Bridgestone T30 GT Tire Review

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I now have a set of these on. The PR3 I had on the rear was a dog. Love these t30 gt's. Bike wants to lean waayyy over, lot's of fun. Haven't run the rear in the wet, but the front seems OK.

 
3,569 miles and not at the wear bars yet. I would imagine at least 4,000 hard miles would be reasonable. New T30 GTs going on tomorrow for the Western Gathering. Oh, love these tires. Full lean today on their final run and seem to get better with age. This is my new tire for price/performance until something better comes along. I wonder how any miles the flatlanders will get, are getting?
The rear getting close.

The front, not too bad.
Purdie much ^THIS^

I'm approaching 5K, and mine still look 'n work great. Did the fabled HWY 36 last weekend, 'n like you I wuz think'in: "these things seem to get better every time I ride on 'em."
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With just over 2,500 miles on my T30 GTs there's just a bit of flattening happening on the rear tire but the front looks like new. This seems to be the opposite of what I saw with the OEM BT023s, where the front was squaring off very early on. I've also noticed a big difference in cornering dynamics (no sustained pressure on the inside bar required to hold a turn) which I had attributed to changing the rear to a 190/55, but after reading this thread I'm starting to think the tire model has more to do with the change (it's probably a bit of both).

 
I have a 4k ride coming up - and have about 1k on them including a ride over ebbets pass - they "feel" great

Will post some pics after the canada ride

 
My initial impression was that the front tire was the most difficult street bike tire I have ever installed, and they ride rougher on my 30 mile commute, than the PR2's that have always been my favorites. Will post back up, after some spirited riding and give some feedback on handling.

 
Handle as good or better than the PR2's, but I definitely am feeling a vibration around 70 MPH...like one of the tires is out of balance. However, both tires were easy to balance with minimal weights. I fear one tire has a manufacturing defect. Hmm,,,, Not so happy about taking a chance on these over the PR2's, especially given the super stiff sidewalls making mounting more difficult.

 
Here's the pics of my T30's after a 4k, 10 day tour up to Banff from Sacramento and back

Mixed riding, they are squared off due to the number of miles required in 10 days and feel very unsettling going round corners if there is any type of "relaid" sections of tarmac as the tire "falls" into and tries to follow the edge of the relaid section

I got 8k out of my PR2's (with some left) and about the same off my metzlers but they were done

Rear is in much better shape ( depth of tread wise) than the front but i figure they will go another 1000 at least if i chose to

As i said above i like the tire we did CA-36 at the very start and i felt very planted

front

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Rear

IMG_1360_zpsce3dc137.jpg


 
Guess I'll BUMP this thread fer that other feller inquireing 'bout the T30s.

Got 'bout 5,800 mi. on 'em now and am just get'in down to the wear bars on the rear, (The front's wearing a little slower.) so I'll make my 6K mi. minimum.

Recon I'll be buy'in me another set, cuz I'm get'in 'bout the same mileage as PRIIs, (Hated PRIIIs!) 'n these handle much bettah 'n are cheaper to boot! ($224 for a set of GTs delivered to my compound.)

 
BUMP again, cuz I'm purdie much dun w/ this set @ 6,200 mi. The rear is toast, (Though I still don't have cords show'in.) the front still has some life left maybe 1,000 mi.?

I've always shagged the fronts 1st, butt this AE I have now kinda "chirps" the rear on up or down shifts, (Maybe I'm do'in something wrong?) so this rear is shagged before the front. Think if'n I had a standard clutch, I could get over 7K outta a rear.

They have grip right until the very end, 'n 'bout the same mileage as a PRII fer me, so I ordered another set from American Motorcycle Tire fer $224.

 
You do want to be close to home when those little horizontal cracks show up. Happened to me 500m from home,
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made it home not acceding 55mph, when I got home there was cord showing 3/4way around the tire.....
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I have a set of T30's in the garage, but won't mount/use them for a loooong trip.
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You do want to be close to home when those little horizontal cracks show up. Happened to me 500m from home,
omg2.gif
made it home not acceding 55mph, when I got home there was cord showing 3/4way around the tire.....
weirdsmiley.gif
I have a set of T30 in the garage, but won't mount/use them for a loooong trip.
nono.gif
Yeah...I don't think I could get a day ride to SE Ohio out of them anymore. But they were lots of fun.

 
... but this AE I have now kinda "chirps" the rear on up or down shifts, (Maybe I'm do'in something wrong?) ...
Are you modulating the throttle when you change? You should momentarily dip the throttle as you change up, and blip it as you change down. It's only for a vey short period of time, and if you get it right, your changes will be virtually imperceptible. It can take a bit of learning.

 
I installed the T30s on the '13 before I left on the Radman 1000. I now have 4k+ miles on them. They should last me for about another 1.5K and they will definitely be toast. They wore fabulously for the first 2500 miles or so. Then the slab got to them and the rear squared off pretty severely, much like Gbjbany's pics. Front is in better shape than the rear. I will replace this winter. Will try a set of the new PR4s...if the weather holds I may have to replace them yet this fall. One can only hope for such a calamity.

 
I'm telling you guys... mix your tires front and rear. Pick the best of both worlds and you'll be much happier.

Sounds like the T30 front tire is a winner, much as the BT023GT was. The rear T30 seems to vaporize too quickly.

Match that front T30 with a longer wearing dual compound rear, like a PR2, and you'll really enjoy the results.

 
I'm starting to be convinced by Fred's logic. There's no doubt in my mind that the T30 front is longer lasting than the OEM BT023s. The jury is still out for me on the T30 rear, but I'm only at a little under 5000 km on it. So far it looks good but if it craps out early I see no reason not to mix and match as Fred suggests.

 
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