Bridgestone Battlax T30 on a Kawasaki Z1000 (ZR1000B)

[george formby]

Thats a great price. I will look at a set after I go through my PR3s. But in saying that guys are getting 20k out of 2s up here so it may be while.

20k? Check the diameter of their wrists & compare with your own before reaching a conclusion.

Comparing BT 021's, I can fail a warrant on the rear in 6k & a front in less than 8k. Other riders on the same bike in the UK can double that easily, more for the front. I'm not a hero by any stretch of the imagination but road surface, riding style, roads traveled & level of enthusiasm makes a massive difference in tire wear.
Rear Conti lasted about 8k, same as BT 021 front. The Conti did not have the same all round ability, though.

[nzspokes]

20k? Check the diameter of their wrists & compare with your own before reaching a conclusion.

Comparing BT 021's, I can fail a warrant on the rear in 6k & a front in less than 8k. Other riders on the same bike in the UK can double that easily, more for the front. I'm not a hero by any stretch of the imagination but road surface, riding style, roads traveled & level of enthusiasm makes a massive difference in tire wear.
Rear Conti lasted about 8k, same as BT 021 front. The Conti did not have the same all round ability, though.

I guess I will know in 19k or so.

[Owl]

Picked up a set of T30's this morning, now I am waiting on my rear conti to die. Avon City Suzuki in CHCH have them on special in 120 and 180's for only $399. To good a price to pass!

Thank you for the "heads up". I purchased some S20's off them not too long ago for a good price. May just check out these T30's.

[george formby]

I guess I will know in 19k or so.

Fingers crossed for ya. That's a lot of k's from a tire. You should move oop north.

[Hitcher]

Based on (considerable) previous experience, the 6,000km mark is about the halfway point of a sports touring tyre's life.

The T30s currently being run have just ticked over 6,000km, so I thought I'd add some photos to help explain how they're doing. Apologies for the horizontal aspect. Rotating pictures in this CMS is a mystery to me:

1: Rear, showing little squaring off


2: Rear, showing some scrubbing to the sides and (gasp) chicken strips


3. Front, showing the off-the-shelf profile


4. Front, showing side wear pattern


That's very acceptable wear performance so far. Another couple of thousand km should demonstrate more clearly how the T30s go when wear sets in.

Handling wise, I don't have much more to add to what I've written previously. These are a tyre with no troubling bad habits. I'm continuing to score them on a par with (perhaps slightly ahead of) the Conti Road Attack 2.

The last half of their life will determine their final score!

[george formby]

Very acceptable indeed. It might be a Northland Regional Council thing but my tires never look that "smooth". They get chewed & cut to bits.

[russd7]

just put a T30 on the rear of the zzr, so far i love it (only done about 300km so far tho), interesting your comment about chicken strip, i seem to be able to corner faster without as much lean, but like i say, i have only done 300km on it so far.

[insomnia01]

what tyre pressure are you running? I'm wondering what I should be puttung in mine ( Honda Blackbird ) normally 42psi Fr & Rr on Avon Storms but have had T30's for past few months

[JayRacer37]

what tyre pressure are you running? I'm wondering what I should be puttung in mine ( Honda Blackbird ) normally 42psi Fr & Rr on Avon Storms but have had T30's for past few months

That rear pressure is about right, but 42 in the front of the T30 will make it feel very harsh and not be optional. I would be recommending between 36-38 but would be very interested in the pressures Hitcher has settled on in his test.

[Gremlin]

what tyre pressure are you running? I'm wondering what I should be puttung in mine ( Honda Blackbird ) normally 42psi Fr & Rr on Avon Storms but have had T30's for past few months

42 F&R is also the factory recommended pressures...

[insomnia01]

That rear pressure is about right, but 42 in the front of the T30 will make it feel very harsh and not be optional. I would be recommending between 36-38 but would be very interested in the pressures Hitcher has settled on in his test.

Cheers for the info, got just the ride this weekend to check the pressures out

42 F&R is also the factory recommended pressures...

On the Avons 42psi felt good on both ends less than 40psi felt cheers Alan

[AllanB]

T30's on the Hornet 900 for the past 700kms or so. Very impressed.

36 front 38 rear. For my weight any more in the rear is too harsh.

[Hitcher]

The T30s have now completed 10,000km. 10,207km, to be precise.

The attached photos show they're wearing well. The rear has surprisingly little squaring for a sports touring tyre in its last days. I'm guessing there could be another 2,000km left.

That's not too shabby, considering some of my recent experiences with tyres.

Handling is still good too.

Depending on price comparisons, I may replace these with another set. That is a sentence I thought I'd never use, given my past experiences with Mr Bridgestone's previous "sports touring" offerings.

[JayRacer37]

The T30s have now completed 10,000km. 10,207km, to be precise.

The attached photos show they're wearing well. The rear has surprisingly little squaring for a sports touring tyre in its last days. I'm guessing there could be another 2,000km left.

That's not too shabby, considering some of my recent experiences with tyres.

Handling is still good too.

Depending on price comparisons, I may replace these with another set. That is a sentence I thought I'd never use, given my past experiences with Mr Bridgestone's previous "sports touring" offerings.

Yep, I am (very pleasantly) surprised to hear you say that too Hitcher. I'm glad they have stood up well and met your expectations!

[Hitcher]

11,500km and off they come. Many thanks to Eurotreads for these.

On Friday a new set of T30s replace them. With a $83 price difference on a set between those and my "other" choice of tyre, it's no contest.

Let it be known that this is the FIRST EVER time I have spent cash money on a set of Bridgestones, despite having ridden many thousands of kilometres atop them. Mr Bridgestone now knows how to make a sports touring tyre that I am happy to ride, which is more than can be said for the absolutely egregious 020s, 021s and 022s that preceded them.