Bridgestone BT020

[michael]

Below is a clip from a review from Europes MCN mag

Bridgestone BT020 (Overalll rating 99%) Pressure (p.s.i.) F36, R36

Marc (fastest lap 2:08.40 = best of day) [Sprint ST 2:10.47]

The VFR loves these. In fact these are the best tyres in our test for the Honda. I could attack corners hard and got stacks of feedback and grip at all times. And the bike loved overbanding and slammed home what is clearly the fastest lap of all during our massive test.

Ends MCN

Karls comments


I can attest to what MCN says. I've got about 1000 miles on a new set of BT020s and have to say that I love them. I was a very big fan of the BT56SS, but the last set I had wore out in less than 3K. Thats still twice the life that I got out of D207s.

My favorite thing about the BT020s is they raised my rear ride height 10-20mm. It really makes the bike handle better, and it turns in like a 600. I have pushed the tires very hard and have yet to experience any front slides, however the rear does move around a little more than the 56ss on hard braking. Leaned over in corners and on the gas exiting corners, traction has been perfect.

My only complaint about the 020s is they do not like grooved pavement. Its not real bad, they just tend to try to follow the grooves more than any of the many other tires that I have tried. Grooved pavement is getting pretty rare these days, but my commute happens to include about 5 miles of it.

My .02,

Karl Marsh

99 VFR800FI "RC46"

[twisted]

IMHO, the BT020's are a very inferior tire. They cup very badly no matter what the air pressure is (have had two sets as OEM tires on two different bikes). They don't roll into corners well at all and don't last long enough for me. The fronts cup the worst and I couldn't wait for the rear to wear out so I could put another brand on both front and rear. I just tossed a "good" front BT020 in order to change brands.

[RVFR]

Makes ya wonder how there could be such a large gap in what one finds? I myself have had good things from the BS 56ss and the 014, haven't tried the 020 as the Diablos I have currently are really working quite good. Reason the the change was one price there was a blow out, two needed to see what was out there in new rubber and how it stacked up PP on the 54 are also working out to be a good tire. So what's that they say that the two topics that shouldn't be disscused on a Forum? Tires and Oil...

[twisted]

Makes ya wonder how there could be such a large gap in what one finds? I myself have had good things from the BS 56ss and the 014, haven't tried the 020 as the Diablos I have currently are really working quite good. Reason the the change was one price there was a blow out, two needed to see what was out there in new rubber and how it stacked up PP on the 54 are also working out to be a good tire. So what's that they say that the two topics that shouldn't be disscused on a Forum? Tires and Oil...

IMHO, tires are like shoes on people. We all have our personal preferences. What feels good to you, might not work for me. Additionally, we all have a different riding style, which can change from one day to the next...at least with me. Ride tired, and one gets sloppy, ride sharp and rested and the riding style changes a little.

I just bought a set of Pilot Roads and they are like night and day to BT020's and Z6's. I love them so far after about 700 miles. That's why I try not to be personal about anyone's choice of tires. If I came across that way, it wasn't meant that way.

[indokidding]

Group,

I will be trying an off brand tire called "SHINKO" 005 series tires - 190/50 in the rear and 120/60 front! The tires are considered "sport touring" tires and SHINKO'S tire is the former Yokohama tire company of Japan (used on factory racers and production bikes - Honda, Yamaha) ten years ago!

Anyone used these tires? ... and I only paid $175.oo for the front and rear, with no shipping cost to me. The expected tire wear is said to be anywhere between 7k -12k miles depending on riding habits!

Regards, Art Hartman (indokidding)

[MrDe]

fwiw ... the bridgestones 020 came stock on my 05. After 5000+ my impression is ... eh. I liked the last set of m-1 I had ... they just seemed to give one a feeling of "stickyness". Maybe that's the dif between a sport tourer and a supersport tire???? Think I'd rather have less mileage and more sticky ... if that makes any sense ... but I do agree, tires are like running shoes ... if they work for you you'll run better :)

[mdp]

Hmm...I like my BT020s. So much so I went out an bought another set to replace my current tires when they're spent.

I've currently got 15 000 km on my rear...just under ten thousand miles. It'll definitely need replacing within the next 500 miles but I'm very happy with this lifespan...and the milage incurred on this tire has been very spirited to say the least!

I think I'll be sticking with Bridgestone for the next while. Might even try a BT020 rear/BT014 front combo next summer to see how this combination works?

[Vee-Ef-Ar]

MDP, I could not agree with you more...
I too have about 500km to go on the rear, and will stick with the 020R's.
I've gotten 13,000kms out of her, which has been 75% commuting {briskly}, 24% in the twisties and 1% rolling, sitting or illegal activities.
I am also looking into a 014 front when the time comes.

I'm not sure if there are diffeent 020's, and another 020R?

I find with the % of riding I do, they can be noisey when hitting the twisties, on the fresher thicker rubber. But IMO, they are a very nice tyre for my VFR. I have yet to feel an a$$ squenching slide, roll in is direct, even and provides great feedback. I have mixed with the pressures a bit, and with riding every day, I'm pumping 35 up front, 41 rear... and topping up 2-4psi every month.

020's and 020R's.... any clarity?
Cheers

[Legs]

I think that RVFR has it right. I'm astonished at the difference in performance that I have gotten out of the same tire on the same bike!

[twisted]

BT020's, Z6's, and Pilot Roads are crap for a VFR unless all you do is ride in a straight line all the time. All will slide in a curve under power. The VFR is a sport / touring bike with more of the bias to "sport".

If you ride hard in curves or otherwise in curves, your opinions will drift quickly to Pilot Powers, M3's, and BT021's, and the like. Ride a VFR with Pilot Powers and one will find out what a VFR is made for.

The 021's will soon replace the 020's. Must be a reason.

[TrueBlue]

The BT021 is still considered a "sport-touring" tire (says so on the sidewall).
I'm happy with them but then again I don't scrape my pegs yet.

BT020's, Z6's, and Pilot Roads are crap for a VFR unless all you do is ride in a straight line all the time. All will slide in a curve under power. The VFR is a sport / touring bike with more of the bias to "sport".

If you ride hard in curves or otherwise in curves, your opinions will drift quickly to Pilot Powers, M3's, and BT021's, and the like. Ride a VFR with Pilot Powers and one will find out what a VFR is made for.

The 021's will soon replace the 020's. Must be a reason.

[Spike]

BT020's, Z6's, and Pilot Roads are crap for a VFR unless all you do is ride in a straight line all the time. All will slide in a curve under power. The VFR is a sport / touring bike with more of the bias to "sport".

If you ride hard in curves or otherwise in curves, your opinions will drift quickly to Pilot Powers, M3's, and BT021's, and the like. Ride a VFR with Pilot Powers and one will find out what a VFR is made for.

The 021's will soon replace the 020's. Must be a reason.

Haven't really had any issues with the BT020's myself, ran them on my 98 VFR and my 2004, without issues
chicken strips to the edge, main wear about 1" in, been known to drag a boot or peg feeler, but not recently
suspension set up and road surface will play a part in your grip

If you read the review mentioned earlier, they track tested the bike with professional riders on board and the BT020 was their fav of the tested ones, if they aren't having issues with sliding on the track...

Being replaced, 'cause that is what happens, technology marches on, happens with nearly everything. In several years the 021's and the Pilot Powers will be updated, its a good thing.

[GTI]

Got them on my VFR too. So far so good...;)

[Bubba Zanetti]

The ol' tire debate LOL! I say that article earlier and it made me think of some deeper issues.

There is more than meets the eye on this matter. We all seem to talk about our "favorite" tires, but we don't discuss were we are with our individual skill level. Probabley because it can be a hard thing to judge ourselves and how well we really corner our machines. Now I am not saying any of you in VFR World suck at cornering...I am just thinking of what Keith Code talks about , and my own experience, when it comes to today's tire technology and how it is so good it can mask bad habits like mid-corner throttle roll off and the like. There is no question the "stickier" tires on the market will compensate for those little mistakes, thus a rider may not like sport touring tires because the mid-corner roll offs cause little slides. It's just something to think about and ask yourselves. If a motorcycle is in working good working order, 99% of a bikes handling problems are caused by the rider 99% of the time.

If you can, have a more experienced (someone who possesses true skill) rider follow you through some favorite twistys and ask them if they see any issues. I know some of you live and ride by RVFR and some of you have stated what a great rider he is "smooth and fast" was the description if memory serves. If RVFR is willing to do it, ask him to follow you through some turns and see if he picks any bad habits out. (RVFR, I hope you don't mind I just volunteered you, you just seem like the type of rider who likes to see everyone progress with their skill).

Or go watch day 2 of an MSF BRC class and witness the students doing Exercise 13, its the cornering exercise that has the 135 degree turn. When a student uses the full head turn, proper throttle technique, and presses in the direction they want to go they rail through that turn!
When they don't do the correct technique, the bike slides they freak out, etc.

I coached this past Sunday and it rained all day. So naturally the studens were freaked out, except one who blasted through the turn on a Suzuki GZ250 that has those hard ass street tires and he was damn near scraping the pegs! His technigue was flawless and it showed. It gave the other students the confidence to trust theit tires when you use proper cornering technique. (We did ask the student to back off a little LOL).

Just something to think about, and again I am not saying anyone sucks, I am just saying ask yourselves why you run the tires you do and if it has anthing to do with masking bad habits.

BZ

[arm1151]

BT020's, Z6's, and Pilot Roads are crap for a VFR unless all you do is ride in a straight line all the time. All will slide in a curve under power. The VFR is a sport / touring bike with more of the bias to "sport".

If you ride hard in curves or otherwise in curves, your opinions will drift quickly to Pilot Powers, M3's, and BT021's, and the like. Ride a VFR with Pilot Powers and one will find out what a VFR is made for.

The 021's will soon replace the 020's. Must be a reason.

I just put a set of BT021s on my 06 VFR. Scuffed 'em a little and started hittin' the twisties hard. Love the way they handle and roll into a curve, when powering out of the curve they really grab and improve the handling soooo much better.
Dual compound is the way to go. From what I have read, and the reason I'm runnin' the BT021s, is that the softer compound comes up higher on the side wall which = better traction in the curves.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[pjc]

have the 020 on my 03 and looking to replace them this week. bought the bike with 4000 miles and the rear have 1" wide flap spot. can i assume the previous owner just commuted? have not had problems with the tire for the 1000 miles i put on them , might go back with them.

[(none)]

Yeah, i had 020s on my first vfr, and put 021s on this one. They are practically done with about 7500 miles on them. I will either replace them with another set of 021s or a set of the new Dunlops.

[Wabbit1961]

Have to agree with twisted... I hate BT020's. I have had them on 3 new bikes and they always sucked. Cupping bigtime up front, and getting really hard in the center in back, which, when you go to lean into a corner you feel the 'ridges' that the flatspot of the rear tire makes when you DO mostly commuting. When I wanted to lean the bike it was downright scary feeling that ridge!

Have to disagree about the Metzler Z6 though. I replaced the Bridgestones with them and it's a WORLD of difference. I have 2,000 miles on them, they have no hardness developing in the center of the rear tire, nor are they cupping at all up front. You can tell from looking at them that I have leaned them all the way over with no stiction problems. These tires have inspired me to be more aggressive and not worry about it. I love them!

I have heard great things about the Corsairs though, so that'll be my next choice when the time comes.

Stan

[Hotbrakes]

With nearly 4000 miles on the OEM 020's, I experienced 2 rear slides today. Left and right turns. I was fairly impressed with the 020's until today. The rear is hitting the wear bars on the sides and it's at 3800 miles. Today was definitely not the most spirited ride on these tires, but the first time experiencing slides.
I ordered a 021 for the rear and I'm gonna leave the front til it wears down more.
Maybe the rear is sliding more cause of the Laser exhaust I installed this afternoon.

[Scubalong]

Group,

I will be trying an off brand tire called "SHINKO" 005 series tires - 190/50 in the rear and 120/60 front! The tires are considered "sport touring" tires and SHINKO'S tire is the former Yokohama tire company of Japan (used on factory racers and production bikes - Honda, Yamaha) ten years ago!

Anyone used these tires? ... and I only paid $175.oo for the front and rear, with no shipping cost to me. The expected tire wear is said to be anywhere between 7k -12k miles depending on riding habits!

Regards, Art Hartman (indokidding)

Do you have the link to the store?

[crotch fire rocket]

how about comparing the Bridgestone Rear Battlax BT45V 130/80V-18 to the dunlop gt501 i am stuck and i gotta decide by saturday morning shit it is saturday morning..

[buttonhook]

IMHO, the BT020's are a very inferior tire. They cup very badly no matter what the air pressure is (have had two sets as OEM tires on two different bikes). They don't roll into corners well at all and don't last long enough for me. The fronts cup the worst and I couldn't wait for the rear to wear out so I could put another brand on both front and rear. I just tossed a "good" front BT020 in order to change brands.

I agree the bt20's on my ninja cupped very bad!! the 207's on this VFR feel alot better they may not last but the bt20's were cupped so bad I dont consider them to last at all

[02 VFR Rider]

Group,

I will be trying an off brand tire called "SHINKO" 005 series tires - 190/50 in the rear and 120/60 front! The tires are considered "sport touring" tires and SHINKO'S tire is the former Yokohama tire company of Japan (used on factory racers and production bikes - Honda, Yamaha) ten years ago!

Anyone used these tires? ... and I only paid $175.oo for the front and rear, with no shipping cost to me. The expected tire wear is said to be anywhere between 7k -12k miles depending on riding habits!

Regards, Art Hartman (indokidding)

I have not used 005 but used 003 ( 3 years as a race tire ) when yokohama was making them and they are a great tire and good in the rain as well ( you wouldn't think they would be due to limited tread pattern )
one thing I would not put a 190 on a VFR stay w/ the 180 or proformance will suffer- slower steering and tire wear the 190 is made for a 6" wide rim not a 5.5 - if you mount 190 on 5.5" rim it could cause you to loose traction at max lean angles.