Talking about winter tires: I've been driving really hard since I did the BAT/KKM implant last weekend. I have Dunlop Wintersport M2's and I have noticed just a touch less dry road handling, but only out at the hairy edge of 4 wheel drift.
With as wet as the roads out near me have been with the snow and melting, I am happy to have the winter tires. I cleaned up my stock tires and rims a couple of weekends ago and I could EASILY feel how hard they were in relation to the Wintersoprts (with both cold from sitting 5' apart in the same garage) and they were nothing like they felt when I put them away back when it was warmer. I'm more convinced than ever that Z rated performance tires just aren't meant for winter, snow or no snow.
My .02.
