Omg Omg GRIP

[freddifredfred]

I have grip and I looooooooove it.......Justgotsome Bt021 's today,front and back, and I cant begin to stress how goooooooooood it feels...


Just thoughtI'd share:D:D:D:cheers:

[ASM-Forever]

When my tyres need changing i'll be getting a dual compund tyre...either the PR2 or BT021.

Its nice to hear someone getting on with the BT's, a lot of people seem to be grumbling about them.

Despite being French, i'm a Bridgestone man. :)

[orose]

They last pretty well too - theres plenty left on mine after 6500 miles, although they are starting to go a bit square now.

Soon it'll be time to go find a few more corners, I reckon :)

[Alpinestarhero]

Might try these myself, i dont use the edges much but when i do, they are cold, so softer rubberat the edge should be a bit safer

Matt

[freddifredfred]

Im not the most confident rider, cos i have mostly riden solo since starting. I had a pirelli on the front and corsa on the back when i got my SV.

Grip must of been ok because i never really thought about it.

I got a puncher late july in the back so swopped it for a Avon ST whoch turned outto be AAAAAAAWFUL I had no confidance in it from the word GO.BUt then as im a new rider i put it down to my inexperience to get the tyre warm and therefore work.

The front was wearing to thin and with all the wet weather just was too dangerous. After a bit of reading I decided in the Bt021's to replace them both.

And I kid you not they are confidence inspring!!! I've never been able to feel grip, i wasnt sure what people meant when i read about it, but nowi really do.

Todays blast to squires and back has been heaven, even in damp comditions. I climbed off the bike at squires and they didnt feel HOT but they were nice and warm, went in got acoffee came back to bike felt back tyre and it was still warm!!!

[Sean_C]

I got some diablos. can't wait to try them out, will be a nice change form square stock tires!

[yorkie_chris]

I got a puncher late july in the back so swopped it for a Avon ST whoch turned outto be AAAAAAAWFUL I had no confidance in it from the word GO.BUt then as im a new rider i put it down to my inexperience to get the tyre warm and therefore work.

Funny that, everyone I've talked to likes the ST's (was it azaro or storm?)

Could it have been the mismatched, worn front that was the problem?

[Dangerous Dave]

I'd have to agree with Chris, many people including myself love the Avons (both Azaro's and ST's). They are fantastic in all weathers.

[chris8886]

Im not the most confident rider, cos i have mostly riden solo since starting. I had a pirelli on the front and corsa on the back when i got my SV.

Grip must of been ok because i never really thought about it.

I got a puncher late july in the back so swopped it for a Avon ST whoch turned outto be AAAAAAAWFUL I had no confidance in it from the word GO.BUt then as im a new rider i put it down to my inexperience to get the tyre warm and therefore work.

The front was wearing to thin and with all the wet weather just was too dangerous. After a bit of reading I decided in the Bt021's to replace them both.

And I kid you not they are confidence inspring!!! I've never been able to feel grip, i wasnt sure what people meant when i read about it, but nowi really do.

Todays blast to squires and back has been heaven, even in damp comditions. I climbed off the bike at squires and they didnt feel HOT but they were nice and warm, went in got acoffee came back to bike felt back tyre and it was still warm!!!

Funny that, everyone I've talked to likes the ST's (was it azaro or storm?)

Could it have been the mismatched, worn front that was the problem?

I'd have to agree with Chris, many people including myself love the Avons (both Azaro's and ST's). They are fantastic in all weathers.

this is VERY interesting for me as i'm about to buy some new tyres and can't really decide. i have a big lack of confidence in my front end and never have since i got the bike. have either of you guys or anyone tried the BT's and able to make a comparison? because on this eveidence i'm very tempted by a pair!!

[Dangerous Dave]

Had the BT's on the 1st curvy when I got it, kept replacing with the BT's after testing other brands. I then had a set of Avon Azaro's as JHS were doing a good deal at the time and since then I have had the Avon Storms on too. Everybody raves about the increase in grip when the switch to the BT's and to be honest if you go from BT's to Azaro's you feel that increase in grip all over again. Between the Azaro's and Storms there isn't much in it when you push the bike hard. Both Avon's are fantastic and excellent in wet weather, it hardly slowed me or my sliders wear down (this is not an invite to tell you to go nuts in the wet, always read the roads conditions)

As for the front end confidence that can be down to many reasons. I personally, before switching to a USD front end, fitted progressive springs and dropped the front end by 10mm and raised the rear 1 inch with shock linkages. This suited my riding style, sped up the steering and offered me more front end feed back. This is a personal preference though!

[yorkie_chris]

I had BT010's, is the 021 the advancement of that tyre?

Now I've got the avon storms on and they're great, more wet grip than I have the skill/stupidity to use.

[Dangerous Dave]

021's are the new 020's

[yorkie_chris]

In retrospect that should have been obvious to me, please ignore my previous post :p

As something sort of related, did you use a 60 or 70 profile front tyre? with the naked wheelbase would you expect it to get nasty with the shorter gixxer forks?

[Dangerous Dave]

Got a 70 on my curvy S with the back end jacked up an inch and ohlins a few mm longer than standard. If you have a standard shock and linkages you should be alright with a 60 on a naked, best to open a new thread as someone out there will no for sure.

[freddifredfred]

Funny that, everyone I've talked to likes the ST's (was it azaro or storm?)

Could it have been the mismatched, worn front that was the problem?
It was a storm

[freddifredfred]

No i dont think it was the miss-match, i had confidence and i dont mean loads cos im still learning but i never once had a problem with grip, i know the confidence in the front end droppewd when the pirelli wore thin, but the Avon i just couldnt get to grip to well, I even binned it in one occassion on a slow corner. I really am loving the bt. but like a lot of forum postss, tyres are also down to the person and theor riding style. Im not very aggressive on the throttle and dont brake late, which means i probably was never getting the Avons to any usefull temprature, where as the BTs seem to warm up with little effort

[Dangerous Dave]

tyres are also down to the person and there riding style.

Exactly

[freddifredfred]

Exactly


After reading a biking mag last night, which had a small section on riding postions and corners, it looks like ive been doin it wrong,

Ive been sat right up to tank and whengoing round corners have been keeping my inside arm straight, this has lead to my wait being transfered to the handle bars and down to the front tyre - instaed ogf my outside leg gripping my leg against the tank, which is what i thought i was doing.

This thing with thing with the arm will have emphorsized the lack of grip on the front andled to me feeling like it going to slip.

Also would account for my lack of feel to the rear in corners, to much wait to front meaning less grip and feel form the rear tyre.

On my commutes today i have moved my riding position back and hunched forwards more when going faster and being more aware of my weight distribution, and kept my inside arm bent and loose. In a sort of elbow to knee postion. I can feel more grip on my outsde leg taking support and more responce from the BT's

Any tips from you guy??
:smt064

[yorkie_chris]

General rule of thumb I use is to flap like a chicken :p

If you can't do that then theres too much weight on your arms.