Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I've read a lot of the old threads but not a great deal about BT020's on Ninjas, only ZZRs.

Anyone have any experience using BT020's? Mates with VFRs swear by them, but brands aside they're closer to a ZZR. I've got some long distance stuff to do this year, touring NSW at Easter and the GP later in the year so I want a tyre thats likely to be around for a while.

I don't commute on it, so the uses would be long distance highway work (the Oxley, the Putty, and all things twisty here to PI) plus weekends up in the mountains. Keeping up in the twisties with a good ZZR is enough for me.

I've gone through the Bridgestone site, and the words are flowery and the numbers don't mean much to me.

From what I've read I'm inclined at this stage to go something a bit stickier on the front like a 14, and a 20 on the back. Don't worry I'll be asking the legendary Mick for advice, but wanted to float it here to see if any of you have first hand experience.

I reckon the michellin pilot road is the go, i have one on the back and it is good. I was using the sports but it dissapeared to quick.

I will be doing the kwakka ride from synley in april to PI, is that what u are doing?

Dave #8 mayyyyte, I have the Front 014 Rear 020 combo on the "tiggr" n prefer them heaps to the standard Polot Sports it came with. Especially the front 014 about to get 8oooks outta the pair. Front is triangulated but i ride like my Nana so its all good.

BUT mick the master of all things tyres says that they dont match something about uneven number of belts or belt construction ?. So let me know what he says cause i love the 014 n may even go 012 front 014 rear next set.
Cheers Brett

I have 020's on the rear and 019 (or maybe an 014? stuffed if I can remember, and I aint going outside to check) on the front.

Best combination i've had yet. The 020 is hard enough to last a fair bit longer than the slightly stickier 012 I had on their previously, yet sticky enough to provide confidence.

I wont put one on the front tho. I like sticky rubbing on the front end.

aardvark wrote: I like sticky rubbing on the front end.

really

scotty37 wrote:I reckon the michellin pilot road is the go, i have one on the back and it is good. I was using the sports but it dissapeared to quick.

I will be doing the kwakka ride from synley in april to PI, is that what u are doing?

Getting the service done at LAE and he's got Michelins on special this month. I'm going to give the Pilot Roads a go. Heard enough good things about them, and getting a good price close to home. Good enough for me.

Not sure about PI, but there's a group of us going down there. We'll work it out closer to the time. Jen's organising a big ride in NSW over Easter, so I think the PI plans will be after that.

Jen organises the big touring events, I just tag along. Maybe if I see a group of Kwakas on the way down I might just peel off and join them!

I have BT020's on the rear of my ZX7r (can't remember what's on the front and the bike's 1.5hrs away atm). It's my first bike and my first set of tyres (apart from slicks on track days) so I'm not much help. Matty's ridden my bike a fair bit and was impressed with them, compared to the same tyre a few years back, but he still swears by the Pilot Sports. Sounds like you've made up your mind though. You'll have to let us all know what you think of the Roads.

Phil wrote:

aardvark wrote: I like sticky rubbing on the front end.

really

Hell yeah! I wouldnt have said it otherwise.

Maybe a Michellin Power on the front and a Pilot road on the back would give you nice front grip and wear rates for the back....a good compromise