RiDE Test Bridgestone’s Battlax T31

best value sports touring tyre

Our house brands, Bridgestone and Continental, both received some great feedback in the recent sport touring tyre test by RiDE Magazine.

Taking place around a 22 mile route consisting of A-roads, B-roads and a short motorway stint, the test saw Matt Wildee and Bruce Dunn put six sets of tyres through their paces.

All scores and notes were made blind – so at no point did either rider know which set of tyres they were riding on until the test was completed in full.

The bike used was a BMW R1250RS, with air temperatures of 12 to 14ºC.

Bridgestone’s entry to the test was their already popular Battlax T31, which hit the market in 2018. Available in a wide range of sizes, the T31 covers tourers, nakeds, sportsbikes and adventure motorcycles and it was the lowest priced tyre on test.

Bridgestone Battlax T31

Bridgestone Battlax T31

We've personally put these to the test in sunny Morocco and wet Wales, and we were suitably impressed by their versatility.

Sales Manager Mathew is a fan, with a set on his R1200GS!

"They're a good choice for the ardent tourer."
Matt Wildee
Ride Magazine

Here’s a few of Matt & Bruce’s comments from the Bridgestone portion of the test:

  • Steering – “Good – there is plenty of feel and a linear rate of turn. It’s on par with it’s rivals.” – Matt Wildee
  • Confidence – “Acceptable level of confidence on all types of surface.” – Bruce Dunn
  • Stability – “They feel secure when leant over on fast corners, with good stability.” – Bruce Dunn
  • Ride Quality – “Totally fine. No issues at all; they didn’t give the plushest ride here but it was on the good side of acceptable.” – Matt Wildee
  • Feel – “They feel direct and give great confidence in all conditions.” – Bruce Dunn
Summing up, Bruce said that the Battlax T31 was “ideal for the R1250 GS” and that they’d “probably work well with a passenger and panniers.”
 
Pick up the May issue of RiDE for the full test!