Bridgestone BT023 Tyres

[JQL]

As part of the 12,000 mile service I had a new BT023 put on the front to match the BT023 on the rear (which was put on about 4,000 miles ago). There was about .5mm before the wear marks so I could have got a few more miles out of it. It seemed sensible to get it done at the same time rather than wait another 3/4 weeks.

The cost of the tyre (at the current exchange rates, 18th June 2011) was $163.17, ?114,00, ?100.85. The fitting was swallowed up in the servicing costs.

WOW!

Even in the short trip home (about 5 miles) the difference is very noticeable even with a new tyre that needs scrubbing in.

Grip is significantly better.
Ride is better - seems smoother
Handling seems better as well.

I know, in the UK, they use the Avon Storms but I wasn't able to get them through my Dealer. The Storms would have to be significantly better to match the BT023s.

I'll write a review after it has had time to bed in.

 

[Herb]

I'm very happy with my BT 023's, but then again i've never ridden Avon's. Looks like my rear will need changing soon at just over 10,000 mi with virtually no detectable squaring. Better than the 6,000 and major squaring on the OEM 020,s!
I'm happy.

 

[vacanefan]

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa323/vacanefan01/FirstMotorcycle.jpg

I may try these tires. They ride a little rough, but last a long time.

 

[Chuck 500]

Looks like I will opt for BT23's when I change. I have 9200 miles on the original BT20's. Rear has squaring, not surprising given the amount of straight road riding I do. Front has much less wear but some cupping. may change both just to keep a matched set. Rear has anther couple of thousand left I think.

 

[banjoboy]

I'm having front and rear 023s replacing the OEM 020s on Tuesday morning. I was going to go for a track day out here in Seattle and was told my 020s wouldn't pass the safety inspection. I understand the 023s are designed to last about a third longers than OEMs. We'll see.

Terry

 

[Warren]

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa323/vacanefan01/FirstMotorcycle.jpg

I may try these tires. They ride a little rough, but last a long time.

I think those are the popular BC001 tires.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I think those are the popular BC001 tires.

The worst thing about them is the splinters as they near the end of their lives.

 

[Phil Tarman]

But I wonder how long it takes a patch to dry enough to be rideable.

 

[karl]

Getting close to 10K pushed the order button for a pair of 023's today
http://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt023.html
Wish me luck

 

[karl]

The front came today, the rear came yesterday. got a VEA 2610 front and VED 4210 rear now to get them mounted the ones on the bike still have life on them but I would like to swap them out before some longer rides.

 

[karl]

Got the new tires on today. They balanced out with no weight and the install was uneventful. New tires feel good, don't have any lap time improvements to post just subjective feel. Round is better than lumpy (profile) will post how the work after some ride time. Next week is a backroad run to VT and the first of Oct is a trip to Maine.
The bike feels "new" again so far.

 

[karl]

With a little time and a few miles on these seemed like a good time to share my view of them. I am very happy with them on this bike so far. I am far from anything even resembling a pro tire tester and probably leave most of the capability of the tires unused, so with your grain of salt.

The wet: other than some tar snakes that had the stockers slipping in the dry some times sometimes, these hang on like limpets. Any normal maneuvers at road legal speeds are simply not an issue.

The dry: here again they hang on well past the level I have ever pushed them to.
my hope is they will give me a margin of safety that will keep me upright and riding in any emergency maneuvers the bike and I may see in there lifetime.

Tire technology has come a long way in recent years and these tires carry a lot of these improvements to our bikes. The bike feels better than new. How much of that is my own confidence level and how much is the tires share. I am not sure. Glad now that I swapped the pair when I did. The front was toast and the rear had very mild center flattening and some left side cupping. Hope that these last just a wee bit longer. We shall see.

 

[charlie b]

I am one of the "rebels' who went with Avon Storms because of the experiences posted on the UK forum.

I can't really compare them to anything because my stock tires were significantly squared and cupped when replaced. FWIW, they still gripped the pavement very well in that condition.

So far the Storms are great. Been in some pretty dense rain and did very well, not sacrificing grip much at all. Twisties the bike can still handle more than I can. Maybe on a track I could get them to the slipping point, but, not on the road. I don't like sliding into guardrails or over cliffs

My goal was for decent tires that lasted well over 10k miles. Will have to wait to see how these do.

 

[charlie b]

Heck, I think just about any of the choices are good, including the stock tires. I think I could have gotten over 10k off my original set.

 

[karl]

Not having tried PR3's or Storms I could not compare them to the Bridgestone BT023' that this thread is about. Thanks for your insight.

 

[vzshadow]

I've got PR2s on my bike and they are great.

 

[MrSinator]

I'm looking at the BT-45v's. The stock tires felt pretty good to me. They're at 5600 miles and not very far from worn out.

 

[Rich]

I've noticed that the stock tires seem to be a bit more susceptible to the road hazards put in place by our highway engineers/crews. Namely those plastic strips and white paint they use to mark turn lanes, crosswalks, shoulders, etc. When wet these things get really slippery and it is really noticeable when even in a slight turn going over one of these when it's wet with these stock tires.

The stock tires on my first ST1300 were like that, also. Had a really exciting tank-slapper incident nudging over a shoulder stripe on a freeway on-ramp way back when. The bike danced back and forth over that stripe a couple of times with me sitting there in a high state of anxiety getting it under control.

I do have one comment about Avons. Years ago (in the last century, actually), based on another 1100 rider's recommendation, I had two sets (don't recall the model) in succession on my ST1100. Both tires of both sets came apart at around 4,000 miles. Plenty of tread, but the sidewalls came apart all the way around, showing cord, and (as you might expect) would no longer hold air. I've avoided Avons like the plague ever since.

 

[Argyll]

I put BT021's on my NT650V recently and they are very good tires. I believe that they have a little less "give" than the 023's but I'm not in a position to do a comparison. All I can say is that we've had plenty of rain over here and the tires have never felt anything other than planted.

 

[Phil Tarman]

The BT-023 is much more satisfying than the BT-020 was. I'm probably going to try a set of Michelin Pilot Road 3s next time around.