EICMA debut for additions to Bridgestone Battlax portfolio

No less than five new Bridgestone Battlax motorcycle tyres will be shown to the public for the first time at EICMA 2017 this month. The touring, adventure, scooter and racing segment tyres will be on display at the Bridgestone stand (Hall 24, Stand G57) between 7 and 12 November. The new additions to the Battlax range are:

Battlax Racing R11: With what the tyre makers calls an “awesome mix of Bridgestone racing technology and new construction features,” the Battlax Racing R11 gives supersport and hypersport riders the extra grip and contact feel they need on track to slash their lap times, in a large operating range. With its new variable mono-spiral belt construction on the front, additional GP belt on the rear and tread designed for maximum cornering grip, R11, says Bridgestone, “sweeps in a new era in grooved racing tyres.”

Battlax Sport Touring T31: In addition to boosting stability and handling performance, Bridgestone shares it has developed a new front-tyre compound for T31 with higher rubber flexibility. This enhances the bite “feel” in the wet, giving riders more confidence in tricky conditions. Providing higher camber thrust due to a bigger contact patch in all lean angles (compared to the predecessor tyre) brings, opines Bridgestone, “the fun factor on sport touring bikes to a new level” as dry handling improved as well next to the bigger steps in the wet conditions.

Battlax Adventure A41: Bridgestone has upgraded Battlax performance in the adventure segment with the improved wet grip and handling of A41, without sacrificing the mileage of its A40 predecessor. The package features triple-layer compound technology on front and rear, with a cap and base configuration that improves cornering stability. Testing carried out by Bridgestone indicate an eight per cent faster lap times for the new Battlax A41 (compared with the predecessor tyre) on a wet handling track, an achievement the tyre maker sees as “particular interest for the majority of bikers who ride adventure machines on road” as it demonstrates “the extra performances and safety they will get on the road.”

Battlax Scooter SC2: Moving to the urban jungle, new SC2 focuses on dry performance. The tyre’s development was based on the same technology as the Battlax Hypersport S21, and the SC2’s tread pattern is designed for optimum rigidity, surface contact and grip performance. On the rear, a triple-layer compound configuration aims to provide the best of both worlds – high grip on the shoulder cornering area and wear resistance in the tread centre, for maximum mileage.

Battlax Scooter SC2 Rain: Bridgestone has applied wet technology derived for the Battlax Sport-Touring T31 to the SC2 Rain in order to give maxi scooter riders “a safe, confident ride in changeable weather.” Wet performance is enhanced by the higher void ratio in a tread design tuned to balance straight-line stability and sharp handling response. New rubber compounds have been developed; Bridgestone comments that these offer “an exceptional grip feel on cold and wet surfaces.”