Choose the best touring tyres | Two-up pressures, wet weather & scrubbing in

BikeSocial speaks to Bridgestone's Gary Hartshorne to understand how YOU can choose the right tyres for your touring - from a GS to a Pan European. Find out more here: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/best-touring-tyres
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[@bennettsbikesocial]

Find out more about touring tyres by reading the full article here: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/best-touring-tyres

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

Very interesting on the repair / non repair ratings, never knew that.

[@vsimileac]

Installed T31 recently, 2000km so far, great trip performance even on cold surface. Will see how it wears with 2up riding (yes, I put the correct pressure)

[@dalehawkes1594]

Great video well done invaluable information on your tires

[@robertlumsden942]

great information. really learned a lot of this video.

[@Achilles22]

Brilliant video i learnt loads, ive been riding for 40 years. I met Gary at Snetterton BSB and he was really helpful

[@stanleyknife1967]

Really interesting video. Thanks guys.

[@p.santos6644]

Wow Gary knows a lot about tires. I really learned a lot with this video. Thank you so much 👍up. Ride safe

[@RickMidds]

Thanks, that was very informative.😉👍

[@douglaswinton826]

A great sharing of knowledge and experience. Thank u

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks very much! Cheers, John

[@highlandwolf1105]

Nice no frills review....Thanks guys.....Just looking to replace tyres on my multistrada 1200s ...For a touring tyre set up 😊 🥃

[@daisyduke4246]

Ive just bought a cbf1000 .what would you recomend

[@pointer2null]

How cold is too cold? I live in a frost trap and midwinter we can get to -9C, my bike is covered but outside.

[@ful48j]

That was very informative and answered may of my questions, including a few that I'd previously sent directly to Gary. Shame I hadn't seen this video a few weeks ago :-( I'm about to get a2020/2021 Kawasaki Ninja1000SX, as an upgrade to my 21 year old VFR800, but the one thing my VFR has that isn't fitted to the 1000SX is a centre stand. Gary confirmed my thoughts, which is that I believe that this should be standard on all road bikes, especially tourers, with the possible exception of race replicas and dedicated off-road bikes, and will mean I'll have to buy a paddock or Abba stand.

[@daisyduke4246]

Can anyone tell me what pirelli diablo strada tyres are like i havec a cbf1000

[@JDeezle21]

Yes y’all did it again. I thought you were going to forget about the other tire categories because you only lightly touched on the T31. Thanks for this video also. I’ll also be adding this video to my riding group.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks! We've got classic, adventure, custom/cruiser and 125+250cc motorcycle/scooter still to come! We're spacing them out a little so there's not one big flood, but they'll all be live very soon... John

[@deviantrider9309]

Love this guy's passion for his job, reminds me of dougal from longstone :-)

[@paul8161]

Has bike social any experience with the metzeler that partiality closes the grooves on the tyre for when you're going faster?. I think it's the road tec, i think, but don't quote me on that..I'm thinking of getting t31 or t32,, not sure, can't believe how expensive some tyres are..wow.

[@sighheinrich]

I had the Dunlop tires taken off my brand new Tracer GT, without ever driving on them. Had tried the dealerships demo bike with the same tires, and they sucked. Had the T31 mounted. Very good tire! Will try the Metzeler Roadtec 01 again after these are worn down.. but at 6000km the T31s still look fine!

[@mrvwbug4423]

My Versys came with those same trash Dunlops, thankfully the D221s and D222s tend to be VERY short lived. Switched to PR4s initially, they were decent, then switched to Road 5s which completely transformed the bike.

[@sighheinrich]

@@mrvwbug4423 I completely agree. It should be illegal to sell bikes with those trash Dunlops!

[@MustafaMustafa-uy5xx]

They will be fine even for 12000 km. Had them. Great.

[@vtv8man]

Wish this guy was in Australia. Every tyre shop locally always says whatever is stock will last forever and will be the best...

[@ur2slob724]

Easy don’t listen to them and do your research yourself 😂

[@IanTed]

A41s fitted to my new GSA, well impressed in the first 1000 miles...

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

A41's on my Tiger 1200, love them, about 6K miles on the front until replacement.

[@nigelspace1354]

I"m looking for new tires for my HD Dyna (heavy and torquey). I like the grip qualities of T31, but I'm a bit worry they will not last long. Can you please recommend a tire with a bit more mileage expectation, but still good for the mediocre weather we often have. P.S. : I'm currently running those shitty Michelin Scorcher (great mileage but a disaster on wet)

[@ur2slob724]

Easy mate supercorsas 😂

[@zedddddful]

Not ran Bridgestones for years so many good tyre manufacturers nowadays for motorbikes.

[@robertandmariajames8190]

Used to have the T31's on my XSR900. Brilliant tyres! Front was very worn and the rear got a nail puncture in it , so went for the newer T32's. What a difference. The T32's felt worse. I can only put it down to the very much wider rain grooves. Made them feel like a set of adventure tyres. My mechanic said that I wasn't the first person he'd come across that had the same feeling from the tyres. Though he said they will improve with more wear. Think next tyres will either go back to the T31's or maybe a set of Pirelli Angels

[@paulcummings8611]

I too have t31s on my xsr900 and finding them fantastic, no complaints. Was looking to go to t32s but not sure now after hearing poor reports.

[@Mech.E]

I'm in exactly your situation. Front tire is basically a semi slick and rear punctured. I want to stick with the Bridgestone sport touring tires but the Michelins are tempting too..

[@MustafaMustafa-uy5xx]

Had the t31 and now Angel GT, on cbf 1000. Both great tires. Great in rain,both. Very stable. Maybe the Pirellis are little bit more sporty,but u can feel it when or if u really push it.

[@johnmalenchek6597]

Wonder if this was a Bridgestone infomercial?

[@Chilliesauce69]

I’m a fast road rider at times and probably do track days once every two years and run mid to top 3rd in intermediates at Cadwell and Brands. I had a 2012 Fireblade and after doing a Ron Haslam track day, I moved to the Bridgestone T30’s. TRANSFORMED my road riding for the better and easily coped with my track riding. Although may move back to a full sports tyre if I was to focus more on track. My problem is I now own a Ducati 899 and Bridgestone don’t make the latest T32 in a 180/60. So I don’t know if either a 180/55 or a 190/55 will be ok or if I need to now stick to a sports 180/60 I probably won’t do another trackday in all honesty and often take a pillion, so I don’t need a sports tyre. However I do get good lean angles when riding solo and don’t mind slower steering. Will a T32 be awful for the Ducati with it being a 180/55 or 190/55 on a 5.5inch wheel??? I don’t expect a response to be fair.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Sorry for the delay... reply from Gary at Bridgestone: "The 899 did indeed come as OE with a 180/60-17 and we do actually make the S22 in this size. A 190/55 is pretty much the same size as a 180/60 so they can also be used, including the T32 & S22. "I'd either go with the 180/50 S22 or the 190/55 T32. Both will work and for mainly touring, the T32 will be the best option."

[@Chilliesauce69]

Thank you for the reply. I was worried about going for the 190/55 as many garages said a 190 won’t fit my wheel. But after your advice I will now go for that. Thanks again, Joe ✌🏻

[@ninja2kernow]

Always wanted to know if i should run a more modern tyre .So i run BT021 on my 1991 VFR750. i have no issues but tyre tec has moved on .love bridgestone should i run a T31 ? Is it better ?

[@paultanton4307]

When I bought my 95 VFR750 it had mis-matched Battleaxe tyres on but it handled fine,Replaced front first with T30,finally replaced rear (sure that was a BT021) with a T30,bike seems happy enough with either combination.Things have moved on now - you can get a T30 Evo,plus also the T31,just think you should get what you can get the best deal on to be honest.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Any modern sport touring tire should be a big boost to the handling of that old VFR. My bike is a 2009 Versys 650, it came with absolute garbage Dunlop D221s, switching to Road 5s completely transformed the handling of that bike.

[@Nottoday3033]

So how do I reach them?

[@ful48j]

Will there be an update to this video as tyres have changed in the last 2 years?

[@bennettsbikesocial]

The principal are still the same, and making the choices based on your needs, but will have a look at the feature ASAP. Cheers, John

[@muhammadrusyaidiroslan8056]

quick question, shouldn’t i lower the tyre pressure slightly as the pressure will increase once the tyre is warm up? if i were to keep it at the heaviest weight, wouldn’t the pressure increase above the recommended psi?

[@bennettsbikesocial]

No, there's really no need. The tyre pressures are for cold, so the increase is taken into account.

[@mexicanorespondon1223]

What tyre pressure would you recommend for a Sport Touring motorcycle, like Triumph Tiger Sport, for solo riding , no rain, and twisty roads ?? Great video, very interesting !!

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Exactly the pressure recommended for the bike by the manufacturer, which is usually 36psi front 42psi rear. Cheers, John

[@mexicanorespondon1223]

@@bennettsbikesocial thanks sir !

[@BIGGGESTAL]

I tried calling the advice line and nobody answered, I then emailed, and the reply came back asking what type of tyres were fitted as OE. The recommendation was for car tyres. How many Ducati Multistrada V4s were built. Sad really I was hoping for technical knowledge

[@tigerick7291]

Excellent again! Is it true that manufacturers OE tyres are different to their aftermarket ones.

[@yoorukhunt947]

Tigerick yes. But the differences can be minimal or vast.

[@tigerick7291]

@@yoorukhunt947 Thanks Gary, in what way do they differ? Are they inferior to aftermarket tyres to keep the bike manufacturers costs down or are they made to suit that particular bike? Thanks

[@yoorukhunt947]

They’re not inferior. Just different. Usually it’s just compound. For example, the aftermarket may be a 5lc. 3 zones hard, soft,softer. The OE version may just be a single compound or dual. This is because it’s cheaper to make. Doesn’t make it inferior quality. Let’s put it this way, if the bike has 3000 components and all of them cost £1 more, the cost of the bike goes up by £3000.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Depends on the manufacturer too, and I think they've actually stopped doing that. I know European manufacturers tend to use aftermarket grade tires, they also tend to run higher end tires like Angel GTs, Super Corsas, Power RS, Q3s, etc. Even in the ADV class it is this way, the KTM 790,1090, and 1290 Adventure R versions come with TKC 80s, the most popular 50/50 ADV tire out there. Japanese manufacturers will only spring for Michelins if they can get a batch of older ones at a good price, they usually use some shittastic Dunlops. Yamaha fitted the MT-07 and MT-09 with some old batch of PR3s for 2017, now they wear the much sticker Bridgestone S21s. I've never seen a bike come with Road 5s OEM, but KTM puts Angel GTs on the Super Duke GT.

[@keithyboy123]

Nice grip and performance BUT Terribly noisy. So swapped them for Michelin Road 5's and never looked back....Shame there was zero mention of tyre noise x

[@ur2slob724]

Should have got the road 6

[@keithyboy123]

@@ur2slob724 Apparently noisier

[@p.santos6644]

🆘️ Subscribed. Would like to find new tires for my NC750X 2019 for the following purposes: must have as much off road look as possible but never off road, only commuting on the english wet tarmac and my beautiful 🐄 curvy wife on the back. Should I get A41 or there is something better ? Appreciate your help.Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍

[@tankbeast8480]

😐

[@andrewbecker3700]

Quite a few bikes come from the factory with what I would consider questionable tire choices? Everytime I say "Oh, I'll just see how the bike acts with the stock tires?" I regret it, because now for one I can't sell them, and I still have to change them out to feel confident riding hard. My advice to someone who knows there gonna need new tires sooner than later, is do the research and find out what's out there for your riding needs. Everyone has different needs and puts tires through different conditions. I've personally found that when buying tires, brand and price doesn't always equate to a better tire. Tire types and construction are constantly changing and evolving. Spending more than $200 on a tire isn't gonna make you a better rider. Theres soo many good, fairly inexpensive tires out there.

[@ianparkes2538]

Bit of a squirm and contradiction there on tyre pressures . Obviously there should be lower and higher depending on load , but new guidelines give only one . ?

[@MotorcyclesForMatures]

Ask Gary to tell us about S22. That would be nice

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Have a look here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmK8naqrqKiGoqc

[@vsimileac]

Finally, from my point of view, T31 is a good and cheaper alternative to the best Pilot Road 5. Yes, T31 will have less mileage but from price-longevity perspective it’s pretty the same

[@mrvwbug4423]

Though on that same line, the Angel GT is supposed to last longer than the Road 5, and is also a bit cheaper than the Road 5. Personally, I like the Road 5 too much to use anything else, it works amazingly on my bike.

[@zedddddful]

@@mrvwbug4423 I ran road 5's on my sv1000 honestly superb tyre now waiting to fit metzeler roadtec 01 SE to my tuono which are supposed to be just that bit better again.

[@SydneySlowRider]

...same Gary from 44Teeth vids?

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Told you he rides a lot!

[@Yeahbuddylightweigh]

SydneySlowRider yessss Gary

[@bentagliarini7918]

One guy on you tube said if your heavier person put more than 36 42 like 38 44 and if lighter put less

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Maybe he's right. I can only go by what I've been told by the manufacturers of the tyres, and the manufacturers of the bikes.

[@yoorukhunt947]

That’s incorrect information.

[@billjohnson3284]

I wouldn't use that slime in a lot of cases it means the tire has to come off to wash it out before the repair. It's just as easy to do a puncher repair at the roadside

[@peva7945]

Correct pressures - ah yes, hard to track down. I have been riding for fifty years and the need to have the correct pressures, adjusted for pillion where appropriate, was always stressed in any literature (no web in those days). I sought the correct pressures a few years ago and had it in writing from the motorcycle product manager of a manufacturer that all the manufacturers had agreed that the recommended pressures would be 36/42 regardless of load or use. This seemed illogocal to me given the previous requirement for a comparatively large pressure difference for pillion use and, indeed, different pressures (which also differed from those of the bike manufacturer, who can't know which tyre will be fitted by an owner) were quoted on enquiring with another manufacturer when I changed brands. I always felt that, if staying within the speed limit, thus riding at half or less of the design speed of a tyre, the pressures in a tyre could be safely lowered from that universal recommendation of 10/42. Gary seems to be agreeing with that whilst not being specific (which he clearly can't be in a general interview like this). It's worth noting that UK law carries the same penalty (ie endorsement) for incorrectly inflated tyres as it does for bald tyres. I had use of a pool car where there was a recommendation for normal use, another for loaded use and yet another, a further 10 psi higher above loaded, for "economy" use. I really don't see how, in light of the law, this could be justified on safety grounds. If over inflated tyres caused a slide and collision I wouldn't like to try arguing in court that I had been trying to reduce petrol consumption.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

The advice is definitely to stick to the pressures recommended, regardless of how you ride (unless you're very fast on track). Every brand quotes the same figures for an individual bike as they come from the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO). If your bike has different recommended pressures depending on load then use - they'll be the same as those recommended by the tyre brands too. It really isn't recommended to use other pressures as the tyre manufacturers have spent a fortune, and a lot of time, developing the rubber to work at those pressures. It's the air that holds you up, not the tyre. At best you'll reduce the lifespan of your tyre, and suffer worse fuel economy. There's more detail here: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/best-touring-tyres

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Also remember that tyre technology has changed over time - if you're going back to the days of cross-plies being more common, these have a much softer carcass than a radial. Finding the correct pressures really shouldn't be hard - it'll be on your bike, in the manual, or just call the tyre manufacturer (or look on the tyre brand's website).

[@peva7945]

@@bennettsbikesocial That's the point I am making - the tyre manufacturer's technical staff will recommend a pressure which may not be the same as that suggested by the bike manufacturer. This has been my experience on more than one occasion (with modern radials). In fact, having not hitherto had the need to check with my latest bike, I have just done so using published data. One tyre manufacturer follows the bike manufacturer at 1.7/1.9 front and rear while another tyre manufacturer says both should be at 2.3 bar. That is a big difference in the context of a lightweight bike and supposed one source info from ERTRO.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

@@peva7945 There's something wrong there then as if the tyre is a recommended fitment for that machine, the bike and tyre manufacturer should both be stating the same recommended figures.

[@cuzimaluzer777]

I run 36/39 on every bike, on every tire I've ever owned.

[@sugarrfree]

Pirelli angel st. Great tyres

[@mrvwbug4423]

the Angel GT is supposed to be even better.

[@R1ACE]

Angel STs are amazing. Hold up well in triple digit corners and supply plenty of grip for kneedown action.

[@llerradish]

I'm not doing it right, I run too high of pressure and after 40 miles my chicken strips are about gone.

[@ScragNath]

And Bridgestone are not made in the EU. Gotta buy them.

[@tankbeast8480]

I thought they just made a circle ⭕ and then put lines on it😂

[@JacobVaughan]

No mention of the fact a car tyre compound lasts about 10 times longer...10 motorbike tyres for one car tyre. Pretty shit when 95% of my riding is highway

[@mad2xraven]

The one thing about tire pressures that make me believe that 36/42 is not true is this. I am currently riding a CB400X. Manufacturer recommended pressures is only 36/42. However, i previously rode a different 400cc bike with very similar power output and weight. But that bike has a solo recommended pressure of 33f and 36rear while with pillion is 36/42. Why then if two bikes with very similar power and weight have different recommended pressures? It does not make sense. If one has lower recommended pressures for solo riding, the other should have no problems running the lower pressure.

[@mad2xraven]

I am probably guessing that the cb400x/cb500x is and adventure/touring type bike so they expect you to be carrying more load and thus only recommend one pressure 36/42 while the other bike is a street bike(cb400sf) which they probably allow a lower pressure🤷🏼‍♂️

[@BBD40]

Why are we talking about sport bikes? Touring tires....

[@7316bobe]

There are a couple of good points in this video, but a salesman talking about the tyre that he is trying to sell is not the way to go. I have been riding for 66 years and I find that a lot of what was said about tyres on motorcycles was un-nessary and things that will only worry people.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

The full article, with every other brand's recommendations is here: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/best-touring-tyres

[@yoorukhunt947]

7316bobe like?

[@goingwildagain]

who has ever gone up in flames due to petrol on a forecourt and static? come on fellas

[@bennettsbikesocial]

People in shell suits for a start. Conversely, a cigarette doesn't contain enough heat (a measure of quantity of temperature) to ignite petrol vapour, despite what you see on TV. John. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGmcqWt5drhprrc

[@bennettsbikesocial]

lmgtfy.com/?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dpetrol%2Bstatic%2Bfire%26rlz%3D1C5CHFA_enGB847GB847%26oq%3Dpetrol%26aqs%3Dchrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l2j69i65j69i60l3.3647j0j9%26sourceid%3Dchrome%26ie%3DUTF-8

[@goingwildagain]

@@bennettsbikesocial My Go Pro produces a lot of heat when I fill up. Not far from the tank as well when filling. Shell suites don't go with the bikes for me. Ade Lol

[@michaeldelgado1864]

Tyre spin on the rim??? Bullshit

[@yoorukhunt947]

Michael Delgado really? It’s does and has happened. Many times.

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

What a load of crap you get a guy that works for Bridgestone to plug Bridgestone tyres "as if he will say Pirellis or Dunlop's for eg are the best ( how much did they pay you for this one or free tyres ) its like Suzuki saying Yamaha is better .

[@jonweaver6794]

It’s all about the ride-, Keeping it alive Gary is simply explaining how a Sports Touring tyre works compared to a Sports tyre. He didn’t discuss whether Bridgestone tyres are better than Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin, Metzeler etc.

[@yoorukhunt947]

I didn’t plug Bridgestone or state any Bridgestone was better than anything else. The video is simply about education and trying to ensure the correct tyres are used in the correct environment.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

If you want, have a look at the full written article below. Gary helped with all the information on the technology in tyres, and the things you need to know, but under everything he's given us his time for, we've included the recommendations for tyres from all the other manufacturers too... www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/best-touring-tyres

[@SoulDaddy33]

@@bennettsbikesocial Gary, all I want to know is if it's pronounced Bat-lax or Battle axe? And why do they name all their doggone tires the same? Other than the number designations, of course.

[@yoorukhunt947]

SCLSCLSCL thank you. That means a lot for someone to understand we are only trying to be helpful.

[@gunnyhartman2]

Choose the best touring tyre as long as it's a Bridgestone👎

[@dinubunica]

Being concerned how the most important part of your bike looks shows the very low inteligence level of the humain race 😢