OEM vs replacement tyres?

Just out of curiosity does anyone know the difference in retail and OEM tyres, more specifically the BT016.

Iv'e just had a new rear BT016 Pro fitted and was curious to find out the difference between the retail BT016 and the OEM one labelled as "BT016 EE".
I would expect the OEM to be a lesser tyre?

[Sid Squid]

Lesser how?

When manufacturers specify a tyre they often have some input into the exact version that goes on to any given new bike. i.e. exact profiles etc. Sometimes the difference is significant, mostly it's noticeable but no more.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Lesser how?

When manufacturers specify a tyre they often have some input into the exact version that goes on to any given new bike. i.e. exact profiles etc. Sometimes the difference is significant, mostly it's noticeable but no more.

Well they do a version of the BT016, the BT016 CC which is a single compound tyre. So they say

Smaller tread depth perhaps?

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Lesser how?

When manufacturers specify a tyre they often have some input into the exact version that goes on to any given new bike. i.e. exact profiles etc. Sometimes the difference is significant, mostly it's noticeable but no more.

Is it a myth, manufacturers strike up deals with tyre manufacturers to kit out their bikes working out very affordably for the bike manufacturers? And presumably if the tyre maker isn't quite happy with the deal they may scrimp a bit on the version.

[andrewsmith]

Traditionally with OEM tyres and the japanese, they need to produce them very close to the factories (guaranteeing supply) so they make a OEM spec tyre the factory want (hence the shocking D220's and Mez4's to an extent) or a varient of a produced tyre BT016 EE in this case and BT017's.


The buzz one is the Bridgestone S20 on the Supersports and superbikes at present

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Is it a myth, manufacturers strike up deals with tyre manufacturers to kit out their bikes working out very affordably for the bike manufacturers? And presumably if the tyre maker isn't quite happy with the deal they may scrimp a bit on the version.

I've not had much to do with that part of the business for some time, but I've never heard of that before you suggested it, I imagine that there is some quite careful deal making done when supplying tyres as OE - the manufacturer is going to want a lot of tyres and if I were buying in those numbers I'd expect to get them at a keen price, and if I found the shiny new bikes I wanted to sell were underperforming due to substandard rubber I don't think I'd be specifying tyres from that maker again any time soon.
There are some quite specific tyres for some bikes, those being the ones they come out of the factory with obviously. Of the ones I know about they certainly wouldn't have been a cheaper option, as they were subtly, but in testing and development terms I would have thought quite expensively, different from the ones you'll find as typical replacements in tyre shops, some OE fitment tyres could be got through tyre suppliers, but some others were only easily found at dealers.

[Dave20046]

interesting. Just something you hear and I'm sure I'd also heard the SV standard rubber was awful which made me wonder. But new bikes aren't my thing so really wouldn't know first hand!

I read a review of a bike in a mag or in mcn, can't remember and they said that the stock Bridgestone S20's were crap compared to the off the shelf ones?