BT002 So who has ridden them and what do they think ???

[swabio-ACT]

Hey there ppl,

well it is a week out from the track day..... and I am just finalising my tyre choice...... I am leaning very much towards the Bridgestone BT002's or maybe the 012SS......

I'd imagine that I will prob be doing a fair bit of track riding over the next couple of months.....so i am leaning more towards the 002..... in a soft or medium front and either a medium or hard rear.....

Ok so what are the opinions on this choice?

[Rossi]

Save y'self a few $$'s and go the Shinko's 'specially for the track work

[swabio-ACT]

well, I am not really keen on going the Shinko's, I know a lot of ppl rave about them.... but I am really only looking at the two types of Bridgies this time around......

[Strika]

Personal experience tells me that 012SS's torch themselves in 6 laps and then let go randomly without warning, whereas, the 002's are feckin awesome and will hang in there for 15 or 20 laps and then only get greasy rather than just stop playing like the 012's do. The top racers rate the 002's as the best front tyre in the business. 33 psi off the warmers, or 29 front 30 rear cold.

[swabio-ACT]

Personal experience tells me that 012SS's torch themselves in 6 laps and then let go randomly without warning, whereas, the 002's are feckin awesome and will hang in there for 15 or 20 laps and then only get greasy rather than just stop playing like the 012's do. The top racers rate the 002's as the best front tyre in the business. 33 psi off the warmers, or 29 front 30 rear cold.

Cheers Strika, I didn't think it would be long before you weighed in on the topic I have pretty much decided that I will be getting the 002's, Now I am just trying to work out what compounds to go..... s/m, m/m, m/h..... any recommendations? I am prob leaning towards s/m ...... I realise that the tyres are going to be far more capable than I am......... I just think i will have a bit more confidence with a soft front......

[Strika]

If u run warmers go med, if not the soft medium !

[swabio-ACT]

If u run warmers go med, if not the soft medium !

No warmers here..... yet......, I was most likely heading down the S/M path.... hmmm that could sound a bit kinky.... involving rubber.... s & m all in the one topic!

[Phil]

i have used the 001, the older 002 and they had heaps of grip and sharp steering.

at the track day we went to the other day, the couple in the pits with us (yes his & her track bikes) both had 002's on.

they looked to be standing up to the days treatment ok and they were both on 600's (i use that term loosely). he had a trumpy daytona 650 and she had a new arsix.

both were using warmers as well, seems you have to have em these days, not many using the ol solar warmers.

and i agree, i'd steer clear of the shinko's for track work

[swabio-ACT]

Cheers Phil,

I unfortunately don't have warmers...... but that didn't make it too hard on the Power Race's so I will use the same method.... slow out and build up to a slightly faster than slow pace

[Phil]

Cheers Phil,

I unfortunately don't have warmers...... but that didn't make it too hard on the Power Race's so I will use the same method.... slow out and build up to a slightly faster than slow pace

first lap at road pace, second at fast road pace and then i used to build up from there

always worked for me

[HemiDuty]

Yeah the 002s should be a top tyre for the job. I have actually considered trying these things on the R1 to see how they go. They are meant to be very similar to the slicks.

As for compounds, I would go the soft front medium rear to start out with, and just see how the wear goes. You might end up shagging the rear quicker than the front, in which case a soft front and hard rear might be the go in future. That is basically the way I run them on the R1.

[swabio-ACT]

Yeah I have pretty much decided on a S front and a M rear.

I am looking forward to getting the bike on a new track

[swabio-ACT]

Well my verdict is..... these tyres are the shit! Talk about sticking like shit to a blanket! I ended up with a soft front and rear..... they wore really well also.... but they were definitely confidence inspiring And they allowed me to give my bike a fair and thorough workout today @ OP!

[Strika]

Hey top stuff Swabio!!! Sounds like yr addicted!! How soon before you start racing mate?????????????

You mentioned in a nother thread, (maybe even on another forum.....sssh!) that they started to grease up in the last session. You also mentioned that you had done like three sessions in a row and this was the last of the day.

A couple of things could cause that, the first and most obvious is that you have overheated the tyre most probably by staying out for so long. Also as the tyre wears, the grip levels do go off. As an example, a tyre which has done 6 ride day sessions, will drop my time by as much as 1-2 seconds a lap depending on the track, simply as they deteriorate in grip levels as they go.
Also at the end of the day as the temps drop, moisture starts seeping back up into the tarmac naturally, and can take the edge off grip too!

I often don't go out in the last session of a ride day, as I find a lot of crashes happen, for both thereasons above, and some others also!!!

[swabio-ACT]

Yeah I am with all your points there Strika I was going to post last night.... but fell asleep at the pc No energy even to cut and paste.... it was a long boring drive home from the track.... although it was excellent to have that time to think and analyse the day in depth!

I think the greasiness was a combination of all you have raised... it was by no means crazy, more like a bit more movement under acceleration..... still much less so than say... a cold tyre on a winters day

Cheers and yes I am addicted and would race tomorrow if the $$$ allowed