Battlax Sport Touring T32 and T32GT For a 95 ST1100 ABS/TCS

Garry_Coates · Mar 14, 2022

I have been a long term user of the Bridgestone Battlax tyres because of their shape, carcass strength and grip. I have noted with the T32 slightly more focussed on wet conditions that I am not getting the same kilometrage out of the front as previous while the back is fine. The GT versions is supposed to have a slight stiffer carcass for heavier bikes. I have not used the GT series as they do not do a 110/80R18 but a 120/70R18. My Honda mechanic does not recommend it even though my ABS/TCS no longer works.

Has anybody here like me a long term battlax user tried the GT version? If so, did you put it on an earlier model instead of the 110/80? I would be interested in your feedback.

I am just interested in feedback on the Battlax GT versions.

Regards
Garry

Uncle Phil · Mar 14, 2022

Some folks over here have run the 120 on the 110 rim without any problems.
I have fitted a ABSII rim on my 97 standard with no clearance issues (you have to swap the discs over but the bolt pattern is the same).
I always get the GT version of the tires which are supposed to be designed for the heavier bikes.
I have also run the ST1300 rears (170/60) on my ABSII models without any issues.

Garry_Coates · Mar 15, 2022

Thanks Uncle Phil that was the answer I was after. Does wheel removal (with the 120) require taking both calipers off to clear the tyre?
Regards
Garry

Uncle Phil · Mar 15, 2022

Garry_Coates said:
Thanks Uncle Phil that was the answer I was after. Does wheel removal (with the 120) require taking both calipers off to clear the tyre?
Regards
Garry

No, I always remove the right one and leave the left one in place.
I ran the 120 ABSII rim on my 97 standard for years before I finally converted the front end to 43 mm ABSII front forks and calipers.

Putting An ABSII Front End On A Standard ST1100 | ST1100-Brakes | ST-Owners.com

Garry_Coates · Mar 16, 2022

Hi Phil, are the later model (ABSII) front rims that run a 120mm tyre actually wider or different in any way to the early model (ABSI) rims? I understand the ABSI are 3 inches wide for a 110/80 tyre. The ABS II?
Regards
Garry

Uncle Phil · Mar 16, 2022

IIRC, ABSI and the standards are marked "3", ABSII is marked "3.5" (110 vs 120) and the ABSII forks are 43MM vs 41MM.
But the rims are interchangeable as far as bolting them in to either sets of forks (I've done it to be sure).
The ABSII discs are actually smaller than the standards so you have to swap them if you put a ABSII front rim on a standard or ABSI.
I don't know if the ABSI and ABSII share the same 'sensor' ring or not but I believe that they do.
But you can still put a 120 tyre on a 110 rim without any grief if you do not want to swap rims.

Garry_Coates · Mar 16, 2022

Thanks Phil. Bridgestone has 3.0-3.5 as approved rim size for the T31 120/70 front but only 3.5 for the T32 120/70 front which is strange. Will ring them to discuss.
Regards
Garry

Al st1100 · Mar 16, 2022

Garry_Coates said:
Thanks Phil. Bridgestone has 3.0-3.5 as approved rim size for the T31 120/70 front but only 3.5 for the T32 120/70 front which is strange. Will ring them to discuss.
Regards
Garry

have a 97 non abs and have run both sizes and couldn't tell the difference. I like the 130/70 -18 better

Andrew Shadow · Mar 17, 2022

Al st1100 said:
have a 97 non abs and have run both sizes and couldn't tell the difference. I like the 130/70 -18 better

Not sarcasm, serious question.
If you can't tell the difference between the two, then why do you have a preference?

Al st1100 · Mar 17, 2022

Andrew Shadow said:
Not sarcasm, serious question.
If you can't tell the difference between the two, then why do you have a preference?

I like the heavier load range (I'm 230 and over pack) , get a lot more miles on the tire and just seems to track a bit better on the slabs.

Garry_Coates · Mar 21, 2022

Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback. I have a ABS 95 model, with which I can usually get 12,000 km with the front tyre considering my 196cm and 115+kgs mass. The rear is never a problem. The T32 front is going illegal about 1500+km earlier than the T31 so I am hoping the T32 GT front will recover this.

Anybody objectively measure the range (tyre life) difference between a T32 standard 110/80 front and a T32 GT 120/70 front?

Al st1100 · Mar 21, 2022

Garry_Coates said:
Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback. I have a ABS 95 model, with which I can usually get 12,000 km with the front tyre considering my 196cm and 115+kgs mass. The rear is never a problem. The T32 front is going illegal about 1500+km earlier than the T31 so I am hoping the T32 GT front will recover this.

Anybody objectively measure the range difference between a T32 standard 110/80 front and a T32 GT 120/70 front?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?tires=120-70r18-110-80r18