to add to this topic, just for a little extra info for people in the future wondering about this:
The great news is that the newer RE71
RS tire is not directional and can be rotated to all four corners of the car (as long as the tire is mounted on the wheel with the “OUTSIDE” marked sidewall facing out,
obviously).
The older (original) RE71
R version
was directional and that can be seen in the tread pattern. However, the directional tread pattern was specifically done for better wet weather performance to shed water better. In dry weather, the original “
R” version
can be rotated to all four corners with no noticeable change in grip level, even through it makes you nervous running it backward. If run backward in the rain, the tire would not perform as well as it could if it was installed in the correct direction.
After running both versions, I absolutely love the new “
RS” version. Somehow they seem to have more grip, wear slower, and are quieter. Even
Pics for fun: (notice the direction of the “R” version
)