100-plus degree temperature, 155 horsepower literbike, fourth gear 130 mph corners--all not a problem if you're rolling on Bridgestone's BT-016s.
Engineered using MotoGP technology. Developed with input by World Champion XYZ. This is the kind of marketing rhetoric that we hear all the time in the sportbike world--especially when it comes to tires. Yes, it's pretty obvious that Bridgestone is keen on publicizing that its newest high-performance sportbike tire, the Battlax BT-016, is a direct result of their success in Grand Prix racing. Yet when we first heard the aforementioned propaganda we were skeptical.
That is until we experienced its new rubber on this year's Suzuki
GSX-R600/
GSX-R750 as well as on the all-new '08 Kawasaki
ZX-10R (as they are standard OE fitment on these three models). During those combined street and racetrack outings we were impressed by the fast warm-up times, high level of outright grip, as well as the copious amount of road feel delivered to the rider.
However, those special OE fitments differ from the standard commercially-available BT-016s; as the OE blend make use of a single compound front and only three compound rear. Thus we were curious to see how Bridgestone's non-OE spec shoes performed on machines that don't use it as standard fitment. So we installed a set on our
2008 project Yamaha R1.
The new BT-016 replaces the older generation BT-014 and incorporates Bridgestone's High Tensile Super Penetrated Cord (HTSPC) technology. Each tire is of one-piece construction and held together with a continuous single-strand steel belt. Bridgestone claims its production method reduces heat, increases slide control, and improves the tire's ability to hold its trajectory. Another byproduct of the design is its increased stability at speed while still providing superior bump absorption.
The new tires utilize Bridgestone's most modern multi-compound tire technology as developed in, you guessed it, MotoGP. The front tire makes use of two compounds in three areas, coined 3-Layer Compound (3LC) technology. The center compound is of harder composition for excellent stability and increased wear resistance. A softer, tackier compound is utilized on either side, offering increased traction when the tire is leaned over during aggressive cornering.
The rear tire takes things a step further by using a 5-Layer Compound (5LC), comprised of a more durable compound at the tire's center - even harder compound than the center of the front (1), flanked by two progressively softer compounds on both shoulders (2), and an even grippier compound towards both edges (2).
The rear tire takes things a step further by using a 5-Layer Compound (5LC), comprised of a more durable compound at the tire's center - a harder compound than the front's center, flanked by two progressively softer compounds on both shoulders, and an even grippier compound towards both edges.
Each tire features a new tread pattern that resembles the Japanese companys' BT-002 DOT-labeled roadrace tire. The front tire uses S-shaped tread sipes that run diagonally through the middle of the tire with the last few millimeters being completely slick-like. The rear design consists of an L-shape tread cuts laid diagonally and, like the front, both edges are devoid of tread to maximize the contact patch. The design is claimed to reduce tire noise, especially between 50-70 mph, help maintain stability, and provide better water dispersion in wet weather.
As soon as we shoed on our new B-Stone rubber we lugged our R1 to a
Pacific Track Time trackday at Buttonwillow Raceway. Temperatures in mid-July in central California are known to get upwards of 100-degrees, so I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't concerned that we might have a problem mixing a 155-horsepower streetbike, 100-plus degree temperatures and street tires.
Despite my apprehension, the new Battlax's continued to impress. We initially set cold tire pressure at 30 psi, front and rear, and then hit the track. After only three or four laps the tires were already scrubbed in and up to temperature. They didn't affect our ability to hustle the bike from side-to-side and didn't make the bike any more nervous or twitchy. We didn't even need to alter our bike's suspension to work with the rubber either.
As the day progressively got hotter, climbing up to 105 degrees, we noticed that the rear tire would begin to get greasy after just three laps, but after that point grip levels were consistent and never fell off or changed. In fact, road feel delivered through the tires could only have been better if I was crawling on the pavement on my hands. Yes, they're that good! I also enjoyed that they were so easy to spin-up as it makes you feel like a real-life superbike superhero. And as long as you can respect the tire's limits, you can still have a complete blast on track. The tires were also incredibly stable even through B-Willow's ultra-fast Riverside bend.
Since our trackday, we've spun a couple hundred miles on the streets. And it's really hard to find any fault with the tires. Just like on the track, they heat up quickly and deliver a smooth, comfortable ride on the freeway. Although they are supposed to generate less road noise, we honestly can't notice any difference. As far as durability is concerned, we've logged roughly 500 miles on them and there's still plenty of tread left, but we'll give you an update in Phase 2 and 3 of our project R1 update.
Overall we're really pleased with the performance level of the BT-016. They do everything right and nothing wrong. If you've always wanted one set of tires that you can comfortably use on the streets or racetrack, look no further.
Product: Bridgestone Battlax BT-016 Hypersport Tires
Front Sizes: 130/70R16, 110/70R17, 120/60R17, 120/70R17
Rear Sizes: 150/60R17, 160/60R17, 170/60R17, 180/55R17, 190/50R17, 190/55R17 and 160/60R18
Buy It Now
