BT023GT front cupping

[wheatonFJR]

...PR2 back, 023GT front. That's going to be my setup for a while now.

Are you sure you aren't gonna get blowd up?

That's Michelin and Bridgestone connected by aluminum...matter and anti-matter.

j/k...sounds like a winner for you.

I still have to perform my destructive tests of the GTs I have on right now.

 

[escapefjrtist]

PR2 back, 023GT front. That's going to be my setup for a while now.

My thoughts too Fred.

I have 5400 miles on the current set of 023GTs, both ends still look great from a scalloping and tread wear point of view. If this rear gives up at 8,000ish like the one above ^^^ then I'll try a PR2 on the rear...

--G

 

[wheatonFJR]

Aren't the -023s grippier than the PR2s?

 

[Slardy]

I have noticed that the BT-023GTs have more grip on wet pavement.

Slardy

 

[Fred W]

Aren't the -023s grippier than the PR2s?

Maybe in the center hard compound section, but on the sides they feel about the same.

I have noticed that the BT-023GTs have more grip on wet pavement.
Slardy

I've noticed exactly the opposite, that the rear 023GT does some strange things in the rain. And some other New England folks have felt the same way. Maybe it depends on the pavement surface under that rain water. In any case, I liked the PR2 rears much better (with the exception of that one that split on me) and had gone through about a half dozen of them before I tried the GT.

 

[wheatonFJR]

So, if the sides of the -023s aren't grippier, then they are no better than the PR2 in the curves.

That's disappointing.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Aren't the -023s grippier than the PR2s?

I definitely *think* they are. New or old, for *me* they are much more confidence inspiring than PR2s, especially the front.

YMMV

--G

 

[Fred W]

Aren't the -023s grippier than the PR2s?

I definitely *think* they are. New or old, for *me* they are much more confidence inspiring than PR2s, especially the front.

Inferring: ...not the back.

Which is why I'm running 023GT fronts with PR2 backs. Best of both worlds.

 

[FJRMGM]

the BT-023 GT front tire is the only front tire I have used that did not cup and this one has 11k miles on it.

 

[Slardy]

the BT-023 GT front tire is the only front tire I have used that did not cup and this one has 11k miles on it.

I had the same experience re: no cupping. And furthermore, the profile, when I replaced the tire, was the original tire profile. Not one flat spot on the profile. This is unlike any PR2 that I used.

What front tire pressure did you use?

Slardy

 

[escapefjrtist]

the BT-023 GT front tire is the only front tire I have used that did not cup and this one has 11k miles on it.

Same here, except in my case the front tire is toast at 10,500 miles. Only at the very end of life does the feathering / wear become apparent. No where near as bad at end of life as the PR2 front...40 psi all the time for me.

--G

 

[ahchiu]

What's the difference between the BT-023-F and BT-023-GT?

 

[Spud]

What's the difference between the BT-023-F and BT-023-GT?

It's beginning to appear that the F is OEM on the Gen III bike and is an inferior tire to the GT. Bad marketing move on BS's part if that's what they've done.....

 

[Slardy]

What's the difference between the BT-023-F and BT-023-GT?

It's beginning to appear that the F is OEM on the Gen III bike and is an inferior tire to the GT. Bad marketing move on BS's part if that's what they've done.....

Not sure what the difference is. But, I don't think it is related to OEM v after market. Reading on the Bridgestone website, here : https://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt023.html

The GT spec seems to be available only in the FJR tire sizes 120/70ZR17M/C and 180/55ZR17M/C. They have a different OD (by 1 mm) and a tread width (again 1mm difference) on the front. And a different tread pattern. The rears have no distinguishing specs on the above website.

On this website: https://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt023/index.html

which took 5 minutes to D/L? , under PRODUCT, it says "GT Spec for Heavy Weight Bikes". In the MOVIE, it once again says "GT Spec for Heavy Weight Bikes". But, the load spec is 73w for both GT and std.

So, no real description of the GT v std BT-023. But doesn't that pretty marketing movie and website make you want to run out and get this tire?

Slardy

 

[FJRMGM]

BT's always cup. You can slow it some by running 41 to 42 front and back but it will happen.

No they don't. I have 11,000 miles on mine and they are the ONLY tire that has never cupped on the front. I make sure I keep 41 psi in it and it looks like new.

 

[Slardy]

This is from SPUD's post of 12 July, 2012: post #22 of this thread. It is a photo of a front BT-023GT.

********************************************************************************************************************
"Here's the front off the same set (6800 miles--a record for me...)"... quote from SPUD.

Where is all that cupping? Has anyone seen front a PR2 that maintained it's profile like this tire has at 6800 miles? In my experience (3 pairs), The PR2s all had scalloped edged and a flat center (front and rear), and you could tell it when you leaned the bike over in curves.

I wish I had taken a photo of my BT-023GT when I took it off at 8400 miles, a record for me. The profile looked just like the tire in SPUD's post..

I think it is impossible to tell how any given tires is going to perform on your FJR because we all ride differently, on different surfaces, at different speeds, loads and accelerations.

Slardy

PS: I kept my front pressure at ~ 39/40 psi.

 

[Graham Downunder]

Tire wear IMO is very much affected by Road surface ,e.g. smooth bitumen or coarse surface , Road surface temperature ,air temperature and humidity . Tires actually get too hot in some situation like long summer trips In Australia on rough surface and almost perform magic and make the tread disapear . Winter rides no problem . Cupping IMO has a lot to do with late hard braking and low tire pressure . Some makes of tires are worse than others so I just stick with Road Pilot 3 on my two FJR and I am happy , Who cares about $100 or so when YOUR life is on the line .You hear a lot of things after an accident and see a lot of things one thing I have noticed is badly worn tires on single bike accidents ( talk to a few accident investigators and they will tell you the same thing ) . Bridgestone may have a good tire but I will wait till I hear good reports saying its better than RP3 .because downunder Bridgestone bike tires have a poor name . There is joke going round if you want a new set of Bridgestones go to the tip there will be arriving in a few minutes .

 

[Slardy]

Tire wear IMO is very much affected by Road surface ,e.g. smooth bitumen or coarse surface , Road surface temperature ,air temperature and humidity . Tires actually get too hot in some situation like long summer trips In Australia on rough surface and almost perform magic and make the tread disapear . Winter rides no problem . Cupping IMO has a lot to do with late hard braking and low tire pressure . Some makes of tires are worse than others so I just stick with Road Pilot 3 on my two FJR and I am happy , Who cares about $100 or so when YOUR life is on the line .You hear a lot of things after an accident and see a lot of things one thing I have noticed is badly worn tires on single bike accidents ( talk to a few accident investigators and they will tell you the same thing ) . Bridgestone may have a good tire but I will wait till I hear good reports saying its better than RP3 .because downunder Bridgestone bike tires have a poor name . There is joke going round if you want a new set of Bridgestones go to the tip there will be arriving in a few minutes .

Graham, you will have to translate that last sentence for us Americans. What is a "tip"

Slardy

 

[FJRMGM]

the BT-023 GT front tire is the only front tire I have used that did not cup and this one has 11k miles on it.

I had the same experience re: no cupping. And furthermore, the profile, when I replaced the tire, was the original tire profile. Not one flat spot on the profile. This is unlike any PR2 that I used.

What front tire pressure did you use?

Slardy

40-41 on the front - check it before every days ride not just every now and then.

 

[Fred W]

Falko,
I have no cupping and almost perfect wear on my BT-023s after 2700 miles. Here are photos of my front. After my last ride I was thinking that this is the best wear tire pattern that I have had on my FJR for years

I was unhappy with my Michelin Road Pilot 2s because of harsh ride and typical dual-compound trapezoidal wear pattern up front. And higher price, too.

Don't know what the mileage will be, but it looks like ~6K, same as the Road Pilot 2s that I have used.

edit: I forgot to mention that unlike the 42/42 that I have been running in the PR2s, I have been running 39/39 psi on the 23s.

Where is all that cupping?

As I pointed out before, the pictures that you posted previously in this thread of your own BT023GT do have cupping (as did mine).

It isn't really a big deal and doesn't seem to negatively affect tread life much, but it is definitely there.

Here's your picture with the cupping pointed out.