[mudman]

I received a call today from Bridgestone Motorcycle tires engineering in Nashville, TN. We talked for about ten minutes discussing my BT020 rear tire failure. I will be sending the sectioned tire to them for further analysis. Hopefully something will come of this effort. If you have had any failures on your K1200LT using the Bridgestone BT020R 160/70R-17 tire, now would be the time to post your findings. The more data we can produce and document the better chances we have finding the root cause of this type of failure. I’ll keep you updated or the results.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Links:

Bridgestone BT020R 160/70R-17 tire failure web page.

http://pulsefl.0catch.com/bt020r/

 

[RonKMiller]

You GO Don!

Guys like you keep the bastards on their toes!

I've never used a Bridgestone, but have been VERY concerned with the failures. So much that I would never consider buying one.

Don't let 'em BS ya - and with your background I don't think they have a chance.

 

[eljeffe]

Don,

Do you want me to create a survey of this in our survey system? That way, you could just download the data for an Excel spreadsheet.

Let me know, and I'll do it.

Regards,

Jeff

 

[mudman]

Jeff,

Sure, that would be great!

Thank you,

Don

 

[eljeffe]

Don,

The survey is out there.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Let me know if there are any problems.

 

[artk50]

Just to let you know, when I click on the survey link on your reply it hangs. When I click on the link from the original post I am directed straight into the survey.

 

[dshealey]

Same for me. I got into it by using the "Surveys" link on the top tool bar.

 

[eljeffe]

I think I fixed the link.

BTW, if you have had more than one failure, please take the survey for EACH instance. That way we have data on each failure.

 

[artk50]

Are we also collecting information on how many people have run these tires and never had an issue other than cupping? If we collect data only on failures how can the numbers be used?

 

[mudman]

Jeff,
The survey works great. One thing you might change is the question that asks "Was the tire covered or replaced under warranty?" I never inquired about getting the tired replaced under warranty so a selection of yes or no does not work. You might add to the selection "Did not inquire".

Sure lets collect all data we can regardless if you had a failure or not. From what I have seen in my cross-sections I believe the cupping may be an indication of the tire is starting to separate. Anyone who is in the process of replacing their tire might want to cross-section it to provide more data. Give me a shout for tips of cutting the tire.

 

[eljeffe]

No, we are only collecting failures.

 

[messenger13]

I filled out the survey; but otherwise, I've decided to let me money do the talking. I just may never buy another Bridgestone tire as long as I live. I replaced the failed 020 with a set of Metzelers. And my Ninja currently has 020s on it also...but this winter when I replace the tires, I'm changing brands. What happened to the 020 at 3,800 miles was, IMHO, totally unacceptable!!!

 

[paulcbrowne]

Uh, what if you have run Bridgestone radials and have had no problems? Other than short wear mileage, that is. Maybe there should be a no-problem input to the survey (knocking on wood). Like rear ends, I wonder how many have not had problems. It would be interesting to see if there are contirbuting factors -- trailering, 2-up, heavy loading, etc.

 

[messenger13]

No trailer...
One-up 90% of the time...
Tire had 3,800 miles on it...
Pressure checked religiously!

T O T A L L Y
U N A C C E P T A B L E ! ! !

Just the same as the rear drive issue. A 3 to 4% failure rate on a bearing is totally unacceptable. Fortunately for me, I can do something about the Bridgestone debacle. I am no longer an owner.

Problem solved.

 

[dshealey]

We each have our reasons for abandoning tires. You abandoned the BT020s because you had one failure. I had two BT020 delams, but abandoned the Metzelers because the rear slipping on wet, again, and again, and again, and again.

I will take the two blisters over the 5 wet slips, and have better twisty road handling to boot.

 

[messenger13]

When you get your next LT, let's ride through the twisties together so you can show me the massive performance gain of the 'Stones.

The Metzelers felt pretty good last week on the Tail of the Dragon. Not sure the 'Stones would've held up to that abuse.

 

[omurphy]

i've gone through one rear battle ax. i got about 18 k on it. i'm on the second. i've got about three or four k on it. no problems. i switched to bridgestone because, when i had a flat on the road, menphis bmw didn't have a metzeler. they only had the bridgestone and i got alot of miles off of the first, so i bought another. omurphy.

 

[beemer666]

Thoughts on the survey

Just a couple of thoughts:

I think it's a good idea to have such a survey, but:

There appears to be no questions about the pressure being used by everybody, possibly the most important factor with tyres, and there is nowhere to enter data if there have been no problems.

There could be 20 people with problems and 1000 without. It appears the survey assumes there is a problem from the start, should it not be an impartial collection of data, the conclusion to be drawn when there is enough information?

Please excuse the English spelling.

 

[Ranger6]

Had mine in to the dealer for a service on Friday and decided to replace the front BT020. Never would I have imagined that without asking, the shop would slap on a Metezler instead, making for a mixed set. I knew there was something weird about the ride home, but I didn't pickup on the cause until I got there. So I got the guy on the phone to ask why they would do such a thing, and I got the answer, "Well, nobody rides on Bridgestones anymore." "Really?!? Then why do you suppose that brand new, '06 Magnesium Black Metallic LT up there in the showroom you probably put together a couple of days ago has Bridgestones on it?" What a bonehead...ya gotta watch 'em like a hawk.

 

[DBHutchins]

Stone failures

Filled my survey out.

I reported on my rear tread separation (5700 miles or so) here about two summers back, right after it happened.

I'm with the others here who are willing to sacrifice a little traction for a LOT of security. Now on my fourth set of Metzlers, with good mileage and zero problems. The tread failure on the Stones (on an alpine pass road - NOT a good place to break down!) cured me of these buggers.

Rubber side down - whatever kind of rubber!!

Don