Bridgestone Battlax BT-021

This may be the shameless and redundant way of increasing my post (whore) count, but I want to have one thread containing the entire test for reference. So here goes...

My experience with the front BT-021 seems to concur with others'. My tire handled well as long as it retained its shape. It definitely is not multi-compound like the rear, and Bridgestone clearly states that.

I had to purposely combine a balanced mixture of slab, sweepers and tight twisty roads in order to avoid the "trapezoid" shape that was showing up. That shape was caused by running slabs (flat middle) and then twisties (flat sides). This made the front turn-in with a definite "twitch". So I picked an hour or so of sweepers and purposely pushed hard. The front tire ground itself back into the nicely rounded profile similar to the original one.

At 2,900 miles, the front BT-021 was clearly into the wear bars, had most of its original profile intact, yet was completely worn out at 3,136 miles.

The rear BT-021 had an average remaining tread depth of 1.8 mm with an average of 0.8 mm before contacting the wear bars. With a rated tread depth of 6.35 mm new, this means I used 4.55 mm tread in the 3,136 miles. Assuming linear tread wear, this leaves approximately 689 miles before contacting the wear bars, and 1,258 miles before running slick. I believe that to be a fairly accurate assumption based on my experience with the tire. I was expecting it to be a 3,600 mile tire to the wear bars and probably a forced change at 4,000. My experience and the data supports those numbers.

The wear data places the BT-021 rear in the upper 1/3 of tread life for rear tires I've tested. It also places the BT-021 front at (or damn near) the bottom of the ranks for front tires. Only my "bad experience" with a defective Avon comes to mind as shorter. The front BT-021 definitely required the most active management of tread life and contour of any tire I have run. You cannot leave it alone and get consistent handling. You have to purposely mix up twisties, sweepers and slabs to retain a reasonable handling profile/shape.

In short, I really like the rear BT-021 and would perhaps place it in an overall 2nd place when considering handling, tread life, predictable behavior and other factors. On the other hand, the front BT-021 is officially "off my list". I'd rather play with someone else's sport tire if 3-4,000 miles is all I want from a front and I would not expect to have to work so hard to enjoy it.

Jeff,

Thanks for the information I thought I was losing my mind, well maybe partly. The "trapezoidal" shape is exactly what I have on the front BT021. I thought the tire was defective but after reading your report I can now see that it's the roads I have near my home that are either flat *** straight for 80 miles or twisty as hell for 20. There are hardly any "sweepers" where I live. I was pretty soured on the front 21 and just couldn't figure out how a tire that performed so well for 2000 miles suddenly got twitchy. Guess I'll have to go look for some sweepers to wear off the corner. :dribble:

Neat thing was that in hard corners I never had a tire that held on and felt like it was on rails like the 021 did.

AZ

AZrider said:

Jeff,
Thanks for the information I thought I was losing my mind, well maybe partly. The "trapezoidal" shape is exactly what I have on the front BT021. I thought the tire was defective but after reading your report I can now see that it's the roads I have near my home that are either flat *** straight for 80 miles or twisty as hell for 20. There are hardly any "sweepers" where I live. I was pretty soured on the front 21 and just couldn't figure out how a tire that performed so well for 2000 miles suddenly got twitchy. Guess I'll have to go look for some sweepers to wear off the corner. :dribble:

Neat thing was that in hard corners I never had a tire that held on and felt like it was on rails like the 021 did.

AZ

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Glad to be of service. I have not lost my mind. You cannot lose what you never had.



The BT-021 Front, was probably my worst tire to date, to develop an odd contour from normal road conditions. The rear performs well and maintains its shape well.

Good luck finding those sweepers. Maybe you can run high speed through mall parking lots at night, weaving in/out of the amber light posts???

I'm starting to have the same problem @ 2,400 miles (many of which are slab).

It's weird to see a front tire go first. The center compound must be way too soft.

Jeff,

Thanks for another great tire report. Good info for those of us that haven't found "that/the tire" yet. I hope the PR2's, group buy here, will be "that/the tire" for me.

WW

Bad news for me! I bought a pair of BT021s toward the end of last season and I was able to finish the year on my old tires so I just spooned them on. I'll use them for the Ohio Ramble but I'll have to order something else so I have something to put on when I return from Ohio. I passed on the group buy for PR2s because I thought I wouldn't need tires so soon. Oh well.

Jeff, thanks for your tire reports. Although I don't ride as aggressively as you I find the reports very useful.

Your findings mirror mine Jeff. I am on my 2nd rear. It is still in great shape unlike the first. The first was holed at the 600 mile mark and was unrepairable. That first 600 was slab and it was already showing a flat spot down the center.

The front has had a peculiar whine since new. I think it is the tread pattern. It has quieted down a little after 3500 miles, but living here in flat land has created I nice little 3/4 inch wide flat spot down the middle. I think my next set will be Diablo Stradas...again. Had good luck with them last time, 6K before they were junk.

The BT-021 Front, was probably my worst tire to date, to develop an odd contour from normal road conditions. The rear performs well and maintains its shape well.

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Calling Dr. Ashe,OK, I liked the 021 'till today. I've only got 2100 miles on it and the sides are almost gone. Middle looks great, no cupping or anything abnormal. The thing sticks good but I've never ground one up this quick. Love the rear, it seems to be getting better.

So, my question is, what would be a good tire to put on the front that would perform well with the 021 rear?

Another 021? Then you can change them both when the new front is worn out.

madmike2 said:

Another 021? Then you can change them both when the new front is worn out.

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+1

That was my plan, until I ran into a sale on RoadSmarts. The rear 021 looked to be wearing at roughly half the rate of the front.

Several here liked the front 020 (rear melted quickly, though). A BT combo could work well, if you can still find a front 020.

Jagermeister said:

Several here liked the front 020 (rear melted quickly, though). A BT combo could work well, if you can still find a front 020.

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The 020s I had cupped rather severely by 5K, but that's what you'd expect from the 1/2-life of the 021 rear.

I have almost 5000 miles on mine now. 4500 miles of slab, And 500ish of fun Cali roads.

I will post some pics up in a few days!

I would guess that i have another 2000 miles left in them.

I am thinking of riding these out to NAFO, And putting a fresh set on there.

rushes said:

The BT-021 Front, was probably my worst tire to date, to develop an odd contour from normal road conditions. The rear performs well and maintains its shape well.

Click to expand...

Calling Dr. Ashe,OK, I liked the 021 'till today. I've only got 2100 miles on it and the sides are almost gone. Middle looks great, no cupping or anything abnormal. The thing sticks good but I've never ground one up this quick. Love the rear, it seems to be getting better.

So, my question is, what would be a good tire to put on the front that would perform well with the 021 rear?

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Pirelli Diablo Strada - Front

Bridgestone BT-021 - Rear

Dr. Haulin Ashe approved solution!

GalaxyBlue said:

I have almost 5000 miles on mine now. 4500 miles of slab, And 500ish of fun Cali roads.
I will post some pics up in a few days!

I would guess that i have another 2000 miles left in them.

I am thinking of riding these out to NAFO, And putting a fresh set on there.

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Man, I'm glad to see someone getting more than 3500-4000 miles out of a set of BT-021's. I feel better abt setting sail from TN to TX on mine.

brazos parker said:

GalaxyBlue said:

I have almost 5000 miles on mine now. 4500 miles of slab, And 500ish of fun Cali roads.
I will post some pics up in a few days!

I would guess that i have another 2000 miles left in them.

I am thinking of riding these out to NAFO, And putting a fresh set on there.

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Man, I'm glad to see someone getting more than 3500-4000 miles out of a set of BT-021's. I feel better abt setting sail from TN to TX on mine.

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These were fresh tires that i rode from Missouri to California and back on, And Honestly, I am impressed. The front still sucks, But it will outlast the set i had last year since i was not hammering them in the corners of the Flaming Gorge and back home in the Ozarks. I got 6k out of the last set, And they were DONE.

BTW, I was running 41psi front 42psi rear, And i was FULLY loaded.

All ya all hatin on 021's

I put on a fresh set, and headed out. I ran them for a 4k+ mile loop up thru Washington and across to Calgary AB, down thru Yellowstone, and a few other choice places before heading home, all with speeds in excess of 135 (extended duration) fully loaded. I still mannaged to get a total of about 8k on the set. Granted, the front suxs once the wierd wear pattern sets in, and at 8k the bike was handling more like my truck :huh: but they did last.

Ok... Maybe I'll like my PR2's better

Thanks for that info Jeff. I can remember way back when you first started testing and your through tests are appreciated. I got the same front wear pattern on the 21's at about the same miles as most and I too got it from slabbing/twisty work. To help them keep their shape to the end I plan on taking a air-sander and smooth them off. Cheaper than $4.00 per gallon looking for sweepers.lol.

Of note I have not seen any info regarding the front tire makeup of any manufacture until I saw an ad for the PR2's. It said they use the hardest of 3 compounds in the center of the rear tire with the next hardest compound from there out to the edge of the tire. For the front tire it said uses the same or middle compound in the center section of the front tire with the softest of the 3 compounds they make from there out to the edge on the front.

I also got the same shaping on the front of the stock Metzlers's but not as bad as the 021's.

It will be for me for the next set of tires between the PR2's and the Dunlop Roadsmart tires. It would be nice to hear a test report on the Dunlop's though. PM. <><

painman said:

It will be for me for the next set of tires between the PR2's and the Dunlop Roadsmart tires. It would be nice to hear a test report on the Dunlop's though. PM

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Jeff Ashe is in the process of wearing out his first set of Roadsmarts, with good reviews so far.

I just put the first 2k on mine, and really like them. They stick just as well as the 021s, (high speed runs in the AR Ozarks were FUN) but are wearing much more evenly. My non-scientific guesstimate is 6-7k, vs. 4k for the front 021. Dual-tread compound is the only way to go. I also believe the reported wet-traction reports; high speeds in hard rain is no problem.