best tyres for drift

The ADVAN Neova AD07 is the Extreme Performance Summer tire member of Yokohama's global family of ADVAN performance tires developed for sports car, sports coupe and performance sedan enthusiasts who love sport driving. Used as Original Equipment (O.E.) on the Lotus Elise, the ADVAN Neova AD07 is designed to provide high levels of traction, responsive handling and driving control in dry and wet road conditions. The ADVAN Neova AD07 is not intended for cold temperatures or snow.

The ADVAN Neova AD07 molds a "fine particle" Micro Silica (MS) tread compound (to provide greater road surface adhesion) into a directional tread pattern that features massive tread blocks with rounded edges to increase cornering stability and steering response while promoting more even wear. Five large circumferential and multiple directionally aligned lateral grooves resist hydroplaning and enhance wet traction. The tire's structure includes two wide steel belts reinforced by spirally wound nylon to provide strength and uniform ride quality and high-speed capability while the sidewalls are tuned to resist lateral deflection providing handling control and cornering stability.

Like the motorsports tires this Extreme Performance street tire has evolved from, the ADVAN Neova AD07 radial's construction and compounds have been tuned to maximize the tire's traction and performance within a specific range of ambient temperatures. Therefore, unlike less highly-tuned tires, Yokohama's care instructions specify that due to its compound characteristics, ADVAN Neova tires must be used and stored at temperatures above -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) to maintain its performance and avoid tire damage.

A31 + R32 + R33 = ????

family drifter

Nissan Cefiro A31- Drift in a family sedan

Back in the 90s, every guy wanted a Nissan skyline R32 or Honda Integra type R (DC2). They overlooked a performance car that Nissan produced which gained popularity as a Drift machine in Japan - The Nissan Cefiro A31.

Released in September 1988 to the Japanese Domestic Market, the A31 series included many hi-tech features, such as HICAS (Nissan’s rear wheel steering system), sonar controlled electronic damping, automatic headlights, and an automatic electric rear view mirror.

Cefiro engines were known as RB engines, came in a wide variation of sorts. The stock, untouched ones were:

* RB20E - single-cam (85 to 96 kW (115 to 130 ps) @ 5600 rpm, 167 to 181 N·m (17 to 18,5 kgf·m) @ 4400 rpm)
* RB20ET - single-cam turbocharged (107 kW (145 PS) @ 6000 rpm, 206 N·m (21.0 kgf·m) @ 3200 rpm)
* RB20DE - twin-cam (110 to 114 kW (150 to 155 PS) @ 6400 rpm, 181 to 186 N·m (18.5 to 19 kgf·m) @ 5600 (and later with a NEO-Head 4400 rpm)
* RB20DET - twin-cam turbocharged (158 kW (215 PS) @ 6400 rpm, 265 N·m (27.0 kgf·m) @ 3200 rpm)
* RB20P - single-cam (94 PS @5600 rpm and 142 N·m @2400 rpm)
* RB20DET-R - twin-cam turbocharged (210 ps @6400 rpm and 245 N·m @4800 rpm

Most of the Cefiros came in the RB20E engine, which was underpowered and disappointed lots of drifter wannabes. So what did they do? A RB25DET engine swap, which gives the car higher torque than the RB20DET engine, suited better for drifting.

Many of the Silvia (S13) and Skyline (R32) parts are interchangeable for the A31. That was a very juicy clue, right or not? *wink* And yes, Cefiro A31 is a rear wheel drive, for all the Initial D Touge wannabes.

For ideas on how to mod one, Jerome’s Cefiro should provide you with strong visual aid.

All good things have to come to an end. After production for the cefiro A31 ended in 1993, Nissan never came up with a sports sedan ever like the A31 (Infiniti not counted).

So we mourn the loss of a classic sports sedan. The lucky ones in Australia & Malaysia can still find this vehicle probably at a used car dealer.

The rest of us will simply hope Nissan comes up with another turbocharged-rear wheel beast disguised as a family car again.

drift king

drift techniques

Drifting Techniques


Heel Toe Shifting
Learn proper race shifting to get your car into the right gear for drifting. Section also includes double clutch shifting so you can downshift before drifting without blowing out your transmission too quickly.

Power Over Drift
A throttle induced drift, this is performed when entering a corner and using the accelerator to slip the rear wheels, producing heavy oversteer through the turn. You will often need lots of horsepower to make this happen.

E-Brake Drift
This drifting technique is very basic, pull the E-Brake or side brake to induce rear traction loss and balance drift through steering and throttle play. This can also be used to correct errors or fine tune drift angles. Main drift technique used in FWD vehicles, however since it does decrease speeds, e-brake drifting is looked down upon during solo (tansou) type drifting competition.

Clutch Kick Drift
This drifting technique is performed by depressing the clutch pedal on approach or during turn in to a corner. The clutch is "popped" to give a sudden jolt through the driveline to upset rear traction, causing the power wheels to slip. Drifting is maintained by balancing the throttle.

Shift Lock Drift
This is performed by letting the revs drop on downshift into a corner and then releasing the clutch to put stress on the driveline to slow the rear tires inducing over steer. This is like pulling the E-brake through a turn, but this should be performed on wet ground to minimize damage to the driveline. Similar drifting technique to Clutch Kicking.

Dirt Drop Drift
This is performed by dropping the rear tires off the road into the dirt to maintain or gain drift angle without losing power or speed and to set up for the next turn. This technique is very useful for low horsepower cars. Do not attempt this technique at the Drift Session.

Feint Drift
This is performed by rocking the car towards the outside of a turn and then using the rebound of the vehicle's suspension to throw the car into the normal cornering direction. This is heavy rally racing technique used to change vehicle attitudes during cornering.

Jump Drift
In this technique the rear tire on the inside of a turn or apex is bounced over a curb to lose traction resulting in over steer. Do not attempt this technique at the Drift Session.

Braking Drift
This is performed by trail braking into a corner. Loss of grip is obtained and then balanced through steering and throttle motions. This is mainly for medium to low speed corners.

Kansei Drift (Inertia Drift)
This is performed at race speeds. When entering a high speed corner a driver lifts his foot off the throttle to induce a mild oversteer and then balances the drift through steering and throttle motions. The car that is being used for this style of drift should be a neutral balanced car therefore the oversteer will induce itself. If the car plows through any turn this technique will not work.

Long Slide Drift
This is done by pulling the E-brake through a strait to start a high angel drift and to hold this to set up for the turn ahead. This technique can only be done at high speed.

Swaying Drift (Manji Drift)
This is a slow side-to-side faint like drift where the rear end sways back and forth down a strait.

supermoto

hell yeah....

Most Important Thing? Budget!

this will tell you your options...it all comes down to the money! We have put together a list with the most popular cars for drifting.

Nissan Drift Cars	Toyota Drift Cars	Honda Drift Cars:
Select a manufacturer
Mazda Drift Cars:	BMW Drift Cars:	Ford Drift Cars:

There are a lot of other cars that can be drifted. The more popular choices are listed above but here's a short listing on some other brands and their drift cars.

Bear in mind that aftermarket support is very limited to none regarding specific drift modifications. Also a lot of older cars usually have RWD so if you keep an eye out you are bound to find some good cheap cars for drifting.

• Mercedes is not a very popular brand for drifting since it's more of a luxury brand, but you can drift any Mercedes, except for the A-class of course. 190Es are great for drifting!




• Porsche makes high performance sports cars and so all RWD Porsches will be a joy to drift. Be aware that you need to go after one with RWD, and not one with a 4WD system.




• Suzuki has the Cappuchino which is actually quite a good and very balanced car for drifting. It is sometimes even spotted on drifting events, but isn't the most popular choice.




• Volvo's older car line-up used to be RWD and offered some great cars that are happy to go sideways. The 340 till 360, the 240 till 266 and the 740-780 are the ones you want for drifting.




• Opel/Vauxhall has quite a lot of RWD cars but again, most of them are older cars like the Omega, Manta, Kadett, Ascona, etc. If you want something newer get the new GT or Speedster.




• Dodge offers the Charger and the Viper. Both have been used in Formula D. You don't see these cars around amateur events, but you stop wondering why if you find out their pricetag.




• Pontiac has the GTO, also known as the Holden Monaro it has been quite an influence to the American drifting scene. Rhys Millen drove a Pontiac GTO in the Formula D competition.

There are a lot more cars for drifting, but you get the idea of getting a RWD car. Today you even see 4WD vehicles being converted into RWD, like for example the Subaru Impreza or the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

What makes a drifting car?

Most importantly it has to be RW

In essence any RWD car can drift. It is up to the drivers skills whether it can get it to drift. Some cars will drift easier than others but you as the driver are the decisive factor. However the easiest way to go by is to simply buy a popular drifting car; it's not for nothing that it's popular for drifting!D! (rear-wheel-drive)

It's not that 4WD, AWD or FWD vehicle cannot drift, it's just that drifting other drivetrain layouts is quite a different ballgame. It's best to stick to RWD, because you need to balance the rear with the throttle.

But that's not all when it comes to choosing your car. Besides personal taste also the price, power-to-weight ratio, upgrade possibilities, parts availability and fuel consumption are all very important details.

popular drift cars - Hachi Roku

Here are some of the most popular and best cars for drifting.
US Name: Toyota Corolla GT-SJAP Name: Toyota Trueno AE-86/SprinterNicknames: AE-86, eight six, Hachi Roku(meaning AE-86 in Japansese).
Specs Engine 4A-GE DOHC
Cylinders: straight 4
Discplacemnet: 1.6L 97 ci/1587 cc
Horsepower: 112
Torque: 97lb/ft
Drivetrain Rear Wheel Drive
LSD (Limited Slip Differential)
5-speed manual transsmission

Today I want to go over some advanced drift techniques.

You probably know the names of all the techniques,
ie. hand-brake slide, faint, clutch kick, drop-off,
overpower. braking drift etc. But which ones are
the best to use in which situation?

If you're just starting out in drifting, you probably
use the hand-brake technique mostly. That's fine.
It does slow your entry speed down a fair bit though,
but that is necessary for some corners. Some beginners
use the hand-brake too much so be aware.

The most popular technique used to get the rear out
is the clutch-kick. Clutch kicking is where you jab
the clutch at speed while jerking the steering wheel
to get you sideways.

However, before you try it on just any corner.....

Practice at low speeds first and make sure there is
plenty of room because more than likely, you're going
to spin out or go flying off track in a direction you
weren't planning to!

Once you get better, you can go faster and try bigger
corners. Just start out small.

Next Advanced Tip.....

Line is everything. Sure it's easy to go around a
corner sideways but when it comes to linking corners,
the line of drift is vital. I was told this when I
was starting to learn how to drift. "Out, Out, Out,
Out, In!"

Basically, you stay to the outside of the corner
until you are pointing in the direction you want to
be in for the next corner. When flicking back, use
your foot brake if you are going too fast or even
your hand-brake.

Have fun using these techniques but take care of your
self and your car :)

Today we're going to talk a little about drift technique.

For someone who has never been sideways in acar before, the first drift experience isunforgettable. But before you go hit the cornersat full speed and wreck your car, try theseeasy practice techniques.Find a big open place, I recommend a "skid pan"or "skid pad" at your local circuit and have somefun dropping the clutch and spinning the tire.Then, to get some control and be able to directyour car where you want while drifting, put downsome pilons or cones. First, just with 1 singlecone, do donuts around it. Start of going clock-wise, then change and go anti-clockwise. Do smalldonuts and then do bigger onesWhen you've got the donuts down, put one morepilon down and practice doing figure 8's. Thiswill help you get good at drift transitions(changing directions while drifting or "fish-tailing").They are some basic skills you need before yougo flat out and damage your car.

I want to go over some advanced drift

You probably know the names of all the techniques,ie. hand-brake slide, faint, clutch kick, drop-off,overpower. braking drift etc. But which ones are the best to use in which situation?If you're just starting out in drifting, you probablyuse the hand-brake technique mostly. That's fine.It does slow your entry speed down a fair bit though,but that is necessary for some corners. Some beginnersuse the hand-brake too much so be aware.The most popular technique used to get the rear outis the clutch-kick. Clutch kicking is where you jabthe clutch at speed while jerking the steering wheelto get you sideways.However, before you try it on just any corner..... Practice at low speeds first and make sure there is plenty of room because more than likely, you're goingto spin out or go flying off track in a direction you weren't planning to!Once you get better, you can go faster and try biggercorners. Just start out small. Next Advanced Tip.....Line is everything. Sure it's easy to go around acorner sideways but when it comes to linking corners,the line of drift is vital. I was told this when Iwas starting to learn how to drift. "Out, Out, Out, Out, In!" Basically, you stay to the outside of the corner until you are pointing in the direction you want to be in for the next corner. When flicking back, use your foot brake if you are going too fast or even your hand-brake. Have fun using these techniques but take care of yourself and your car :)

Here a few things you must keep in mind ....

...want to buy a drift car or tune your old one.

1.Make sure your drift car is Rear Wheel Drive.
I hope I you know enough about cars to know what
a rwd car is, if you don’t, then I’m not quite sure
drift is the smartest or safest move for you. A
rwd car lets you slide the rear tires out, causing
your car to drift.

2.You need a good power to weight ratio in your
drift car. Most popular drift cars are Japanese
sports cars. A very popular drift car is the AE86
Trueno or Sprinter or “hachiroku” by Toyota.

Other popular drift cars are one’s made by Nissan
like the 240sx (180sx as it’s know in Japan and
Australia), Silvia – S13, S14, S15, Skyline – R32,
R33, R34 both coupes and 4 door sedans. Then there
are the bigger drift cars that are becoming popular
here in Japan like the Toyota Chaser or Mark II.
Mazda’s Rx7 – FC, FD's are also very popular but
a little hard to drift for a beginner.

3.You then need a few essential parts on your car
to make it drift.

Most important is an LSD (limited slip diff). This
allows you to spin both rear tires at the same time,
making it easier to drift.

A bucket seat is next. Makers like Bride and Recaro
have great one’s pro drifters use.

Coil over or lowered suspension is a must have to
lower the center of gravity and stiffen the
suspension of your car. That’s about it for the
main drift parts. If you want to make your car
look like it’s straight from the movie “Fast and
Furious: Tokyo Drift”, the you will need a body
kit, big chrome wheels, neon lights and a big
exhaust etc.

recommended co. to import car parts from japan

the new Polaris 6x6 Sportsman

X Games Freestyle Snowcross

up, up and away............

asian x-games 08

2008 Honda CB1000R - First Ride

2008 Honda CB100R
Unfortunately, Honda is keeping its new super naked for Europe only, but that doesn't mean our U.S. readers can't see what their missing. Americans are accustomed to hearing some British blokes called the Stones singing "You can't always get what you want," now our pals at MCN give us their rendition with this review on the Honda CB1000R.

By Marc Potter
Pictures by Howard Boylan and Honda

Way back in the '60s, when men had quiffs and woman wore beehives, the Japanese bike manufacturers invaded Europe. Their bikes looked strangely like the ones made in the midlands but they had funny winged logos on the tanks. And they worked come rain or shine.

The copycats were laughed off at first and then makes like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki started landing on our shores in big numbers, at the right price, with the right kit (like electric starters that worked) and engines that didn't leak. And they took over the world of motorcycling forever.

It stayed that way for the last 40 years until a small manufacturer in Hinckley started making a bike called the Speed Triple and essentially created the Super Naked bike. Having been the first person in the world to ride the prototype, I remember that moment well. Okay, so the Ducati Monster was the original but that didn't have the same sort of sports bike horsepower linked with quality suspension and brakes, and the kind of style reminiscent of a crashed GSX-R1100 with bug-eye headlamps.

And now the tables have turned again, as the world's biggest bike manufacturer looks down from its ivory tower to a small industrial unit in Leicestershire and decides it's very interested in a bike called the Speed Triple. Combine it with a healthy respect for bikes like the MV Agusta Brutale and the Monster and you're starting to get the measure of Honda's new CB1000R.

Big H won't admit their influences but an off the record chat with a few people confirmed what I just said, and it's not going on sale in Japan because the emissions laws are so strict it would have to have an exhaust the size of a small car. This bike is for Europe only and that's where most of the design work and development was done.

Forget the fact it has the same name as the dinosaur CB1000 of the early nineties, or that it's a spine-framed, FireBlade-engined naked like the now defunct 900 Hornet. This is a whole new bag for Honda. A bike designed with Europe in mind and one that uses a retuned version of the 2007 FireBlade CBR1000RR engine and runs 2008 FireBlade forks, 2008 FireBlade brakes, a beautiful single-sided swingarm and styling tailored to the decor of the very best designer cafes in Milan. In green it looks purposeful, in white it looks as good as anything on the road.

And then there's the bike's heritage. It was developed by Tetsuya Kudoh, the man who was chief engineer and test rider on such bikes as the VFR400, RC30, NR750, CBR600F and VFR750F, so nothing much good in there then. And as such it's one high-spec piece of kit. The single-sided swingarm is one of the things that gives away the fact this isn't your average fat and lazy naked bike.

Then there's the short stubby attitude of the CB100R: the tiny seat unit designed as a token gesture to attract nubile Italian goddess' who may want to perch on your steed, so to speak. (But in reality no real human would want to sit on the back and you'd never get a tail pack on it, but Honda designed it that way.) It's all about being purposeful, minimal, and saying to everyone watching that you're a no compromise kind of guy who likes to ride fast and look good. The CB1000R weighs in wet at 217 kg (478 lbs), which is just 18 kg (40 lbs) more than the super lightweight 2008 Blade and most of that extra weight is in the heavily braced single-sided swingarm.

Check out the swoopy four-spoke rear wheel, the LCD clocks that are claimed to be the most expensive Honda make, the jagged lines of the bodywork and the aggressive 'ready-to-attack' stance, and you can tell this is no normal Japanese naked bike. It's designed to give a sporty ride with the stylish looks of a naked, and it more than delivers.

Undoubtedly it's a serious bit of kit that aims to do a totally different job to the old Hornet 900, and it's a bike that I'm slightly afraid of riding when I get handed the keys in the center of Milan on a wet and slippery Saturday morning.

But fearful is not one of the things that enters your head when you start riding the tiny Honda. Filtering through Milan in convoy behind a mad Welshman intent on showing us his knowledge of Milan's backstreets, the bike is gentle, easy and torquey. The fuelling is perfect, the grunt is huge and I'm already starting to think that for most people, most of the time this engine would be better in a FireBlade than the super-powerful motor de rigeur of bikes that say you're a real man, even if secretly the amount of horsepower terrifies you. Or is that just me?