Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33 test: a very complete range
With the appearance of the T33 as the most prominent reference in the Battlax Sport Touring range, Bridgestone configures a range with tires for all types of traveler. When the Japanese brand launches a new product, it does not eliminate the previous reference (in this case the T32), but passes, like those that preceded, to another step of the range at the price level.
That does not mean that the tires with previous denominations do not benefit from the technologies that arise in the composition and construction of current tires, but benefit from them, in designs that remain in the market for their success.
In the Sport Touring segment and with the most current compounds, the Battlax T32, T31 and the legendary BT46 and BT45 are still in production, which continue to equip the motorcycles of the motorists who demand them.
Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33 test: the precedent
The previous Battlax T32 supposed the reference in terms of benefits. The market sends and the benefits of the Sport Touring and Maxi Trail Asphalt have reached very high levels, hence the T32 stood out in terms of performance.
Bridgestone emphasized the use of different technologies (Silica Rich/Ex, Ultimateye, MS-Belt, HTSPC, RC Polymer, Nanopro-Tech and Press Groove) to configure a 60/40 sport/tourism pneumatic with great water performance. There was even a T32 GT version, aimed at motorcycles of more than 250 kg dry, with a harder housing. The only point to improve was the durability of the tire. This is where the new Battlax T33 comes into play.
Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33 test: The new reference
The purpose for the new Battlax T33 was to increase the durability of T32 without losing performance. And what if it has been achieved, nothing less than 47% of extra average for the T32. For this, changes have been made.
The first is that the compound for the central part of the rear tire is new, more resistant to abrasion and without reducing the feeling of comfort. It is a new more resistant polymer in the union of coal and silica molecules. Like the T32, it enjoys bicomposed technology in the rear rubber, but the arrangement of the layers is now different, based on Cap & Base technology.
They are no longer two softer gum parallel layers that flank a tougher central layer. Now the hard layer, seen in section, is like a volcano. The crater would be the central part of the tire. On the slopes of the volcano is the soft rubber of the flanks, so that the hard layer is imbricated under the soft on the sides of the tire, in a union between more natural layers, from which a more uniform wear is derived throughout the life of the tire.
The drawing has also changed, abandoning the previous grooves of wide width and depth, in search of increasing the contact surface and hardness of the drawing pattern. The housing has also varied, leaving aside the two previous versions to form a single version, more flexible in its construction and light, but also somewhat harder.
If we take into account the two previous options, the new housing is closer to the GT version of the T32 destined for motorcycles of more than 250 kg dry in that it is harder, but in turn it is also lighter than that, combining the best of both and simplifying the offer of rear wheels (8 rear measurements by 7 front).
Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33: Different motorcycles, a common denominator
The presentation of the new Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33 took place in Split, Croatia, a country to which every motorcycle lover should go at least once in life. Of course, before traveling I did my homework and reviewed proof and video of the previous T32 to be able to compare my opinions.
Bridgestone’s trust in his new product is such that, before even the mandatory technical talk, we could have a previous contact around 200 kilometers. The brand had several motorcycle models for that first contact and decided to opt for the most tourist of all the disposal: the BMW R 1250 RT, a motorcycle with 279 kg in the order of march that was going to give me the reference, above, of the hardness of the new unified housing.
The funny thing is that, although the shape of the tire has not varied, the perception of his profile does. If the T32 is a sports tire that falls -entra- fast in curve, typical of the tires with “in V” profile, the T33 feels very uniform, almost linear, at any time of the inclination, as if it had a “in U” profile, but with hardly any resistance, that is, it is not thick to fall into a curve, it is not necessary to force it in advance. It is clean in the rolling and easy in its handling, without complaints, with the advantage that the feeling of Grip is the same at all times of the inclination. In a high flight touring sport such as RT seemed to me a winning combination, because with that volume and weight it is always appreciated linear tires that put things easy. The rhythm to which an RT with electronic suspensions and some Battlax T33 with the feeling of relaxing is surprising.
After the contact and during the technical presentation, I understood Bridgestone’s play: with the T33 he closed the circle of his range with a Sport Touring – the T33 – of great durability and benefits, the range of the range. A linear tire, valid for all types of long -range routers. Those who like sport high -speed tourism with more sporty input in curve, the T32. They enjoy the same benefits as the T33, but not their duration. It has always been like this: more sporty, less durable, more routes, longer duration. So Bridgestone puts at your disposal the best technology oriented to the different ways of understanding Sport-Touring. In addition, without reaching the top of the range that can be the aforementioned T33 and T32, there are the T31, with a great value for money, for the most tight budgets.
But there was still the second day, a whole day to roll with the best marketing in the market. If I had tried the T33 with the Great RT the previous day, now I wanted to change the side and defect to the sportier side. The first motorcycle I wanted to try was the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX, a motorcycle that I liked a lot in its international presentation, except for one appearance: its standard tires.
If the previous day I thought that the T33 closed the circle on the Touring part, the route with the Suzuki made it clear that it is also perfectly valid as a sports tire. It does not “fall” as fast in curve as the T32, in that sense it is less sports, but the grip and trust are present at all times. I perceived the same linearity in the behavior as with the RT, that is, it is very easy to understand. The very potent GSX-S1000GX greatly improves its behavior with the T33 with respect to the original riding. They fit him as a ring to the finger, in the same way that would also fit him, if you like very agile tires, some Battlax T32.
Having tried the two extremes, I prepared to try a trail or “false” sport-toouring: the BMW R1300Gs. Motorists who resort to a maxitrail are multitude to travel large distances only by road. After the sports GSX-S1000GX, the GS is revealed as a more friendly, easy and intuitive motorcycle, especially when entering curve. The Battlax T33 result in that ease of use and make us forget that we are facing a valid motorcycle to travel outside the road (with the limitations of its weight, of course).
The housing is hard, but also light, so it does not clash on motorcycles with a more sporty facet that begins, such as the Yamaha MT-09, Honda Hornet 1000 SP or the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. With all of them I could enjoy the Croatian roads with the T33, which without having the profile of a pure sports tire, is able to provide the benefits in terms of grip and grip of one of them, with the guarantee that it will last many kilometers.
