Need Tyre Advice!

[dazlow]

My 07 ninja has Battlax BT015R's fitted both front and back as standard. The rear needs changing and I can get hold of a rear Battlax BT014R on the cheap. Might sound stupid but can you fit a different rear to what you have fitted at the front? Will it make any difference? I think the 015 replaced the 014 anyway?????
A guy at the tyre place got me thinking because he said they have to have the same compound rating? The tyres on my bike are "J" but I have no idea about the 014?
Any advice would be grateful. :-/

[slowr1der]

go for the BT016 as a replacement rather than an 014.

I can vouch for the 016 easily good enough for trackdays and road riding and they have the same tread pattern as the 015 so will match ur front.

Personally I wouldn't mix 014 and 015 as I didn't rate the 014 to be that good.

What kind of rider are you, fast road, trackday, commuter??

[dazlow]

I'm a fair weather road rider. I don't do track days and only use my bike as a toy in the nice weather days.
I've purchased the 014 as the auction was ending on Ebay. Got it for a good price my only concern is if I need to buy a front to go with it???? Or can I stick it on with the 015 front that's on there as there is still plenty of tread on the front.
I would of gone for the 016's if I wasn't getting the 014 rear for half the normal price.

[ollie]

your not supposed to mix differant treads/tyres with each other as the tyres are supposed to work together and heat up the same. mixing differant treads won't effect it to much but its advisory not to.

[Jon_W]

I mixed Bridgestone 010 and 020 tyres for years with no problems. It will probably make little difference to you.

[slowr1der]

well most people would say don't don't do it but I know a few that mix tyres with no issues.

If you are not really riding the bike in any anger then I think you would be fine Tbh. The 014 wasn't a bad tyre in any case and it was the out of the showroom tyre for many sportsbikes.

[dazlow]

Cheers for all the advice. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[slowr1der]

out of interest how old is the tyre? There will be a date on the tyre wall and I think they have a 7 year lifespan

[ZZR600Dude]

I would stick with the Bridgestones whichever model you go for.
I changed my Bridgestone battle axes for Pirelli Diablo Stradas. The Bridgestones were far better tyres.

:)

[dazlow]

Have had a good look and can't see no date stamp? Tyre is bran spankers and looks good to me? ::) What's the worse that could happen? :-/

[Scotty]

If it's too old it won't grip as well as it should - you don't know where it might have been stored these past years... The date stamp is actually moulded into the sidewall in a rectangular window and would say something like 2605 which means the tyre was made in week 26, 2005

Ultimately it's your call...

[wiltshire builders]

Have had a good look and can't see no date stamp? Tyre is bran spankers and looks good to me? ::) What's the worse that could happen? :-/

Let us know when you find out.

[dazlow]

Still can't see any date stamp and the tyre was stored in a garage. I will be careful for the first few miles when I get it fitted. Thanks for the advice and concern.

[slowr1der]

jesus no date stamp!

That would have been the 1st thing I would have asked the seller.

What's the worst that could happen? Well lets just hope nothing happens and u did get urself a bargain and not saved urself 50 quid in the short run but ultimately ur bike/health in the long run

[slowr1der]

oh as for the date stamp all modern tyres have them and as said made up of 4 digits as posted but not necessarily in a triangle.

If you cannot find them then I would suggest they have been rubbed off/doctored because they were old and the seller didn't want u to see that.