Does anyone have experience with bias ply slicks? I'm 'in the Orlando area and a company by the name of NATires out of Brazil, "pulled out" of the market and are now getting rid of left-over stock. I can get them for $30/tire but I'm not so sure of the bias component, but at $120/set, it may be worth it. Thoughts?
Have you ever driven bias ply before? It's a very different feeling from radials. They like higher slip angles, which means less negative camber is needed. They are generally more forgiving than radials.
In reply to racerfink :
Never driven a bias ply and I've worked for a couple of tire companies! I also see the need to reduce caster to zero with these. Like I said, I'm wondering if I should even bother.
My '66 Datsun came with 2 worn radials and 2 worn bias ply tires. New tires was unbelievable how much better.
They may need more clearance than you are used to with radials. I think the ones on rear of the mumpkin flexed laterally so much that they hit the inside of the wheel well from a long way away. Oh course they were insanely wide, and we used a skinny coilover setup so we thought we had room to the inside, so that could be part of the problem. 
The first guy I ever crewed for back in the late 80's said this, "There is no good deal on bad tires"
If you are just doing track events get some and burn through them. Hell, I'd buy a set or two for myself. I'm in St Pete, any place I can see what sizes are available?
In reply to jgrewe :
Here's the Facebook link...
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/770040047667886/?ref=marketplace_profile&referral_code=undefined
Here's the, "website"...
https://www.natiresusa.com/
That'll give you an idea of what they have, but you'll need to contact him directly, as he's clearing the shop out for other purposes.
I guess my biggest concern is that sloppy feeling one sees with bias-ply tire videos. Possibly stretching the tire reduces the sloppiness?
What are they going on and what type of racing do you do? Also, what were the tires designed for?
They are easier to drive, but weather they are fast or not depends on a whole lot more. Put on your Guinea Pig costume and report back. Like others have said, the set up is very different. Lots of SCCA formula cars raced on them , and may still. A Miata I would start set up about -1/2 degree camber and play with a probing pyrometer from there. Low caster but not no caster.
In reply to L5wolvesf :
Haven't been on slicks since my open-wheel days (20 years ago) but I enjoy the feel. These tires would be used on my, "Spec-SLK" for track days...
https://www.slkcup.nl/slk-cup/reglementen
In reply to TurnerX19 :
Yes, you're right.Not NO caster-just start out at zero and add as needed, as per their instructions.
Used to run Avon bias-ply slicks at the track. Loved them. Much preferable to the Falken Azenis that I also ran.
So as someone racing a car with bias ply slicks and experience with both bias ply treaded tires and treaded radial tires I will chime in.
Bias ply slicks do not move around anywhere near as much as what I call dreaded treadeds. Treaded bias plys like the Hoosier vintage tires I use move around way more than radials.
I drift the Datsun around pretty heavily. By contrast if you do this with the Formula 500 it scrubs off a ton of speed and will cook the tires in pretty short order.
Bias ply tires typically use less camber than radials.
Slicks are fairly intolerant of being outside their temperature range; cold slicks lose grip with little to.no warning. If they start to over heat you.can kill them in half a lap
Regardless of radial or bias ply slicks provide more grip. I love running a car on slicks.......so much grip and you can be super agressive, especially on the brakes.
In reply to 2GRX7 :
I love bias ply tires. They do like big slip angles. But they are like drifting at speed. If you are comfortable with the tail hung out you will love them.
I recall meeting with them at SEMA or PRI one year.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the insight. Picking some up tomorrow.
In addition to running an F500 on bias plys, I also have autocrossed an Exocet on both radials and American Racer bias plys. The way I would term that comparison is that the bias plys are like grippy balloons. There is more difference between where the rim is pointing and the car is actually traveling. It feels different and less precise, but big grip and more forgiving over bumps and such. It won't have the razor reaction that say, Hoosier radials would have, but that's not to say it would be slow.
In reply to Apexcarver :
Very acute! Bias ply can be fast if you accept they are different to drive. Part of the reason is radials have a sharp line between the limit and spinning out of control. Bias ply has a much wider point between slipping and spinning out of control with a real well telegraphed breakaway point.
Let me put it this way. If you have formula 1 skill levels. ( and experience at the absolute edge to judge). You will be able to go faster with radials than bias.
However it is far easier to learn the limits on Bias tires than on radials. A big part of my success has been that difference.
With radials, that breakaway point is so sharp that drivers often leave a lot on the table ( traction wise) to prevent loss of control, driving errors.
My absolute favorite example was chasing Sir Stirling Moss driving the Aston Martin and Steve Kline driving the Corvette ( Echidna) . Kline had kicked up a sand on the track right in front of me. Naturally my car went sliding sideways all across the track with me steering desperately try to keep the front end pointed the right way. Full lock to full lock back and forth. About 200 times ( or so it felt) I finally caught it on the opposite shoulder thanks to those bias ply tires. Now I was no longer in contact with those two.
Two laps later Steve broke a rear axle so the race was over , Moss backed off enough to save the car for the rest of the races during race week. I'd eased off enough because I too knew Moss would never let me catch up.
In reply to racerfink :
IIRC you need more castor with bias plies not less.
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