Battleax 023 GTs die an early death

I had some trouble with two sets of Avons and one set of Dunlop Roadsmarts self-immolating due to tread separation and leaving me in the middle of nowhere each time (thank you Progressive towing service), so I did some research and settled on a set of Battleax 023 GTs due to their supposedly heavy duty construction just for bikes like my ST1300. Though the front is doing just fine, the rear lasted less than 5K. Though I ride two up a lot, I ride very sedately and other rear tires have lasted much longer, just over 10K in one instance. I wrote Bridgestone and asked about this, but they did not write back. I'm now going to try a set of Michelen PR 3s. Hopefully the 5th time is the charm.

Snookered

I burned through a BT023 (not a GT) on the rear of one of my ST1100s in about 2,500 miles. Bridgestone got those tires back. I told them I thought they had a quality control problem due to the wide 'mileage' variances riders get out of the BT023s.

I had horrible rear tire life with a BT023 (non GT) on my 1300 as well. Less than 6K miles and I ride one up. I will say that the front lasted a long time and wasn't a bad tire. I had better luck with PR2s and I think people are reporting similar life with PR3s. I have since gone to the Darkside and have 23,000 miles on a rear and going.

I'm approaching 10k miles with my BT023 GT rear and it looks like it has another 4000 left in it. This has been 80% one up and 20% two up.


Sent from my RAZR M using Tapatalk 2

mlheck said:

I'm approaching 10k miles with my BT023 GT rear and it looks like it has another 4000 left in it. This has been 80% one up and 20% two up.

Click to expand...

That's why I told Bridgestone they had a problem - I've seen mileages all over the place that are far too different to be riding/bike differences. Maybe there are 'Monday' tires and 'Friday' tires ...

The BT023 (non GT) isn't nearly as sticky in the rain as the PR-2. I was in the rain yesterday and the nearly new BT023 slipped out a couple of times on the corners. I wasn't doing anything unusual at the time.

Jeff Snook said:

I'm now going to try a set of Michelen PR 3s. Hopefully the 5th time is the charm.

Snookered

Click to expand...

I think you will like the PR3's, I put a set on 4 weeks ago for a trip out west. I ride fully packed with about 160 additional pounds of camping gear and clothing. Last week I got back with about 5,000 miles on the tires and they seem to be wearing well and evenly. The only traction problem I had was on some of the fresh tar snakes up in the mountains, but the other 2 guys travelling with me had the same issues. So far, so good on the tire life, I expect to get at least 10,000 miles out of the rear.

DonMac,
I agree with the stickiness of the 023 also. I lived with it because I thought I'd get good mileage. I was wrong. Hopefully the PR3 will do me better in both categories.
Snookered

I had the 023 step out on me as well. PR2s were better, Hankook better yet.

Perhaps tire pressures are an issue? If you run 40-42 front and 43-44 rear, tread life should increase due to less heat being generated. Grip is still good, but I'd lower the pressures in the colder weather.

Ray ,I run those tire pressures on the 023's and I notice some occasional instability. I'm going back to PR2's before my next trip. Much better tire. IMO Cheers Marty

8500 miles so far on my PR3s. I will get 10k easy. I will stick with them. A car tire on a motorcycle will never be an option for me! I live in Oklahoma. I might need to run from a tornado some day. I'm not taking any chances on tires!

okckeith said:

8500 miles so far on my PR3s. I will get 10k easy. I will stick with them. A car tire on a motorcycle will never be an option for me! I live in Oklahoma. I might need to run from a tornado some day. I'm not taking any chances on tires!

Click to expand...

Hmm, I have been to OK a few times the roads are pretty much all flat and straight. Car tire with a Z speed rating good to more than 149 MPH. So how fast did you need to go to outrun a tornado again?

okckeith said:

8500 miles so far on my PR3s. I will get 10k easy. I will stick with them. A car tire on a motorcycle will never be an option for me! I live in Oklahoma. I might need to run from a tornado some day. I'm not taking any chances on tires!

Click to expand...

sennister said:

Hmm, I have been to OK a few times the roads are pretty much all flat and straight. Car tire with a Z speed rating good to more than 149 MPH. So how fast did you need to go to outrun a tornado again?

Click to expand...

Now that is what I was thinking! Who in the world would ever run such a tire?? :nuts1:

sennister said:

Hmm, I have been to OK a few times the roads are pretty much all flat and straight. Car tire with a Z speed rating good to more than 149 MPH. So how fast did you need to go to outrun a tornado again?

Click to expand...

Have you ever seen what an EF5 does? I have had two close to me within the last two weeks! As of now over 40 dead. This place looks like a war zone! Where I work has almost took two EF5 hits in the last 24 months!
Ride what you like. I will ride what they make for a motorcycle!

Was asked earlier about tire pressure. I'm very careful about my tire pressure. I have a TPMS and check pressures in spite of the TPMS very often. Tire pressure was not an issue in stepping out of the tire nor in the early wear.
Snookered

My first 023's (non GT) lasted 10K each before cupping on the sides. After a long-ish breaking in, I liked them. I have just installed 023GT's and am hating them. 500-600 miles in and very unstable. So, putzing with suspension settings in another thread and about to swap driven bearings just for the purpose of eliminating a possible problem. Running 42/42. I am now looking at tires again. Sigh...

I have right at 9k on my 023 gt's and what I noticed was the front tread is still very deep yet and the rear is right at the wear markers. I will not that I was running lower than normal pressures for about 6k miles. The results were some odd cupping in the front and faster wear on the rear. I pumped up to 45/42 before my last trip and wearing has slowed. I have riddin hard in the rain with no grip issues. 100% solo riding, just my hefty 200lbs. I believe I will replace the rear this year and the front next year. I think the tread and cupping would have been a non issue if I were running proper air pressure from the beginning.

Has anyone tried the Pirelli Angel GT's ?

I have also experienced the back tire breaking loose in the rain. This was on a 1100 that I had rebuilt the suspension. I was taking it out to test it and was caught in some light rain. I had just thought it was due to the oil baking out of the blacktop and with a little rain it was to slippery.
Another member here was accelerating around a car and the back end broke loose, and bike went out from under him, and the bike was totaled.
Like Uncle Phil said, there some great reviews by members here who have had great results with them. I bought a set of PR3's to put on my bike and a set of 023's for another bike I had rebuilt to sell.(both 06 1300). Well the new buyer wanted my PR3's so I ordered another set for my bike, and I put the new 023's on another 06 1300 that I just got done rebuilding this last weekend. I road 85 miles on the bike yesterday and they felt good..... but no rain.
Whoever buys the bike will have to check out the rain traction.