Triumphrat

Gromit3528 · 08-01-2005

Hi guys

What sort of mileage would you expect to get from a rear tyre? I have a 900 Trophy which is used for moderately fast touring with the odd spirited ride. Its shod with Bridgestone BT020 Battleaxe's. What sort of mileage should I get from this tyre before it needs replacing and would you expect that figure to decrease by much riding the bike in a hot climate.

regards :???:

j98sprint · 08-01-2005

It depends on the compound, keeping an eye on the air pressure and your riding style. Hot weather shouldn't matter that much. Does it get hot in England?

I usually shoot for 10,000 miles out of a back tire.

j98sprint

Gromit3528 · 08-01-2005

Hi J98Sprint

Thanks for the response. No it never gets really hot in England but it will be *!+-kin hot in Libya where I am taking it in October. I trashed my last rear in less than 6,000 miles but i think this was mainly due to a persistent slow puncture (Traced eventually to a crack in the threaded part of the tyre valve stem) This made it hard to run at the correct pressure on long journeys. If 10,000 is possible i'll be happy.

Regards

Mark62 · 08-01-2005

I also have the Battle Ax 020. The rear has 7k miles and has about 1k-2k left. The front has 6k on it and it has already cupped and vibrates. I hope I can get 1k more...I ran the tire pressures at 40psi. These are the worst tires I have ever owned and will not buy anymore.

I think I will try the Avon 45 and 46 next.
Mark

tango · 08-01-2005

I fitted the BT020's to my Trophy a couple of weeks before we went to Europe got about 51/2k out of the rear tyre which is now badly needing replaced. I was very impressed with the Bridgestones, I had never used them before but will fit them again.

Bearing in mind that mileage is two up, I never ride the Trophy solo.

Gromit3528 · 08-01-2005

Mark62

What makes you say these 020's are the worst tyres? They seem to have given reasonable mileage although quite why the front should go so quickly I cant imagine.

Tango
What do you like about them?

sixtysix · 08-02-2005

I used the rear BT020 and had no problems with them. I usually got around 8000 miles out of a rear. The same rear tire on my Bandit was only lasting 5000 miles. So I would say someplace between 5 and 8 K miles for rer wear. The front 020 did not work for me and reguardless of pressure it scalloped within 1000 miles. Since I liked the B'stones I went with a 010 on these bikes and was happy with the 7000 mile life with no scallop issues (till the last 1K or so). I only quit using them since they quit making the 010.

Now I use the Avon AV45/46 combo and am VERY HAPPY with the feel, wear, and look of these tires. I run them on both a Sprint ST and the Trophy (and my buddy on his Katana) and they are just awesome tires.

Trophy4 · 08-02-2005

I just replaced a set of BT020's on my Trophy -- had over 12000(!) miles F&R. Most of my mileage is highway mileage, some 2-up. I'm not the most radical rider in the world, and I don't drag knees in the corner, peel out from red lights, or do stoppies. Rear tire was squaring off, but I still wasn't down to the wearbars. I did have a nail in it (but it wasn't leaking air). Front tire was cupped so badly that I should have changed it before my AR trip last May! It felt like it was square, or at least, no longer round.

Local shop recommended Metzler Z6's over the BT020's. Since they had both in stock, and my price was within a couple of $$ per tire, I took their recommendation. The Z6's really feel good so far, but then, I don't have more than 200 miles on them yet.

Later,

tango · 08-02-2005

Gromit,

The thing I like most about the 020's is the feedback they give through the bars, no vagueness or uncertainty, and they don't tramline like the Michelins did.
Even SWMBO commented on how much more secure they felt when I had them fitted.
I run them at 36 front 41 rear and haven't felt the need to alter that.

Avon, Metzeler and Bridgstone were my shortlist and after speaking to my local independant mech' whose knowledge on Triumphs and Tyres I respect, and a few other people, I plumped for the Bridgestones. They have, for me, turned out to be everything I was told they would be.

trophyrider00 · 08-03-2005

I am suprised to hear the mileage some of you guys have gotten out of the 020s. I got about 8K out of the front tire, but barely got 5K out of the rear. What pressure are you running on the rear tire? I keep at 42 psi and am pretty religous about checking them before a ride.