I too bought the Pirelli Scorpions (V-rated) and like both the appearance and riding characteristics. They are noisier (I keep them inflated to 46 psi and I think the extra firmness of the "V" rating and bounce makes them noisier) than the Bridgestones but much more grippier. Of course in the south, where there is almost no snow, these work better as they seem more suited for rain than snow/ice.

I've detailed this before, but if you go armed into an NTB with a price quote from Tirerack.com, they should price-match. I ended up with these for a little over $100 each plus tire disposal/tax and road hazard. NTB's retail was over $200 each, so I saved over $400. The advantage of buying local over the web is the road hazard (free tire replacement/fix based on tread life). Also I get free balance/rotation for the life of the tire.

I also looked at Yokos and Kumhos. The extra sidewall patterning turned me away from the Yokos (but some may like it and they handle/perform well). I couldn't get past the "cum-hoe" name on the Kumhos, though they also rate extremely well and appear to be a terrific value (they were about $90 each on Tirerack - seems like they wer ST rated instead of V rated though - I'm not sure if they have a V-rated version - they didn't when I compared earlier this year).

-- John