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Bridgestone T33

ArkKornKid

ArkKornKid

Rider of Reptile
Member
So, Bridgestone has a new sport touring tire, the T33 to replace the T32. I'm just curious if I'm going to be the guinea pig on these. I've searched here and couldn't find where anyone had tried them, but have read some favorable things on the T32 GT.

They're running a $70 mfr rebate, and Rocky Mountain ATV seems to have the best price, so I went ahead and ordered a set... with the rebate it's $368 total.

Anyways, figured at that price they'd be worth a shot. Rebate is through the end of June, so if they're good I may get another set for later.
 
arkkornkid said:
So, Bridgestone has a new sport touring tire, the T33 to replace the T32. I'm just curious if I'm going to be the guinea pig on these. I've searched here and couldn't find where anyone had tried them, but have read some favorable things on the T32 GT.

They're running a $70 mfr rebate, and Rocky Mountain ATV seems to have the best price, so I went ahead and ordered a set... with the rebate it's $368 total.

Anyways, figured at that price they'd be worth a shot. Rebate is through the end of June, so if they're good I may get another set for later.
Click to expand...
I looked at them but can't find the T33 in GT compound. Have been running the T32 GT's since they came out. Waiting for the GT compound so I can get a set and see how good/bad they are.
 
RickMorgan said:
I looked at them but can't find the T33 in GT compound. Have been running the T32 GT's since they came out. Waiting for the GT compound so I can get a set and see how good/bad they are.
Click to expand...
According to this, there won't be a GT version. Or rather, they went with the stronger compound, dropped the GT name, and say the tire is good for all bike weights.

americansporttouring.com

Bridgestone Announces the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33 | American Sport Touring

Bridgestone unveils the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33, a new tire offering 47% more mileage and improved handling, launching worldwide January 1, 2025.
americansporttouring.com americansporttouring.com
 
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arkkornkid said:
According to this, there won't be a GT version. Or rather, they went with the stronger compound, dropped the GT name, and say the tire is good for all bike weights.

americansporttouring.com

Bridgestone Announces the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33 | American Sport Touring

Bridgestone unveils the BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T33, a new tire offering 47% more mileage and improved handling, launching worldwide January 1, 2025.
americansporttouring.com americansporttouring.com
Click to expand...
@arkkornkid Share with the group how you like the T33. Wet, dry, cold, hot, loaded, rider only, spirited stick to the road, longevity, braking, feel, road surface feedback, balance / maintaining balance, tire pressures, etc.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
Thanks for posting about this. I had been waiting on the rebate and was unaware of the T33.
47% longer life, hmmm.
I almost always order from Rocky Mountain; they have a warehouse in KY and I get 18-hour delivery! And they make the rebate process very easy.
 
laker9142 said:
Thanks for posting about this. I had been waiting on the rebate and was unaware of the T33.
47% longer life, hmmm.
I almost always order from Rocky Mountain; they have a warehouse in KY and I get 18-hour delivery! And they make the rebate process very easy.
Click to expand...
They even submit the rebate for you, all you gotta do is fill out their online form. Too easy.
 
Just Cliff said:
I may have to get me some of these. I probably need at least one more, maybe two sets on the shelf to get me through the year.
Click to expand...
I saw that the rebate is good for up to 6 tires per household. I'm thinking of going ahead and getting at least one more set soon.
 
Well, it's going to be a little while before I can give any updates. Decided I'm going to wait until after the Horseshoe Mountain Rendevous to mount these. I've got plenty of side tread left on the current shinkos that I can scrub off that weekend. Then the T33s can get me through the National Rally and hopefully a good bit beyond.
 
I ordered two sets Monday & got them yesterday, blistering fast. I've heard good things about the 31's & 32's so figured it time to try them.

They seem to be very stiff though, we'll see how they go mounting with spoons.
 
Cliff should give tire changing lessons. Maybe we should start having competitions. He would be tough to beat
 
arkkornkid said:
So, Bridgestone has a new sport touring tire, the T33 to replace the T32. I'm just curious if I'm going to be the guinea pig on these. I've searched here and couldn't find where anyone had tried them, but have read some favorable things on the T32 GT.

They're running a $70 mfr rebate, and Rocky Mountain ATV seems to have the best price, so I went ahead and ordered a set... with the rebate it's $368 total.

Anyways, figured at that price they'd be worth a shot. Rebate is through the end of June, so if they're good I may get another set for later.
Click to expand...
Looking forward to a review of these tires. I love the Roadsmart IVs on my bike… but the price is getting crazy at over $500 a set.
 
Well, I couldn't wait any longer. The Shinko tires were just too far gone to risk a weekend of carving mountain roads next weekend. So, the T33's are finally mounted.
The rabaconda made pretty easy work of the job. It was an overcast and cool day when I got started, so I managed to warm the tires with my wife's electric throw blanket and a heating pad in the center. 20250511_195836.jpg20250511_195824.jpg
 
I wasn't sure if taking a picture of the old front tire would show how bad they were cupped, but yeah it shows.... Shinko Raven with at least 7k miles, however they were bad about 2k miles ago:
20250512_120859.jpg

This was the cause of most of my steering wobble at city speeds, but not really why my front tpms sensor would only work intermittently.
 
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Jorge said:
Those that have been using the T32s, what kind of mileage have you seen from them?
Click to expand...
Out of 3 sets of T32 GT's, I got 7,077, 4,129 and 5,305 miles from them. I forgot to mention that these milage's were rear tires. The only 2nd front mounted on her now. But the 1st front I got 13,243 miles. Probable could have a couple 1000 more but was putting a new rear so I replaced both.
 
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One thing I never saw mentioned about going with the 190/55 tire: Getting the bike on the center stand is significantly easier.
 
laker9142 said:
They are stiff. I think of you spooning these things on and I just shake my head. I've not done a 33 but plenty of 32gts. Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

So, I spooned a set of these on my spare wheels today expecting the worst since they seemed stiff & I had been warned. To my surprise they were a non-issue to mount with spoons. I had the wheels sitting there cleaned up & ready to mount the new tires. I had the front & rear tire mounted in less than 5 minutes. My wife said, that was easy I should have videoed it since you thought it was gonna be hard.
 
Just Cliff said:
So, I spooned a set of these on my spare wheels today expecting the worst since they seemed stiff & I had been warned. To my surprise they were a non-issue to mount with spoons. I had the wheels sitting there cleaned up & ready to mount the new tires. I had the front & rear tire mounted in less than 5 minutes. My wife said, that was easy I should have videoed it since you thought it was gonna be hard.
Click to expand...
I am interested in what you think about the tires. Life of the tire is always a question
 
So, I just checked and have run these for 3,035 miles. Within the first 1k miles, I ran these for a few hard days during Cliff's HMR. . nearly 700 very spirited miles through the mountain roads of Arkansas. The last ~1900 miles were interstate miles going to and from the Nationals. Me and at least 50 lbs of stuff. So like 300 lbs.

All dry miles, nothing in the rain yet.

During the first ride at HMR, I had to repeat in my head, "trust the tires" and it didn't take very long for me to feel confident to push them harder, and they did everything I asked of them. Lack of grip has never been an issue.

They've held their shape with maybe just the slightest flattening on the center of the rear.. I honestly can't even feel any, and the front looks great. I was doing between 90 and 110 most of the way home.

Things I've noticed... I feel everything on the road, all the bumps, cracks, grooves, pebbles, everything. They were a bit squirmy on the tar snakes of the hot New Mexico highway. I run them at 40/40, and they always warm to 42/42 quickly and have never gone over 43.

They've still got plenty of tread left, so it should be a while before I mount another set. Can't wait to see the final mile count on them.
Front
20250623_140523.jpg
Rear
20250623_140507.jpg
 
The time came this weekend to replace this first set of T33's. The rear was at the wear bars, but had a decent amount of tread left on the sides due to a majority of highway miles. The side treads did look as though they were cupping a little.
20250824_132823.jpg

The front probably had another 500-1k miles left. I just felt better going ahead and changing now since I had all of the equipment and tools out.

Mileage was over 5800, so they would have made it to 6k for sure.

I went back to the 50 rear, not really by choice. It's all Rocky Mountain had available at the time. Damn if I didn't immediately struggle to get the bike on the center stand... oh well.
 
arkkornkid said:
The time came this weekend to replace this first set of T33's. The rear was at the wear bars, but had a decent amount of tread left on the sides due to a majority of highway miles. The side treads did look as though they were cupping a little.
View attachment 42300

The front probably had another 500-1k miles left. I just felt better going ahead and changing now since I had all of the equipment and tools out.

Mileage was over 5800, so they would have made it to 6k for sure.

I went back to the 50 rear, not really by choice. It's all Rocky Mountain had available at the time. Damn if I didn't immediately struggle to get the bike on the center stand... oh well.
Click to expand...
@arkkornkid I am assuming wet weather traction is good since you put on another set. Any words on the wet or cold handling?

Then regarding strong road feedback, ~ “bumps cracks, grooves, pebbles - feel everything” did this become even more defined as the tires wore?

My tires usually absorb smaller items but as they wear I find the feedback becomes more sensitive and toward end of life as you describe (everything is felt) - for me this is fatiguing and even distracting.

I like heightened feedback when hammering it and of course if there is something of an anomaly (bad road condition) but otherwise I don’t want to know about every little bit of porosity on the tar.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
2andblue said:
@arkkornkid I am assuming wet weather traction is good since you put on another set. Any words on the wet or cold handling?

Then regarding strong road feedback, ~ “bumps cracks, grooves, pebbles - feel everything” did this become even more defined as the tires wore?

My tires usually absorb smaller items but as they wear I find the feedback becomes more sensitive and toward end of life as you describe (everything is felt) - for me this is fatiguing and even distracting.

I like heightened feedback when hammering it and of course if there is something of an anomaly (bad road condition) but otherwise I don’t want to know about every little bit of porosity on the tar.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
Click to expand...
The one time I got caught in the rain, it was a downpour, I was on the highway and just straight roads ahead but everything felt sure-footed... never had a concern. Only 3 months on these, so no cold weather yet.
The only time I've lost traction was a couple weeks ago going into a tight right hand turn and hit a patch of sand. Luckily, it was at slow speed and the TC kicked in, so I managed to escape with a twisted ankle and scraped boot. Had nothing to do with the tire, that was strictly road conditions.

As far as feeling the road, I suppose I got used to it. By that I mean, if my focus is locked in like when I'm riding aggressive in the twisties, then I will definitely notice it more. Once on the highway or just casual around town type of riding, I truly don't notice it. So either it's a mental block or the compound of the tire is pretty forgiving.

And the tar snake thing I mentioned before was only that one time/place, so I'm chalking that up to the desert heat because I've never experienced that again.
 
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That $60 or $70 rebate shakes up the order a bunch.
1757292369576.png

My only question at this point is T32 or T33? I can get the T32 from Dennis Kirk for much cheaper than Revzilla. DK doesn't sell (yet) the T33.

Chris
 
Just throwing out some info.

Right now, Rocky Mountain is giving an instant $50 rebate on sets of Bridgestone tires. That brings their price down to $440 per set (of T33) which, while still outrageous, is the lowest price I've found. And then factor in the $60 rebates that Bridgestone has going on their tires this month.
 
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