“Be a smart consumer.” That’s what I always tell my friends.
The tyres on my 2012 Kawasaki ER-6f had worn smooth. I was using the Bridgestone Battlax T-30 Evo prior so it’s only natural that I selected the new Battlax T31.
When I went hunting for the Battlax T31 about two months ago, it was out of stock at my regular workshop for more than 20 years, Sunny Cycle. But I needed a new rear desperately as the old tyre’s carcass was starting to show.
But another shop along Jalan Ipoh had them in stock.
However, the head mechanic said, “T31 rear is okay, but the front causes the bike to goyang (wobble).” I was surprised because apart from the old BT21, the subsequent BT23, T30 and T30 Evo didn’t cause any “wobbles.”
“You sure you still want the T31 front?” he pressed. “I recommend that you use T31 at the back and BT23 in front,” he continued.
That set the alarm bells in head my ringing. I rejected the BT23 insisted on the T31 front. Bridgestone had stopped producing the BT23 more than 5 years ago! It was succeeded by the excellent Battlax T30.
He went into his store and came back with a set of T31. I was surprised to find the Battlax T31 GT for the front! Now wait a minute. The T31 GT version is meant for heavyweight sport-tourers such as the BMW R 1200 RT, Kawasaki 1400GTR, Yamaha FJR1300, Honda VFR1200, …. You get the idea.
The carcass and sidewalls of the GT version are stiffer to support the weight of such heavy bikes. On the other hand, middleweight bikes such as the ER-6, Versys 650 and all the way to the 900cc sport-tourers lack the weight to deflect the GT tyre into their intended form. Consequently, the tyre doesn’t have enough contact patch with the road. Apart from that, the compound on GT tyres are slightly harder, again to compensate for the extra weight. Both these factors will cause the front end to goyang if fitted to lighter bikes!
So, I decided to stick with the worn T30 Evo in front and mount the new T31 at the back. I later found out that there were stacks upon stacks of new BT-23 tyres in his store when I went to the bathroom!
There’s more heartache to come.
The mechanic laid the wheel on the bare concrete floor and pried out the tyre. I’ve now got scratches all around the rim. He then used an impact wrench to pound in the rear axle’s nut. I’m going to have trouble unlocking that nut to adjust the chain.
I paid for the tyre and got the heck out of there.
I got a call from Sunny Cycle when the T31 arrived. JS, the head mechanic tended to my bike.
He removed the wheel and stuck his fingers into the hub cavity to check if the bearings were still good. He then used a tyre change machine to remove the old tyre. He followed up with balancing the tyre.
He locked the wheel and brake calipers in place with a torque wrench, instead of the dreaded pneumatic impact wrench. Finally, he checked everything one more time before inflating the pressure to my preference.
I rode the bike with the new tyre to Jitra, Kedah and back, for a total of 912 kilometres. We even rode in the type of rain which obscures almost all our vision. We rode at crawling speeds all the way up to more than 180 km/h.
Did the Battlax T31 front tyre goyang? NOT ONE BIT!
I hope you got the message. I found out about the T31 GT through research and reading and insisted that I didn’t want it.
So, please do your research. Read more. Be a smart consumer instead of trusting some unscrupulous mechanic.
Believe or not, Bridgestone did not offer knobby off-road tyres for large capacity adventure bikes, despite an extensive tyre line-up. They have introduced the Battlax Adventurecross AX41 at the INTERMOT motorcycle show to compete in the segment.
The AX41 is a dual-sport tyre designed for adventure-touring motorcycles. For example, the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx/XCa, Honda CRF1000 Africa Twin, R 1200 GS, F 850 GS, et al.
Bridgestone also introduced a variant for Scramblers, calling it the Battlax Adventurecross AX41S.
TAKE NOTE: Please pay attention when you replace your tyres. Unscrupulous/ignorant workshops may fit tyres designated for other types of bikes! A mechanic had insisted on fitting the GT version of the Battlax T31 to my middleweight street bike. The T31 GT is meant for heavyweights such as the Kawasaki 1400GTR, BMW R 1200 RT, etc. So, again, the AX41 is for dual-purpose bikes, the AX41S is for Scramblers.
The A41 that was introduced earlier this year, on the other hand, is for road-oriented riding with some light off-roading. Best example of fitment is the Triumph Tiger 800 XRx. It is the replacement for the Battlax Battle Wing.
Please refer to the radar graph below on product designation.
It is a good move by Bridgestone as Metzeler, Pirelli, Continental and Michelin have been running away with adventure tyre sales.
However, the AX41 will only be available from 2019, hence it will be interesting to see which bike will receive it as OEM fitment.
For track day, Karak GP and Genting Higlands TT riders, the Japanese tyre manufacturer also introduced the Battlax S22 supersport tyre at the same show, albeit without as much fanfare as the AX41.
Judging by the pictures, the S22’s tread pattern bears much resemblance to the sport-touring T31. The T31 is an excellent handling tyre in both the dry and wet, but the S22 ought to have a softer compound for even higher grip. This should mean the S22 handles just as great, while the aggressive grooves are great for rainy day riding.
As a bit of trivia, Bridgestone called the T30 a “hybrid” tyre as it combined the designs and characteristics of the BT23 sport-touring and S20 supersport tyres.
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