Bridgestone introduces the new Battlax Sport Touring T32

At Bridgestone, innovation moves fast, as the new Battlax Sport Touring T32 designed for the motorcycling world testifies, along with the T32GT variant intended for large and medium-sized motorbikes. The T32 is the result of a process of innovation that stemmed from its predecessor. Bridgestone engineers worked on the design and compound to improve the structural characteristics of the T32 to ensure performance, safety and grip in all weather conditions. Both versions of the Battlax Sport Touring, the T32 and T32GT, will be available on the market in early 2021. “The Battlax Sport Touring T32 is a crucial new product for our local sales division, and fits in a market segment in which demand for high-performance radial tires is growing steadily," explains Claudio Comigni, Bridgestone Emia's motorbike sales manager for the South Region. Over the last decade, we have witnessed a remarkable change in the preference of Italian riders: from uncompromising high performance motorbikes to two-wheelers that combine the pleasure of a sporty ride with everyday usability, in line with the needs of modern urban mobility. This makes the work of designing tires particularly challenging, as the characteristics required are often in opposition to each other: excellent grip in both dry and wet conditions, the ability to deliver exciting performance but still able to guarantee long mileage without neglecting comfort and handling. Bridgestone's research and development engineers have managed to meet all these requirements with the new Battlax Sport Touring T32, achieving excellent results in each of these areas”.

 

 

Performance in wet conditions

One of the Battlax Sport Touring T32’s standout benefits is its improved overall wet performance versus its predecessor, the Battlax Sport Touring T31. This is thanks to several new and innovative features in the tire’s design and compound technology. The tire applies Bridgestone’s state of the art Pulse Groove Pattern Technology, which combines pulse-shaped grooves with small centre deflectors to equalise water-flow in comparison with a straight groove and optimise water displacement. This in turn helps improve water channelling and drainage across the tire, which enhances grip and reduces the tire’s slip ratio in wet and difficult conditions. The impact of Bridgestone’s Pulse Groove Pattern Technology on the Battlax Sport Touring T32’s wet weather performance follows the enhancements in the tire’s pattern design from its predecessor. Increased groove ratios, combined with optimised groove angles, groove positioning and pattern stiffness, plus a 13% larger footprint at the rear – with improved neutral and linear handling behaviour – that enhances overall performance in the wet. The Battlax Sport Touring T32’s wet weather features unite to give the tire a wet braking performance that is 7 per cent shorter than its predecessor without sacrificing the tire’s life.

 

A GT line-up

For middleweight and heavy touring motorcycles, Bridgestone has developed a fully dedicated Battlax Sport Touring T32GT tire, with technical features and a pattern design in line with the requirements for this very specific motorcycle category. The GT version also incorporates Bridgestone’s state of the art Pulse Groove Pattern Technology, an optimised groove positioning and structure to guarantee the stiffness required by these heavier motorbikes. The innovations introduced in the GT line, ensure improved wet performance and grip, plus a 10 per cent increase in wear life compared to its predecessor.