BT020 First Impressions

[Invicta Moto]

Had a set of BT020's on the 1150GS last week, have dione about 350 miles on them so far and first impressions.. "what the have I done" and "how long til they wear out?"

Once I'd scrubbed the glaze off them they are pretty good at holding a line and I can get round the big M25/M20 junctions loops pretty rapidly and possibly faster than before.... but there does seem to be a little flutter on the bars that I didn't notice even on the worn Tourances.

Any other 020ers have any comments to add?


I'll see how they go.

 

[newman7096]

I've just had the 020's put on and do not notice the iregularities you mention!

IMHO for road use they offer better grip in the dry and the wet!

Definately softer on the edges which is good for me.

Have you checked your tyre pressures?

I wdefinately wont be going back to Tourances!

I have had many a scarey moment on them when pushing hard!

Wet weather riding has been totaly transformed now.

 

[Duncan]

Have you changed the front wheel to a 17" jobbie?

I noticed the steering is quicker since I did mine. Probably something to do with the rake/trail being altered.

It can feel a little "nervous" in windy conditions when my arms get blown about.

 

[jefformston]

BT020's

I had a set fitted in May and I've done approx 3,000 miles since. My impressions so far are that they give no better grip in the wet or dry than Tourance's but they do appear to be wearing better.

The rear has squared off a little, but this was early on whilst touring around Germany with the wife and full luggage so was expected.

I always found Tourance's to be excellent and never had any 'moments' with them. If the BT020's last significantly longer than the usual 7.5k I get out of a rear Tourance I'll continue to use them, otherwise I'll be going back the the Metzlers just because they are cheaper & I've never had problem with them.

 

[adamski49]

Could it be tyre pressures? Bridgestones have to be run harder than the handbook pressures on the S - 2.5 bar F / 2.9 bar R

Look up yours here

The 1150 GS appears to be 2.3 bar F / 2.5 bar R which sounds like standard BM pressures Maybe I'm talking bollox

Adam

 

[Invicta Moto]

I've got pressures set as per the Bridgestone website.... and luckily I have a bar gauge... The side-to-side movement on the bars isn’t too bad, just noticeable where the Tourances didn't.

http://www.bridgestone-eu.com/tyres...umber=4&sCOUNTRY=UK&sBRAND=BMW&sMODEL=R1150GS

I got just over 8k out of the Tourances and they were quite a bit off being worn out, just the rear was squared and at low speed quite noticeable when manoeuvring in car-parks and slow turns at junctions.

The 020's seem to have cost £20 a pair more than Tourances, so as long as they last the same sort of distance I'll be happy...

 

[Wikkus]

I've just had the 020's put on [snip]

IMHO for road use they offer better grip in the dry and the wet!

Definately softer on the edges which is good for me.

Have you checked your tyre pressures?

I wdefinately wont be going back to Tourances!

I have had many a scarey moment on them when pushing hard!

Wet weather riding has been totaly transformed now.

Heh, I've been amused by this and the various other tyre threads since joining and especially of late now that my OE Michelin T66X's are in need of imminent replacement.

There are lots of peeps on this board each with their own opinions (it's a free country, after all!) and this would be my summation of the whole tyres topic:

They're all good! They're all bad! *
*delete as applicable


Seriously, though, I've had a variety of machines during my (short) riding career and the only tyre model I've used that I really didn't get on with were Dunlop D204's as OE fitment on my 1998 Honda VFR800. They were "average" in the dry and quite alarming in the wet.

Everyone has their own style of riding and many people will never explore the full potential of either their machine or their machine's tyres, but equally, many of those same people will have one "moment" on a particular model or even brand of tyre and, when combined with peer pressure and "knowledge", will often write off a whole range of tyres.

I know sprots-bike riders who absolutely have to have the latest super-sticky, soft, race-bred tyres fitted to their steed. Most of the time, they're deluding themselves; I've met only a handful of riders (three of them racers) who can actually use the full (or near) potential of sticky stuff like Bridgestone's BT-012SS or Michelin's Pilot Race or Metzeler's RennSport. The rest...? Weelll...


On the GS, the seemingly much maligned Michelin T66X has been nothing short of excellent for me and I'd be happy to fit them again. They can be provoked into sliding in the dry and give reasonable levels of grip in the wet. I'm likely to fit Tourances next for comparison's sake, although the -020's appeal purely 'cause I don't venture very far off road and have experience with them on other bikes.
{shrug}

Rik.

 

[BiG DoM]

Heh, I've been amused by this and the various other tyre threads since joining and especially of late now that my OE Michelin T66X's are in need of imminent replacement.

There are lots of peeps on this board each with their own opinions (it's a free country, after all!) and this would be my summation of the whole tyres topic:

They're all good! They're all bad! *
*delete as applicable


Seriously, though, I've had a variety of machines during my (short) riding career and the only tyre model I've used that I really didn't get on with were Dunlop D204's as OE fitment on my 1998 Honda VFR800. They were "average" in the dry and quite alarming in the wet.

Everyone has their own style of riding and many people will never explore the full potential of either their machine or their machine's tyres, but equally, many of those same people will have one "moment" on a particular model or even brand of tyre and, when combined with peer pressure and "knowledge", will often write off a whole range of tyres.

I know sprots-bike riders who absolutely have to have the latest super-sticky, soft, race-bred tyres fitted to their steed. Most of the time, they're deluding themselves; I've met only a handful of riders (three of them racers) who can actually use the full (or near) potential of sticky stuff like Bridgestone's BT-012SS or Michelin's Pilot Race or Metzeler's RennSport. The rest...? Weelll...


On the GS, the seemingly much maligned Michelin T66X has been nothing short of excellent for me and I'd be happy to fit them again. They can be provoked into sliding in the dry and give reasonable levels of grip in the wet. I'm likely to fit Tourances next for comparison's sake, although the -020's appeal purely 'cause I don't venture very far off road and have experience with them on other bikes.
{shrug}

Rik.

My understanding is that the Anakee is replacing the T66 - just a matter of offloading existing stock?

 

[Jarvy]

3000 miles on 020's so far. Squared off a little due to riding to Tuscany with wife and luggage! No problem with grip in all weathers and even a small amount of dirt tracks in Italy!