Yep- Another f'n tire thread

So, I looked around a bit & figured I'd go for a batch of new opinions on the latest sneakers. Mine have another 1-3K depending on how hard I abuse them. Right now I have Battlax's on there (BTO16's I think) and I like 'em fine, but I bet ya'll might know of something that performs as well or better, and won't melt away like these did on the hot summer pavement here in the south.

Oh yeah- I heard the Pilot's are comin apart at speed. True/false???

 

Honestly they (the BT016) are may favorite tire. I regularly get 5+k out of a set but I ride hard lots of corners and back roads. The slabbing to work take the biggest toll. They now have a newer version called the BT016 pro. Incrementally better than the standard BT but exponentially better in wet than the standard. I heard some folks trying the Dunlop q2s and if you want to try them you can get a set for $205 from sportbiketrackgear.com but right now the BTs are the shizzy.

 

Best tire for my mtn riding I have used in 20 yrs is the pilot road 2, waiting to try a set of 3's this summer..I get 25% more miles outa the 2's over all the bridgestone and dunlops I have ever tried..Next best have been the cheapo Shinko/Yokohama 009's....Go figure.. Good luck pickin..

 

Its complicated and you are not really comparing like with like.

The BT016 is basically a sports tyres optimised to provide a lively tyre with the sort of fast turn in (snap) performance needed for track/sports use. They are designed to heat up fast and then deliver predictable grip right to the edge of the tyre. The downside is on very hot roads they can wear relatively quickly. What makes sense for you, really depends on what sort of riding you plan to use the tyre for. If for instance you really do push the tyre hard and are using the very edge of the BT016s then swapping to sports touring tyres will give a noticeable drop in grip and may not be a good choice.

The BT021 is being heavily discounted in Europe following the launch of the better BT023 which are both optimised for use as a sports tourer. The 023 has ample grip for most sensible road riding, but definitely turns in a bit slower than the BT016s. I think its something to do with the profile of the tyre, so if dynamic changes of direction are vital then stick with the BT016 and accept the lower tyre life. If however you do a lot of steady pace commuting or motorway runs, then the Bridgestone BT021 and latest BT023 tyres could be a better choice as the dual compound tyre construction uses a very long lasting central wear strip but with super sticky shoulder compound giving real confidence when the bike is leaned over. As for mileage I have had over 10,000 miles out of a set of BT021's and got almost the same with my first set of BT023's. Hope that helps

skimad4x4 6th Gen Militia #218

 

Thanks Ski!

Sounds like what I might be looking for. I'd love to be able to tell everyone how great I am on the track every weekend, but I'd just be full of shit. The truth is that the bike only goes back & forth to work on most days. When I do get to go ride for fun (2 or 3 nights a week, and a good long ride every 1-2 weeks) I push it over pretty hard whenever traffic and pavement conditions permit- which Is why I dig the stickier style of sport tire. BUT- all the slabbin back'n'forth to base on the hot pavement just kills the center.

I'm gonna look into those BT023's. Anyone else running them?