The recently launched Battlax R11 presents a huge leap forward for Bridgestone’s treaded race rubber, and has benefited from their many years of experience in MotoGP.
It is set to replace the already popular R10 next year, and in back-to-back testing the manufacturer say that the new tyre was 1.5s a lap faster around a 2-minute circuit.
The biggest chance has come with the introduction of a variable mono spiral belt, which allows for more controlled deformation of the tyre, which in turn creates a larger contact patch.
In this week’s issue of MCN, Adam Child gave his initial feedback:
“We tested the tyres at the Monteblanco circuit in southern Spain on a very hot day, on a very hot, abrasive track.
The R11 front delivers outstanding feel, and the contact patch instantly transmits every last fragment of grip to the rider. This happens across the full radius of the tyre, from upright to elbow-scraping levels of lean.
The rear tyre is an impressive step forward over the old R10 too, offering stunning side grip on a neutral throttle and lovely feedback as you pick the bike up.
Once the rear started to overheat, the slides were predictable, controllable and never alarming. Let’s see how the new R11 performs in cooler UK conditions.”
The R11 will feature soft and medium options in several sizes, and Bridgestone have also included H-rated options for smaller capacity race machines:
- 110/70 R17 M/C 54H
- 120/70 R17 M/C 58V
- 140/70 R17 M/C 66H
- 150/60 R17 M/C 66H
- 160/60 R17 M/C 69V
- 180/55 R17 M/C 73V
- 190/55 R17 M/C 75V
- 200/55 R17 M/C 78V
Bridgestone’s R11 is expected to arrive early next year, so follow us on Facebook for updates!
