Mixing Bridgestone tyres?

[neatbik]

Hi, i have a nearly new bt014 on the front, and a squared off worn out bt014 on the rear. The rear has lasted about 3000 miles, but i want the next one to last a bit longer really. Would i be ok to replace the rear with an 020 or 021?
Im thinking i will be, but it never hurts to ask
Cheers

[The Tot]

What bike do you have? i take it's a triumph speed triple/four/street triple?

I've got a BT014 front/020 rear combo on my ZX6R and I, for the life of me cannot get any feeling of confidence from the rear - different shaped profiles, front is a super sticky sports tyre, the rear is a hard as wood sports touring tyre. I've had 3000 miles out of it so far and the rear is squaring off, the front is OK, but the mismatched profiles make me ride slower since i cant feel confident dropping it in - the front's eager, but the rear is sluggish.

They're good for commuting and the odd weekend blast, but i have to be very careful when pinning the throttle on the corner - i've had her wiggle the front a few times as the back end stepped out.

That combo is good for say 6000 miles?

FWR tyres in london will do you them for 170 installed, which is what they recommended me.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[neatbik]

Its a Speed Four mate
I was wondering about the possibility of different profiles to be honest... I like the grippiness of the '014 but i cant afford to keep replacing it as often as it needs, plus a lot of my mileage is boring straight line commuting. I guess ideally i should get a matched pair of 021's, but ive just replaced the front tyre and i cant afford to change it so soon.

[petemell]

I don't think you can mix crossplys with radials, but you can mix different manufacturers alright. Not sure though.

[The Tot]

Well if you want to put it how i put it

I basically said to the FWR tyre guy

"Mate, i'm got some dunnies on my bike - qualifiers, they're pretty stable and confidence inspiring, but they don't last as long as i want. I need a compromise of good front end feel with longevity for commutes. What can you recommend me?"

His reply was

"we've fitted customers with 014/020 combos, we can also recommend you pirelli diablo stradas and pilot road 2's but your budget is about 200 quid fitted - we'll fit a bridgestone combo for 175"

I weren't gonna argue with the dude at FWR tyres. It was OK for the first few miles, it really did feel agile (it was last summer) and i was happy with it, but since the crash, riding through winter and 60 mile daily commutes at 90mph, it's flattened the profiles and squared them off - not my fault really. THAT's what causes the lack of confidence. I am pretty sure if i was screwed in the head, it's just a psychological thing. It didn't work for me, but i don't think it's any fault with the tyre or the bike.

Pete, FYI - you CAN mix crossplys with radials, although NOT recommended. I believe you can have a rear crossply with a front radial, but NOT have a front crossply and rear radial (MOT failure for the reason explained to me by my mechanic)- it's got something to do with how the tyres are constructed and how much heat and thus grip is generated, with crossplies being a much older tyre technology. Crossplies are effectively a heavier tyre because of the way that they are constructed, and having one at the front will produce an larger moment of inertia, greater gyroscopic mass and would make the bike harder to steer - reasonably OK if your bike is fitted with crossplies as standard, but not recommended on supersports. Also, Mick Doohan has long retired , make way for pedrosa and lorenzo!

To be honest beatnick, you can't really go wrong with the pair you've suggested, they're perfectly good - I believe G's had that combo and i KNOW wave 2k has had that combo on his cbr600rr, i've seen plenty of sportsbikes having a similar arrangement, so it's a good compromise, but i'd give your tyre man a brief of what you want. I think cos technology has moved on and if you have a healthier budget, they might whisper into your ear "michelin pilot road 2's" - these will be my next tyres
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[neatbik]

Cheers mate
If i had the money i think i'd go for a pair of pilot road 2's, or possibly Conti road attacks, but im getting married in sept, im doing a 'stag' trackday in july at anglesey, the bike will need a service before that plus i need to buy a decent jacket for the trackday.
All that, along with normal day to living (incl. 3 kids) is taking its toll on the wallet!

[Kickstart]

Hi

Front BT010 with a rear BT020 was a pretty common combination.

You can have a front cross ply and a rear radial legally, but not a front radial and a rear cross ply.

Old VF1000R from the mid 1980s had a front cross ply and rear radial as standard fitment.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Kris]

I have a BT-014 front with a BT-021 rear and have no problems on the SV1000
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[The Tot]

[neatbik]

Kris, what kind of mileage are you getting out of the BT021? And is it liable to square off easily?
Cheers

[Kris]

[The Tot]

Beatnick - the 020's i've had have been going for 3500 miles and show signs of squaring off. The front is OK, still plenty of meat left, the rear looks like it hasn't worn down at all, but the profile does show signs of squaring off, considering 2500 miles of which have beencommutes in a straight line (literally) for 60 miles at a time averaging 70mph! By which point my regular fitments of dunlop qualifiers would be as flat as a pancake. If you mix your riding, then it won't be as bad.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism