The Bridgestone Corporation announces another original equipment approval: The Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 will be supplied as an OE tire for the new sport touring models Tracer9, Tracer9 GT and Tracer 9 GT+ from Yamaha Motor, Ltd.
120/70 ZR17 (58W) Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32
180/55 ZR17 (73W) Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32
The successor to the T32, the Bridgestone T33, has been available for a few weeks.
The Ducati Diavel still comes OE on Pirelli Diablo Rosso III but they can be replaced 2025 with the new 240/45 ZR17 (82W) Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
Mitas STREET FORCE is perfect for riders seeking fun with predictable safety. The newly developed compound guarantees consistent grip at all lean angles and outstanding handling characteristics. STREET FORCE pattern offers smooth riding with superior water drainage, providing best-in-class aquaplaning prevention.
Selected sizes feature a central groove pattern for optimal performance in challenging road conditions.
The Honda Gold Wing is certainly a very special bike and Michelin is focusing on the needs of this bike to present a tyre developed specifically for it. Under the name Michelin Road W GT, this tyre has been presented at the Milan 2024 show.
The Gold Wing is undoubtedly one of the largest GTs on the market and this means that many of its users have a very high annual mileage. According to Michelin, its low centre of gravity, which gives it commendable agility for a bike of its size and weight, together with the torque and response of the high-displacement six-cylinder engine, subject the tyre to extreme stress, especially when accelerating, braking or taking successive curves.
Bridgestone Unveils the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33: A New Era of Sport Touring Performance
Bridgestone, a global leader in tire technology, is proud to introduce the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33, a next-generation sport touring tire designed to elevate the riding experience. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the T32, the new T33 offers a significant 47% improvement in mileage while maintaining the exceptional wet and dry performance that riders have come to expect from the BATTLAX series.
Key Features and Benefits:
Bridgestone's Commitment to Riding Excitement
Bridgestone is dedicated to providing innovative products that inspire riders and enhance their overall riding experience. The BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33 embodies this commitment by delivering exceptional performance, durability, and safety. With the T33, riders can embark on long-distance journeys with confidence, knowing they have a tire that can handle any road condition.
Availability
The Bridgestone BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33 will be available in four front and six rear sizes at January 2025, with an additional five sizes to be released in 2026.
Buy now the Bridgestone T33
Metzeler ROADTEC 02 : Enhanced Performance and Sustainability
Great news for fans of the supersport touring tire from the traditional Munich manufacturer: Service information for the high-performance METZELER ROADTEC™ 02 is now available for approximately 500 motorcycle models. Additionally, following an update in sizes 120/70 ZR17 Roadtec 02 M and 180/55 ZR17 Roadtec 02 M, there is now a supplementary specification with the letter "M". Thanks in part to an optimized tread pattern, this version is even more versatile and perfectly suited for a wide variety of motorcycles.
The ROADTEC™ 02 is a perfect blend of technology and sustainability, combining the latest technological innovations from the brand and setting a new standard for the sport touring segment. Its characteristics are thanks in part to the patented adaptive tread technology DYNATREAD™. This allows the tire's behavior to adapt to the rider's riding style - from sport touring to supersport use. The ROADTEC™ 02 thus creates a new tire category: the "super sport touring" tire.
• New quintet of dimensions for the displacement class up to 300 cc
• Even more choice in the fast-growing sport touring segment
• Staggered introduction in the first half of 2024
The ContiRoad sport touring tire is now also available for bikers in the displacement class up to 300 cc. The five new dimensions of the sporty all-rounder will go on sale gradually by the second quarter of 2024: as 17-inch front tires in sizes 100/80-17 and 110/70-17, and as 17-inch rear tires in three sizes: 130/70-17 and 140/70-17 and 150/60-17.
RoadSmart IV GT receives BUYING TIP recommendation "Landstraße/Alltag"*
Test verdict "VERY GOOD" - also in the wetness score
After 2022 and 2023, the DUNLOP ROADSMART IV sport touring tire has once again achieved a very good test result. In this year's touring tire test by MOTORRAD magazine (issue 06/2024), the tested RoadSmart IV GT received the BUYING TIP recommendation "Road/Allday" (country road/everyday). Six tires were tested in sizes 120/70ZR17 and 180/55ZR17 on a BMW R 1250 RS.
The RoadSmart IV GT was the test winner in the 2022 touring tire test (issue 7/2022; tested sizes: 120/70ZR17 and 180/55ZR17). In 2023, the RoadSmart IV in the travel enduro dimensions 120/70ZR19 and 170/60ZR17 once again impressed the MOTORRAD test crew: In the "Landstraße/Alltag" category, the RoadSmart IV received the corresponding BUYING TIP award.
The MOTORRAD test crew was particularly impressed by the excellent handling on country roads: "The Dunlop's special feature is its very light-footed handling. [...] Sporty riders will be convinced by the good grip and the good feedback at a faster pace."
The RoadSmart IV was also convincing in terms of wet grip, so that the verdict was VERY GOOD here, as on country roads: "Saturated grip in the wet combined with light-footed handling result in good lap times in the wet test. The limit range is announced early, the traction is above average and makes it a well-predictable tire in bad weather."
A good grade was achieved in the third test criterion "wear": "It wears out on average, but very homogeneously front and rear. The profile wear does not harm the handling, and in direct comparison it remains ahead of the competition in this discipline even at the end of the wear test."
Here are some additional details from the test:
Overall, the RoadSmart IV GT performed very well in the MOTORRAD touring tire test 2024. It received the BUYING TIP recommendation "Landstraße/Alltag" and the test verdict "VERY GOOD."
If you are looking for a sport touring tire that offers excellent handling, grip, and stability in all weather conditions, the Dunlop RoadSmart IV GT is a great option.
Six tires were tested on a BMW R 1250 RS in the tire size 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17 to prove their qualities. Five of the tires had already been extensively tested in the 2022 Touring Tire Test, but without the wear test together with the newcomer METZELER ROADTEC 02.
Handling on Land Roads and Everyday Use
Three brands with equal points prove how close the touring tires can be even after 2000 kilometers of test distance. Dunlop and Michelin retain their agile, handy character from the start, while Pirelli retains its stability when cornering quickly. The new Metzeler can't quite make it to the top and places itself in the midfield with Continental. The Bridgestone suffers badly from its wear, degrades heavily and therefore only gets a "good".
Wet Performance
Although this is not about absolute lap times, it reflects the level of the four best tires. Only 1.2 seconds separate the tires in the individual evaluation, and in the sum of all points, they are only separated by one point. Continental is also good, but with slight weaknesses in grip and steering precision. Due to its high wear, the Bridgestone no longer gives the rider a good feeling.
Wear Performance
Let's start with the most striking tire. The Bridgestone T 32 unfortunately stands out negatively from the test field, as it is already waving the white flag on the front wheel and shouting "I'm done". The Metzeler has also lost some feathers, but very evenly front and rear and without any major negative influences on the riding behavior. Continental does the same. Great, after 2000 kilometers there are still fun tires: the tires from Dunlop, Michelin and Pirelli.
For the complete test, get the Motorrad at the kiosk or online today.
In a notification published by the European Commission, Goodyear has recalled 477 potentially defective Dunlop motorcycle tyres.
The 2024 season begins for Dunlop with a tire recall: the tread on the Sportmax Roadsmart III sports touring tire can detach, which can lead to loss of control and a fall.
The wording from the manufacturer Goodyear:
"Goodyear-Dunlop has initiated a voluntary recall for the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart III motorcycle tire in size 120/70ZR17 M/C (58W) with production weeks 34, 35, 36, 46 and 47 of 2023. The affected tires can be used over identify the following tire identification numbers (TIN): 1DK8B 6F1M 3423, 1DK8B 6F1M 3523, 1DK8B 6F1M 3623, 1DK8B 6F1M 4623 and 1DK8B 6F1M 4723."
Continental is proud to announce that the new BMW M 1000 XR will come equipped with ContiRaceAttack 2 Street hypersport tire. This is the first time that Continental and BMW Motorrad have partnered to equip a M model motorcycle, and it offers performance riders around the world the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of two leading premium manufacturers.
The ContiRaceAttack 2 Street is designed for high-speed riding and aggressive cornering. It features a new compound that provides maximum grip on both wet and dry surfaces, as well as a new tread pattern that helps to improve stability and handling.
The tire is also designed to be lightweight and responsive, making it ideal for riders who want to get the most out of their M 1000 XR.
Michelin Unveils Three New Motorcycle Tires for Hypersport and Adventure Touring Segments at EICMA 2023 -
Michelin is showcasing three new motorcycle tires at EICMA 2023, designed to deliver more performance and grip on both the road and the racetrack. The new MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP 2, and MICHELIN Anakee Road tires will be available in stores from January 2024.
MICHELIN Power 6: Sportiness for every day
The MICHELIN Power 6 is a new hypersport tire that offers sporty performance and enormous grip on dry and wet roads, as well as high mileage for frequent riders. It also features agile handling and is available in many sizes, making it suitable for motorcycles from 300 cubic centimeters. The MICHELIN Power 6 has already been homologated for the new 2024 KTM 390 Duke.
MICHELIN Power GP 2: From the racetrack to the road
The MICHELIN Power GP 2 is a new racetrack tire that has been homologated for road use. Thanks to Michelin's years of expertise from MotoGP™, the MICHELIN Power GP 2 offers more grip on wet and dry roads than its predecessor, while still delivering high driving precision and optimal handling. This allows experienced riders to push themselves to their limits on the racetrack while still enjoying a safe and sporty driving experience on the road.
MICHELIN Anakee Road: Street performance in a "Trail-Look"
The MICHELIN Anakee Road is a new adventure touring tire that offers plenty of grip on various road surfaces, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. It also features high mileage and driving stability, making it a reliable choice for longer journeys. Developed specifically for large and heavy adventure touring motorcycles, the MICHELIN Anakee Road also features a "Trail-Look" design that is visually aligned with this segment.
METZELER ROADTEC 02, the new sport touring tyre from Metzeler brand, is successfully completing the final development and testing phases and, starting from January 2024, will be available for sale to the public.
Compared to its predecessor ROADTEC 01, ROADTEC 02 significantly improves dynamic performance, primarily handling and wet road behaviour, and does so by using a high percentage of materials of natural origin (materials entirely or partially derived from biomass: plants and vegetables) or recycled.
The segment to which ROADTEC 02 belongs is the Sport-Touring one, i.e. that of tyres for mixed sport and touring use, but with this product the Metzeler brand has further raised the bar of sportiness by effectively creating a "Super Sport Touring" tyre. It is able to boast the typical characteristics of a touring tyre, such as high mileage and excellent grip on wet surfaces, combined with many of those more typical of super sports tyres, such as its handling which gives new levels of sportiness.
Mitas continues its drive to be the brand of choice for ultimate endurance enthusiasts, this time with the launch of its newest tire line, the ENDURO TRAIL-RALLY. This next generation tire line is the result of years of development and off-road testing by rally racers and is made to tackle tough terrain and any weather.
Mitas continues its drive to be the brand of choice for ultimate endurance enthusiasts, this time with the launch of its newest tire line, the ENDURO TRAIL-RALLY. This next generation tire line is the result of years of development and off-road testing by rally racers and is made to tackle tough terrain and any weather.
The ENDURO TRAIL-RALLY range comes in one rear tire and three different front tire options designed to give bikes greater stability, handling and puncture-proof resistance, even at high speeds. Riders can count on long-lasting durability even when put to the test of extreme endurance competitions.
Gustavo Pinto Teixeira, Vice President of Two Wheels and Specialty Tires at Yokohama TWS, remarks: “With this new line, Mitas now offers a complete tire range for rally riders. We took feedback from Dakar Rally racers to build a strong range of rally competition tires. We can’t wait to see how they perform in the 2024 Dakar Rally, the grand debut for the new Mitas ENDURO TRAIL-RALLY tires.”
Avon Tyres, a traditional motorcycle tire brand, will be given a new direction under the Goodyear brand group. After the integration in 2022, Goodyear is looking positively to the future and, with Avon and Dunlop, is now presenting a comprehensive range of motorcycle tires for European motorcyclists. Avon's portfolio will focus on the most popular products and will sensibly complement the Dunlop motorcycle tire product range.
Well-known tire profiles in the Avon motorcycle tire range include the Avon Cobra Chrome (custom tire), Avon Roadrider MKII (bias touring tire), AVON 3D SUPERSPORT (hypersport tire), Avon Spirit ST (sport touring tire), Avon Streetrunner (bias tire), Avon Trailrider and Avon Trekrider (travel enduro tire), AVON SAFETY MILEAGE and AVON SPEEDMASTER (classic tire) and the Viper Stryke (scooter tire).
Goodyear's long-term strategy is to use the motorcycle competence center in Montlucon (France) to drive the development of both brands. Many of the Dunlop brand's premium motorcycle tires as well as the racing tires for the Moto2 World Championship™ and the Endurance World Championship (EWC) are developed and produced in Montlucon.
In MOTORRAD (issue 07/2023), sport and sport-touring motorbike tyres were tested on the KTM 390 DUKE in the dimensions 110/70 R17 and 150/60 R17.
Three manufacturers received the test rating "very good" BRIDGESTONE S22, METZELER M9 RR, MICHELIN ROAD 6
One manufacturer received a "good" DUNLOP GPR 300
Two have to be content with a "satisfactory". CONTINENTAL CONTIMOTION CHENG SHIN CST CM-615 CM-616
How MOTORRAD tests
A quick tyre test on a country road? Not conceivable! Such tests are only seriously feasible on specially designed test tracks of the tyre industry. In this case, we were able to use the premises of the Japanese manufacturer Bridgestone in Nettuno (near Rome). For the asphalt test, we used the 2.2 km long "Carrera track" with many bends, for the wet test we used the permanently watered, 1.6 km long handling track. These criteria are the focus of the MOTORRAD evaluation:
*Sections marked with an asterisk are transferable to motorbikes that have a similar geometry to the KTM 390 Duke. **Indicated is the price range for a set of tyres (front/rear) in the tested version in common tyre online shops, as of 1 March 2023.
BRIDGESTONE S22 - "Conclusion: The Bridgestone S 22 is a sports tyre that shines in this test above all with its excellent everyday qualities. Perfect handling is joined by 1a rain qualities with the best braking values in the test."
METZELER M9 RR - Verdict: "Sportiness in sun and rain - the Metzeler is a recommendation for cornering junkies, whatever the weather. For a sports tyre, a very unusual and, in this test, very impressive combination."
MICHELIN ROAD 6 - Verdict: "The bottom line is that the Michelin offers a very balanced package for everyday riding. Beginners who ride their 125 or 48 hp bike year-round will quickly come to appreciate the Road 6's good-natured characteristics."
DUNLOP GPR 300 - Conclusion: "With the Dunlop, an entry-level bike like the 390 KTM in this test clearly gains in sportiness. Even in the rain, the GPR-300 delivers enough grip to push around corners with decent confidence."
CONTINENTAL CONTIMOTION - Conclusion: "In good weather, the ContiMotion is really fun on country roads, even if they are small and winding, and leaves a good impression. In the rain, its restrained grip quickly makes it lack confidence."
CHENG SHIN CST CM-615 CM-616 - "Conclusion: Fair-weather riders on 125s won't feel any shortcomings, but in the rain you quickly reach the CST's limit. On bikes in the 48 hp class, however, the tyre is not a recommendation on dry or wet asphalt."
The entire tyre test can be reordered as a print edition or PDF here.
Also in the next issue there will be a test and technical analysis tyre wear. Which factors are decisive for outstanding mileage?
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