Bridgestone Rep Recommends Not to Use BT 021's

[Al_b]

I recently changed tires on Brian R's ST 1100 from the Bridgestone BT 021's and put on the Bridgestone Excedra's. He only had 1,000 miles on his front tire but it was already showing significant wear outside the centre strip. He'd had to have it installed on his way up here as the BT 021 he started out with was unsafe with just over 3,000 miles on it and the only replacement he could find was another BT 021. Needless to say, he isn't impressed with these tires and sent a note to Bridgestone to see if they would do anything about it. The Bridgestone rep's response was:

Subject: Bridgestone
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:54:03 -0500
From: GrahamBob@bfusa.com
To: xxxxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com

Brian,

BT021 is a radial-ply, the ST1100 is designed for bias-ply.

Bridgestone do not recommend this application.

After receiving no additional replys to his e-mails to Bridgestone, Brian subsequently sent a note to the editor of webbikeworld detailing the situation and asking if they had any suggestions for a course of action. The response he received contained some information that, according to their research, the 2001 ST 1100 was not designed for radial tires and that only bias ply tires should be used. The editors closing comment was:

So to be brutally frank here, it appears to me that you made a mistake and selected the wrong tire for this application. Fortunately, you survived the results....

Sorry!
Rick.

In light of this information, I think it is reasonable for us to warn all ST 1100 riders that Bridgestone does not recommend installing BT 021's on this bike (despite their advertizements about how it is designed for a "Sport Touring Application").

 

[RetiredCruiser]

After much research and exchanged emails with the Tech department at MCN, the resulst are unanamous (sp.) that you should NEVER use radial tires on a bike originally set up to use bias tires. The issue is the width of the rim vs. the tire width. Radials require a much wider rim. This causes a premature wearing of the tire and a severe reduction in performance.

 

[BigTom]

What? What?

That might be the largest crock of sh*% I've heard yet. DESIGNED FOR BIAS PLY? You mean Honda Engineers had the radial tire specs and DESIGNED FOR BIAS PLY? WHAT?

Tire manufacturers design for motorcycles, not the other way 'round. I can listen to "Bridgestone designed the tire to a different spec, not your ST1100. Sorry." But PLEASE don't blame Honda for your problems. Please.

FWIW I run radials on my ST1100, I have 15,000 plus miles on them, and I am not dead. I have survived, and truth be told, the tires I am running right now are the very best I have ever ridden. That's a lot of miles, and a lot of tires.

 

[RobsTV]

Avon fitment guide :

ST 1100 Pan European (1991 - 2003)
Front Tyres
? Storm-ST
Size 110/80ZR18 (58W)
2.5 bar (36psi)

Rear tyres
? Storm-ST
Size 160/70R17 79V
2.9 bar (42psi)

Looks like Avon has zero problems or issues recommending Radials for a bike that came with Bias Ply tires.

Note that they do NOT list a recommended radial tire for the ST1300, so they do research on what works and what might not.

 

[patiodadio]

Sounds like a crock of %#@* to me too ! I have never heard of not being able to use radials.... I have O21's on my 94' RS and love them.

.

 

[sennister]

Note that they do NOT list a recommended radial tire for the ST1300, so they do research on what works and what might not.

There was another post here about that yesterday. I think the lack in recommendation is more due to the fact that they are afraid of the weave. So they don't recommend it in order to keep them protected from blame if it is ever determined to be a tire issue.

 

[Mondo]

The recommendation is based on the fact that the tire is a piece of crap no matter what bike it is on since my '03 ST also shows 'significant' wear outside the center strip. They simply made the outside compound too soft.

 

[Al_b]

Mondo, I have to agree. We used 4 sets of BT 021's on our 1100's and they hold the record for the 4 SHORTEST LIVED front tires we've ever put on our bikes (with 250,000 miles on the two bikes).

I made the decision earlier that I'd never waste my money on them again, I just thought it worthwhile to post that a Bridgestone rep agrees (in writing) that you shouldn't use these tires on the ST 1100.

 

[wjbertrand]

Just to clarify things (or maybe confuse them more!) all pre-'96 ST1100s came fitted with bias tires from the factory. All '96 and later standard model ST1100s were also fitted with bias tires. I guess it would be fair to say Honda designed those bikes to run on bias tires.

The exception would be the '96 and later ABS-TCS equipped ST1100s which did come with radial tires from the factory. In this case Honda fitted a 1/2" wider front wheel to accommodate them.

That's not to say some radials will work OK (Avons being perhaps the best case in point) with the standard and early model ABS bikes, but I found some brands of radials that didn't feel very confidence inspiring fitted to my '93 with the narrower front wheel

 

[Hound]

Police 1100s (standard and ABS) in the UK are run on Bridgestone 020s.

But wait.. that's a (gulp) radial tyre!

I experimented with different radials on a standard 1100P. Avon Azaro 45/46s were terrible, but they were early models and their quality has since improved. Their Road Hazard Warranty is a big plus (do you get that in the US?). Best ones I tested were the Metzeler Z6s, but the BT020s had the edge on longevity. 021s are apparently quite a different story!

Bridgestone's Exedras (bias) are pretty decent, lasting a long time. They were the tyre of choice for the ST1100's designers. But hey, that was nearly twenty years ago. Modern radials will work fine on the 1100 - but only some; it's a fussy bike. Avoid Dunlops, Pirellis, and BT021s!

 

[saaz]

I haven't found my ST11P to be fussy about tyres (I have not tried bias tyres). It came with worn BT020s and saggy standard suspension and went fine. I have tried Dunlop D205, Z6, Avon Azaro and Storms and now Dunlop Roadsmart. All worked perfectly ok, with some being my more favourite tyres. Whatever it is, some STs seem to be fussier than others (headshake in particular) but all the ST11 owners I know here have no problems (all being gun Aussie riders of course lol!)

 

[Rossi]

Just to clarify things (or maybe confuse them more!) all pre-'96 ST1100s came fitted with bias tires from the factory. All '96 and later standard model ST1100s were also fitted with bias tires. I guess it would be fair to say Honda designed those bikes to run on bias tires.

The exception would be the '96 and later ABS-TCS equipped ST1100s which did come with radial tires from the factory. In this case Honda fitted a 1/2" wider front wheel to accommodate them.

Seems weird, the non ABS ST1100 have a rear wheel that is identical to the ABS versions. The front is just 1/2" narrower, which just about ends up right to fit a 110mm tire.

 

[Scottie]

Al B, Thanks for this offering. It is what I suspected. The tire does not fit the application on my ST1300.
Someone asked about the bike feeling "loose" when beginning to lean into a corner. I have experienced this with my 021's. In addition, crossing the painted lines on highways can feel like the bike has dropped an inch or so since there is a definate bump off the line.
I wonder what the editor of webbikeworld would say about 021's and a 2004 ST 1300. I suspect the response might be the same.
I sent off an e-mail to Bridgestone several days ago and still have not received a response. I would have hoped that they would have at least acknowledged the e-mail and promised a response. Not too happy with them so far but let's see if they can redeem themselves.
Scottie

 

[George]

It's the width of the rim, folks. Radials generally look for a .5" wider rim than our standards have. The ABS front is wider so ought'a work. That being said, I've run radial/radial, bias/bias, radial/bias, and bias radial on both my STs. I've also run a correct size rear on the front, run 170/60 and 160/60 on the rear.

The only time I've fallen that I would attribute at leaST partially to tars was with a fairly fresh set of Avon STorms, on STick, at that exit ramp on I-15 sevaral months ago. Here's the pic of the divots that caused the crash:
(ugh) can't find it right now. Google maps street view shows, it, tho:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=34.555523,-117.288451&spn=0,359.994405&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=34.555436,-117.288534&panoid=CZ1m_yYvYSqQcZ4GFeTcIQ&cbp=12,56.85,,0,27.5

 

[ChipSTer]

It's true.... The 1100 rims are designed for bias-ply tires... Why? is a whole 'nother story.... :banghead:

 

[Cush]

My '99 St1100P is fitted with BT020's. She reacts to every white line, groove and the like. I went to my local Honda dealer today to have the steering head bearings checked (just to see... you know).
Anyway, the Honda guy tells me that when he serviced NON abs Pan 1100's , it was recomended that Exedra tires should be fitted. I think I'll try some soon.