BRIDGESTONE 020's......garbage!!

[PATTERSON]

I've got some real issues with the OEM tires and was hoping that somebody had a link to Bridgestone! They wear so bad that it feels like I'm on railroad ties when moving the bike by hand, on the floor where I work. Plus the wobble is getting worse (taking it in tomorrow). This morning I noticed that on a 20mph left turn, it feels like the bars want to turn slightly left and right all by themselves. Almost like I've got a cord/tread seperation going on. But a visual doesn't show anything. Just a hair under 9,000 miles now.
TIA

[graydude]

I've gone through several sets of BT020's and if you got 9K out of the front you should be high 5'in. I usually get 6-7K from the front and a little more than 10K from the rear.

[DaveDragon]

I'd love to get 9k out my BT020s.
I wouldn't run the LT on anything else!

[kdog]

You probably do have ply separation going on. You just can't see it yet. BT020s tend to self-destruct around 9K miles or more. I'd get 'em replaced pronto.

Regards,
-joel

[PATTERSON]

I did notice that the diamond pattern on the front tire, is worn (badly) at the rear edge of the diamond....while the leading edge looks almost new. The rear is doing the same thing, just not as badly. It looks like I could get another 10K easily........nowhere near the wear bars.

Before I got nailed on my RT last November, I'd NEVER gotten less than 10K out of any tire (always ran the Z-4's and then the 6's)...with a high of 13+K on the rear, and over 20K on the front.

Nobody has a link, eh?

[strsout]

Hi Patterson,
At 9,000 miles you had more then most of us here with BT020.
Not sure from which bike you came before, but if you search threads about tires here you will learn basicly that:
BT020 = low miles (around 6k to 8K) and high traction
Metz880 = high miles (Around 12k to 18k) and noise and less traction.

Unfortunatly, so far on this bike, you have to compromise.
I change my BT020 every 8K give you taken something.

[strsout]

Nobody has a link, eh?


http://www.bridgestone.com/

[retiredjj]

Is there a difference in mileage between the bias and radial 020? And handling characteristics, etc.??

[DBHutchins]

Roger to all the comments above. My OEM Bridgestone rear separated a big chunk of tread on an Alpine pass road a couple years back.

Traction, yea. Durability - NAH!

Replace 'em now - with ME880's if you're interested in mileage, or your hide. Just watch your cornering speed in the wet!

Don

[zaphod]

At first I was surprised when my front wore out before the rear, this is my first bike that’s done that. It’s just the nature of the beast. My ‘00 runs radials, and I get between 7000-9000 on the front and 11000-13000 on the rear. My favorite setup right now is an Avon on the front and a Bridgestone on the rear.

Have you tried http://www.bridgestone.com (http://www.bridgestone.com/) ?

[BillyOmaha]

...They wear so bad that it feels like I'm on railroad ties when moving the bike by hand, on the floor where I work.

....Plus the wobble is getting worse (taking it in tomorrow).

....Just a hair under 9,000 miles now.
TIAHowdy Patterson,

Are you complaining... or bragging? ;)

I would love to get 9,000 miles on my Bridgestones. If I get 4,000 on the fronts I'm happy. From 2,500 through 4,000 miles I live with the "feathering" that is causing the effects you describe. In Summer I can coax up to 6,000 on the rear if let it go to the cords.

Yes, the lower mileage is annoying, but they do stick in the twisties and the feathering isn't a performance problem on dry surfaces. Of course, when the rains come I put on new shoes and the pace goes down so feathering is delayed.

If you don't need the "stick" and want a bit more mileage I would suggest you switch to the Metzelers.

.

[meese]

Is there a difference in mileage between the bias and radial 020? And handling characteristics, etc.??The BT020 Bias give slightly better mileage and slightly slower handling than the Radials. But still way better overall than the ME880 tires.

[usmctpdog]

Since we are speaking of the 880's -
Do they make a special set for the LT or will any ME 880 in the correct size handle the weight of out Beloved Beast?

[mneblett]

I did notice that the diamond pattern on the front tire, is worn (badly) at the rear edge of the diamond....while the leading edge looks almost new. The rear is doing the same thing, just not as badly. It looks like I could get another 10K easily........nowhere near the wear bars.

Before I got nailed on my RT last November, I'd NEVER gotten less than 10K out of any tire (always ran the Z-4's and then the 6's)...with a high of 13+K on the rear, and over 20K on the front.

Nobody has a link, eh?9K is great! The feathering on the tread blocks is wear from braking -- roughly a half-ton is a lot to stop on such a small footprint. The ME880's do the same thing, only to a lesser extent. Want 20K out of a front tire? You need an R100. Just ain't gonna happen with a bike this heavy. Bridgestone gave riders exactly what they asked for: more sticky, which translates to less wear resistance; Metzeler went the other way (although the ME880's mileage isn't *that* much greater than the '020s on my bikes). IMO, vehicle weight is now out in front of tire technology, much as cornering forces and HP were out in front of the tires in F1 a few years ago. Maybe the bike tire makers will catch up someday like the F1 tires, but in the meantime, 9K on an 020 is definitely not th result of "poor" or "faulty" design on Bridgeston's part -- more like a remarkable accomplishment, given the application.

[messenger13]

Garbage?! You just offended garbage everywhere! :D

I wouldn't mount another BT-020 RADIAL on my LT if you gave it to me. Although, my next set of tires will be the 020 Bias-Ply. I am very happy with this last set of Metzelers...but figure 'what the heck?'.

FWIW, my current front Metzeler has 13K on it, and looks FANTASTIC!!! Probably will get 3-5K more out of it at this rate. I changed the rear at 11K, but that was only due to a trip I took. It probably still had 2K on it. I attribute the great wear, and good mileage to the pressures I am running. I'm currently running 51psi rear, 45psi front. COLD...of course.

And I have yet to feel my LT slip ONCE in the wet. I don't know why others seem to think that the Metzelers aren't as good as the 'Stone in the wet. :confused:

[mneblett]

I don't know why others seem to think that the Metzelers aren't as good as the 'Stone in the wet. :confused:Um, because you haven't yet encountered a "pucker moment" like some of the rest of us have? http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

I, like David, have plucked seat foam out, so 020's are all I use now. In fact, there's a set of 020's currently sitting in the garage waiting for changeout of the OE 880's on my '05.

[messenger13]

I, like David, have plucked seat foam out, so 020's are all I use now.This is my second set of Metzelers. Over 20K without a slip.

Hhmmn...

Maybe you and David just need to learn how to RIDE! :D http://psychobike.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hysterical.gif :D

[mneblett]

Hhmmn...

Maybe you and David just need to learn how to RIDE! :D http://psychobike.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hysterical.gif :DDayum! Joe delivers yet another starkly insightful solution to the apparently obvious problem! http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif Thanks, bro! Gonna have to find that matchbook cover with the beginner's riders course phone again ... :)

(BTW -- best ROTFLMAO smiley I've ever seen :))

[dshealey]

This is my second set of Metzelers. Over 20K without a slip.

Hhmmn...

Maybe you and David just need to learn how to RIDE! :D http://psychobike.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hysterical.gif :D
Hmmmmm.........
Five slips on ONE set of 880s, NO slips on one the one set of Dunlops I had before the 880s, and one well explained slip on the 9-10 sets of 020s I had after the 880s.

Guess I forgot how to ride when I bought the second LT which came with the Metzelers, and learned again when I started using 020s.

Hey Mark: when you find the matchbook with the "Metzeler School" information there are several of us that need it! I think Ken, Grif, Dave Dragon, and a few others besides myself may be interested.:D http://psychobike.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hysterical.gif :D

Joe, several of us have been lucky with the slips we have had on 880s, hope you are too WHEN you have one.

[hd2bmw]

I guess coming off an HD I am not riding as hard as I should with the LT and maybe this can explain how I got 11K out of my front tire and the rear is still looking good (maybe another 2K)
I was going to switch to 880 but I think I will stay with 020 for the handling. Someday I might need it :)

[messenger13]

I was going to switch to 880 but I think I will stay with 020 for the handling. Someday I might need it :)Actually, you might want to consider carrying an extra Metzeler on the tour rack then. WHEN that B'Stone delaminates on ya...it's nice to have something "in stock" that will actually get you to your destination.

[hd2bmw]

Well I went to the dealer to get a new set of shoes. Fully expecting to have BS 020 installed, I was told they did not have them in stock, but he did have ME 880 so with some hesitation I went with the 880's.
I guess time will tell if I made the right choice.

[mneblett]

Actually, you might want to consider carrying an extra Metzeler on the tour rack then. WHEN that B'Stone delaminates on ya...it's nice to have something "in stock" that will actually get you to your destination.Strike 2 in your "no-020" campaign, Joe ;) The Bridgestone delaminations are far fewer than you seem to think -- uncommon enough to be dismissed as indiivudal defects, not a fundamental tire design issue. If it were otherwise, then you have to conclude that Metzeler has a "defective" design, too, as the 880 has been known to spit a chunk once in a great while as well.

No reason to be stocking spares of either tire.

[dshealey]

Strike 2 in your "no-020" campaign, Joe ;) The Bridgestone delaminations are far fewer than you seem to think -- uncommon enough to be dismissed as indiivudal defects, not a fundamental tire design issue. If it were otherwise, then you have to conclude that Metzeler has a "defective" design, too, as the 880 has been known to spit a chunk once in a great while as well.

No reason to be stocking spares of either tire.

You forget Mark, it happened to Joe, so to him it is a 100% failure rate. :D :D

I had two rear 020s blister at the end of their normal life, but that does not stop me from liking them best overall.

[messenger13]

I had two rear 020s blister at the end of their normal life, but that does not stop me from liking them best overall.Let's see...
David had TWO, I had ONE, and Randy Prade had THREE delaminate on him. That's 6 tires among only three members. I just won't live with those odds.

Besides...you're not the umpire Mark! :p

[dshealey]

Let's see...
David had TWO, I had ONE, and Randy Prade had THREE delaminate on him. That's 6 tires among only three members. I just won't live with those odds.

Besides...you're not the umpire Mark! :p

We all have to take all data developed by our own experiences, and decide from that. That is why after 5 wet slips on one set of 880s, I won't live with those odds either.

Neither of us is wrong Joe! We just have different concerns that need to be met by our own individual choices. I chose wet traction first and above most else, even a couple of blistered tires that were basically worn out anyway. Certainly can be inconvenient, but in my cases was able to ride them considerable distance home with no problem.

Unfortunately, I know way too well how much an accident can hurt and cause lasting problems. I'm just a little more conservative now on anything that I deem is likely to cause an accident if it happens at the wrong time.

On the few blistered 020 radials, I don't recall any one of them causing a blow out, just a thumping ride until the bike is gotten to a safe place, or home in my cases. The blisters are caused by a leak in the inner casing causing air to leak between the plys, and a bubble forms. If the bubble got too big to ride, I would just try piercing it to let the air out of the bubble, then see if the internal leak was fast enough to not be able to ride it. In most cases, one could probably ride quite a while, just keeping a close eye on the tire pressures. Mine never got big enough to cause a problem other than the little thumping.

I will take that chance over a chance of a wet slip any day!

Besides, there have also been a few reports of tread seperation and even thrown blocks of tread from 880's.

[Daza]

The two BMW dealers (both owned by the same company) in Sydney refused to fit 020's when I called to book my bike in this week.

I get about 12K klm from the front and if I take the rear to it's end I get about 20K klm from it and love 'em. I've been a motorbike owner for 43 years and (IMHO) 020's are the best allround tyre (no pun intended) I've ridden on.

Apparently one of the two local dealers had a delamination of an 020 and wrote Bridgestone off because of it.

Not a problem for me, they just lost my business. I have to go an extra 30 minutes to get to a dealer outside the city that is only too happy to fit 020's and he'll get all my business from now on.

[strsout]

I get about 12K klm from the front and if I take the rear to it's end I get about 20K klm from it and love 'em.

Even on the other side of the pound we got similar mileages:
12K klm = 7.5K miles
20K klm = 12K miles

:)

After 6 years reading threads about tires on this very own site (since Yahoo!), I belive that we are never going to get a consensus.
Metz and BT020 are different kinds of tires with different strongs and weakness.
Thank God some people like one thing other like another thing them we can always have those good posts here, each one defending your own tasty :)

But still amazing how we can ride together don't we?