OT: New wheels

[mcteague]

No...not bike wheels! Its a 2020 Mazda MX-5 RF GT, AKA Miata in the US. I bought a CX-5 last year but this will take the place of my motorcycle. Maybe not as much fun as the motorcycle but, damn, its not far off.

Tim

[C40_guy]

Absolutely beautiful!

[fkslksj]

Beautiful car and nice choice of color! I also bought a CX-5, and I've also been contemplating selling my motorcycle and getting an MX-5. It sounds like the transition hasn't left you wanting for the motorcycle much?

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[scoobydrew]

Great car! Such a blast to drive.

Beautiful color as well. That red really pops and is really something else in person.

[avalonracing]

Best looking car under 50K. Perhaps best-looking current car at any price.
What motorcycle did you get rid of?

[mcteague]

Best looking car under 50K. Perhaps best-looking current car at any price.
What motorcycle did you get rid of?

BMW S1000R. It was an insane bike but, in Maryland, it sat for half a year and I still would either be shivering or sweating when I did ride it. It’s a naked bike so you are always in the wind. I’ve been riding motorcycles over 12 years and, at 64, I’m feeling more creaky after an hour or so, not to mention some arthritis in my thumbs which makes holding the throttle open a bit painful after a while.

On top of all that, since a teen I loved the Triumph Spitfire and lusted after a true roadster. I’m now able to afford a practical car, the CX-5, AND a toy....the Miata!

Tim

[mcteague]

Beautiful car and nice choice of color! I also bought a CX-5, and I've also been contemplating selling my motorcycle and getting an MX-5. It sounds like the transition hasn't left you wanting for the motorcycle much?

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I worried it would not push the same buttons as well. The other day I was riding a nice road I used with the MC, and came to a tight roundabout. There were no other cars around so I went in a bit hot. I pressed the accelerator hard coming out and the rear kicked out a bit and snapped back in line. I actually started laughing out loud! Best thing about the MX-5 is you have a great sense of speed and dynamics only to find you are barely over the speed limit. With the bike I would shatter the speed limit when overtaking and I often felt I was tempting fate.

Tim

[bart998]

Congrats on the beautiful car! I'm 60 and still riding my Indian... recently sold my Mustang and this is definitely on the list.

[fkslksj]

I worried it would not push the same buttons as well. The other day I was riding a nice road I used with the MC, and came to a tight roundabout. There were no other cars around so I went in a bit hot. I pressed the accelerator hard coming out and the rear kicked out a bit and snapped back in line. I actually started laughing out loud! Best thing about the MX-5 is you have a great sense of speed and dynamics only to find you are barely over the speed limit. With the bike I would shatter the speed limit when overtaking and I often felt I was tempting fate.



TimMan that sounds awesome. I rode a Triumph Daytona for a few years, and decided I'd eventually die if I kept riding it the way I did. Switched to a Triumph Bonneville and it's been a blast. Always wanted a convertible roadster but couldn't justify owning two "toy" vehicles. Maybe I'll switch once my wife and I start a family in a couple years...

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[R3awak3n]

its definitely a cute car :banana:

just playing, but I have nothing but good things about miatas.

[Kirk007]

Beautiful and looks like fun!

Recently acquired a 2002 M3 that is wicked fun to drive except when I punch it through a hard turn in 2nd or 3rd I'm doing 75 before I blink in a 35 mph zone. It's a hoot but a hazardous waste (and I mean that in the kindest sense) on a small rural island. Been thinking I should move it on for a small convertible roadster that will be fun to drive - miata, honda s2000, Datsun 1600, Alpha Romeo Spyder (my dream car as a 21 yr old)....

[reuben]

Disc brakes, I assume. Where's the carbon fiber?

[mcteague]

Disc brakes, I assume. Where's the carbon fiber?

There is fake carbon fiber around the door switches. Does that count?

[reuben]

There is fake carbon fiber around the door switches. Does that count?

Fake is even better. :D

[jamesdak]

Beautiful and the best color.

I had a NC Miata and still consider that the funniest car I've ever owned. Most cars you sit in and drive but you wear a Miata.

Foolishly sold mine when I picked up a mint low mileage C5 Z06. Wicked fast and yet a total bore. Traded it in on a MKVII GTI which was pretty cool but my bad knees couldn't never get comfortable in it. Traded it in on a 2016 BMW 340 M-Sport. Great car but still in no way a Miata. God I want another one and am so jealous of you. ;)

[merlinmurph]

Congrats! What a nice color. Kinda funny seeing a Miata with a hardtop.

I've got a '99 with ~45K miles on it. Just a fun car.

Enjoy!

[mcteague]

Congrats! What a nice color. Kinda funny seeing a Miata with a hardtop.

I've got a '99 with ~45K miles on it. Just a fun car.

Enjoy!



Hard top gone! Well, most of it. :rolleyes:

Tim

[pjm]

Nice! Always wanted one. Don’t fit.:mad:

[GregL]

Nice! Always wanted one. Don’t fit.:mad:
Same here! My wife has a 1996 M-Edition NA that I have maintained to a very high standard. Fun car, but I have to tilt my head to fit with the top up and stare straight into the upper frame of the windshield with the top down.

Greg

[ridethecliche]

I haven't taken the hard top off my nb miata in well over a year. The last time I did, it was to do some work to it.

OP, enjoy the car. Mine is very heavily built (like 330 rwhp built). I miss the days when I could slam through the gears on a county road going by a cop because even though I felt like I was breaking every law known to man I was barely even at the speed limit.

The ND RF is a beautiful car.
enjoy it in good health.

Nice! Always wanted one. Don’t fit.:mad:

Get an older one and do a foamectomy on the seats and or have a race shop drop the floor.

It'll still be the best fun you can have for the money!

[dookie]

Not a single wheel answer yet...

OP, I love my '99 sport pkg to death, thought the NC was criminal, and lust after an ND. Don't know what your goals or budget are, but I suggest that weight be a primary driver. Mine wears 15" RP-F1s @ 9.5lbs/ea.

[mcteague]

Not a single wheel answer yet...

OP, I love my '99 sport pkg to death, thought the NC was criminal, and lust after an ND. Don't know what your goals or budget are, but I suggest that weight be a primary driver. Mine wears 15" RP-F1s @ 9.5lbs/ea.

Uh, wasn’t looking for wheel advice. I posted “new wheels” as in “new car”. I have no intention to replace the wheels. Maybe a fatter steering wheel at some point.

Tim

[ridethecliche]

Uh, wasn’t looking for wheel advice. I posted “new wheels” as in “new car”. I have no intention to replace the wheels. Maybe a fatter steering wheel at some point.

Tim

Miatas are pretty sensitive to unsprung weight. Great way to improve feel and handling in these cars is by moving to better wheels.

The ND comes with 17's right. That's not the best for handling in these cars.

The response re: not a single wheel comment yet was more in reference to how popular of a comment that is with regard to these cars. Wheels/suspension goodies are the best place to spend money to make the car better should you ever want to go in that direction.

[mcteague]

Miatas are pretty sensitive to unsprung weight. Great way to improve feel and handling in these cars is by moving to better wheels.

The ND comes with 17's right. That's not the best for handling in these cars.

The response re: not a single wheel comment yet was more in reference to how popular of a comment that is with regard to these cars. Wheels/suspension goodies are the best place to spend money to make the car better should you ever want to go in that direction.

Understood. Even though the MX-5 is a very light car I have doubts how much saving a couple pounds per wheel could greatly affect the handling of a 2,450 lb car. Suspension upgrades make sense for track. On the road, I think Dave Coleman and the Mazda team know what they are doing.

Tim

[foregroundmusic]

Looks great, always had a thing for MX-5's and almost pulled the trigger on a Mazdaspeed version back when that was a thing. Wound up getting a Mazdaspeed3 instead, so I could fit a bike in the back.

Enjoy

[ridethecliche]

Understood. Even though the MX-5 is a very light car I have doubts how much saving a couple pounds per wheel could greatly affect the handling of a 2,450 lb car. Suspension upgrades make sense for track. On the road, I think Dave Coleman and the Mazda team know what they are doing.

Tim

You'd be suprised re: change in feel. I'm much more familiar with previous gens of the car, but a lot of the language is similar. Ending up with the same weight wheel+tire combo and ending up with a stickier setup makes for a big change.

re Coleman and the Mazda team:
They're still shooting for a pricepoint and have to make concessions. For the intended purpose the stock billies are solid. Sadly the older 15's don't clear the ND brakes (well i guess that's a good things because the brakes are better!), but many 16's do and the wheel+tire combos can save that mentioned 10lbs or give you a much more grippy setup.

I got a chuckle out of your comment re track vs street. How many people here ride bikes that they ride because they like them vs need them? The same goes for stuff like suspension. Yeah, the stock stuff is good, but there's a lot better out there.

Regardless of what you choose to do, you picked a very fun machine. I do hope you enjoy it in good health.

Looks great, always had a thing for MX-5's and almost pulled the trigger on a Mazdaspeed version back when that was a thing. Wound up getting a Mazdaspeed3 instead, so I could fit a bike in the back.

Enjoy

Mazdaspeed miata was a bit of a parts bin car. The stock tune is pretty horrible on it. They're definitely fun for what they are, but you can do far better with a stock miata and some well thought out mods!
Which gen MS3 do you have? I've always liked those and the MS6's. The torque steer on the early 3's was supposed to be something else though!

[foregroundmusic]

Mazdaspeed miata was a bit of a parts bin car. The stock tune is pretty horrible on it. They're definitely fun for what they are, but you can do far better with a stock miata and some well thought out mods!
Which gen MS3 do you have? I've always liked those and the MS6's. The torque steer on the early 3's was supposed to be something else though!

I had a gen 2 and the torque steer was absolutely wild. The aftermarket rear motor mount and tune helped it immensely. I got a new Fiesta ST two years ago with the Recaros and have loved it way more though, really lives up to the hype.