It is a little too early to really worry aboput, but the question will arise in a few weeks:

I am driving on the 16" 215/60 winter tyres now and like it very much.

Come late March/early April, I will need to decide on what to drive on in summer? The leaning right now is 17" Annapurna BLACK with 225/50 Goodyear Optigrip tyres.

The question is really for the SMOC members, who have drive on both 17" sumer tyres and on winter tyres. Are the 17" really better handling or just for show? 10 mm wider rubber is not so much, but the lower profile makes them maybe a bit stiffer and more of a positive feel? Or is it just the "in" thing to drive on?

Inquiring minds want to know.............

I can not comment too much as I have no Yeti but my Jaguar uses 225/40R18 and they feel fine and not harsh at all. However I do not like the Jaguar handling, nothing to do with tyres but the soft mushy suspension that they come with even on Sports Premium versions.. I would have thought that her would be a slight difference between 16 and 17" but not that much so far as harshness or even feel because the differences are so small. But then again I do not know, I feel that fashion pushes most things and even people who do not use the performance of this and that will argue one way or another regardless. We live in a fashion concious World today.

Hi Agerbundsen,

depends on how you intend to use your Monster I think. Sitting on a fast 'motorway' all day everyday then maybe the 17" but rural and town diving the 16" would get my vote.

To be honest I have found the driving experience on the 205/55 R16 winters to be better than the standard fit 17". This could be solely down to the improved grip offered by winter tyres in colder conditions. I do though genuinely believe the change in wheel size has played a part in this improvement.

If you could get Moon alloys over here in the UK, then I might have considered switching to 16" for summer driving as well and possibly run 215/60/ R16 Goodyear 4 Season M+S tyres.

Regards,

TP

It is a little too early to really worry aboput, but the question will arise in a few weeks:

I am driving on the 16" 215/60 winter tyres now and like it very much.

Come late March/early April, I will need to decide on what to drive on in summer? The leaning right now is 17" Annapurna BLACK with 225/50 Goodyear Optigrip tyres.

The question is really for the SMOC members, who have drive on both 17" sumer tyres and on winter tyres. Are the 17" really better handling or just for show? 10 mm wider rubber is not so much, but the lower profile makes them maybe a bit stiffer and more of a positive feel? Or is it just the "in" thing to drive on?

Inquiring minds want to know.............

I use17's on winter tyres and they are excellent (see below for spec', one day i'll actually pull thumb outta bum and take a few foto's!)....i accept they aren't a "dedicated snow tyre" but designed for "very wet and cold" with a bit extra grip when things get attrocious. However they grip well even on very slippery icy conditions and don't compromise ride quality if the road is pock marked. The bonus of this option from my perspective is that I get form and function!

I cant comment on the summer tyres yet as they were the ones supplied with the vehicle and I cant say I've ever been overly won over by pirelli in the past...time will tell.

so 17's get :thumbup:

I use17's on winter tyres and they are excellent (see below for spec', one day i'll actually pull thumb outta bum and take a few foto's!)....i accept they aren't a "dedicated snow tyre" but designed for "very wet and cold" with a bit extra grip when things get attrocious. However they grip well even on very slippery icy conditions and don't compromise ride quality if the road is pock marked. The bonus of this option from my perspective is that I get form and function!

I cant comment on the summer tyres yet as they were the ones supplied with the vehicle and I cant say I've ever been overly won over by pirelli in the past...time will tell.

so 17's get :thumbup:

Great in very wet and cold and OK in snow really fits the bill from here south too. This year's snow has been very unusual and not likely to repeat itself too often. For real snow handling, tall and narrow is better than wide, so TP's 205's are just the ticket.

I have been quite happy with the Eagle UltraGrips both in the snow and on wet and dry cold roads. I am leaning towards the OptiGrips for the summer - again the weighting on selection is strongly biased towards wet handling at speed. Our country lanes are not as bendy and narrow as some in the UK, so the local concern is more how the 50 series handle the occasional granite curb and potholes left from this winter - the 45 series on my old MB 250TD did not like them at all

Visually, thee is not much difference and I think the Sm looks OK with the 60 series - but the Annapurna Black is the only Skoda wheel that does not show the brake dust as much. Did I say that I hate cleaning between the spokes?

Glad I am still running the winters, last couple of days have been a mixture heavy rain plus low temperatures and to add to this potholes galore be a nightmare for the alloys. Other hazard is the number of stones being thrown up from the broken surfaces, have a number of very small chips out of the windscreen, bonnet and offside wing. Windscreen appears particularly prone to FOD :(

Considering the ADAC test marked the Nokian down for wet weather driving, I have to say so far they have proved outstanding in heavy rain and standing water conditions. I realise they have extra sipes etc. for traction but the amount of water they pull off the road is amazing; rear wiper was working overtime just to keep up

Be sad in a way to have to switch back to the Dolomites but as they apparently cannot adjust the speedo, will need to sooner rather than later to stop putting the 'extra miles' on the Monster

PS the black alloys are another option SUK have kept from us :| (not for me obviously; my Monster prefers 16" footwear )

Regards,

TP