As the UK’s leading Bridgestone two wheel trade only distributor, this weekend Cambrian Tyres have been at the official launch of the new Valentino Rossi approved Battlax S20 EVO hypersport tyre which builds on the success of the multi-award winning Battlax S20.
On Friday we sent Operations Director Owen and Marketing Co-ordinator Rich out to sunny Portugal to meet with the Bridgestone UK team and more than 30 leading UK industry members, who would get the chance to push the tyre around the Portimao circuit in the Algarve on a range of high powered sports bikes, with the promise of a special guest appearance over the course of the weekend.
On the Saturday morning as members of the UK trade arrived via Faro airport they were greeted with ideal weather for a launch, with temperatures in the mid twenties. The Saturday afternoon saw the official dealer conference led by Andrew Whitehead, Steve Watts and Gary Hartshorne from Bridgestone, and after a brief presentation things got technical as the team explained just how the new Battlax S20 EVO improves upon its award winning predecessor.
The rear tyre now utilises a proven five layer compound to increase durability without compromising on grip, and also features a dual filament mono-spiral belt which optimises the size of the contact patch for improvements in grip. The stiffness of the front tyre has been increased by upgrading to a 5 filament belt, which delivers improvements in handling.
Following an in depth technical presentation it was time to meet our special guest who had been out on track with Gary Hartshorne for several days prior to the launch, filming a new promotional video which will be released soon. There had been a lot of rumour as to who it might be, but our hunch at Cambrian Tyres proved to be right as we were introduced to top British MotoGP rider Bradley Smith who took on a Q&A session from the audience covering everything from the high tech electronics on his Yamaha MotoGP bike, to his rise to the highest levels of racing at the young age of just 23. Bradley was very grounded and down to earth, and guests were given the chance to get a personal photo with one of the fastest British riders on the world circuit at the moment and he even came along to a meal down by the beach afterwards giving everyone a chance to get up close and personal with him. Bradley was appointed as a UK brand ambassador for Bridgestone earlier this year in a new sponsorship deal.
The following morning a coach left the hotel for the Algarve International Circuit with a real buzz amongst the riders, many of whom had never set foot on the Portimao track before. Upon arrival there was a short briefing from the head coach, former WSBK rider Miguel Praia and then everyone got their first look at the mouthwatering range of bikes which they would get to try over the course of six sessions per group throughout the day.
Bridgestone had layed on a real treat with everything from a ZX-6R up to a GSX-R750, the much sought after MV F3 800 and some ZX-10s and an MV F4 1000 along with a Honda Fireblade, all fitted with the new Battlax S20 EVO.
The riders used the first couple of sessions to really get to know the track, but those few who had been here before including former BSB rider Bob Collins quickly got on the gas flying down the start-finish straight at 160mph with a real confidence about their riding from the very beginning of the day. Our very own Owen Phillips consistently opted for a ZX-10 and he’ll be giving his thoughts on the tyre and launch very shortly after putting in plenty of laps under the Portuguese sun!
There was also a chance for Rich to take a couple of pillion laps on the back of the Honda CBR 1000RR with Miguel Praia, a fantastic experience being on board with a former racer who knows the circuit inside out.
Following the track event we took the opportunity to speak with dealers who attended to launch to see what they thought of the tyre and the event and the feedback was extremely positive, with the majority of those we spoke to highlighting the amount of confidence the tyres gave them out on the circuit from the word go. One rider also stated that he was able to fully concentrate on the circuit, because he didn’t have any doubts about the exceptional performance levels the tyre was capable of. Just what you need when chasing a time on the occasional track day!
The Bridgestone Battlax S20 EVO is available in a range of sizes including three H rated versions for smaller sports bikes. As the UK’s number one to wheel tyre distributor to the trade, with a hugely experience sales team and highly competitive pricing why would you buy your Bridgestone from anyone else?
Contact us today for more information on the new Battlax S20 EVO and the rest of our comprehensive Bridgestone two wheel range.
