BRIDGESTONE BATTL AX T31
PRODUCT TEST
P118
On the rear, Bridgestone has used
their 3LC compound design, whereby
the harder center compound runs
underneath the two softer side com-
pounds to add some extra rigidity under
high cornering loads. Having the dual
compound thus aids longevity, as well
as high-speed stability. Although this is
only a feature of the rear tire compound,
not the front, as is the case, some of the
Adventure A41 rubber we also rode at
this test.
Into The Desert
Just like we did the Adventure A41 a few
weeks ago, the T31 was tested around
the swirling valleys of mysterious Moroc-
co, a land I never thought I'd experience
and will be forever thankful that I did.
But there was one issue with riding
in Morocco, and that was the lack of
a wet-weather testing, so for you guys
who live and ride in predominantly wet
conditions, I'm sorry, but I'm
none the wiser as to the T31's
performance gain.
As for general riding,
though, the T31 performed
admirably on the often dusty
and slippery road surfaces
we encountered on the test.
Personally, my two biggest
There are 22 different sizes of T31 available now, including five GT-spec tires.
JAN 2018
tests for any road-based
tire revolve around braking
stability and initial turning re-
sponse, and the T31 handled
both areas extremely well.
Where the tire was espe-
cially impressive was when
I overcooked a few tight
corners and could dial in
more brake, then pull the bike
back on-line easily. Here, the
Bridgestone engineers have
succeeded in giving excellent
feel back to the rider, so you
know exactly what the tire is
doing at all times.
Under brakes and through
the initial stages of turning,
the T31 gave smooth and pre-
dictable steering response,
although I wasn't prepared to
really get the Super Duke GT
cranked right over due to the
dust storms that often flooded
the road, so I can't comment
on edge of the tire grip.
The rear tire was likewise
impressive, with a huge
amount of acceleration grip
and stability. The Super Duke
