Buoyant mood at Bridgestone ahead of showstopping year for bikers

Bridgestone is in a buoyant mood ahead of an action-packed 12 months in the motorcycle world, with proven products, showstopping appearances and a motorsport title sponsorship all confirmed for the year.

The motorcycle team, headed up by product manager Gary Hartshorne, reports it has “changed up a gear” in its efforts to reach out to more bikers, confirming a presence at the Scottish Motor cycle Show (11 & 12 March), Stafford Classic Bike show (22 & 23 April), Adventure Bike Festival (23 to 25 June) and the Stafford Classic Bike Show (14 & 15 October).

The shows will allow Bridgestone to communicate the benefits of three of its best-selling products, which will form the backbone of its retail strategy in 2023 – the Battlax Hypersport S22 and the Battlax Sport Touring T32 and the Battlax Adventure Trail AT41. This trio is part of an extensive motorcycle tyre portfolio available through Bridgestone’s Bikers Club network. And the company is confident that its ever-popular range will be “compelling for bikers of any application – whatever conditions are thrown at them.”

And in the motocross world, Bridgestone will continue to be a brand at the top of the sport after renewing its title sponsorship of the Bridgestone British Masters for a seventh consecutive year. The association with the series will again allow Bridgestone to extol the virtues of its Battlecross X10, X20, X31 and X40 MX products to a huge audience, with their outstanding performance traits being brought to life out on various circuits when riders put them through their paces.

“Demand has been higher than it has ever been and we’re finding that bikers are investing more TLC in their pastime than ever, irrespective of the tough cost of living conditions we all find ourselves in,” says Hartshorne. “We’re excited to be such a popular choice amongst the biking fraternity and we are looking to capitalise again in 2023.”

Tyres of significance

In terms of product, the Battlax Hypersport S22 and the Battlax Sport Touring T32 tyre and the Battlax Adventure Trail AT41 remain Bridgestone’s two-wheeler tyres of significance.

Battlax Adventure Trail AT41: Bridgestone describes the AT41 as one of its “safest products to date” and says this tyre with a rugged, off-road appearance provides great dry performance and incredible traction, grip and braking in the wet to ensure a safe and comfortable journey in all weather conditions. Its touring compound – with 3LC used on the rear – also enables “excellent performance in the wet, dry and in terms of the tyre’s mileage.” Gary Hartshorne adds: “The Adventure Trail AT41 is designed to bring comfort and safety – in both the dry and wet weather conditions – to riders with an adventurous spirit and initial feedback has been unanimously positive.”

Battlax Hypersport S22: The tyre maker points to the S22 as an outstanding, proven performer, founded on excellent wet performance and outstanding dry grip credentials. Bridgestone adds that it also offers superior contact feel and cornering, allowing riders to experience the full extent of their bike’s performance on the road. The S22 is also a Motorrad magazine multiple test winner, earning praise for a number of performance qualities, including ‘razor-sharp precision that lets bikers corner the bike on the tightest lines.’

Battlax Sport Touring T32: The T32 benefits from Bridgestone’s state-of-the-art Pulse Groove Pattern Technology, which combines pulse-shaped grooves with small centre deflectors to equalise waterflow in comparison with a straight groove and optimise the waterflow’s speed. This in turn helps improve water channelling and drainage across the tyre, which enhances grip and adhesion and reduces the tyre’s slip ratio in wet and difficult conditions. Bridgestone adds that wet weather performance is complemented by enhancements in the tyre’s pattern. Increased groove ratios, combined with optimised groove angles, groove positioning and pattern stiffness, plus a 13 per cent contact patch increase rear, deliver an increased overall contact area and connection to the road – with improved neutral and linear handling behaviour – that enhances overall performance in the wet.

The technical upgrades on the Battlax Sport Touring T32 have made the tyre an even better performer, with a recent UTAC Ceram test declaring the tyre the best performer amongst five rival products. Tremendous efforts in terms of construction and compound combination give the sport touring tyre outstanding handling capabilities in the dry and wet, plus excellent high speed, straight and cornering stability.

Battlax Sport Touring T32 benefits from Bridgestone’s state-of-the-art Pulse Groove Pattern Technology (Photo: Bridgestone)

“We are extremely excited for the year ahead. Our premium product portfolio continues to make its mark with bikers everywhere and feedback has rarely been so positive. We’re confident that the plans we have in place will make for a really successful year, once again,” concludes Hartshorne.