Extreme road conditions in the Type R

Nath

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I live close to Death Valley. You can spend days exploring the winding, crazy mountain roads in your Type R, the straight aways that go to the horizon, the killer grades that try lesser cars' souls. Yeah, and you'll need those Brembos--around that next hairpin could be a wild burro taking a dump in the middle of the road, or a rock slide. Gas is about $5.50/gal for premium, so fill up outside the park!
Sooner or later you have to go off road if you want to get to the good trail heads. Washboard, cacti, gravel, rattlers...I'm interested to see if others have taken their Type R's off road, and how'd it go? Or just what other extreme road conditions you've found yourself in.
Here's a pic or two of my latest off pavement excursion. 117 degrees, middle of summer. I've found Sport mode is best. The engine stayed nice and cool throughout the trip, I am happy to report. Good job, Honda!

Honda Civic 10th gen Extreme road conditions in the Type R IMG_20180628_131134


Honda Civic 10th gen Extreme road conditions in the Type R IMG_20180628_132724


Honda Civic 10th gen Extreme road conditions in the Type R IMG_20180628_134646 (1)
 

Maximum6

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Did you notice any difference between comfort and sport while going off road?
 

OMGSIIK

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Pics clearly show you've done it. I'd be less worried with more rubber. Most I've had to go through was an unpaved mile stretch of road work going "slow" like their signs say. I'm more concerned about those jarring, makes you clench pot holes at 45mph
 
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Nath

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For the ultimate road experience in California, or anywhere else, for that matter,..I nominate the paved road from Stove Pipe Wells (Death Valley) to Wild Rose. Take out a good life insurance policy,..bring a couple gallons of water. Check the weather for flash floods. Tell a loved one to call the ranger station (at Furnace Creek) if you're not back by a certain time. You won't have cell service, and you could make the entire trip seeing only one or two other intrepid travelers, or maybe no one. When you make it back to Stove Pipe Wells (ice cream!) you'll be deeply bonded with your Type R, cause you'll have come thru heaven and fire together.
On the way out of the park, say, between Shoshone and Pahrump (desert towns) there's a great, smooth straight-away that goes for 10 or 15 miles or more,..if a Type R guy ever wanted to see what that big beautiful wing is for.
TIP: the flashfloods, besides the obvious flood danger, they also strew gravel and rocks in the dips and corkscrews.
: just resign yourself to killing jackrabbits. A rabbit-saving swerve will most likely truncate your career on this planet.
:bring a tire pressure gauge. Elevation changes go from 200ft below sea level to 7000ft, and this will confuse and set off your "low tire pressure" indicator.
Did you notice any difference between comfort and sport while going off road?
Yes, paradoxically, I encountered more drama in the washboards with Comfort mode. This was confirmed by my dash cam, which chimes when it senses impact: fewer chimes per mile in Sport mode. I had to get out and relocate larger rocks a few times, to save the front air dam from dings. No biggee.
 


remc86007

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If I had a lot of money and could afford to have a second (or third) Type R, I'd totally do this.
 

markq218

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Nice license plate! I'm applying for dental school this cycle lol
 

yargk

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I completely believe the Type R is great for these roads. FWD is better than RWD for rally. (And I think few people realize that you need to drive an AWD rally car more like a FWD car than a RWD car to be fast)

Anyway, what makes me cringe is not the CTR on these roads, but the stock 20 inchers! You are brave!

I also find that on many roads, sport is more comfortable than comfort. It's like the sport is comfort, R is sport, and comfort mode really isn't that useful, it's more like flying couch mode for roads that are already smooth. But again, comfort is actually worse for roads with any bumps.
 
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Nath

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I completely believe the Type R is great for these roads. FWD is better than RWD for rally. (And I think few people realize that you need to drive an AWD rally car more like a FWD car than a RWD car to be fast)

Anyway, what makes me cringe is not the CTR on these roads, but the stock 20 inchers! You are brave!

I also find that on many roads, sport is more comfortable than comfort. It's like the sport is comfort, R is sport, and comfort mode really isn't that useful, it's more like flying couch mode for roads that are already smooth. But again, comfort is actually worse for roads with any bumps.
I'm not a big tire expert, so I'm wondering why you think the stock 20 inch tires would make someone "cringe" on the dirt roads, more than smaller tires? Are you thinking they might blow out, or not absorb shock as well as smaller diameter tires?
 


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I'm not a big tire expert, so I'm wondering why you think the stock 20 inch tires would make someone "cringe" on the dirt roads, more than smaller tires? Are you thinking they might blow out, or not absorb shock as well as smaller diameter tires?
I would just be worried because the OEM tires have such a narrow sidewall, and so many CTR owners have bent and scratched rims from hitting potholes on paved roads. I took my stock wheels and tires off at the first opportunity, with 160 miles on the car, and drove on 245/40/ZR18 tires through the winter.
 

yargk

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I'm not a big tire expert, so I'm wondering why you think the stock 20 inch tires would make someone "cringe" on the dirt roads, more than smaller tires? Are you thinking they might blow out, or not absorb shock as well as smaller diameter tires?
Tires adsorb a lot of energy when hitting a pot hole, or a rut on a dirt road.

I'd think that with a smaller sidewall more energy is transferred to the rim and there is a higher likelihood of both rim and tire damage. I think it's telling that rally cars don't run 20 inch wheels when on dirt and even when they run tarmac (road) stages, they only run 18s with a tire diameter similar to ours.
 
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Nath

Nath

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I would just be worried because the OEM tires have such a narrow sidewall, and so many CTR owners have bent and scratched rims from hitting potholes on paved roads. I took my stock wheels and tires off at the first opportunity, with 160 miles on the car, and drove on 245/40/ZR18 tires through the winter.
OK, that makes sense. I got that extended tires and wheels warranty, so I guess I'll stick with what came with the car for now. Thanks for the info, I might go that route next tire change.
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