Touring Tires

All I know is that my touring is not stock and I run the Bridgies and they work great rain dry it does not matter fell more stable at any angle or speed ride great and with 10k miles on them still look good I must baby them now having said that I have not tried the avons so can not compare but not being able to handle the torq they have done just fine and I will buy another set when the time comes

I went through this back in 2008 and it was not just the rear but the front tires de-laminated in a similar fashion, I went through 4 rears and 2 fronts in less than 5000 miles before they acknowledged it back then. By that time I was on an Avon front and Tripple-Thread rear... went 18000 miles on these 2 tires before I sold the bike...

Triumph and Bridgestone played the blame game with one another and I sent sets of tires to both back then...
Triumph owned up and gave me credit and a new set of tires of my choosing for all the ones I went through.

Report Receipt Date: MAR 31, 2009
NHTSA Campaign Number: 09T004000
Component(s): TIRES
All Products Associated with this Recall

Details

13 Associated Documents

Manufacturer: BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE NORTH AMERICA TIRE
SUMMARY:
BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATION (BRIDGESTONE) IS RECALLING 1,018 BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA G850 G MOTORCYCLE TIRES, SIZE 180/70R16 77H, SOLD AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FOR MY 2008 AND 2009 TRIUMPH ROCKET III TOURING MOTORCYCLES. THE MOTORCYCLE TO WHICH THESE TIRES ARE APPLIED DEVELOPS VERY HIGH TORQUE AND CAN CAUSE TORQUE-INDUCED DEGRADATION IN A BODY PLY WHICH MAY RESULT IN INNERLINER CRACKING THAT MAY LEAD TO A SLOW LEAK IN THE REAR TIRE. THIS CONDITION DOES NOT AFFECT THE FRONT TIRE.
CONSEQUENCE:
THE AFFECTED TIRES MAY BEGIN TO VIBRATE AT MODERATE SPEEDS. CONTINUED USE OF A TIRE WITH THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
REMEDY:
BRIDGESTONE IS WORKING WITH TRIUMPH TO NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT TIRE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE DUE TO THE MATCHING REQUIREMENTS OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRIDGESTONE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-465-1904.
NOTES:
OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

I got 15,400 miles out of a Dunlop Elite 3 on the rear and it would have gone a little more, but the Metzler that was on the front could not wait to be changed. I went with that same combination again and have almost 11,000 miles on them. This time the Metzler on the front is not going to make it as long as last time, though the Elite 3 on the back looks to be good for a few thousand more, at least. Dunlop does not make an Elite 3 that will work on the front (i.e. size) and there is not a whole lot to choose from out there for the front. I have known guys that have had Avons on their bikes and they always whine about not getting many miles out of them.

dawb said:

NEW Bridgestones? Exedra Max? I have those on my road liner but didn't think they would handle the R3T weight....

Click to expand...

FYI - The Excedra Max 240/55R16 is 86V rated = 1168 pounds and 149 mph.

@cr0ft
@ROCKETHEAD
Thanks for posting this information!
Am I to assume this problem has been corrected?
Apparently this does not apply to the 240 size.
Definitely an interesting issue as I had not heard of it since my first Triumph purchase in 2012.

@Prestaged
I ran a couple of the 180 Elite 3. My V2K called for a 200/60R16 and I tried the Elite 3 looking for more response and better handling in the twisties. Both were awesome tires, although difficult to mount up! I would think it a great tire for the R3T.

1olbull said:

FYI - The Excedra Max 240/55R16 is 86V rated = 1168 pounds and 149 mph.

@cr0ft
@ROCKETHEAD
Thanks for posting this information!
Am I to assume this problem has been corrected?
Apparently this does not apply to the 240 size.
Definitely an interesting issue as I had not heard of it since my first Triumph purchase in 2012.

Click to expand...

They corrected it and had bridgestone pull all the tires made during that time in the 180 size...

ROCKETHEAD said:

They corrected it and had bridgestone pull all the tires made during that time in the 180 size...

Click to expand...

Very good to know and thanks once again.

1olbull said:

FYI - The Excedra Max 240/55R16 is 86V rated = 1168 pounds and 149 mph.

@cr0ft
@ROCKETHEAD
Thanks for posting this information!
Am I to assume this problem has been corrected?
Apparently this does not apply to the 240 size.
Definitely an interesting issue as I had not heard of it since my first Triumph purchase in 2012.

Click to expand...

I think the Exedra and the Exedra Max are different products, and the company usually makes good stuff. I guess everyone can have a bad design day. Maybe they experimented with the Kevlar and got a little too creative... the recall was for a little over a 1000 Exedra G850-G specifically in 180/70.

cr0ft said:

I think the Exedra and the Exedra Max are different products, and the company usually makes good stuff. I guess everyone can have a bad design day. Maybe they experimented with the Kevlar and got a little too creative... the recall was for a little over a 1000 Exedra G850-G specifically in 180/70.

Click to expand...

Yes the key being BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA G850 G, SIZE 180/70R16 77H, produced during 2008/9

cr0ft said:

I think the Exedra and the Exedra Max are different products, and the company usually makes good stuff. I guess everyone can have a bad design day. Maybe they experimented with the Kevlar and got a little too creative... the recall was for a little over a 1000 Exedra G850-G specifically in 180/70.

Click to expand...

The G852 is the one we are using. Canberra astutely pointed out the lesser quality of the Excedra NOT MAX tires in an earlier post.

I have had my Rocket since nov. '05 and went through a lot of tires. The Metz seems to wear the quickest, had bad luck with avons separating at factory joint(freaked me out) went back to Metz until this year I'm trying the bridgestones. This bike has cost more in tires than any other bike I have owned!