The Bridgestone BT-016 Tire, Excellent for Road or Track

The Bridgestone BT-016 tire, released early 2008, the Bridgestone BT-016 uses the company's successful MotoGP experience to develop sport tires with multiple compounds in both front and rear tires. The front Bridgestone BT016 uses two compounds, one for the center and one for both edges; the rear BT-016 goes a step further, and features three separate compounds – a hard one in the center for wear, with two successively softer compounds in the shoulder and edge on each side.

The transition compound in the middle of the rear tire's shoulders is identical to the center compound of the front BT-016 tire, while the edge compound is the same on both. Bridgestone's Mono-spiral circumferential steel belt is used in both front and rear tires. Tread patterns are predictably sparse, with the front featuring s-shaped grooves in the center for wet braking, while the rear's L-shaped tread is designed to influence carcass deflection and characteristics such as stability and shock absorption across the tread's profile.

Bridgestone marks high with the BT-016 on the track, the BT-016 scores high on stability while braking, and especially accelerating over bumps. The BT-016 doesn't squirm or weave like some other tires do. The Bridgestone BT-016 didn't do to well on steering precision on the track.

Interestingly, the Bridgestone BT-016's steering precision was rated by several riders as excellent on the street, with superb compliance, and overall grip exhibited on several motorcycles ranging from 600 to 1000cc. The Bridgestone BT-016 is a tire that will improve the performance of practically any motorcycle you stick it on. Wear rates for the BT-016 are moderate with wear noticeable along the edge of both front and rear tires on the street and track.