
    4.5
    Verified Customer
    Apr 5, 2020

    Amazing tires! I'd suggest running these tires on track when the temp outside is below 60 degrees. They perform the best overall during fall & winter races. Warmer weather, they stick like glue & talk to you before losing traction. They wear away faster on hotter days. #1 for time attacks. But a 12hr or 8hr enduro, theyll be gone in 4-6 hrs if you have a top 5 car.

    Tyler
    4
    Verified Customer
    Sep 25, 2018

    Joey
    4
    Verified Customer
    Jul 12, 2018

    Before I tell how good the Bridgestone RE-71Rs are, here is a list of high-end street tires I've used in the past since 2008: Bridgestone RE-01R (drove two sets) • 10 dry / 8.5 wet traction • Sloppy turn in response • Horrible tread life (8-10k miles) Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1 (drove one set) • 9 dry / 8 wet traction • Decent turn in response • Good tread life (12-15k miles) • Horrible road noise. I'm guessing from the center zig-zag groove in the tires. Continental Extreme Contact DW (drove one set) • 8 dry / 9 wet traction • Sloppy turn in • I haven't driven these long enough to rate the tread wear. They are on my 16's wheels, while all these other tires listed are on my 17's. Bridgestone RE-11A (drove two sets) • 9.25 dry / 10 wet traction • Above average turn in response • Amazing tread life (20,000+ miles!) It was due to the "carbon black" compound. My ex-girlfriend has a master's in biochemistry and the RE-11A made her realize tires are badass! God I miss her... but that's another topic - back to the review! • Heavy heavy heavy (30+ lbs each compared to 19-22 lbs to other tires in the same size!) Michelin Pilot Super Sport (drove two sets) • 9 dry / 9 wet traction • Average turn in response • Good tread life (Michelin rated these 300 UTQG, but I get 14k+) • Amazing comfort for it's performance capabilities, but you're definitely paying for it As you can tell, I like to drive "spirited" (aka fast lol). Here is my review of the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R. I am currently on my third set so this isn't a "first impression" review. I drive 20-30k miles a year so I definitely know all the perks and nuisances this tire has to offer • 10 dry / 7.5 wet / 10 freezing (more on this later) • Amazing turn in response. Very agile with minimal delay from your steering wheel to the road. • Great road noise suppression, but all Bridgestone tires make daily drivers. • Above average comfort. For a "extreme performance tire" with stiff sidewalls, these drive like clouds. • Below average tread life. Bridgestone gives the RE-71R a 200 UTQG rating, but I honestly think it should be 120 UTQG. I get 8-13k depending on how "spirited" I drive. This doesn't shock me since the dry grip is balls-to-the-wall. These tires are too quiet for my liking, when you get close to it's maximum grip level, it howls instead of screams. I don't feel confident with these in the rain. Once you driven enough tires, you can just look at the tread pattern and see if there is enough physical place for water to pass through - which these tire do not have. However (!) I drove through Lake Tahoe in Northern California during a car meet and I'm still alive to type this review. Even though it wasn't snowing, during a 50 mile long stretch around the lake it was in freezing temperature and the car hugged the pavement remarkably well. For the dollar per square rubber inch ratio, this tire is hard to beat. However, the RE-71R has been out for a while and I bet a new model or refresh is coming. For now, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R is the king of the street!

    Eric
    3
    Verified Customer
    Jan 12, 2018

    Amazing affordable grip.

    Raymond
    4.5
    Verified Customer
    Nov 30, 2017

    These tires are mounted on my 1971 Datsun 510 wagon. So not Driven everyday but handle well and have unbelievable traction. Highly recommended.

    Isaac
    4
    Verified Customer
    Jan 18, 2016

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