BT-015 OEM tyres - wtf ?

[alpal]

I found the OEM's took too long to warm up. Not a bad tyre but I wasn't confident at all with grip and the shit cold grip was a significant factor of my lowside a while back. Am I right by saying (been told) that the factory fitted 015's are not the same tyre you'd buy off the shelf?

I ended up changing to 016's and am yet to fault them.

If you run reccomended pressures in the OEM tyres (42psi)you have a little hope of them ever getting to the temperature - 70-85 deg which would be ideal. I run mine at about 32-34 psi with a much better result. Also noticed that the Australian models came with BT016 as standard while the US models have BT015's fitted as standard. The reason I know is because I bought a set of brand new wheels with tyres from there and they came with 015's on them.

Shifu i had my bike out the other day and the arse end was all over the place in the corners so before riding yesterday i checked my tyre pressure 36 in the rear pumped it back up to 42 and the ride was as sweet as did not move in the corners so for me the recommended trye pressure of 42 works i love these BT016s and i will run the BT016pro rear for my next set. only put the 016hypersport on the rear because i got it nearly $100 cheaper than the pro.

+1 I prefer standard pressures on road my 2008 gen 2 came with BT015s standard I had BT016 next on rear great grip but lasted only 3000ks

[Shifu]

I ended up changing to 016's and am yet to fault them.

If you run reccomended pressures in the OEM tyres (42psi)you have a little hope of them ever getting to the temperature - 70-85 deg which would be ideal. I run mine at about 32-34 psi with a much better result. Also noticed that the Australian models came with BT016 as standard while the US models have BT015's fitted as standard. The reason I know is because I bought a set of brand new wheels with tyres from there and they came with 015's on them.

Shifu i had my bike out the other day and the arse end was all over the place in the corners so before riding yesterday i checked my tyre pressure 36 in the rear pumped it back up to 42 and the ride was as sweet as did not move in the corners so for me the recommended trye pressure of 42 works i love these BT016s and i will run the BT016pro rear for my next set. only put the 016hypersport on the rear because i got it nearly $100 cheaper than the pro.

Don't know how much you weigh grumpy (I am 85kg) as this might be a factor as well as your suspension. During some experimenting I run these tyres as low as 28 psi without any problem other than getting a tad too hot after longer runs. On PI we run 33psi through 4 sessions also without any issues with the rear end moving excesivelly. I got now second set of 016 on and running 34psi front and 36 rear without any issues.

[Doogie]

Just clicked over 4000kms on the original tyre's on my 6 month old Bike and , I'll give them a 5/10 , looks like I'm going to have to replace the rear next week in the trickiest week of the year as I'm planning on an 800km trip next week and the BT-015 plainly won't last the distance .

Almost worn down to the thread , anyone know why Suzuki does'nt dress the new 'Busa's with decent rubber ?

Front tyre is Ok so I'll leave that as is but will try and book in a Metzeler Z8 if there's one around given the time-frame ..damn

I am up to 8135 klms on mine and have heaps left but I ride like miss Daisy

[grumpy]

i,m another 10kg on you Shifu and my suspension is still as factory as i,m not confident enough to go mucking around with it.

[Rev004]

Don't know how much you weigh grumpy (I am 85kg) as this might be a factor as well as your suspension. During some experimenting I run these tyres as low as 28 psi without any problem other than getting a tad too hot after longer runs. On PI we run 33psi through 4 sessions also without any issues with the rear end moving excesivelly. I got now second set of 016 on and running 34psi front and 36 rear without any issues.

+ 1 I'm with Shifu on this one..

I'm about the same weight and run between 36-38 in the rear and 34-36 in the front. Now in saying that if I was running across the Nullabor I will run 42 front and rear to ensure that I maximize tyre life and mainly because it's straight line running but I wouldn't be running an 015/016 neither.

I'm still yet to have a tyre last more than 6000k's and have had as little as 1800k's so it really comes back to what you want I know plenty of guys that run a sport tourer like the Road3's, Avon Storms and all very impressed with the tyres and they also run pretty quick. So when it's all said and done as long as your comfortable with the tread under you then half the problem is solved because confidence in your tyres a a big part to how you ride and as Roo Boy also said if you ride a Busa Tyre Life can be up there but I have heard of guys getting some huge K's out of tyres as well.

One last point as well one of my tyres I found that I was getting good mileage but after doing the sag etc and setting my suspension up a bit more then I found that the K's have come down as I'm now getting better contact with the road as the suspension is working more as the suspension was way too hard for my weight.

Anyway my 2 cents worth Rev004

[pashnit]

You need new Avon ST rubber!



Sticky goodness!

[FalcoPerigri]

I have to say that the OEM 015's(7000km) felt the least confidence inspiring. I liked the Roadsmarts(10,000km) a lot and am presently on the Metzler M5's. These are VERY impressive indeed, but tyre choice is a very personal thing. I'll move over to Sportsmarts after the M5's just to see how they compare, but I'd be very happy with the M5's, if they were the only tyres I could use. Also, it all depends on where they are available and at what price. Right now, $395 or 399 for a pair of either Sportsmart/M5 tyres balanced and fitted seem like good value.

[bRoWnEyE]

You need new Avon ST rubber!



Sticky goodness!

How many Km's you get out of them pashnit ?

Have you tried the Pirelli Super Corsa's ??

[FalcoPerigri]

Little story that may be relevant. A few weeks back I did another couple of blasts up and down the Oxley. Heading east along the long straight section just above ginger's roadhouse. Came hooking into the first right hander, bike cranked over. countersteering left, shoulder and knee pointed towards the centerline. Next thing about half a metre of oncoming logging truck bullbar is across my lane. Big flick and countersteer to quickly get the bike upright, gassed it flat and raced towards the gaurdrail and road edge. Near the very edge of the bitumen another very aggressive left countersteer and cranked over far more than I have had the bike before and flew by the whole debarcle. Short of the initial brake application on entry the brakes were never used again. I can honestly say that if I had not been on hot sports compound rubber I would have been pretty much the f--ked article. It all happened so fast that I can only recall the alloy bullbar but did not even note the colour of the rig. I believe that it does not matter how you ride these fantatic machines, a time will come that you wish you had the best grip available and possibly at the most unexpected moment. I don,t insure my bikes and every cent that does not go to the insurance thieves is spent on fresh, soft rubber. Each to their own, Paul.

Quite a dramatic and actual real-life illustration there Paul and all to GOOD support of choosing the right tyre for the right useage I think. So often, one of the first questions people ask is "what's the life of the tyre like", whereas they ought to really address and be more concerned about the life of the RIDER!
42/36/24/33/28 psi are all suitable for particular tyres and situations so there really isn't a hard and sacred rule when you gas the tyres. 42 or 38psi felt fine to me with B015's. Roadsmarts felt fine at 34 or 35psi front and back...M5's are just fantastic at 33psi front and back...some people prefer slightly lower. Anyway, it depends also on the air temperatures, the bitumen and if there's any moisture about. My OEM B015's lasted 7000km and were overdue for replacement. The Roadsmarts lasted near 10,000km as a great all-rounder. The M5's, may well go up to and over 10K according to the tyre man and what he knows. If I were primarily concerned about making tyres last as long as possible, I'd drive a Corolla and fit Maxxis tyres on each corner which last over 60,000km! People who do BIG distances like the Pashnit Crowd will vouch for a certain tyre, (Avon Storms at a guess) and people who go to the Track will have their own personal favourites such as Metzler M3 or some other track tyre. It's all about finding out what suits YOU the user, right?
Interestingly, the Nardo long distance track record was set by Hayabusa wearing Pirelli Angels.

[CeeJay07]

I'd like to see you getting 60,000kms out of any tyre on a front wheel drive car without rotating the beejesus out of them every 5,000 kms (front to back, left to right).

[FalcoPerigri]

I'd like to see you getting 60,000kms out of any tyre on a front wheel drive car without rotating the beejesus out of them every 5,000 kms (front to back, left to right).

My OEM Corolla tyres lasted 50,000km no sweat from new. They came with the car (Goodyears I think). My Mercedes and the Service Manager's Merc on Maxxis tyres, lasted 60,00km no sweat.

[cyndemgum]

I'd like to see you getting 60,000kms out of any tyre on a front wheel drive car without rotating the beejesus out of them every 5,000 kms (front to back, left to right).

Easy, 34psi minimum cold pressure in the front regardless of the tyre brand. Especially with city driving. Also on a new car don't assume the front and rear wheel alignment is correct. To check this run the palm of your hand clockwise around the tread on the shoulder and then anti clockwise. If you feel the edge of the tread blocks picking up on your skin in one direction the alignment is out. The reason for doing this is that you will feel the imperfection before you will see it. Once you see it a wheel alignment will not prevent the tyre from continuing to wear on that edge and ideally that tyre should then be fitted to the rear. Many dealers are not going to tell you to bump the pressure up for obvious reasons. Fitted and balanced more tyres then i care to remember. Paul.

---

You need new Avon ST rubber!



Sticky goodness!

Nice shot.

[Belzybob]

I'd like to see you getting 60,000kms out of any tyre on a front wheel drive car without rotating the beejesus out of them every 5,000 kms (front to back, left to right).

My OEM Corolla tyres lasted 50,000km no sweat from new. They came with the car (Goodyears I think). My Mercedes and the Service Manager's Merc on Maxxis tyres, lasted 60,00km no sweat.

The wife's Impreza has just clicked over 80,000 on the OEM tyres. Still legal, but need a change soon. Of note, they have always been run at recommended pressures, not from ideas off a forum :-)

[CeeJay07]

Regardless of wheel alignment (on cars), you will always wear the outside edge of the left front tyre in Australia. This applies to the right front tyre in countries where they drive on the opposite side of the road. This is due to right hand turns being the longest ones we make i.e roundabouts, turning right forces yoiu to travel across another lane etc.
I meant what I said about 60,00 kms being unrealistic without rotating the crap out of all 4 regularly. Anyone who has achieved that milestone is either lying or drives like a nanna.
P.S. I used to run a tyre service in a previous life so I have an idea what I'm talking about....and when I left that industry, Z rated tyres were just becoming popular (due to lower and lower profiles) so I'd expect the average tyre life to shorten due to the rubber compound being stickier to cope with higher horsepower cars.

My 2 bobs worth anyway.

[cyndemgum]

Regardless of wheel alignment (on cars), you will always wear the outside edge of the left front tyre in Australia. This applies to the right front tyre in countries where they drive on the opposite side of the road. This is due to right hand turns being the longest ones we make i.e roundabouts, turning right forces yoiu to travel across another lane etc.
I meant what I said about 60,00 kms being unrealistic without rotating the crap out of all 4 regularly. Anyone who has achieved that milestone is either lying or drives like a nanna.
P.S. I used to run a tyre service in a previous life so I have an idea what I'm talking about....and when I left that industry, Z rated tyres were just becoming popular (due to lower and lower profiles) so I'd expect the average tyre life to shorten due to the rubber compound being stickier to cope with higher horsepower cars.

My 2 bobs worth anyway.

Just fitted 4 new tyres to a 2007 corolla at 78000 ks. Rears were probably still good for another 10000 but owners opted for 4 newies. Tyres had never been rotated. 34 front 32 rear. Ftitted 2 new fronts to a 2008 corolla at 65000ks, now at 80000ks it needs 2 rears. Tyres never rotated. 34 front 32 rear. But of course it is a forum so I would have to be lying. I do concede that whilst possible, it is difficult to get really good mileage out of any tyre with an aspect ratio of 45 or less. Cabbies and cockies are the biggest tight arses when it comes to rubber. They run elcheapos, bump the pressures up and get a great run out of them. I guess this topic should be in the general discussion section. Paul.