Falken Azenis FK520 rated
77% while driving a Honda Civic Type R
Driving on
a combination of roads for 2500
spirited miles
OEM Fitment Tire on the FL5 Type R is Michelin PS4S (superb tire , i got 25,000km out of a set inclusive of 3 track days. i would of been able to do another 5000km on regular roads had i not copped an unfixable puncture which was sheer bad luck)
Onto the Falkens , after the PS4S i swapped wheel fitments and went to 18s for comfort + tire longevity + increased tire choices. After ALOT of research the UTQG rating for the Falken FK510 was 300 treadwear , A traction / A Temp. Considering the PS4S is AA traction A temp with 300 treadwear also on paper it seemed the Falkens were on-point so my first fray into the Falken brand was with a set of FK510's.
The FK510s were great in terms of traction and overall grip in the dry , even better then the PS4S which would just cause the front wheels to lose traction in 1st/2nd and sometimes early in 3rd. With the FK510 the only way for me to wheelspin was if i was just a little too eager in first but if i had traction in first i would ultimately have traction in 2nd and 3rd without much issue , that to me sold me on the Falken brand given the cost difference between the 2 tires. Even though the Falken FK510 and Subsequentially FK520L are rated as a UHP tire it comes very close to the UUHP segment tire for a fraction of the cost.
Unfortunately the FK510s didn't last as long as i had hoped , about 9 months / 15,000km of driving with no track days with 0.5mm before the wear limit, but regularly checked pressures and tire rotations. i am a bit of an aggressive driver so it doesn't help but i didn't have the wear issue with the PS4S but it did provide me with equivalent levels of grip. So in the tire world its always choose 3 - Grip / Comfort / Wear / Cost / Handling , you will never get all 5.
The FK510 gives Comfort / Grip / Cost at the sacrifice of Handling/Wear , in terms of handling it felt like the Michelin PS4 (very vague and slow in slalom and S bends at speed) but the grip was always there you just had to back off a little to let the car settle to find out where it was and then you could load it up confidently in the corners and hold it no problems.
This brings me now to the FK520L , Falkens newest model and successor to the FK510. I have only had them on for about 4000km / 2500 miles at the moment but considering my experience with the FK510 i can confidently say that this tire is a genuine improvement in the right direction. The tire feels more comfortable due to its more solid construction , the less mass on the tire is also correct because my fuel economy increased so paying for less fuel is a bonus , handling wise it definitely is a slight notch better because of the stiffer shoulders but the tire is still pretty soft in my opinion.
I have taken the tire on a few spirted runs already and can say Falken have done well with this newer model , i was able to get them fitted after price matching for about $225 AUD a corner so when the Michelin PS5 and PS4S is still $400 / $500 AUD a corner respectively it makes the Falkens seem like a huge bargain , and that they are. They are also visually appealing now with the nano black sidewall design and i feel the tire is a lot more premium , would i recommend this tire to anyone thinking about buying a set , absolutely but with 1 caveat , if you plan on doing a track day spend a little bit more and get a UUHP tire. If however you just want a decent street sport tire without lighting your wallet on fire that is the equivalent of a Michelin PS4/PS5 then the Falken FK520L will keep you safe.
Bottom line i was a bit hesitant at first to try Falken on my expensive sportscar but i am glad i did as they perform as expected , this tire won't be for everyone as the handling isn't as sharp and precise as other tire models but the grip and confidence is there and is progressive when pushing it to the limit.
Next set i am hoping to try the new Continental Max Contact 7 when they become available as they are 360 Treadwear rated with AA Traction and A temp and would like a tire that lasts a little longer without sacrificing on grip/safety , otherwise i might just fit a set of Max Contact 6 and see how it goes , worse-case scenario i always have Falken to fall back on should they not perform as-expected.