Riken Raptor ZR Tire Review & Rating
The Raptor ZR from Riken is designed especially for drivers of sport coupes, compacts and smaller sedans who are looking for a high performance summer tire that is value priced to save big money. As a subsidiary of Michelin, Riken is known for its line of budget-minded high performance tires that provide serious grip and handling, as well as aggressive looks and longer tread life.
The directional tire pattern and high tech tread compound on the Raptor ZR combine to provide maximum handling and traction on dry or wet surfaces. Steering response is enhanced through a high modulus composition sidewall, while larger outside shoulder blocks increase cornering power.
Grip on wet roads is made safer with a continuous center rib and numerous sipes around the tread. It helps evacuate more water from under the tread and reduces the risk of hydroplaning.
The ZR hasn’t forgotten about ride quality due to its computer-phased tread design that minimizes road noise and improves overall ride comfort.
Inside the tire you will find two steel belts and a double strip-wound nylon overlay that add more strength and durability to the tire at higher speeds. It also increases the contact patch and allows the tire to maintain its shape. Riken has also added a rim protector to the tire to help prevent damage to custom wheels. A 40,000 mile tread warranty is included as well.
Pros
- Traction on dry or wet pavement is very good
- Cornering grip and steering response are impressive
- Very good treadlife
- Value for the money is as good as it gets in a ZR tire
Cons
- Tires tend to get more road noise as they wear down
Overall Thoughts
Riken has a winner on its hands with this Raptor ZR. It is hands down one of the best low cost high performance tires in its class. Traction and grip on dry surfaces and in the corners is superb. Wet handling is nearly as good, and the treadlife is better than you would expect.
The only “knock” if you will on this tire is that it tends to get more noisy as it wears down. Not a huge issue in our book though. This is a high performance tire and you would expect that. Overall, just an excellent tire for the low cost.
Click Here To Find Current Price
What Vehicles Will The Raptor ZR Fit?
(This is not a complete list of ALL vehicles this tire will fit)
- Acura Integra, RSX, TSX, TL
- BMW 325 Ci, M3
- Cadillac CTS
- Chevrolet Camaro, HHR
- Ford Focus, Fusion, Mustang
- Honda Civic, Prelude
- Kia Spectra
- Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Miata
- Nissan Sentra, Maxima
- Pontiac Grand Am, Trans Am, Gran Prix, Solstice
- Saturn Sky
- Scion tC
- Toyota Matrix
- Volkswagen Jetta, Golf
Tire Sizes
16″
205/40ZR16 83W XL B
205/45ZR16 87W XL B
205/50ZR16 91W XL B
215/55ZR16 93W BSW
225/50ZR16 92W BSW
225/55ZR16 95W BSW
245/50ZR16 97W BSW
17″
205/45ZR17 88W XL B
205/50ZR17 89W BSW
215/40ZR17 87W XL B
215/45ZR17 91W XL B
215/50ZR17 91W BSW
225/45ZR17 91W BSW
225/50ZR17 94W BSW
235/45ZR17 97W XL B
235/50ZR17 96W BSW
235/55ZR17 99W BSW
245/45ZR17 95W BSW
255/40ZR17 94W BSW
18″
215/35ZR18 84W XL B
225/40ZR18 92W XL B
235/40ZR18 95W XL B
245/40ZR18 93W BSW
245/45ZR18 96W BSW
275/35ZR18 95W BSW
20″
245/35ZR20 91W BSW
255/35ZR20 93W BSW
Price Range
Prices on the Raptor ZR range from approximately $85 and up. You may also find occasional rebates, discounts, coupons and special offers on this tire.
Click Here To Find The Current Price On All Riken Raptor ZR Tire Sizes
Warranty
There is a 40,000 mile treadlife warranty on the ZR. Also included is a first 2/32 inch guarantee on the tire’s uniformity.
Materials and workmanship are warranted for 5 years.
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I could not afford top shelf tires for my 2013 GTI.
The car handling exceeds that of the Raptors in dry. In wet it hydroplanes. Light snow; I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I now have 20k mi on these and they sound like truck tires!
I don’t understand how people have been hypnotized saying this is a good tire; maybe if you have money to throw away….
I DON’T!
Where do I go to get money back?? You?
Just bought my second set of Riken Raptor ZR’s. These are for my 2020 VW Jetta 1.4T. They are 225/40R-18. They don’t last as long as some others, but they are sooo cheap, who cares! I don’t notice any difference between the Bridgestone tires that were OEM and these Riken tires. Slightly more noise but that is to be expected, and you would have to be listening very carefully to hear the small difference. Great tire, especially for the price. I highly recommend them!
I have installed Riken raptors on my 89 formula Firebird. These new tires put on by a tire shop. The problem is when I get to about 60 mph it makes a loud chirping sound from the tires. I had Hancooks previously and never heard this nasty chirping sound. Anyone know why
Riken Raptor ZR’s Are a Great Value
When shopping for new tires for my 2003 Audi TT Quattro I wanted a set of tires that provided excellent grip on the road and would be suitable to an occasional auto cross or track day session. For me, the price point of the Riken Raptor ZR was too tempting to pass up.
I have been driving with a set of Riken Raptor ZR tires on my Audi TT for over three months now and I have nothing but good things to say about them. As far as high-performance summer tires go, the Raptor RZ provides excellent grip as well as decent levels of road noise and comfort, especially given the price.
Value
At less than $75 per tire you would be hard pressed to find a tire that delivered more grip per dollar than the Raptor. So far, I have only been able to force my TT to understeer under extremely heavy cornering. I have not experienced any breaking traction under acceleration or braking. Performance like this is usually not found for such a low price.
Drivability
Do not be fooled, the Raptor is not a grand touring tire. In a 225/45/17 size I did find these tires to be slightly harsher than the Continental Extreme Contact DWS that I had fitted before. On the highway, it does tend to be louder than your average tire, but highway travel is not really the intended purpose. The same could be said about ride comfort. However, at almost half the cost you will find that the loss of ride comfort is minimal.
Weather
As a high-performance summer tire, it should come as no surprise that the Raptor ZR does not handle heavy rain well. I have found that they easily hydroplane in moderate to heavy rain, but again, that is to be expected in this class of tire. That said, you can expect them to handle light rain fairly well. It should also be noted that the Raptor responds well to being heated up before they are pushed hard.
In conclusion, if you are an enthusiast looking for a cheap track day or autocross tire, I really cannot recommend the Raptor ZR enough. You will find that the “bang for the buck” compared to any other high-performance summer tire is incredibly hard to beat. These tires provide nearly the same performance as other track day tires nearly twice their price range.
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