go through a heap of tyres on the road, typically around 60,000km per year on average, and like to keep tabs on what options are out there, and, also, how they stack up in my world. To be brutally frank, I don’ t really give a damn how marvellous they are on some wonderful stretch of road somewhere in the world with a perfect surface on a perfect day. Pretty much any tyre from any reputable brand will cope with that at less than warp speed. Sure, some will be better than others, depending on how hard they are pushed and on which bike but, for me, it is more about my specific wishlist, as it were. The age-old equations of grip versus tyre life, feel battling stability under load, dry versus wet and hot versus cold conditions must feel like juggling running chainsaws to the geeks in the tyre design department. Those with most fingers intact have managed the alchemy, while others not so much.

AN OPEN MIND So, it was with a little apprehension that I had some of Bridgestone’ s latest Battlax T33 sport-tourers fitted to my Suzuki GSX-S 1000 to see what has changed since the T32. The apprehension stemmed from my previous experience with the tyres. I try not to stick to just my fave treads, instead opting to try new options and returning to my selected benchmark models, which I change as new offerings supersede them. Now, don’ t get me wrong, there is nothing at all wrong with the T32. In my opinion, they simply didn’ t stand out from the crowd. Some aspects were above par, others not so much – and, even then, what niggles me may not even

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