Bridgestone

[Old Guy]

I've got a couple more rides on the PR4s now and as long as I stay smooth they feel fine. I have noticed if I brake harder and later into a corner, like the corner's tighter than I expected or I find a dead possum on the line, I get a little squiggledy (my spell checker just croaked) feeling out of the front tire -- not sure I like that.

 

[art miller]

Interesting comments! I have 9200 miles on the OEM Bridgestones. Those miles are a combination of some slab but mostly hilly and mountain touring. The front tire has 2.5/32 remaining tread and the rear is just about to the wear bars. I'm going for 10,000 miles and pulling them to replace with PR2's. In the past I have gotten 15,000 on PR2's and am anxious to see how they perform on the 14ES. Only once in the past have I had a cupping issue and I think it was due to lower air pressure in the front tire. I now do 39psi front and 42psi rear. All one up body weight 150lbs. I am not a speed demon but enjoy a lively pace. Anyone else getting similar wear on Michelin rubber?

 

[El Toro Joe]

I have consistently gotten between 11k and 13k miles from the PR2's.

 

[Warpdrv]

Guess I must ride harder... I never get that many of miles from my PR2s... Lucky to get 8k...

Put on the PR4s this last summer and got those wiggles old man was talking about, for the first few hundred miles... After that they levelled out to excellent..

Got a set for the 15 in the garage to go on when I pull the wheels for painting.

 

[El Toro Joe]

That's kinda why I was surprised when I only got 4k miles out of the rear T30 GT, this past spring/summer. Riding style has not changed that much.

 

[pcarnut]

Liked my original 023s, consistent handling right up to replacement at around 6.2k miles. Put on a second set of 023GTs, same nice handling but wore out at 5k miles although like my orignal set, the front still had at least another 2 k miles left. But, the rear is a bear to mount.

So, I'm wondering if the ideal combo might be a PR4 rear for mileage (and easy mounting) and a T30 front for consistent turning.

 

[BanjoBoy]

Liked my original 023s, consistent handling right up to replacement at around 6.2k miles. Put on a second set of 023GTs, same nice handling but wore out at 5k miles although like my orignal set, the front still had at least another 2 k miles left. But, the rear is a bear to mount.
So, I'm wondering if the ideal combo might be a PR4 rear for mileage (and easy mounting) and a T30 front for consistent turning.

Dunno 'bout others, butt I really, really, really like the turn-in, feel, grip, and mid corner planted stability of the T30s, and I think any other combo would take from this fine handling. I luv the way you can get on the gas mid corner, and "lean" on the rear tire w/ confidence.

Just my two cents, YMMV

 

[Top_Speed1]

I've got PR4's on now, but I'm still thinking the old school PR2's have the better longevity.

 

[Fred W]

Just so everyone here is on the same page, there are three unique versions of Bridgestone tire that are labeled "BattlAx BT-023" in the size 120/70ZR17 (front) and 180/55ZR17 (rear)

The tires that have come stock on all 3rd Gen FJRs (up to this point anyway) are labeled BT-023F and BT-023R for the front and rear respectively. These seem to be tires that are expressly made for the OEM and are not available on the retail after-market anywhere. Which from most accounts is a good thing as most people would not buy them again if they could.

Then, there are the "regular" BT-023's that you can buy on the after-market, which are the ones that seem to scallop the worst up front and square off and wear out too quickly in the rear, and there are the BT-023GT tires, which have a different front tread pattern and are built on a more substantial carcass on the rear tire.

You really need to be clear which one of these three you are talking about because they do not have identical characteristics.

All of the above said: I tried the BT-023GT tires on my 1st Gen. I got good mileage (on an FJR scale) both front and rear, and I really liked that the front, although it did scallop some, did not get buzzy like the PR2's I had been running previously did. The rear tire felt more slippery to me when not leaned over and braking, especially in the rain.

After that set, I went back to a PR2 rear tire, which I had no problems at all with, matched to a BT-023GT front, and ran several sets of those. My son has the bike now and it still has a PR2 rear and BT-023GT front on it right now.

I only have 4k miles on my 2014 (with the F and R variant BT023 tires, but I really have no issues with how they have run up to this point. They seem to stick as well as the PRs or 023GT's did and not have the slipperiness when wet I experienced on the rear GT spec tire. I don't know what I will spring for when I wear these out now that the BT023GTs are no longer available for the front. I will probably go back to a PR2 rear if they are still around, and maybe use a T30GT front with it.

 

[TomInPA]

I had a set of PR2 that got over 11K miles when used as part of a cross country trip, but I have also had a couple sets that didn't quite make 7000 miles. I got over 6500 miles from the T30 GT rear tires, so not that much difference for me, and the T30 wore edge to edge. There is no comparison in the ride after 50% of the tire is spent...the T30 continues to handle well, and the PR2 sucks. I think I'm generally hard on tires and the perfect one has not yet been made. I'm kind of sold on the idea of the T30 GT front and PR2/4 on the rear.

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, I think when people say the PR2's suck when half worn they are talking primarily about the front tire. I've not felt the rear PR2 handle any worse as it wears, except to the extent that you manage to square it off on the slab.

 

[mcatrophy]

Just so everyone here is on the same page, there are three unique versions of Bridgestone tire that are labeled "BattlAx BT-023" in the size 120/70ZR17 (front) and 180/55ZR17 (rear)...

All of the above said: I tried the BT-023GT tires on my 1st Gen. I got good mileage (on an FJR scale) both front and rear, and I really liked that the front, although it did scallop some, did not get buzzy like the PR2's I had been running previously did. The rear tire felt more slippery to me when not leaned over and braking, especially in the rain.

After that set, I went back to a PR2 rear tire, which I had no problems at all with, matched to a BT-023GT front, and ran several sets of those. My son has the bike now and it still has a PR2 rear and BT-023GT front on it right now

....

Thank you for a well reasoned and informative statement.
Since I started usng BT023GT's on the front I've always been impressed with their performance, and very importantly, their consistency right up to when our laws decree they must be discarded (1mm of tread). The rear is also very consistent, but does occasionally feel slightly less grippy than I would like - it's never slipped unprovoked, but sometimes feels a bit as if the rail it normally runs on isn't firmly fixed to the ground.

Maybe I'll try the PR2 on the rear next time (provided my supplier/fitter doesn't refuse because I might blow up in flames by mixing brands).

 

[gmwalk]

I just replaced the front on my 2014. I stayed with the Bridgetone -023 I had 10k miles on it and it was fine until the last few k miles when I started feeling too much oversteer in turns. The rear still looks good tread wise. Both tires had a flat spot worn in the center, but that is from all the highway miles i drive. I have 170 mile round trip commute everyday and all 15 miles are on the highway. I am surprised that the rear still has so much tread on it. I may replace in the just to be safe.

 

[TomInPA]

Yeah, I think when people say the PR2's suck when half worn they are talking primarily about the front tire. I've not felt the rear PR2 handle any worse as it wears, except to the extent that you manage to square it off on the slab.

Fred, the problem with PR2 are that the FRONT tire wears so the shoulder wears away faster than the center making the tire turn in unpredictable and unstable. The tire ends up looking like a blunt triangle. The T-30GT stays round.and wears 'good nuf'. The PR2 rear tire may become flat from the interstate, but if used on a variety of roads, it doesn't acquire a weird profile like the front.

 

[Fred W]

Yes, I know. That's why I said what I did. But people continue to bad mouth PR2's for their "bad handling when 1/2 worn" when it is just the front tires that suck.

Don't be another sheeple and feel like you need to buy the same brand and model of tire front and back and your motorcycle life becomes infinitely less troublesome.

 

[TomInPA]

Dog gone it Fred, I figured at least "sheeple" would link to some relevant forum content

 

[Fred W]

And you think that isn't relevant?

 

[TomInPA]

And you think that isn't relevant?

Je suis sheeple.

 

[Old Guy]

Just so everyone here is on the same page, there are three unique versions of Bridgestone tire that are labeled "BattlAx BT-023" in the size 120/70ZR17 (front) and 180/55ZR17 (rear)
The tires that have come stock on all 3rd Gen FJRs (up to this point anyway) are labeled BT-023F and BT-023R for the front and rear respectively. These seem to be tires that are expressly made for the OEM and are not available on the retail after-market anywhere. Which from most accounts is a good thing as most people would not buy them again if they could.

Then, there are the "regular" BT-023's that you can buy on the after-market, which are the ones that seem to scallop the worst up front and square off and wear out too quickly in the rear, and there are the BT-023GT tires, which have a different front tread pattern and are built on a more substantial carcass on the rear tire.

You really need to be clear which one of these three you are talking about because they do not have identical characteristics.

All of the above said: I tried the BT-023GT tires on my 1st Gen. I got good mileage (on an FJR scale) both front and rear, and I really liked that the front, although it did scallop some, did not get buzzy like the PR2's I had been running previously did. The rear tire felt more slippery to me when not leaned over and braking, especially in the rain.

After that set, I went back to a PR2 rear tire, which I had no problems at all with, matched to a BT-023GT front, and ran several sets of those. My son has the bike now and it still has a PR2 rear and BT-023GT front on it right now.

I only have 4k miles on my 2014 (with the F and R variant BT023 tires, but I really have no issues with how they have run up to this point. They seem to stick as well as the PRs or 023GT's did and not have the slipperiness when wet I experienced on the rear GT spec tire. I don't know what I will spring for when I wear these out now that the BT023GTs are no longer available for the front. I will probably go back to a PR2 rear if they are still around, and maybe use a T30GT front with it.

On my 2013, the OEM BT023s had an additional "F". Front said "BT023F F", and the rear said "BT023R F". I replaced them with BT023GTs, and it was night and day difference. A friend uses BT023s on his Ninja, and they do not have the additional "F", so I assumed that designated the OEM tire.

 

[Fred W]

Mine say BT023R and then inside a little oval area in a different type font is an "E". Same on the front. I would guess the extra letter inside the oval is something to do with the production run? The F & R are what tip you off that they are the OEM version tires.