Bridgestone Battleaxes

[cowpoos]

I didn't like the oe bt014s on my gixxer...they felt awefull...and the rear would spin easy....but gave heaps of notice and control...I didn't get to ride them in the wet before I got ride of them...but quite a number of people I've talked to about them reckon they're bloody good in the wet...

I've run diablo corsa's and PP on my TL and I swear by the PP...you wouldn't need any more grip on the road...and they're pretty good in the wet, I wouldn't say they were a excellent wet weather tyre though...I didn't really like the diablos though....they were grippy....but just my prefference to the PP....

[Zapf]

I didn't like the oe bt014s on my gixxer...they felt awefull...and the rear would spin easy....but gave heaps of notice and control...I didn't get to ride them in the wet before I got ride of them...but quite a number of people I've talked to about them reckon they're bloody good in the wet...

I've run diablo corsa's and PP on my TL and I swear by the PP...you wouldn't need any more grip on the road...and they're pretty good in the wet, I wouldn't say they were a excellent wet weather tyre though...I didn't really like the diablos though....they were grippy....but just my prefference to the PP....

Mr.Cow have you had the suspensions adjusted for you?

[Uncle B]

Pilot Powers.
You've seen how far I lean with no problems, don't even think about what's going on down there.....just get on with the job of riding.

[cowpoos]

Mr.Cow have you had the suspensions adjusted for you?

you and I,zapf ride very differently....and yes I have made some adjustments to the stock sus...waiting for funds to build to get some heavyier front springs and pssibly a gold coloured bling shock with a slightly heavyier spring aswell...

[Marmoot]

Bridgestone Battlax are very good tyres.

EXCEPT for BT014 size 120/70/17 and 190/55/17.
They are totally useless and should be thrown away as soon as possible.
I'll buy them off you for a few bucks just to help you out.

[cowpoos]

Bridgestone Battlax are very good tyres.

EXCEPT for BT014 size 120/70/17 and 190/55/17.
They are totally useless and should be thrown away as soon as possible.
I'll buy them off you for a few bucks just to help you out.

if its for a SP1 its a 180/55-17 your after....or if your after a 190/55-17....good luck...I think pirelli do a race tyre in that size....and dunlop are about to realese that size for a bike that hasn't made it to the show rooms yet [new zx10r] I think your talking about a 190/50-17

[White trash]

Just stop pretending to be Kenny Roberts! and you wouldnt have that problem.
Racetecs are good, but WILL wear out very fast.

Who the fuck's trying to be KR?

[cowpoos]

Who the fuck's trying to be KR?

you'ld learn him wouldn't ya WT

[Marmoot]

if its for a SP1 its a 180/55-17 your after....or if your after a 190/55-17....good luck...I think pirelli do a race tyre in that size....and dunlop are about to realese that size for a bike that hasn't made it to the show rooms yet [new zx10r] I think your talking about a 190/50-17

Nah. I like 190. It's the standard tyre I think, and it gives me more lean angle as I get more surface area with the tyres leaned.

I always run out of surface with 180.

[Dafe]

Who the fuck's trying to be KR?

This probably sounds farkin gay coming from a Suzuki rider, but I'm %90 certain Kenny Roberts is a Suzuki rider. Only, I don't know if I've ever watched him ride. Does he have a particular style?
Unfortunately, I missed all the MotoGP and WSB this year.

[cowpoos]

Nah. I like 190. It's the standard tyre I think, and it gives me more lean angle as I get more surface area with the tyres leaned.

I always run out of surface with 180.

acctually...belive me or not....which i doubt you will....you will actually have less road contact with the 190 at high lean angles....as you have lost 5mm of height on the side of the tyre....but at medium lean angles you would hav more on a 190...

[Marmoot]

acctually...belive me or not....which i doubt you will....you will actually have less road contact with the 190 at high lean angles....as you have lost 5mm of height on the side of the tyre....but at medium lean angles you would hav more on a 190...

Ah?

But it felt better anyway. I love my 190.

By the way, Just tried a BT019 front installed the other day. It feels great!

[Dafe]

As promised, I have returned to part with some information for those interested.

I have now purchased the Pilot Powers and have riden a good 1000km on them now.
Not only did I take a shift to the Pilot Powers but I also dropped my 190 rear to a 180 rear.

From my experience, anybody contemplating trying the Pilot Powers - Do it!
Throwing a spanner into the works is my transition to the 180.

I have found the PP's to be beyond doubt, a far superior tyre to the BT014's for road usage.
The PP's warm up alot more on every day road riding, this creates a far stickier tyre when riding on general road usage. i.e. More stick on public roads pretty much all the time.

I had many concerns with the BT014's, I have discovered why!
After taking the BT014's out on the race track, they finally came up to their optimum running temperature and I could feel them sticking strongly on the rear, I had bucket loads of confidence in them as the track day went on. I would call these an excellent track tyre, but in my opinion - not so good for the road.

On one occassion I did three return crossings of the Rimutakas on a very hot day with the BT014's non-stop. Thats 6 times over the hill, that's the only time on public roads that I've gained some confidence in the Bridgestones, It took a fair wack to get them nice and sticky. However, In general - You just can't get them hot enough, this can cause problems for road riders.

Two weeks back, I rode to the top of the Rimutakas with two other mates, one was riding with PP's and the other with Pirelli somethings........
Upon reaching the summit, the BT014's were by far the coldest tyre with no stickiness, the PP's and Pirellis were both significantly warmer and very stickier feeling.

My first day out riding on the PP's, I rode to the Paekak hill and not since I had the SV1000 running Pilot Sports have I felt so much confidence turning the bike into the tight corners, I could feel the back gripping which is something I've been missing for a fair while. Undoubtedly the fastest I've ridden the K6 through the valleys and all with ease and better yet, without concern of my rear not holding. You can just feel it grip and feeling that just poured confidence into me.

The Pilot Powers just grip and hold and if I give the bike death up the Rimutakas, I consider them my best buddies! Simply Superb. and as far as the PP's road holding in the wet - they're very well rated also.
Wear factor is also highly impressive considering they're so grippy. Expect 5000 -6000km of good varied riding, including alot of thrashing.

As for the 180's over the 190. The 180's are a far more comfortable tyre. To sum it up - A more natural tyre.
I am happy to be quoted as saying that the 180's make the K6's handling feel at least %30 better. Choosing your lines and riding to them is a breeze compared to the 190's. The quicker turning in has not caused any scary moments, I highly doubt it ever will. It has given me the ability to maintain a line easier if I should overcooked an entry. Riding the 180's makes a thousand just too easy to ride. For anybody with doubts about switching up to a 180, Moto GP riders all use 180! Also, talk to anybody you know that races motorcycles, they all tend to agree that the 180's are ideal.

So if you are considering trying Pilot Powers, Take it from me, You can't go wrong.
And if you are converting, please oh please - try the 180's. You just won't believe how amazing the bike can feel and just how much more control is returned to the rider by being able to provide more influence on the bikes lines.

As for me, I'm now a fulltime Michelin Pilot Power 180 rider.

[Toast]

One thing about the Pilot Powers is that, although their quick warm-up and ability to hold heat is excellent on the road, they hold it too well if you're giving it death on the track, and used to go off within about 5 or 6 quick laps of Puke on my 600.

The solution, I found, was to keep the pressures a bit higher than you would on other tyres. This prolongs your fun, but they will still go off I think.

For the road though, I can't imagine anything better. Enjoy them Dafe

[Dafe]

One thing about the Pilot Powers is that, although their quick warm-up and ability to hold heat is excellent on the road, they hold it too well if you're giving it death on the track, and used to go off within about 5 or 6 quick laps of Puke on my 600.

The solution, I found, was to keep the pressures a bit higher than you would on other tyres. This prolongs your fun, but they will still go off I think.

For the road though, I can't imagine anything better. Enjoy them Dafe

What do you mean by go off?

I was informed by a few gun racers that I should drop the PP's pressures a couple of pounds in both tyres and that would help them to grip better on the track.