Bridgestone BT 023 GT Update

[FiveG]

Any of you 023GT users come off PR2s? I'm curious about a comparison between the two, as I have a set of Michelins with about 7500 miles on them and expect to be looking at options come spring.

 

[Jim in Phoenix]

Just past 8,000 miles on my '06 FJR with the BT023-GT tires. The wear bars on the back are getting close - about a fingernail width to go and I have a 1,000 mile trip to Death Valley coming up. What to do? So far my riding buddies say "Go for it", meaning go ahead and tempt fate. I'm inclined to do so at this time as I had hoped for at least 10,000 miles from a set of these tires. If this doesn't work, I'm a long way from help. If I do make it to 10,000 miles, I will have to decide between the Avons and the Bridgestones. I'll let you know.

 

[TomInPA]

Jim, tough call. That last few millimeters of tread disappear quickly, and you will be traveling at relatively high speeds on chip-seal abrasive surfaces. DV is no place for a failure, or the anxiety of having to nurse a bald tire back to civilization. JMHO.

If you are saying your tread at the wear-bars is down to the thickness of a fingernail (1-mm), the tire needs changed yesterday.

 

[SkooterG]

Pffft! I wouldn't even hesitate. You have more than enough tread.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Any of you 023GT users come off PR2s? I'm curious about a comparison between the two, as I have a set of Michelins with about 7500 miles on them and expect to be looking at options come spring.

*****************************************************

I have. I find the 023GT tires to be rougher riding than the PR2. I find the grip to be about the same. Turn in on the 023 GT may be a little better than on the PR2. I will be going back to the PR2 because I prefer the smoother ride. Haven't ridden enough miles yet on the 023GT to compare tire life, but I normally get around 8000 miles on a rear PR2, and about 10000 on the front.

 

[RadioHowie]

Pffft! I wouldn't even hesitate. You have more than enough tread.

Ya gotta love this guy! And I agree with the ol' bastie.

 

[Keeper of the seven keys]

I'm glad to hear the good reports on the 23's.

I just ordered a set of gt's today for this spring after my pr2's are worn out.....

 

[Jim in Phoenix]

They were calling for heavy rain with the possibility of ice and snow, so I chickened out of the Death Valley ride. I figure tires with minimum tread left plus rain was a bad combination. So, now I'm to the wear bars with 8500 miles on the rears. I'll keep you posted, but right now, my shop says that PR2s are available for $250. I'll go there when I get too uncomfortable on the BT023s.

 

[BigDogRaven]

Just wanted to put in my report on the BTO23's. I got the non GT's (didnt know any better at the time). I got 8,440 miles out of them, both front and rear. I just put on new PR2's. Overall, I did not like the BTO23's, just not as good as the pr2's. Now, remember, I did NOT get the GT's. They were great the 1st 4 or 5 k, then they faded fast. I dont think I will buy them again. I know I can get 10k min out of the PR2's.

That's my input from a newbie perspective.

 

[Top Case]

They were great the 1st 4 or 5 k, then they faded fast.

+1

I really liked them, found a sale and got another set at about 5,000 miles, and then was surprised how quickly they were done. I'm liking my new set plenty, but the tires are still new, with under 1,000 miles. I'll try PR2's for my next set.

(The quick wear near the end of the tire's life MIGHT not have been all the tires' fault. I went in for some medical tests without realizing that I'd get drugged up. The doctor's wouldn't release me if I was riding home, so I called my brother to pick up my bike. My brother did the brotherly thing and returned my bike with cord showing around the middle of the rear tire.)

 

[RPrice]

So put a pair of non-GT's on your bike and tell us how it goes. You will probably have the experience someone already did here (see post #11): https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=127915

Maybe you can be #2 to start conclusively establishing that the model made for our bike is better than the model that's not made for our bike....

I purchased the non GT 023 tires and just took the bike in today to have a set of GT's installed. In 6500 miles I had worn the rear down to the wear bars, and the front was starting to cup. No 2 up riding, mostly traveling pretty light. It sounds like I'll have better luck with the GT's!

I'd initially purchased the non GT tires because I didn't do enough research to even know the GT existed! Whoops.

 

[BentAero]

I'm curious about 'relative' mileage on the GT's. i.e., are they lasting longer than the tires you normally run, or longer than your average tire life?

Saying 'my tires last xxxxx-thousand miles doesn't work for me, as many of you always get at least double the tire life than I do. For example, my average mileage for 8 rear tires on the FJR is 4897. Granted, a couple of these were changed a little early as I was departing for trips that required a full, fresh tire to make it home, but mine are generally bald edge-to-edge by 5K. The 9th rear (Pirelli Angel) has 3K and looking good.

This from the Bridgestone website:

Sadly, it doesn't list any tread depths.

BT-023 SPORT TOURING front

TIRE SIZE REC. RIM (inch) MEAS. RIM (inch) OD (mm) TW (mm)

110/70ZR17M/C (54W) TL 3.00 2.75 - 3.50 592 111

120/60ZR17M/C (55W) TL 3.50 3.00 - 3.50 582 120

120/70ZR17M/C (58W) TL 3.50 3.00 - 3.50 600 120

☆ 120/70ZR17M/C (58W) TL 3.50 3.00 - 3.50 605 121

110/80ZR18M/C (58W) TL 2.50 2.50 - 3.00 635 108

120/70ZR18M/C (59W) TL 3.50 3.00 - 3.50 630 120

BT-023 SPORT TOURING Rear

TIRE SIZE REC. RIM (inch) MEAS. RIM (inch) OD (mm) TW (mm)

150/70ZR17M/C (69W) TL 4.50 4.00 - 4.50 640 156

160/60ZR17M/C (69W) TL 4.50 4.50 - 5.00 633 164

160/70ZR17M/C (73W) TL 4.50 4.50 - 5.00 654 159

170/60ZR17M/C (72W) TL 5.00 5.00 - 5.50 636 170

180/55ZR17M/C (73W) TL 5.50 5.50 - 6.00 629 183

☆ 180/55ZR17M/C (73W) TL 5.50 5.50 - 6.00 629 183

190/50ZR17M/C (73W) TL 6.00 5.50 - 6.00 629 192

160/60ZR18M/C (70W) TL 4.50 4.50 - 5.00 647 160

☆ : GT Spec

The Bridgestone rep I talked to in Daytona told me the GT spec has one additional belt front and rear to keep the tire from flexing as much. This in turn keeps the heat down, which should give better tire life. I didn't think to ask him if the tread depth was any different.

 

[Constant Mesh]

https://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/glamourindex.aspx?productID=198&LookupID=8

Shows the tread depth as 7/32 inches.

From my experience with the BT021 the tread depth of the FJR OE special tire was less than the generic tire. I got more mileage from the generic tire with the deeper tread.

 

[FJRMGM]

well, after running Avon Storms since the first tire change on the '05 FJR I have decided to give the Bridgestones a try so a new set should arrive at the house today.

Hope I like them as well as the Avons.

 

[FiveG]

well, after running Avon Storms since the first tire change on the '05 FJR I have decided to give the Bridgestones a try so a new set should arrive at the house today.

Hope I like them as well as the Avons.

Slight thread hijack: how many miles did you get on the Storms, and how did you like them? I just put Storms on my '07 after getting about 8500 on PR2s. Probably could have gotten more, but with some trips I have coming up, I wanted to get new rubber on in time to break them in, and not find myself having to replace rubber during the trip.

 

[FJRMGM]

well, after running Avon Storms since the first tire change on the '05 FJR I have decided to give the Bridgestones a try so a new set should arrive at the house today.

Hope I like them as well as the Avons.

Slight thread hijack: how many miles did you get on the Storms, and how did you like them? I just put Storms on my '07 after getting about 8500 on PR2s. Probably could have gotten more, but with some trips I have coming up, I wanted to get new rubber on in time to break them in, and not find myself having to replace rubber during the trip.

have 11,000 miles on the Storms. Those tires rode and handled well with always great confidence in them, especially in the wet. I think the grip and handling is superior to the original Storms, which I also liked.

The rear has probably 1500 or so miles left on it but I have a trip coming up and don't want to be down to cords while out on the road. The front has at least 2-3 thousand on it but I just noticed after coming back from the last trip it is cupping on the left front - so much that I feel it at low parking lot speeds. The last trip on these involved about 600 miles of pretty much straight line higher speed riding on the slab.

The Storm Ultras got better mileage than the original Storms by a couple of thousand miles.

I heard good things about the Bridgestones from a friend of mine who rides a BMW so I thought I would try them and see if I getter better mileage.

I always replace them together so I get maximum handling.

 

[Jim in Phoenix]

With 10,200 miles and into the wear bars, I have decided to change from my BT023-GTs to PR2s at $300 installed. And while I'm at it, do the 55,000 maintenance - plugs and valves. I probably could have stretched the Bridgestones to 11,000 but since most of my riding is at 65+ MPH range, I decided to just go ahead and change now. So, no real experience with rain, but I was mostly happy with the Bridgestones -good confidence in corners, tar snakes no problem, stable at any speed I am comfortable with. So, Why change? Why not Avons? Too expensive compared to the PR2s and BT023s. Why the PR2s? Looking for a few more miles and relying on good reports on the PR2s. We'll see.

 

[SkooterG]

I might try the 023s. The PR2 is my 'go-to' tire for mileage, but not my favorite for handling.

BTW, Jim, you interested in doing a SS1000 this coming Thursday?

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I've got almost 5K miles on my front 023 'GT' (only have a front GT -- somehow, I got out of synch on changing both?) and it still looks great.

In the past I've totally shagged other front tires @ 5K.

 

[mcatrophy]

I've done about 3300 on BT023 [edit] GT [/edit] s (mostly on one tour). Tread's no longer new, but plenty of mileage left and the front profile is still round.

A front BT021 would be triangular, and handling would have gone to pot by this time, judging by my previous experiences.

Grip wet or dry has been very confidence inspiring.

Very happy so far.